法象时空--中国数术的基本理念

Patterning after the Cosmos:Basic Ideas in Chinese Numerology

从狭义的角度来说,数术就是有关命运的学问,即探讨生命在其时空展开过程中如何与所在环境形成最佳的互动关系。孔子曾说:"不知命,无以为君子也。"故中国历代学人多以数术知命作为自己学术研究的重要组成部分,自国之大事至百姓日用之间,亦无不渗透着数术的影响,可以说,它是中国传统民众信仰的渊薮。中国的数术思想是以顺从道德本体的天命为宗旨,通过模拟宇宙生化过程和观测归纳的办法来了解天命的内容,它主要可以分为四种类型:以龟壳和天地盘为主的拟象卜,以易占演数为主的拟数占,对天文、地理、人文、物理的各种自然现象进行观察和归纳以得出吉凶结论的本象卜,以及因生辰时间而推其命理的本数占。这些命理思想可以有效地制约个体理性中的自我中心主义行为,以帮助人们实现"乐天知命"、天人合一的理想生命境界。

Narrowly speaking, numerology is explained as the knowledge of fate. That means it aims at understanding how life, in its development in time and space, is forming the best mutual relationship with the environment. Confucius said, ＂Without understanding one＇s fate, it is impossible to become a gentleman. ＂ Most ancient Chinese scholars regarded numerology as an important part of their academic research. All things are definitely affected by numerology. Therefore, numerology is one of the headsprings of the Chinese traditional ideology. However, there have been different ways of understanding fate and among them the Confucian perspective is the most worthy of consideration. If a person＇s fate as it unfolds in this world corresponds exactly to his true fate as endowed by Heaven, as is suggested here, it is the perfect destiny for any existence. Yet the reality is that each person often gives in to temptations or commits wrongful deeds due to unintelligent choices in moments of confusion, and as a result, one gets further removed from the path of his ＂true fate. ＂ For this reason, the learned ones cultivate their nature to understand the basis of things, to understand fate in order to get closer to their ＂true fate＂. Yet ＂knowing the principle of change＂ is not something that anyone can easily achieve, and as for the common people, it is inevitable that they often have to ask the accomplished ones for guidance. These ＂accomplished ones＂ fall into two groups： those who know the principle of change, and those who know the numerical aspect of change. The former attain a high level of moral cultivation, and must also have an enlightened self-consciousness in the first place; and those who ＂know the numerical aspect of change＂ are figures among the populace offering to give guidance to others on their lives. Beginning with the bibliography of the imperial library （Yiwenzhi） in the Han Dynastic History, the classification schemes of numerology of different periods have used very different standards. Some are based on the divined objects, such as astrology, geomancy, and physiognomy; others are based on the paraphernalia used, such as The Book of Changes and turtle plastron divination. Some are based on the technical terms used, such as taiyi and dunjia; others are based on the goal of divination, such as reading of one＇s fate. So, it is difficult to know from where this art of numerology originated. Now, 1 will divide them into four groups based on their methods of divination： Divination through the image of the Cosmic imitation. This group includes primarily divination by either turtle plastrons and cosmic board. Divination through the number of the Cosmic imitation. This group is primarily divination by means of The Book of Changes. Divination through the original images. This group includes the observations and classifications of various natural phenomena such as astronomy, geography, humanity, and study of the properties of matters, in order to arrive at their correlations with the fortune and misfortune of men. Divination through the original Numerology. This primarily refers to the divination of fate, or what is usually called ＂fortune-telling＂. Chinese numerological thinking has as its principle in following the moral substance of the fate given by Heaven, and it attempts to understand the content of this Heavenly endowed fate by observations and inductive classifications and by modeling after the organic processes of the cosmos. This, in turn, places constraint upon the egocentric behaviors founded on our individual rationality, and so one can be content with one＇s fate and know one＇s destiny, and achieve the ideal of being one with Heaven.