Xici
In its own language: 繫辭
A Confucian commentary on the I Ching and a key text of early Chinese cosmology
The Xici is one of the Ten Wings, the commentaries that Confucian tradition attaches to the I Ching. It is a Chinese work, dated by tradition to the fifth century BC and written by unknown hands, and it sets out early Chinese ideas about the cosmos while retelling the myth of the emperor-god Fuxi.
- One of the Ten Wings, the commentaries attached to the I Ching
- Dated by tradition to the fifth century BC, with no author known
- A silk manuscript from 168 BCE was found at Mawangdui in 1973
- Counted among the most important sources for early Chinese cosmology
- It stresses the myth of Fuxi, an emperor-god
What it is
The Xici is a Chinese text that belongs to the Ten Wings, the set of Confucian commentaries that accompany the I Ching. English writers often call it the Great Commentary. It is read as an explanation of the I Ching rather than as an oracle in its own right. Among the Wings it is the one most often cited for its account of how the world is ordered, and it is counted among the most important sources for early Chinese cosmology, meaning early Chinese ideas about the shape and order of the cosmos. The myth of Fuxi, an emperor-god, is one of the stories the book stresses.
Where it comes from
Tradition places the text in the fifth century BC. No author is named, and its origins are unknown. A silk manuscript of the Xici, copied in 168 BCE, was recovered in 1973 at Mawangdui, a site in Changsha. That find gave readers a physical copy far older than the received version, and it showed how early the work was already circulating. Apart from the traditional date and the manuscript, the circumstances of its composition remain unsettled.
Xici, drawn and placed
- Living
- Revived
- Fading
- Historical
- Legendary
- Performed
- Lineage
- the Ten Wings, commentaries on the I Ching
At a glance: who, where and when
Who does it
What people believe
The book presents a view of the cosmos, which is why it is read as a major source for early Chinese cosmology. It also preserves myth, and Fuxi, an emperor-god, is among the figures it dwells on. Its authors are suspected of not accepting the Daoist thought that prevailed around them, so the way the text imagines the world is bound up with a position taken against that current of ideas.
How scholars and sceptics see it
Nothing certain is known about who wrote the Xici. One line of thinking holds that it came from scholars who did not hold the Daoist ideas of their day, which would make the book a dissenting work rather than a summary of current belief. Historians of Chinese thought value it as a witness to early cosmology, and the silk copy found at Mawangdui preserves a text dated to 168 BCE.
Compare and confuse
The Xici is one of the Ten Wings and is usually read alongside the other Confucian commentaries on the I Ching. English writers call it the Great Commentary. Its name appears in pinyin as Xì Cí, written 系辞 in simplified characters and 繫辭 in traditional ones. It is not a separate divination system but a commentary on the I Ching.
Questions people ask about Xici
What is the Xici?
It is a Chinese commentary on the I Ching and one of the Ten Wings, the Confucian writings that accompany that divination text. English readers often call it the Great Commentary. It sets out early Chinese ideas about the cosmos and carries myth, including the story of Fuxi.
Where does it come from?
It is a Chinese work, placed by tradition in the fifth century BC. Its authorship is unknown. A silk manuscript copied in 168 BCE was found in 1973 at Mawangdui in Changsha, which shows the text was circulating that early.
Why is it important?
It is counted among the most important sources for early Chinese cosmology, the early Chinese understanding of how the cosmos is ordered. It also preserves myth, notably that of Fuxi, an emperor-god.
Who wrote it?
That is not settled. The text is suspected of being the work of scholars who did not accept the Daoist thought then prevailing, but no author is named and its origins are unknown.
Is it the same as the I Ching?
No. The I Ching is the divination text itself. The Xici is one of the Ten Wings, commentaries written about it, and it belongs with those Confucian writings rather than standing as a separate oracle.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Xici", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-18.
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