The Shuo Gua Zhang

The Commentary Discussing the Trigrams

Section Five reveals the Huo Tian arrangement of the trigrams by identifying the directions that relate to each of their roles in digesting phenomena.

帝出乎震，齊乎巽，相見乎離，致役乎坤，說言乎兌，戰乎乾，勞乎坎，成言乎艮。

Supremacy issues from Zhen, normalizes in Xun, perceives one another in Li, brings about servitude in Kun, expresses what is in its mouth in Dui, contends in Qian, contributes with its toils in Kan, and accomplishes what is in its mouth in Gen.

萬物出乎震，震東方也。

Myriad phenomena issue from Zhen, because Zhen identifies with the eastern direction.

齊乎巽，巽東南也，齊也者、言萬物之絜齊也。

Normalizes in Xun, because Xun identifies with the southeastern direction. When it comes to the reasons for normalization, it is because the myriad phenomena that issue from its mouth are measured uniformly.

離也者、明也，萬物皆相見，南方之卦也。

Li because it is that which, due to the illumination of light, the myriad things in all cases perceive one another, the southern direction identifies with this gua.

聖人南面而聽天下，嚮明而治，蓋取諸此也。

The sage person turns to the south and then listens to the heavenly falling, turning to face the illumination of light and then following its proper ordering, by way of covering and capturing anything nearby.

坤也者、地也，萬物皆致養焉，故曰：致役乎坤。

Kun because it is that which, due to earthliness, myriad things in all cases bring about nourishing support therein, for this reason it is said: bringing about servitude relates to Kun.

兌、正秋也，萬物之所說也，故曰：說言乎兌。

Dui, because it properly conforms to the west, and on account of myriad phenomena's having reasons and purposes for expression, for these reasons it is said: expressing what is in its mouth relates to Dui.

戰乎乾，乾、西北之卦也，言陰陽相薄也。

Contending in Qian, Qian, because it is the gua of the northwest, and because what is in its mouth is yin and yang entangling and pressing upon one another.

坎者、水也，正北方之卦也，勞卦也，萬物之所歸也，故曰：勞乎坎。

As for Kan, identifying with water, on account of properly conforming to the gua of the northern direction, identifying as the gua that contributes via laboring, due to myriad phenomena's having the position and means for settling down and returning to where it belongs, for this reason it is said: contributing via laboring relates to Kan.

艮、東北之卦也。萬物之所成終而所成始也。故曰：成言乎艮。

Gen, identifies as the gua of the northeast. On account of myriad phenomena's having a place and means for accomplishing a conclusion and then accomplishing inception. For this reason it is said: accomplishing what is in the mouth relates to Gen.