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Chapter 15 of 25
皇极经世
There are kinds of beings that take the sun as the sun, kinds that take the sun as the moon, kinds that take the sun as the star, and kinds that take the sun as the辰; there are kinds that take the moon as the sun, kinds that take the moon as the moon, kinds that take the moon as the star, and kinds that take the moon as the辰; there are kinds that take the star as the sun, kinds that take the star as the moon, kinds that take the star as the star, and kinds that take the star as the辰; there are kinds that take the辰 as the sun, kinds that take the辰 as the moon, kinds that take the辰 as the star, and kinds that take the辰 as the辰. This forms the inter-pairing of the four images — sun, moon, star, and辰 — creating sixteen basic configurations of beings.
Kinds that take the sun as the sun correspond to the pairing of flying with flying; kinds that take the sun as the moon correspond to the pairing of flying with walking; kinds that take the sun as the star correspond to the pairing of flying with wood; kinds that take the sun as the辰 correspond to the pairing of flying with grass; kinds that take the moon as the sun correspond to the pairing of walking with flying; kinds that take the moon as the moon correspond to the pairing of walking with walking; kinds that take the moon as the star correspond to the pairing of walking with wood; kinds that take the moon as the辰 correspond to the pairing of walking with grass; kinds that take the star as the sun correspond to the pairing of wood with flying; kinds that take the star as the moon correspond to the pairing of wood with walking; kinds that take the star as the star correspond to the pairing of wood with wood; kinds that take the star as the辰 correspond to the pairing of wood with grass; kinds that take the辰 as the sun correspond to the pairing of grass with flying; kinds that take the辰 as the moon correspond to the pairing of grass with walking; kinds that take the辰 as the star correspond to the pairing of grass with wood; kinds that take the辰 as the辰 correspond to the pairing of grass with grass. The internal structure of beings is thereby divided into four states — flying, walking, wood, and grass — akin to different tiers of motion forms within an ecological system 🌱.
There are peoples who take the sovereign as the sovereign, peoples who take the sovereign as the emperor, peoples who take the sovereign as the king, and peoples who take the sovereign as the hegemon; there are peoples who take the emperor as the sovereign, peoples who take the emperor as the emperor, peoples who take the emperor as the king, and peoples who take the emperor as the hegemon; there are peoples who take the king as the sovereign, peoples who take the king as the emperor, peoples who take the king as the king, and peoples who take the king as the hegemon; there are peoples who take the hegemon as the sovereign, peoples who take the hegemon as the emperor, peoples who take the hegemon as the king, and peoples who take the hegemon as the hegemon. This forms the inter-pairing of the four political personae — sovereign, emperor, king, and hegemon — creating sixteen configurations of peoples.
Peoples who take the sovereign as the sovereign correspond to the pairing of scholar with scholar; peoples who take the sovereign as the emperor correspond to the pairing of scholar with farmer; peoples who take the sovereign as the king correspond to the pairing of scholar with artisan; peoples who take the sovereign as the hegemon correspond to the pairing of scholar with merchant; peoples who take the emperor as the sovereign correspond to the pairing of farmer with scholar; peoples who take the emperor as the emperor correspond to the pairing of farmer with farmer; peoples who take the emperor as the king correspond to the pairing of farmer with artisan; peoples who take the emperor as the hegemon correspond to the pairing of farmer with merchant; peoples who take the king as the sovereign correspond to the pairing of artisan with scholar; peoples who take the king as the emperor correspond to the pairing of artisan with farmer; peoples who take the king as the king correspond to the pairing of artisan with artisan; peoples who take the king as the hegemon correspond to the pairing of artisan with merchant; peoples who take the hegemon as the sovereign correspond to the pairing of merchant with scholar; peoples who take the hegemon as the emperor correspond to the pairing of merchant with farmer; peoples who take the hegemon as the king correspond to the pairing of merchant with artisan; peoples who take the hegemon as the hegemon correspond to the pairing of merchant with merchant. The internal structure of peoples is thereby divided into four occupations — scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant — corresponding to the four fundamental roles of social division of labor.
Beings pairing flying with flying correspond to the pairing of nature with nature; beings pairing flying with walking correspond to the pairing of nature with disposition; beings pairing flying with wood correspond to the pairing of nature with form; beings pairing flying with grass correspond to the pairing of nature with body; beings pairing walking with flying correspond to the pairing of disposition with nature; beings pairing walking with walking correspond to the pairing of disposition with disposition; beings pairing walking with wood correspond to the pairing of disposition with form; beings pairing walking with grass correspond to the pairing of disposition with body; beings pairing wood with flying correspond to the pairing of form with nature; beings pairing wood with walking correspond to the pairing of form with disposition; beings pairing wood with wood correspond to the pairing of form with form; beings pairing wood with grass correspond to the pairing of form with body; beings pairing grass with flying correspond to the pairing of body with nature; beings pairing grass with walking correspond to the pairing of body with disposition; beings pairing grass with wood correspond to the pairing of body with form; beings pairing grass with grass correspond to the pairing of body with body. The inner structure of beings is thereby divided into four levels — nature, disposition, form, and body — unfolding layer by layer from within outward.
Peoples pairing scholar with scholar correspond to the pairing of benevolence with benevolence; peoples pairing scholar with farmer correspond to the pairing of benevolence with propriety; peoples pairing scholar with artisan correspond to the pairing of benevolence with righteousness; peoples pairing scholar with merchant correspond to the pairing of benevolence with wisdom; peoples pairing farmer with scholar correspond to the pairing of propriety with benevolence; peoples pairing farmer with farmer correspond to the pairing of propriety with propriety; peoples pairing farmer with artisan correspond to the pairing of propriety with righteousness; peoples pairing farmer with merchant correspond to the pairing of propriety with wisdom; peoples pairing artisan with scholar correspond to the pairing of righteousness with benevolence; peoples pairing artisan with farmer correspond to the pairing of righteousness with propriety; peoples pairing artisan with artisan correspond to the pairing of righteousness with righteousness; peoples pairing artisan with merchant correspond to the pairing of righteousness with wisdom; peoples pairing merchant with scholar correspond to the pairing of wisdom with benevolence; peoples pairing merchant with farmer correspond to the pairing of wisdom with propriety; peoples pairing merchant with artisan correspond to the pairing of wisdom with righteousness; peoples pairing merchant with merchant correspond to the pairing of wisdom with wisdom. The inner virtue of peoples is thereby divided into four virtues — benevolence, propriety, righteousness, and wisdom — constituting the moral spectrum of the human being.
Beings pairing flying with flying constitute one part in one; beings pairing flying with walking constitute ten parts in one; beings pairing flying with wood constitute a hundred parts in one; beings pairing flying with grass constitute a thousand parts in one; beings pairing walking with flying constitute one part in ten; beings pairing walking with walking constitute ten parts in ten; beings pairing walking with wood constitute a hundred parts in ten; beings pairing walking with grass constitute a thousand parts in ten; beings pairing wood with flying constitute one part in a hundred; beings pairing wood with walking constitute ten parts in a hundred; beings pairing wood with wood constitute a hundred parts in a hundred; beings pairing wood with grass constitute a thousand parts in a hundred; beings pairing grass with flying constitute one part in a thousand; beings pairing grass with walking constitute ten parts in a thousand; beings pairing grass with wood constitute a hundred parts in a thousand; beings pairing grass with grass constitute a thousand parts in a thousand. These are the sixteen graded measures of beings, advancing layer by layer in decimal relations.
Peoples pairing scholar with scholar constitute one part in one; peoples pairing scholar with farmer constitute ten parts in one; peoples pairing scholar with artisan constitute a hundred parts in one; peoples pairing scholar with merchant constitute a thousand parts in one; peoples pairing farmer with scholar constitute one part in ten; peoples pairing farmer with farmer constitute ten parts in ten; peoples pairing farmer with artisan constitute a hundred parts in ten; peoples pairing farmer with merchant constitute a thousand parts in ten; peoples pairing artisan with scholar constitute one part in a hundred; peoples pairing artisan with farmer constitute ten parts in a hundred; peoples pairing artisan with artisan constitute a hundred parts in a hundred; peoples pairing artisan with merchant constitute a thousand parts in a hundred; peoples pairing merchant with scholar constitute one part in a thousand; peoples pairing merchant with farmer constitute ten parts in a thousand; peoples pairing merchant with artisan constitute a hundred parts in a thousand; peoples pairing merchant with merchant constitute a thousand parts in a thousand. These are the sixteen graded measures of peoples, strictly corresponding to the measures of beings.
Beings of the flying class being one part in one can support beings of the trillion (10¹²) order; beings of the flying class being ten parts in one can support beings of the hundred-million (10⁸) order; beings of the flying class being a hundred parts in one can support beings of the ten-thousand (10⁴) order; beings of the flying class being a thousand parts in one can support beings of the thousand (10³) order; beings of the walking class being one part in ten can support beings of the hundred-million order; beings of the walking class being ten parts in ten can support beings of the ten-thousand order; beings of the walking class being a hundred parts in ten can support beings of the thousand order; beings of the walking class being a thousand parts in ten can support beings of the hundred order; beings of the wood class being one part in a hundred can support beings of the ten-thousand order; beings of the wood class being ten parts in a hundred can support beings of the thousand order; beings of the wood class being a hundred parts in a hundred can support beings of the hundred order; beings of the wood class being a thousand parts in a hundred can support beings of the ten order; beings of the grass class being one part in a thousand can support beings of the thousand order; beings of the grass class being ten parts in a thousand can support beings of the hundred order; beings of the grass class being a hundred parts in a thousand can support beings of the ten order; beings of the grass class being a thousand parts in a thousand can support beings of the one order. The higher the tier of a being, the greater the number it governs; the lower the tier, the fewer it governs. 🌿
Peoples of the scholar class being one part in one can support peoples of the trillion order; peoples of the scholar class being ten parts in one can support peoples of the hundred-million order; peoples of the scholar class being a hundred parts in one can support peoples of the ten-thousand order; peoples of the scholar class being a thousand parts in one can support peoples of the thousand order; peoples of the farmer class being one part in ten can support peoples of the hundred-million order; peoples of the farmer class being ten parts in ten can support peoples of the ten-thousand order; peoples of the farmer class being a hundred parts in ten can support peoples of the thousand order; peoples of the farmer class being a thousand parts in ten can support peoples of the hundred order; peoples of the artisan class being one part in a hundred can support peoples of the ten-thousand order; peoples of the artisan class being ten parts in a hundred can support peoples of the thousand order; peoples of the artisan class being a hundred parts in a hundred can support peoples of the hundred order; peoples of the artisan class being a thousand parts in a hundred can support peoples of the ten order; peoples of the merchant class being one part in a thousand can support peoples of the thousand order; peoples of the merchant class being ten parts in a thousand can support peoples of the hundred order; peoples of the merchant class being a hundred parts in a thousand can support peoples of the ten order; peoples of the merchant class being a thousand parts in a thousand can support peoples of the one order. The social hierarchy of peoples and the natural hierarchy of beings follow the same principle.
If a single being of the one-part-in-one class is able to support beings of the trillion order — is this not a great being? If a single person of the one-part-in-one class is able to support peoples of the trillion order — is this not a great person? If a being of the thousand-parts-in-a-thousand class can only support beings of the one order — is this not a minuscule being? If a person of the thousand-parts-in-a-thousand class can only support peoples of the one order — is this not a minuscule person?
From this we may know with certainty: beings have differences of great and small, and peoples have differences of worthy and unworthy. When the virtue by which the vast heaven transforms trillion beings is redirected to transform trillion peoples — is this not what may be called the utmost spirit? When the achievement by which the vast heaven nourishes trillion beings is redirected to nourish trillion peoples — is this not what may be called the utmost sage?
From this day forward, understand that embodying form is of paramount importance. If one is not a great sage or a great spirit, how could one avoid failing heaven and earth?
The reason heaven is said to "observe things" is not that it looks with the eyes — it is not merely looking with the eyes, but looking with the mind; it is not merely looking with the mind, but looking with principle. Throughout the world, no thing is without principle, no thing is without nature, and no thing is without destiny. As for "principle," only after exhausting it can it be known; as for "nature," only after fully realizing it can it be known; as for "destiny," only after reaching it can it be known. These three kinds of knowing are the true knowing of the world — even the sage does not surpass this. And one who attempts to surpass it is unworthy of being called a sage.
The reason a mirror can be bright is that it does not conceal the forms of ten thousand things. Yet although the mirror does not conceal the forms of ten thousand things, it is not as good as water in unifying the forms of ten thousand things; and although water unifies the forms of ten thousand things, it is not as good as the sage in unifying the dispositions of ten thousand things. The reason the sage is able to unify the dispositions of ten thousand things is that the sage can achieve reverse observation.
What is meant by "reverse observation" is not observing things from the self; not observing things from the self is observing things from things. If one can observe things from things, how could there be any "self" remaining in between? Seen in this way, I too am a person, and persons are also me; I and persons are all things. Therefore one can use the eyes of all people under heaven as one's own eyes, and these eyes will have nothing they do not see; use the ears of all people under heaven as one's own ears, and these ears will have nothing they do not hear; use the mouths of all people under heaven as one's own mouth, and this mouth will have nothing it does not speak; use the minds of all people under heaven as one's own mind, and this mind will have nothing it does not plan.
As for the viewpoints under heaven, when it comes to seeing and hearing, are they not vast? As for the hearings under heaven, when it comes to knowing through listening, are they not far-reaching? As for the speeches under heaven, when it comes to discourse, are they not elevated? As for the plans under heaven, when it comes to peace and joy, are they not grand? To accomplish that which is most vast, most far-reaching, most elevated, and most grand, while the self has not a single trace of private action — is this not what may be called the utmost spirit and utmost sage?
Not only do I regard this as the utmost spirit and utmost sage — all people under heaven also regard this as the utmost spirit and utmost sage; not only do the people of one age regard this as the utmost spirit and utmost sage — the people of ten thousand ages also all regard this as the utmost spirit and utmost sage. As for anything that transcends this state, there is no way to know it.
The central aim of this chapter is to construct a cosmic–human isomorphic classification system, and on this basis to propose a methodology of observing things. Shao Yong pairs "sun, moon, star, and辰" with "flying, walking, wood, and grass" to establish the four-image system of beings, and pairs "sovereign, emperor, king, and hegemon" with "scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant" to establish the four-image system of peoples, then assigns beings to "nature, disposition, form, and body" and peoples to "benevolence, propriety, righteousness, and wisdom." This mapping is not mere analogy; it holds that heaven, earth, and all things along with human society follow the same set of hierarchical structure and mathematical logic. Ultimately, he advances from the classification system to epistemology: true "observation of things" is not sensory perception, nor subjective judgment, but observing things from things, dissolving the barrier of the "self" and attaining a cognitive state of unity with all things.
From a contemporary rational perspective, Shao Yong's system can be seen as a highly abstract attempt at systematic modeling. He places biological forms (flying, walking, wood, grass) and social divisions (scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant) into the same mathematical matrix, implicitly aligning with the concept of isomorphism in modern systems theory — different concrete domains can share the same abstract structure. His "observing things from things" resonates with the phenomenological call to "return to things themselves": both require suspending self-presuppositions and allowing the object to present itself. And his formulation of "using the mind of all under heaven as one's own mind" echoes the contemporary ideal of networked collective intelligence.
The proposition that "I too am a person, and persons are also me; I and persons are all things" directly dissolves the binary opposition between subject and object. In Shao Yong's view, the self does not hold a privileged position for observing the world; the self itself is also within the world being observed. This continues the lineage of Zhuangzi's "heaven and earth are born together with me, and all things are one with me," yet adds a layer of Neo-Confucian orderliness — Shao Yong situates this unity of all things within an exhaustible mathematical structure. A question worth pondering: when a person fully regards themself as a member of "things," where does human moral subjectivity come from? Shao Yong's answer appears to be: it is precisely by recognizing that one is a thing that one can truly observe things from things, thereby attaining a cognitive capacity more expansive and more impartial than "observing things from the self." The depth of cognition comes from self-dissolution, not self-aggrandizement.
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