TheMetaphor of “Chuang” (Bed)in the Ancient Classic oftheZhouyi —With a Discussion on WhethertheHexagramandLine Texts ofthe Zhouyi Have Themes
WAN Deng
(Zhuzhou Talent Development Group Co.,Ltd, Zhuzhou, Hunan 412002)
Abstract: Metaphors abound throughout the Zhouyi, which the ancients termed “images” (xiang). Interpreting these“images” has sparked considerable debate in commentaries throughout history. Taking the “bed” (chuang) in the Zhouyi as an example, it does not refer to the beds we sleep on today. In pre-Qin times, people typically knelt on the ground while seated; as an elevated seat, the “bed” held special significance in the social etiquette of that era. In the age of the Zhouyi, the “bed” was the seat of the honored and a symbol of status. Interpreted thus, the “stripping of the bed” (bo chuang) in the hexagram Bo (Stripping) should be understood as “dismissal from office”—a metaphor for stripping away rank and thereby depriving one of status. The theme of the hexagram Bo thus addresses the governance and conduct of officials.
Key words: Zhouyi; bed (chuang); metaphor; theme
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