[DRAFT] POSSIBLE RELATION OF THE RECEIVED (KING WEN) SEQUENCE OF THE ZHOUYI TO SHANG / ZHOU DYNASTY TAOTIE MOTIF

1) Form 2 rows of boxes containing hexagram pairs in accordance to the Upper and Lower Canons of the King Wen Sequence (KWS). The Upper Canon is composed of Hexagrams 1 to 30, while Hexagrams 31 to 64 make up the Lower Canon.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Upper Canon ䷀ ䷁ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷊ ䷋ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷜ ䷝
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Lower Canon ䷞ ䷟ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷨ ䷩ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷲ ䷳ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷸ ䷹ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽ ䷾ ䷿

2) Identify the hexagrams that have identical upper and lower trigrams, e.g. Hexagram 1 (has both upper and lower Qian trigrams). Likewise, identify the hexagrams that have opposing upper and lower trigrams. Opposing trigram pairs
are Qian-Kun (Heaven-Earth), Kan-Li (Water-Fire), Sun-Zhen (Wind-Thunder) and Gen-Dui (Mountain-Lake). Highlight them to distinguish from the rest of the hexagrams in the rows. They shall henceforth be called "Special Pairs."
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Upper Canon ䷀ ䷁ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷊ ䷋ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷜ ䷝
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Lower Canon ䷞ ䷟ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷨ ䷩ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷲ ䷳ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷸ ䷹ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽ ䷾ ䷿
3) Pull out the 8 Special Pairs as identified in Step 2 from the Upper and Lower Canon rows. 4) Separate the Parent Group from the column of 5) Divide the column of Children Pairs into 2 equal sets of 3 pairs.
Line them up vertically in 1 column from top to bottom. Order is based on their Children Pairs, but keep the two groups vertically Keep all columns vertically aligned.
relative position in the KWS. aligned.
1 ䷀ ䷁ 2
A
Notes:
1 ䷀ ䷁ 2 Notes: 1 ䷀ ䷁ 2 11 ䷊ ䷋ 12 1. The Parent Group is renamed group A.
11 ䷊ ䷋ 12 1. Hexagram pairs 1-2 & 11-12 comprise the Parent Group, 11 ䷊ ䷋ 12 2. The lower set of Children Pairs
29 ䷜ ䷝ 30 as they are composed exclusively of Father (Qian / Heaven) 29 ䷜ ䷝ 30 is named group B.
31 ䷞ ䷟ 32 and/or Mother (Kun / Earth) trigrams. 29 ䷜ ䷝ 30 31 ䷞ ䷟ 32 C 3. The upper set of Children Pairs
41 ䷨ ䷩ 42 2. The rest in the column are the Children Pairs. 31 ䷞ ䷟ 32 41 ䷨ ䷩ 42 is named group C.
51 ䷲ ䷳ 52 41 ䷨ ䷩ 42

57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 51 ䷲ ䷳ 52 51 ䷲ ䷳ 52

63 ䷾ ䷿ 64 57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 B
63 ䷾ ䷿ 64 63 ䷾ ䷿ 64

6) Move group B (without changing its 7) Identify the hexagrams in Step 6 that 8) Move group C to the position of B. B takes the 9) Join all groups together into 1 seamless column.
internal configuration) to a position contain Kan (Water) and Li (Fire) trigrams. position of A, and A relocates to the position of C. The
above A. Separate them from their respective groups. 2 pairs of Kan - Li (Water - Fire) hexagrams remain in
their positions.

51 ䷲ ䷳ 52 51 ䷲ ䷳ 52
B
31 ䷞ ䷟ 32
C
31 ䷞ ䷟ 32
C
57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 B 57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 41 ䷨ ䷩ 42 41 ䷨ ䷩ 42

63 ䷾ ䷿ 64 63 ䷾ ䷿ 64

63 ䷾ ䷿ 64 63 ䷾ ䷿ 64 51 ䷲ ䷳ 52
B
1 ䷀ ䷁ 2
A
57 ䷸ ䷹ 58

11 ䷊ ䷋ 12 1 ䷀ ䷁ 2
A
51 ䷲ ䷳ 52
B
29 ䷜ ䷝ 30

11 ䷊ ䷋ 12 57 ䷸ ䷹ 58 1 ䷀ ䷁ 2
A
29 ䷜ ䷝ 30 11 ䷊ ䷋ 12

31 ䷞ ䷟ 32 C 29 ䷜ ䷝ 30 29 ䷜ ䷝ 30

41 ䷨ ䷩ 42

31 ䷞ ䷟ 32
C
1 ䷀ ䷁ 2
A
41 ䷨ ䷩ 42 11 ䷊ ䷋ 12
10) Remove all Special Pairs in Step 2, then put the 2 rows (Upper & Lower Canons) together.
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Upper Canon ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛
Lower Canon ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 53 54 55 56 59 60 61 62

11) Identify the Pang Tong Gua tetrads, i.e. pair of hexagrams and their corresponding negative / inverse pair, in which the yang lines become yin and vice versa. Designate individual color for each Pang Tong Gua tetrad.

Upper Canon ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛
Lower Canon ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽

Labeling each Tetrad ䷂ ䷃ A ䷰ ䷱ ䷐ ䷑ E ䷴ ䷵ ䷘ ䷙ I ䷬ ䷭ Note:

(in individual color designations): Each pair comprising Tetrads E & J is a Pang Tong
Gua unto itself.
䷄ ䷅ B ䷢ ䷣ ䷒ ䷓ F ䷠ ䷡ ䷚ ䷛ J ䷼ ䷽

䷆ ䷇ C ䷌ ䷍ ䷔ ䷕ G ䷮ ䷯ ䷤ ䷥ K ䷦ ䷧

䷈ ䷉ D ䷎ ䷏ ䷖ ䷗ H ䷪ ䷫ ䷶ ䷷ L ䷺ ䷻

12) In the diagram of Step 11, notice that each tetrad seems to be positoned in such a way as to be paired with another tetrad, per below. Such pairing is to be designated with a single color and called an Octad.

䷂ ䷃ ䷒ ䷓ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ CD ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ➔ Note: Tetrad J is not adjacent to Tetrad B, but as the

AF ➔ respective positions of their component pairs are
䷠ ䷡ ䷰ ䷱ both vertically contiguous (and not disjointed like in
䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ HI ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ➔ other tetrads,) they can be considered as pairs to
䷐ ䷑ ䷔ ䷕ each other and form an octad. Same goes with
EG ➔ Tetrads K & L, albeit in a horizontal manner.
䷮ ䷯ ䷴ ䷵ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ KL ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ➔

䷚ ䷛ ䷄ ䷅
JB ➔
䷼ ䷽ ䷢ ䷣

13) Convert the colors of the 2 rows in Step 11 in accordance to the octad designations of Step 12.

Upper Canon ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛
Lower Canon ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽
14) Divide the diagram of Step 13 into 3 equal parts. Label each section as under:

䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛
䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽
Section B Section C Section A

15) Move section B to a position on the right of A, then join the sections together. Note the emergence of the two "eyes."

䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉
䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧
Section C Section A Section B

䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉
䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧
Section C Section A Section B

16) Separate the eyes identified in Step 15. They do not belong to any sections anymore.

䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉
䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧
Section C Section A Section B

17) Move section C to the position of B. Meanwhile, B takes the position of A, and A relocates to the position of C. The 2 eyes maintain their respective positions.

䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏ Note: Steps 14 to 17 parallels the

procedure in Steps 5 to 9, but on a
䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ horizontal plane.
Section A Section B Section C
18) Remove the eyes (in the meantime) and join the sections together.

Upper Canon ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏
Lower Canon ䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭
Section A Section B Section C

19) Move the Upper Canon in Step 18 to a position to the right of the Lower Canon, in order to form one seamless row.

䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏

20) Divide the diagram in Step 19 into 3 equal parts.

䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏

21) Divide each new section into 2 parts, then stack the right-hand part on top of the other, for each section.

䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏
䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉

22) Put the eyes back to their earlier position (see Step 17).

䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧ ䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅ ䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏
䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻ ䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣ ䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉
 23) Stack the 3 sections in Step 21 in accordance to the diagram below.

䷤ ䷥ ䷦ ䷧
䷶ ䷷ ䷺ ䷻

䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅
䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷪ ䷫ ䷬ ䷭ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣

䷌ ䷍ ䷎ ䷏
䷆ ䷇ ䷈ ䷉

24) Combine the diagrams of Step 23 and Step 9, the latter running through the middle of the former.

䷤ ䷥ ䷞ ䷟ ䷦ ䷧
䷶ ䷷ ䷨ ䷩ ䷺ ䷻
䷾ ䷿
䷐ ䷑ ䷒ ䷓ ䷔ ䷕ ䷖ ䷗ ䷲ ䷳ ䷘ ䷙ ䷚ ䷛ ䷂ ䷃ ䷄ ䷅
䷮ ䷯ ䷰ ䷱ ䷴ ䷵ ䷪ ䷫ ䷸ ䷹ ䷬ ䷭ ䷼ ䷽ ䷠ ䷡ ䷢ ䷣
䷜ ䷝
䷌ ䷍ ䷀ ䷁ ䷎ ䷏
䷆ ䷇ ䷊ ䷋ ䷈ ䷉

Some observations:
1) The octad for the iris / center of the eyes contain 2 pairs of each trigram.
2) The left-hand iris is comprised of female trigrams only, while the right-hand iris is comprised by male trigrams only.
3) The eyes resemble the modern Chinese character "mù," or the eye radical (目 and 罒)
4) The middle part looks like the modern Chinese character "wáng " (王) translated as "king" in English.
This character is usually put on the face or forehead of a tiger in traditional Chinese depictions.

Taotie motif found on Da Ke Ding (大克鼎) from Western Zhou

Bronze Ding (鼎) from late Shang Shang dynasty axe-head

dynasty period with typical taotie
(饕餮) relief