Tuanzhuan, Daxiangzhuan, and Xiaoxiangzhuan are three most important commentaries for interpreting the ancient Chinese classic Yijing (I Ching). In conventional Yi-ology, the study of the Yijing has to refer to these three documents. The ancient Yijing along with the three commentaries should be treated as one.
The main purpose of this dissertation is to study the methods, rules, literal style, and conventions for each of these three documents separately. Try to speak it out clearly and distinctly, and then, to analyzing and comparing for those concepts and ideas they involved.
In order to establish for this research a suitable starting point, this dissertation begins with two suspensions of judgment and one assumption. The two suspensions parenthesize two beliefs of traditional Yi-ology, namely, (1) the Zhouyi is proximate to the universe and (2) the Zhouyi (Jing & Zhuan) was completed by the three sages. The assumption is that Tuanzhuan, Daxiangzhuan, Xiaoxiangzhuan are three separate texts, each has its own system independently. The first suspension of judgment is intended to temporarily remove the mysterious veil surrounding the Zhouyi. The second suspension is intended to reduce unnecessary academic research constraints on the Zhouyi. The purpose of the assumption is to avoid tangling the analysis of the Tuanzhuan, Daxiangzhuan, and Xiaoxiangzhuan.
Given these two suspensions of judgment and one assumption, this research focuses on how these documents interpret the hexagrams, including each figure, name, hexagram statement (guaci 卦辭), line statement(yaoci 爻辭), and the relationship among these elements. After detailed and comprehensive study, analysis, and comparison, resulting in several conclusions: (1) Daxiangzhuan and Xiaoxiangzhuan are totally different, and should not be treated as one text. (2) The interpretation methods, rules, and even literary style of the Tuanzhuan and Xiaoxiangzhuan are mostly similar, meaning they are possibly from same source, or even part of the same original text. (3) These three documents are not necessarily derived from Confucianism, but may be derived from official education of Zhou (wangguanxue 王官學). (4) The composition of the Daxiangzhuan precedes both the Tuanzhuan and Xiaoxiangzhuan and precedes even Confucius.