Meta-Origin: Genesis Key

Earth Metaverse 10 Years, January 25,2031 AD

The room remained as silent as before. Everyone held their breath, listening intently, as if time itself had paused.

Ranzi straightened slightly, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, as if adjusting his state of mind. His voice, though slightly fatigued, remained steady:

"The earliest form of the I Ching later evolved into three versions—Gui Zang, Lian Shan, and Zhou I Ching..."

Lisa glanced at Ranzi and noticed the weariness on his face. She then looked around the room and, with a warm smile, suggested, "Dear friends, I've read some books on Gui Zang. Would you like me to introduce it?"

"That would be wonderful—please, go ahead!" Ranzi sighed in relief, a grateful smile appearing on his face as if he had found a helping hand.

After all, he was over sixty and had been speaking continuously for six hours during the day. Now, after nearly forty more minutes of discussion, fatigue was clearly showing.

Lisa stood up, pressed her hands together in respect, and bowed deeply to Ranzi before turning to the audience. With a modest smile, she said, "I'll do my best to share what I know."

She then sat down gracefully, offered a slight smile, and began in a gentle tone:

"Did you know that, in addition to his titles Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor was also known as 'Gui Zang'?"

As her words fell, all eyes turned to her, waiting for her next sentence.

"Yellow Emperor, revered the Earth. In Chinese cosmology, yellow represents the Earth, which nurtures all things and embodies qualities of tolerance, stability, and justice. Because of this, he was also called Gui Zang—meaning Returning to the Hidden or Returning to the Earth."

Without pausing for reactions, she continued, " Yellow Emperor believed that 'all things return to the Earth,' so he restructured the original I Ching. He began with the Kun Hexagram (Earth) and changed the representation of the Yang line from a circle 'O' to a solid horizontal line '—', while the Yin line was represented by an inverted 'Λ'."

As she spoke, she picked up a pen and drew a solid horizontal line on the paper Ranzi had just used.

"Additionally, he composed a text of 4,300 characters, which became known as Gui Zang. This work served as the foundational doctrine of his dynasty."

Finishing, she put down the pen and glanced at Ranzi, as if seeking confirmation.

"Excellent! Sister Liu explained it very clearly," Ranzi nodded approvingly. Then, he added, "This is what we call the second I Ching—Gui Zang. Many scholars believe that Gui Zang fully preserves the philosophy of the earliest I Ching, making it, in essence, the original version."

Shifting the topic, he continued, "Of course, some argue that both Gui Zang and Lian Shan have been lost to history, but this remains a subject of debate."

With that, the conversation naturally turned to Lian Shan.

"Sister Liu, I believe you also know something about Lian Shan? Could you introduce it to everyone?" A young woman sitting across from Ranzi spoke with anticipation, clearly impressed by Lisa's earlier explanation.

Lisa shook her head modestly. "I only know a little, mostly from reading the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li)."

Her humility was not mere politeness—very little concrete information on Lian Shan exists today.

"Around 2070 BCE, Yu the Great inherited the throne from Emperor Shun, after his success in controlling the great floods. He established the Xia Dynasty—the first hereditary dynasty in Chinese history—earning him the title 'Xia Yu.' Through his work in flood control, he gained deep insights into natural cycles and integrated this wisdom into the I Ching. He revised Gui Zang, expanding it into an 80,000-character text known as Lian Shan, which became the philosophical core of the Xia Dynasty. However, the hexagram structure remained unchanged—the Yang line was still represented as a solid '—', and the Yin line as an inverted 'Λ'."

As she spoke, she pointed to the diagram on the paper to illustrate her point.

At this, the young woman suddenly interjected, "Lian Shan begins with the Gen Hexagram (Mountain), representing continuous mountain ranges—hence the name 'Lian Shan,' meaning Connected Mountains.Some say it was created by the first human ruler after the mythical Pangu—Tianhuangshi. Senior Sister Liu, is that correct?"

It seemed she had done her own research on Lian Shan.

Lisa smiled, "Ah, now you're testing me! It seems you know more than I do."

The room erupted in light laughter, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

The young woman grinned playfully, "I only read about it online. That's all I know!"

"Not bad at all—it's great to see more and more people taking an interest in the I Ching," Ranzi sat up straighter, seeming to regain some energy. "Lian Shan is considered the third I Ching. However, since it was attributed to Tianhuangshi, some later scholars mistakenly believed it was the first. In reality, it was developed after Gui Zang."

Ranzi continued with a calm smile, "During the Shang Dynasty, King Cheng Tang—who was a direct descendant of the Yellow Emperor—revived Gui Zang as the official doctrine of his kingdom, renaming it the 'Shang I Ching.'"

"Yes, there's a common saying in I Ching studies: The Three I Chings—referring to the Xia I Ching, Shang I Ching, and Zhou I Ching. Now we understand that Xia I Ching is Lian Shan, and Shang I Ching is Gui Zang," added Shawn's grandpa , continuing Ranzi's explanation.

"That's exactly right, Senior Brother Shang," Ranzi nodded, then turned to Lisa, who was sitting beside him.

"Junior Sister Liu, the last time we met, you asked for my opinion on the Illustrated I Ching. Do you remember what I said?" His tone was casual and familiar, suggesting they had frequent discussions.

Lisa smiled and replied, "You mentioned that nearly all versions of the I Ching available today are based on the Zhou I Ching. While the foundational knowledge is still valuable, elements such as the Yao Ci (line statements) must be carefully examined and understood in their proper historical context."

Before he finished speaking, Ranzi said with some seriousness: "Junior Sister Liu, please tell us about the Zhou I Ching."

"Everyone should know this, right? Do you need to introduce it again?" Lisa cast her eyes on the crowd.

Most people agreed to explain it again.

Lisa stood, pressed her palms together, and bowed deeply to Ranzi before turning to the audience. "I'll do my best to explain."

A round of applause broke the silence—both a welcome and encouragement.

Lisa sat down gracefully, offering a warm smile. "Everyone here probably knows why the Zhou Dynasty abandoned the Shang I Ching and adopted the Zhou I Ching. Simply put, it was because King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang, was the one who created it."

Her voice, gentle yet captivating, carried a slight northern Anhui accent, adding to her charm.

"As for the story of King Wen composing the Zhou I Ching, I won't go into detail—you're all familiar with it. Instead, I'd like to focus on something different today: the origin of the dotted line for the Yin line."

Her words piqued the audience's interest, and everyone nodded in anticipation.

"Before the Shang Dynasty, records were kept using knots—an ancient system of tallying. Back then, the Yang line was typically represented by a circle 'O' or a solid line '—', while the Yin line was depicted as an inverted 'Λ' shape, making it easier to weave into knots. However, during the Shang Dynasty and beyond, people began engraving records onto tortoise shells, animal bones, and metal. To make carving easier, Ji Chang modified the Yin symbol—transforming the 'Λ' shape into a broken line '--'. The Yang line remained unchanged as a solid line '—'. This is the origin of the symbols we use for Yin and Yang lines today."

A collective murmur of understanding spread through the room.

Shawn's grandfather, who had been quietly listening, now studied Lisa intently, as if seeing her in a new light. Though they had known each other for years, he had never realized the depth of her knowledge in the I Ching.

Lisa continued, "Ji Chang didn't just refine the Symbols; he also wrote explanatory texts for each Hexagram's name, structure, and imagery. This early version of the Zhou I Ching is what Senior Brother Ranzi referred to as fourth I Ching."

She paused briefly, scanning the room, as if silently asking, "Does this all make sense?"

Ranzi picked up where she left off. "Then, Duke Zhou added the 'Yao Ci'—the line statements—and later, Confucius and his disciples compiled the 'Ten Wings,' or I Ching commentaries, integrating Confucian philosophy into the text."

Rising from his seat, he led the applause. "Excellent explanation! Let's all give a round of applause to Sister Liu for her wonderful insights!"

Shawn clapped enthusiastically, turning to his grandfather with excitement. "Tonight wasn't just a casual discussion—it was a full-fledged I Ching masterclass!"

Still standing, Ranzi looked around, signaling that the gathering was drawing to a close. "Dear friends, the I Ching is vast and profound. But one thing must be clear: if you seek to understand the true foundations of the I Ching, you must start with the Meta I Ching. However..."

His gaze sharpened, radiating a quiet wisdom. His voice, firm and resonant, carried weight.

"The I Ching must be grasped through personal understanding. It is not something you can master just by reading a few books or attending a few lectures."

He paused for a moment before adding, "I mentioned earlier that the concept of 'Qi' in the Meta I Ching has been validated by modern science. In contemporary physics, 'Qi' corresponds to what we call 'quantum fields'—in a more focused sense, it can even be equated to 'light' or 'energy.'"

Shawn's mind lit up.

No wonder Ranzi had emphasized that the I Ching must be understood personally! If studying the I Ching—no, cultivating an understanding of the I Ching—could align one's energy with the quantum field, could it also awaken something deeper, something akin to Soul Energy?

He didn't dare dwell on the thought too long, but his heart pounded with excitement.

Shawn looked at Ranzi, his eyes filled with admiration. He had wanted to ask about the Meta-Origin Society, but before he could speak, the attendees began bidding farewell to Ranzi, exchanging goodnights, and lingering in discussion, leaving no space for further questions.

By then, it was already 11:30 PM. Tomorrow, he would be attending the lecture Seven Days of Heavenly Tranquility: Returning Home to the Heart, so he decided to hold back his inquiry.

Over the following nights, Shawn eagerly hoped to join Ranzi's gatherings again. However, the organizers had scheduled Ranzi to meet different groups in rotation, leaving him without another opportunity.

Though he tried to probe for information through Teacher Lisa, each time she skillfully steered the conversation elsewhere.

Despite her evasiveness, Shawn was convinced—Ranzi's profound knowledge of the Meta I Ching could not be a coincidence. He must have some connection to the Meta-Origin Society!