What kind of book is Hong Fan?

Hong Fan is an article in the Book of Documents. It explains nature and various social phenomena by elaborating on the primitive theory of the Five Elements.

In Hong Fan, we see the classification of natural, social, and spiritual phenomena, and the world order established on this basis. Hong Fan holds that the Five Elements are water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. Except for fire, the other four are related to agriculture, reflecting the ancients’ simple understanding of nature from agricultural labor.

The author categorizes many natural and social phenomena into five types with the properties of the Five Elements. For example, when discussing celestial phenomena, it mentions the “Five Constants”: “1. Year, 2. Month, 3. Day, 4. Stars, 5. Calendar”; when discussing human social and spiritual phenomena, it introduces the “Five Things” and “Five Blessings”. The “Five Things” are “1. Demeanor, 2. Speech, 3. Vision, 4. Hearing, 5. Thought”, with standards like “Demeanor should be respectful, speech should be compliant, vision should be clear, hearing should be sharp, thought should be wise”. Under these standards, the “Five Things” can function as “Respectfulness leads to solemnity, compliance to righteousness, clarity to wisdom, sharpness to strategy, and wisdom to holiness”. The “Five Blessings” are “1. Longevity, 2. Wealth, 3. Health and peace, 4. Love of virtue, 5. A peaceful death”.

After classifying natural, social, and spiritual phenomena based on the Five Elements, the author connects these things to illustrate the overall unity of the world, reflecting materialist ideas.

Just as ‘Hong Fan’ extols the Five Blessings—longevity, wealth, health and peace, love of virtue, and a peaceful death—as the ideals of a balanced life, today we also look for symbols that remind us of harmony in our everyday world. The Yin Yang Tai Chi Ring – Rotatable Adjustable Lucky Jewelry is one such emblem. With its elegant design and rotatable, adjustable features, it embodies the timeless interplay of yin and yang, echoing the ancient philosophy of the Five Elements. Let this ring serve as a modern reminder of the balance and equilibrium that guide our lives.

From a political science perspective, “Hong Fan” means the great law, aiming to establish the order of rule. By examining and discussing nature, human affairs, punishment and virtue, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, fortune and misfortune, it formulates nine fundamental laws for governing the country, namely the “Nine Canons of Hong Fan. Here, the theory of the Five Elements is the basis for argumentation. By associating the above natural and social phenomena with the Five Elements, it argues for the way of governance that combines rewards and punishments, and rigidity and flexibility, to maintain the power of the supreme ruler.

The theory of the Five Elements discussed in Hong Fan had a certain status at the time and had a profound influence on the philosophy of the feudal era that followed. Imagine it like this: if the universe were a recipe, the Five Elements would be the basic ingredients. Water, fire, wood, metal, and earth are like the flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and salt of the cosmos. Just as a baker mixes these ingredients to create a cake, the ancient Chinese used these elements to explain how the world worked. The “Five Constants” are like the phases of the moon, the stars in the sky, and the numbers on a calendar— ingredients that help us track time and understand the heavens. The “Five Things” are like the way a person carries themselves, speaks, sees, hears, and thinks— the personal ingredients that make up a good leader or citizen. And the “Five Blessings” are like the goals we all strive for: a long life, wealth, health, virtue, and a peaceful end— the desired outcomes of a well-mixed life recipe. The “Nine Canons of Hong Fan” are like the nine fundamental rules for running a country, a kind of ancient constitution that tells rulers how to keep everything in balance, just as a chef needs to balance flavors to make a dish successful. This ancient wisdom is like a time – tested recipe for understanding the world and governing society, and its influence has lasted for thousands of years, showing that the ingredients of the Five Elements have a lasting flavor in the history of human thought.

Once upon a time, in a small American town nestled between rolling hills and vast farmlands, there was an old farmer named John. John was a man of the land, his hands calloused from years of tilling the soil and sowing seeds. He lived in a cozy wooden house with a porch that overlooked his fields, and he spent his days in the company of nature.

One day, as John was plowing his fields, he came across an ancient book buried in the earth. It was bound in worn leather and filled with mysterious writings. As he flipped through the pages, he discovered a chapter titled “Hong Fan.” Intrigued, he began to read, and the words seemed to speak to him in a way he couldn’t quite understand at first.

The book spoke of the Five Elements: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. John looked around him and saw these elements everywhere. The water in the river that irrigated his crops, the fire in the sun that warmed the earth, the wood in the trees that provided shade, the metal in the tools he used, and the earth beneath his feet. He realized that these elements were not just parts of nature but were also connected to the way he lived his life.

As John continued to read, he learned about the “Five Constants” that governed the heavens: the year, the month, the day, the stars, and the calendar. He thought about the rhythm of his life, the seasons that dictated when he planted and harvested, the phases of the moon that influenced the growth of his crops, and the stars that guided him at night. He saw how these constants were like the framework of his existence, giving him a sense of order and purpose.

The book also spoke of the “Five Things” that governed human behavior: demeanor, speech, vision, hearing, and thought. John reflected on his own life and the lives of those around him. He thought about the importance of being respectful in his interactions, of speaking with kindness and honesty, of seeing the world with clarity and understanding, of listening with an open mind, and of thinking with wisdom and insight. He realized that these qualities were essential for living a good life and for being a good neighbor.

Then, the book introduced the “Five Blessings”: longevity, wealth, health and peace, love of virtue, and a peaceful death. John thought about what these blessings meant to him. He wanted to live a long life, to have enough to provide for his family, to be healthy and at peace, to be a person of good character, and to die with dignity. He saw these blessings as the goals he strived for in his life.

As John read on, he learned about the “Nine Canons of Hong Fan,” the nine fundamental laws for governing a country. He thought about the principles that guided his own community: fairness, justice, compassion, and respect for tradition. He saw how these principles were like the foundation of a strong and harmonious society.

One day, a drought hit the town, and the crops began to wither. The community was in despair, and John knew he had to do something. He remembered the teachings of “Hong Fan” and decided to apply them to the crisis. He organized the townspeople to work together, using the principles of the Five Elements to find solutions. They built irrigation systems to bring water to the fields, they used fire to clear the land and prepare it for new crops, they planted trees to provide shade and prevent soil erosion, they used metal tools to dig wells and channels, and they worked with the earth to cultivate the land.

As the townspeople worked together, they also applied the “Five Things” to their interactions. They spoke with kindness and encouragement, they listened to each other’s ideas, they saw the situation with clarity and understanding, they thought with wisdom and insight, and they acted with respect and compassion. They also focused on the “Five Blessings,” striving to maintain their health and well-being, to support each other in times of need, and to uphold the values of their community.

Through their efforts, the town was able to overcome the drought. The crops began to grow again, and the community was stronger than ever. John realized that the teachings of “Hong Fan” were not just ancient wisdom but were also relevant to the challenges of modern life. He saw how the Five Elements, the Five Constants, the Five Things, and the Five Blessings were all interconnected and how they could guide people in living a good life and building a strong community.

In the end, John’s discovery of “Hong Fan” brought him a sense of purpose and belonging. He shared the teachings with his neighbors, and they all worked together to create a better future for their town. The story of John and the ancient book became a legend in the town, a reminder of the power of wisdom and the importance of working together. And so, the legacy of “Hong Fan” lived on, not just in the pages of an old book but in the hearts and lives of the people who called the town home.