7.17
The Master said, “Give me a few more years, so that I may have spent a whole fifty in studying the I Ching, and I believe that after all I should be fairly free from error.”
子曰：「加我數年，五十以學易，可以無大過矣。」
Notes
In his later years, Confucius devoted immense energy to studying the Classic of Changes (also known as the Book of Changes, I Ching or Yi Jing).
Originally an ancient divination text (recording hexagrams and line statements to predict fortune), the I Ching contains cosmic principles and life wisdom such as “the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, the balance between strength and flexibility”. During the Spring and Autumn period, some scholars began looking beyond divination to explore its philosophical contents.
Confucius’ appreciation for the Book of Changes or I Ching did not stem from a fascination with fortune-telling, but from his effort to extract principles for “self-cultivation, social conduct, and governance.” The Commentaries on the Classic of Changes (also known as the Ten Wings, traditionally attributed to Confucius and his disciples) were the fruit of this endeavor.
“One who does not uphold virtue with constancy will surely incur disgrace.” The Master said: “The essential value of the I Ching lies in eschewing divination.”(Analects 13.22)
Constancy of resolve and virtue is the foundation of establishing oneself. The value of the I Ching resides in cultivating moral character and clarifying the principles of righteousness, rather than predicting good or ill fortune through divination.
Confucius’ interpretation completely transformed the developmental trajectory of the I Ching. What was originally a classic text for divination became, through his exposition, a philosophical canon for Confucians to cultivate their moral character, govern states, and bring peace to the world.
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