The Yi-Jing(《易經》)Diagrams school raised a heated discussion among scholars at its beginning inSong Dynasty. Afterwards, Zhu Zhen(朱震)describe ChenTuan(陳摶) as “the pioneer of Yi-JingDiagrams” in Han Shang Yi Zhuan(《漢上易傳》), and come up with the Yi-JingDiagram Succession Theory considering Liu Mu(劉牧), who passedon He-Tu Diagram(〈河圖〉)and Luo-Shu Diagram(〈洛書〉), Shao Yong(邵雍), who inherit the Xian-Tian-Tu Diagram(〈先天圖〉), and Zhou Dun-yi(周敦頤), who succeeded the Tai-Chi-TuDiagram(〈太極圖〉), as the ones that passed on Chen’slegacy. Hence, He-Tu Diagram, Luo-Shu Diagram, Xian-Tian-Tu Diagram and Tai-Chi-Tu Diagram are recognized asthe three major Yi-jing diagrams in the early Song Dynasty.
Zhu’s theory hadleaded to the climax of Yi-Ying diagramology. The three major Yi-Jing diagrams in the early SongDynasty are the most significant philosophies in Yi-Jing diagramology, and have had enormous influences in future Yi-Jing studies.
Nonetheless,the records of these diagrams are mostly bewildering, since they are oftenmixed up with mythology.
Therefore, thereare two main points in this study: firstly, to clear up the related records priorto the establishment of Yi-Jing Diagram school inSong dynasty─ starting withsorting out the origin of Yi-jing Diagram’s connection with Yi-jing,yi-chuan(《易傳》)and Yi-Wei(《易緯》). Then investigate the records of He-Tu and Luo-Shu before Yi-Jing Diagram school in Song dynasty. Lastly, look deep into Chen Tuan and his relation with the philosophy of Yi-Jing Diagram school.
The second point isto explore the development of the three major Yi-Jing diagrams in the early Song Dynasty and the philosophiesbehind them. Besides Chen Tuan, the most consequential Individuals related to Yi-Jing diagram must be Liu Mu, ShaoYong and Zhou Dun-yi. Nowadays, we are able to comprehend their yiologicalthinking from Liu Mu’s Yi Shu Gou Yin Tu(《易數鉤隱圖》), Shao Yong’s Huang Ji JingShi Shu(《皇極經世書》) and Zhou Dun-yi’s Tong Shu(《通書》).
Follow up, the nextstep is connecting their thinking with the diagram formation of He-Tu Diagram, Luo-Shu Diagram, Xian-Tian-TuDiagram and Tai-Chi-Tu Diagram tostudy the meaning of these diagrams. And the last step will be researching for theapplication and reflection on these diagram in future generations.