出身與少年(1832-1860)
高島吞象(本名嘉右衛門),1832 年生於江戶商家。幼穎慧而具俠氣,少年時即輾轉關東各地,出入木材市場以撐家業。
預見橫濱開港之機,於地產木材中嶄露頭角;然安政動亂之際,因事連坐入獄——獄中竟成其易者一生之轉機。
高島吞象 評傳・易斷史
明治易聖的一介商人,如何令易經重活於近代日本之轉折——其生平與代表占例。
高島吞象(本名嘉右衛門),1832 年生於江戶商家。幼穎慧而具俠氣,少年時即輾轉關東各地,出入木材市場以撐家業。
預見橫濱開港之機,於地產木材中嶄露頭角;然安政動亂之際,因事連坐入獄——獄中竟成其易者一生之轉機。
於獄舍,唯持《周易》一卷晝夜不釋。日日立卦以對自身境遇,並為同囚解疑,屢中。
獲釋之日,懷中已積占例手稿厚厚一束,即後來《高島易斷》之雛形。
維新後吞象移居橫濱,深度參與外國居留地之開發、鐵路用地之取得、瓦斯事業之創辦,被譽為「橫濱之父」。
同時,伊藤博文、大隈重信、井上馨、山縣有朋等明治元勳,每於外交、戰爭、財政之大事前,皆嘗請占於吞象。
晚年隱於箱根,講易接客。陸續刊行《高島易斷》正續、解義諸卷,占例多達數百。
1914 年逝,享年八十三。其後「高島易斷曆」等廣布民間,「高島」二字成日本占學之代名。
吞象終生重正統本筮法:分五十策、掛一、揲四、歸奇。略筮三變雖亦兼用,遇重大之問必行本筮,常費四十餘分以成一卦。
解時博採王弼、程頤、朱熹之註,並參以時政、商況、問者之品性。不死守古文,而能因時引義,是其真力所在。
尤重「象」與「變爻」,能由卦象勾勒具體情境人物,時人譽為「觀畫」。
其占書多由《卦辭解》《爻辭解》《總判》三段組成。本應用之 AI 解卦亦承此式。
以下占例均見於《高島易斷》1893 年英譯本(公有領域)。
安政六年入獄,得前囚遺於獄中之《易經》一卷,研讀三年而通其理。文久元年以紙繩代蓍,自占命運,得「屯」之二爻變「節」,由「十年乃字」斷難解須十年,由坎水在前斷須「涉水」。其自述:二年後流放佃島,慶應元年獲釋,明治三年——距獄中之占恰十年——始創郵船、鐵道、瓦斯、學校四業。
友人益田氏熟諳西洋,與英人賭法國必勝,求占以求必中。吞象得「屯」之初爻變「比」,直言法必敗、賭必輸,並斷法帝將屈服於敵、法將成共和、法方內有叛者為患。益田氏不信,謂據卦推論「不足信也」。後果如所言:巴贊叛、色當降、拿破崙三世屈服。
明治十八年二月二十八日,伊藤伯以大使自橫濱赴清,議前年十二月之朝鮮事。吞象得「乾」之五爻變「大有」:「飛龍在天,利見大人。」判兩國大人皆將捨小事而就大局,為兩國之民求和平之果。遂遣書至天津轉呈。其記:交涉平順而終,大使順利歸國。
1885 年英俄阿富汗劃界之爭,時人多以為戰端將啟。吞象於明治十八年五月八日占之,得「遯」之上爻:「肥遯,無不利。」以內卦艮(山,止)配英、外卦乾(天,健行)配俄,論英海軍難施於內陸、陸軍寡而分身、印度兵不耐其地氣候,故必守勢而不交兵;又斷俄是年不能動,將示弱而修鐵道,待沙漠之線成方能大舉。
明治七年佐賀亂起,政府將出兵,一大佐、一中佐來求占征討之事。得「離」之上爻變「豐」:「王用出征,有嘉;折首,獲匪其醜,無咎。」以重離為戰,且如火驟起而速滅;宜誅首惡而赦其眾;由變卦火焚木,斷三十日內可平。其記:「未及四週,賊大敗,首領悉數就擒。」
一警官來訪:同藩士殉於維新,遺族貧困,彼資助其三子就學,負債一萬三千圓,而商況衰退,己之家產僅餘三千圓,憂病不能任職。吞象得「節」之二爻,以堤蓄水喻債務須有出口否則潰決;「不出門庭,凶」解為不言乃凶,須往見債主。乃授實策:售家產三千圓償之,月俸二百留五十為衣食、三十為應酬,月還一百二十,請息八分,約十一年可清;又戒其每日憂債不過一時。數日後來函,謂積憂盡散,身心復安。
Full write-ups of Takashima Ekidan divinations — the question, the cast, the outcome, and how to read each hexagram for a modern situation.
Hexagram 3 → 60 · Chun (屯) changing to Setsu (節), line 2
Imprisoned as a young man, Takashima found a volume of the Book of Changes left in his cell, studied it for three years, then made paper ropes in place of yarrow stalks and cast a hexagram on his own fate.
Read the full case →Hexagram 3 → 8 · Chun (屯) changing to Hi (比), line 1
A friend who had wagered on a French victory asked Takashima to secure the win by divination. Takashima told him instead that France would be defeated — and was flatly disbelieved.
Read the full case →Hexagram 1 → 14 · Ken (乾) changing to Tai-yū (大有), line 5
As Count Itō sailed for China to negotiate over the Korean affair, Takashima cast the mission and sent his written divination on to Tientsin to be presented to the ambassador.
Read the full case →Hexagram 33 · Ton (遯) — Retreat, line 6
With the Anglo-Russian boundary dispute over Afghanistan looking to many like the opening of a war, Takashima read a hexagram of withdrawal and concluded England would not engage.
Read the full case →Hexagram 30 → 55 · Ri (離) changing to Hō (豐), line 6
Two officers came to Takashima to have the coming subjugation of the Saga rebellion divined. He read doubled fire — a thing that flares suddenly and disappears quickly.
Read the full case →Hexagram 60 · Setsu (節) — Moderation, line 2
A police officer, sick with worry over a debt of 13,000 yen incurred educating a dead comrade's relatives, came to Takashima — and left with a repayment schedule and a limit on how long he was allowed to worry each day.
Read the full case →吞象所遺數百占例,證易非僅古典之註釋學,而為應人應時之活的實踐。
本應用承此精神,以 AI 與古典相橋接,盼於今人之問亦能獻一視角。
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