The 'Yi Xue Si Tong' ("Four Agreements of I Ching Learning"), an eight-volume work with a four-volume 'Bielu', was authored by Ji Ben (c. 1487–?) during the Ming dynasty. Ji, courtesy name Mingde, hailed from Shanyin and was a jinshi in 1517 (Zhengde Dingchou). He later served as the 'zhifu' (prefect) of Changsha. The title "Si Tong" derives from Ji's rejection of Zhu Xi's interpretation in the 'Benyi', which posits four distinct versions of the 'Yijing': natural, Fu Xi's, Wen Wang's, and Confucius'—a view Ji deemed flawed. Instead, he advocated for their unity as a core principle, aligning with Confucius-centered exegesis while emphasizing the 'xin xue' (Mind School) philosophy of Yang Jian.

The work's textual approach is marked by controversial revisions. Ji followed Ouyang Xiu's skepticism about Confucian authorship of the 'Xici', adopting Wu Cheng's rearranged text for chapters like "Shangchuan" 7, where he deleted "Zi yue" ("said Zǐ") and restructured content. For instance, he merged sections of the 'Xiachuan' with altered chapter divisions and relocated passages such as the "Yi Yan Yin" segment into Chapter 12. The "Wenyan" portions were separated into a distinct volume. Ji's modifications drew criticism for their speculative nature despite Wu Cheng's earlier influence on textual scholarship.

The 'Bielu' (Appendix) comprises two volumes: an 'Neipian' ("Inner Volume") critiquing Zhu Xi's nine diagrams and disputing the traditional attribution of the "Houtiantu" to Wen Wang, while the 'Waipian' ("Outer Volume") surveys diverse divinatory traditions like Huangji Jingshi, 'Yilin', 'Jing Fang Yichuan', and Taihuan. Ji also engaged with practical systems such as 'Huozhulin' (Fire Pearl Forest) and the numerological frameworks of 'Jiujiushu' and 'Cantong Qi'. The 'Bielu''s eclectic scope, however, was seen by some scholars as overly broad.

Ji's 'Shifa Biechuan' ("Alternative Transmission on Divinatory Sticks") is structured into an 'Neipian' detailing divination principles ('zhanbian', rules) and a 'Waipian' addressing symbolic correspondences beyond canonical text, such as "object categories" (wu lei). Zhu Yizun noted discrepancies in volume counts between his 'Jingyi Kao' ("Examination of Classical Learning") and Ji's editions, suggesting possible errors or omissions. The lost work 'Gu Yi Bian' ("Ancient I Ching Distinctions") is also referenced as missing from extant copies.

Though Ji Ben's scholarship aimed to harmonize the 'Yijing''s textual and philosophical dimensions, his approach was criticized for prioritizing interpretive speculation over fidelity to canonical structure. His reliance on Wu Cheng's revisions, while acknowledging their partial merits, underscored a tendency toward textual manipulation that scholars like Zhu Xi had previously warned against. Nonetheless, 'Yi Xue Si Tong' remains significant as a reflection of Ming-era debates over Confucian classics and the interplay between textual exegesis and philosophical innovation.

References

• 《四庫全書總目提要·卷7 經部·易類存目一》

• 易學四同

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