The wisdom of the I Ching is vast and profound, with its divinatory aspects being widely known. However, if we delve into its philosophical core, we find that it also deeply reveals the most universal behavior throughout human civilization: transaction. This is not just a law of commerce but also a guide to life, and its highest form is a value exchange with "love" at its core and "altruism" as its outward expression.
The journey to understanding the I Ching begins with insight into its foundation— "I" (易), which means "transaction." But this refers not just to the narrow sense of buying and selling money, but to the exchange of value among all stakeholders in life for their collective well-being. In this grand transaction, there are two fundamental elements: love and benefit.
"Love" is the intrinsic driving force of this transaction. It is a creative desire and a sense of connection originating from the source of life itself, something that cannot be measured by instruments. The only love we can perceive with 100% certainty is the love within ourselves; we cannot directly perceive the love of others, only feel it through its external manifestations.
"Benefit" is the visible form of love's externalization, it is welfare (Benefit) in a broad sense. It can be the long-term planning of "parents who love their child and therefore plan far ahead for them," the care contained in a cup of hot tea from a friend, the products and services offered by an entrepreneur to solve societal pain points, or a rallying cry against injustice.
The essence of all healthy, sustainable relationships in the world is a "transaction of love": one party's "overflowing love" transforms into visible "benefit" to be exchanged for the "benefit" derived from another's "overflowing love," thereby achieving a mutual enhancement of well-being for both parties. Lacking either element, it is difficult to sustain for long. This insight is the cornerstone for understanding all subsequent evolution.
This all-encompassing "transaction of love" is not chaotic but follows the threefold internal law revealed by the I Ching—Simplicity (简易), Change (变易), and Permanence (不易). These three characteristics together form the web of laws that govern the operation of this system.
First, "Simplicity" (简易)—the ease of transaction. It is as ubiquitous as air and water, forming the warm undercurrent of society. It is very common and easy to perform; a smile, yielding the right of way, can be the most microscopic manifestation of this law of exchange. As long as you have a creation of love, you can bring it to the market to transact with others.
Second, "Change" (变易)—the dynamic evolution of transaction. The world is dynamic, and transaction strategies are constantly evolving. Let's return to the starting point: two naive children driven entirely by "self-love," facing a shared toy, their most instinctive reaction is to fight over it. If they are evenly matched, the result is inevitably "mutual harm." It is this visceral pain of a "lose-lose" situation that gives rise to various strategies—and transaction—is the best among them. With proper guidance, children quickly learn that ceding a "small benefit" can achieve a "greater benefit" for each other. Of course, transactions are not always mutually beneficial. Without corresponding constraints, like the 2008 Chinese milk scandal, and without clear awareness and countermeasures, transactions can easily swing to an extreme—becoming a form of plunder that benefits only one party. In short, everything is in a state of flux, and anything can happen.
Finally, "Permanence" (不易)—the eternal law of transaction. Beneath the myriad changes, there is one constant, fundamental law that governs everything: mutual win and benefit. Any exchange that violates this cannot last. This eternal law is just as Laozi said: "The highest good is like water. Water is good; it benefits all things and does not compete." A truly successful transaction, like the highest good of water, will naturally occur where the interests of the related parties can be mutually enhanced, continuously nurturing all participants without ever forcing itself. It is a natural force that conforms to the law and creates a win-win situation.
When we deeply understand that "I" is transaction and have insight into its threefold characteristics of simplicity, change, and permanence, our understanding will take an ultimate leap.
We no longer remain in the binary opposition of "self-interest" and "altruism" but realize their profound unity. We absolutely do not criticize the heart of self-interest in pursuit of a hypocritical morality of altruism. Instead, we thoroughly recognize that the highest and most sustainable self-interest must be achieved through the path of altruism. That is to say, it must involve love. This is the ultimate mindset: Act for the benefit of others to fulfill the heart of self-interest.
This is also the fundamental reason for the existence of human cooperative evolution. It acknowledges that the "heart of self-interest" is the most fundamental driving force of life. Whether this heart seeks material or spiritual abundance, there is no need to differentiate. Because it has already pointed to a higher-dimensional path to realization: by doing "acts of altruism." Your actions (the deed) are about creating value, considering the well-being of others; and what you ultimately achieve is the goal of maximizing your own life's value (the heart).
This is a clear-sighted wisdom that begins with the end in mind. It perfectly embeds the realization of personal value into the grand narrative of creating value for the entire system. At this point, "love" has transcended emotion and instinct to become a strategic choice made after careful consideration.
Qian and Kun represent the two purest and most ideal roles in a transaction—the proactive party (Qian), which strives ceaselessly to create transaction opportunities, and the receptive party (Kun), which chooses transaction opportunities with great virtue. The subtlety of the I Ching begins from these two poles, Qian and Kun. It regards the Yang line (—) represented by Qian and the Yin line (--) represented by Kun as the most basic "building blocks" of the world. Through the six-level stacking and combination of these two "blocks," a complete model system containing sixty-four typical scenarios evolves—this is the Sixty-four Hexagrams. The sixty-four hexagrams are not mysterious talismans but a detailed scenario map and action guide depicting all kinds of "transactions" from the simplest to the most complex. It tells us how to act in different transactional situations to better pursue good fortune and avoid misfortune.
- Qian is the proactive party, the initiator of the transaction. To play the role of "Qian" is to be the executor of "altruistic deeds." The Qian party transforms its inner beliefs, passions, and talents (love) into excellent products and services (benefit) through unremitting effort and actively presents them to the world. The Qian party is the engine, the creative source of the transaction. It calmly faces the competition for the survival of a commercial entity, taking it as an admonition for self-strengthening.
Leap Stage
Wavering flight over the depths. No blame.The enterprise arrives at a developmental crossroads, facing a strategic choice of "wavering over the depths." At this time, one can either take a leap forward to seek a breakthrough or retreat to consolidate the foundation and wait for the right moment. The key lies in precise judgment and flexible adaptation; both action and inaction can be appropriate, thus leading to "no blame."
- Kun is the party with the power of choice, the receiver of the transaction, and moreover, its enabler. To play the role of "Kun" means to use one's judgment to perceive and evaluate the externalized results of another's "love." Every purchase, every acceptance, every follow is Kun casting a sacred vote with its "great virtue." It is the choice of Kun that determines which creation of "Qian" can be nurtured, allowing the "altruistic deed" to be rewarded, thereby fulfilling its "heart of self-interest." The interaction of Qian and Kun completes the transaction. This is not a one-way giving but a sacred dance. Qian's proactive creation provides options for Kun; Kun's wise choice injects energy into Qian's continuous creation. This is the key to closing the "circuit of love."
Sealing the Intent
A tied-up sack. No blame, no praise.This is the most critical final step. The consumer begins to "tie up the money bag" while also "closing the mind's pocket" (a tied-up sack), no longer receiving new information or interference. This is a purely personal decision based on financial reality, which is beyond reproach (no blame) and needs no praise (no praise).
Love is the source, benefit is the riverbed, and transaction is the flow. Let love surge endlessly through altruism, and let every exchange become a resonance of well-being—this is the consistent life wisdom taught to us by the I Ching, and it is the ultimate path for the prosperity and continuation of human civilization.
I have created an X Community called "The Dao of Exchanging Love" I primarily interpret the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching from the perspective of love, hoping to bring a little more love into the world of WEB3. The views expressed are my own, not necessarily correct, and I only hope to start a conversation. Everyone is welcome to share their own insights and experiences.