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There are many indications that the hexagrams were the…

“There are many indications that the hexagrams were the original images from which the trigrams were then later abstracted and that the configurations of double lines are derrived from a still later anaysis.” quote by Hellmut and Richard Wilhelm Understanding the I Ching
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““There are many indications that the hexagrams were the original images from which the trigrams were then later abstracted and that the configurations of double lines are derrived from a still later anaysis.””

Hellmut and Richard Wilhelm Understanding the I Ching

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The hexagrams likely originated as concrete images, later simplified into trigrams, with double lines emerging from further analysis.

In simple terms: Hexagrams came first, then trigrams and double lines.

Key Takeaway

Study original symbols before abstraction.

Themes

history symbolism interpretation

Mood

analytical inquisitive

Type

scholarly historical

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • cultural studies
  • art history
  • comparative mythology

Key Concepts

Chinese philosophy semiotics evolution of symbols

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do visual origins affect modern interpretation?
  • What evidence could confirm this sequence?
A Different Perspective

The theory is speculative and lacks definitive archaeological evidence.

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