On the Five Matters

论五事

五事者.尚書洪範云.敬用五事.蓋以人事配五行也.一曰貌.以配木.二曰言.以配金.三曰視.以配火.四曰聽.以配水.五曰思.以配土.尙書洪範曰.貌曰恭.言曰從.視曰明.聽曰聰.思曰叡.恭作肅.從作乂.明作哲.聰作謀.叡作聖.貌曰恭者.天子之恭曰穆穆.上恭肅則下敬矣.孔子曰.其行己也恭.其事上也敬.又曰.在體曰恭.加於人.施於事.曰敬.貌之不恭.是謂不肅.肅.敬也.夫洪範所陳五事.貌爲首者.於易.貌爲震.震爲木.木可觀也.故經列三德.而服爲其上.詩云.敬慎威儀.惟人之則.有威而可畏.謂之威.有儀而可象.謂之儀.君有威儀.其臣畏而愛之.則而象之.故能長有其國.臣有威儀.故能長守其職.君子在位可畏.施舍可愛.進退可度.周旋可則.容止可觀.作事可法.德行可象.聲氣可樂.動作有文.言語有章.以臨其下.謂之威儀.孔子曰.正其衣冠.尊其瞻視.儼然人望而畏之.不亦威而不猛.又曰.不嚴以莅之.則人不敬.故失威儀之節.怠慢驕恣.謂之狂.狂則下不肅矣.下不敬.則上無威.夫不敬其君.不從其政.則陰氣勝.陰氣勝.則水象至.故曰.厥罰常雨.雨.則飢寒至.飢寒至.則上下不相信.大臣姦軌.民爲寇盜.民多被刑.則其服妖.服妖者.輕剛漂泆.暴慢之服.以象風氣之化也.言者.於易之道曰兌.兌曰口.言之象.人君言出令行.則從.故易曰.悅以使民.民忘其勞.悅以犯難.民忘其死.是以明君薄斂而厚祿.賞宜從重.罰宜從輕.則順民心.故其教不肅而成.其政不嚴而治.此得民心.民心得.則衆歸之.衆歸之.則民死沒且不忘之.況乎從其令也.若君失衆心.政令不從.亢陽自消.群陰不附.而下畏君之重刑.則陽氣勝.陽氣勝則旱.故曰.厥罰常暘.常暘.則飢貧.飢貧.不足.不足.不敢正言.則先發於歌謠之口也.氣逆則惡言至.蟲蝗生.皆口事也.視者.南方目之象.視曰明.明以知人爲本.於易爲離.離爲火.爲目.夫視不明.微弱不知所信.必長伺黨仇親同類.如此.賢者不進.賢者不進.則不肖者不退.不肖者不退.則犯上者不誅.無罪者橫罰.百職廢壞.庶事滯塞.教政舒緩.故曰.厥罰常燠.燠則冬氣泄.冬氣泄.則不塞.春夏氣錯.疾疫起矣.犯上者不誅.則草犯霜而不死.貪取百姓之財.則蝗螟亦食人之食矣.此皆視之所象也.聽者在耳.耳者.於易坎也.古者聖王有進善之旌.敢諫之鼓.謀於蒭蕘.所以博延而廣聽也.人君不好謀.則下莫敢言.下莫敢言.則上無所聞.上無所聞.則不聽.不聽者.由不謀政事.故曰.不聽.無所聞知庶事.擁屈怨在心口.喜怒不節.故曰急也.夫寒者急物.冬物皆枯急.枯急.故曰厥罰常寒.常寒.則不生百穀.不生百穀.則民貧窮矣.故妖生於耳.以類相動.則有鼓妖.聲音之類.坎爲彘.耳氣傷.有彘禍.水色黑.有黑交.此皆聽也.思者.心爲五事之主.猶土體爲五行主也.於易爲坤.八正之氣.亦起於八風.風者.四時之主.思心得.謂之容.容者.能容畜臣子.故謂之聖也.思心不得.四者皆失.則不能容畜臣子.故曰.思心不容.是謂不聖.過在霿亂失紀.故風者.於易巽也.在三月.四月.純陽.而治於陽.則爲陰.於陰.則爲陽.大臣之象.君既霿亂.則大臣專恣.大臣專恣.而陰氣盛.陰氣盛.則應.故厥罰常風.陰氣多者.陰而不雨.其甚也.常陰.暗者.苞承於心.心氣傷.則爲暗妖.易曰.坤爲牛.坤土也.土氣傷.則牛多死.又曰.土爲內事.內事亂.則有華孽.此皆思之事也.五事所感.其例甚多.略舉如此.

On the Five Matters

Overall Paraphrase
The concept of "Reverent Use of the Five Matters" from the Book of Documents · Hong Fan pairs five human behaviors with the Five Elements: 🌳Appearance (demeanor) corresponds to Wood; ⚔️Speech (language) corresponds to Metal; 🔥Vision (observation) corresponds to Fire; 🌊Hearing (listening) corresponds to Water; ⛰Thought (thinking) corresponds to Earth. Each behavior is associated with a specific quality: Appearance should be respectful, Speech should be reasonable, Vision should be discerning, Hearing should be perceptive, and Thought should be penetrating. These qualities lead to corresponding outcomes: Respectfulness brings solemnity, reasonableness brings order, discernment brings wisdom, perceptiveness brings strategy, and penetration brings sagacity.

🧠 In-Depth Understanding

Core Concepts 💡

• Harmony Between Heaven and Humanity: The five fundamental human behaviors (the Five Matters) correspond to and interact with the Five Elements (Wood, Metal, Fire, Water, Earth).
• Behavioral Influence: The quality of personal behavior directly leads to corresponding social and natural outcomes.
• Leadership Philosophy: The ruler’s conduct directly affects national governance and the well-being of the people.

Modern Interpretation 🌟

• Appearance Corresponds to Wood (Demeanor as upright as a tree): In the modern workplace, a professional image and appropriate demeanor 🌳 remain the foundation for building trust. Studies show that first impressions form within seven seconds and are difficult to change.
• Speech Corresponds to Metal (Speech as valuable as metal): The quality of communication directly impacts team effectiveness ⚔️. Effective leaders understand the incentive principle of "rewards should be generous, punishments should be lenient."
• Vision Corresponds to Fire (Observation as bright as flame): 🔥 The ability to observe minutiae is the basis for decision-making. Modern management requires a combination of data-driven insights and in-depth observation.
• Hearing Corresponds to Water (Listening as包容 as water flow): 🌊 An open and inclusive culture of listening can prevent communication deadlocks like "the cold shunning warmth." Establishing multi-channel feedback mechanisms is recommended.
• Thought Corresponds to Earth (Thinking as承载 as the earth): ⛰ Systemic thinking and an inclusive mindset are core to leadership. Earth-like thinking emphasizes comprehensive consideration and steady decision-making.

Practical Value ⚡

• Personal Development: The Five Matters framework can serve as a checklist for self-cultivation.
• Team Management: Following the principle of the Five Elements' mutual generation, a balanced leadership model can be established.
• Decision-Making Reference: When issues such as communication barriers (Speech) or observational errors (Vision) arise, they can be traced back to imbalances in the corresponding Five Elements.

Philosophical Reflection 🤔

The theory of the Five Matters reflects the holistic view of "harmony between heaven and humanity" in ancient China, linking personal behavior, social order, and natural phenomena into a complete causal explanatory system. This way of thinking emphasizes the connection between personal responsibility and cosmic order, embodying profound ecological wisdom and ethical value.

📚 Related Knowledge

Associated Concepts:

• Mutual Generation of the Five Elements: Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, and Water generates Wood.
• Eight Winds and Eight Correctnesses: The correspondence between the winds of the four cardinal and four intermediate directions and upright qi.
• Resonance of Like Kinds: The traditional concept that similar things influence each other.

Further Reading:

• The "Nine Categories" system in the original text of the Book of Documents · Hong Fan.
• The symbolic meanings of the Zhen, Dui, Li, Kan, and Kun trigrams in the Book of Changes.
• The correspondence between the Five Elements and the five organs in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon.

Modern Research:
Contemporary management studies have confirmed that leaders' behavioral patterns (similar to the "Five Matters") indeed influence organizational climate and performance, aligning in many ways with traditional wisdom.

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