Who is Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Laoren)? | I Ching Key Figures

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The I Ching Key Figures Series: An Introduction

Welcome to our new blog series, I Ching Divination: Key Figures.

In the vast river of Chinese civilization, we believe the legacy of the I Ching (Yijing) stretches back nearly 8,000 years. From the ancient sage Fuxi first revealing the trigrams, to King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius expanding upon the text, countless brilliant minds have contributed to this “Head of all Classics.” Masters like Zhu Xi and Shao Yong later continued this development.

In this series, we will introduce you to the key figures who have left an indelible mark on the I Ching’s transmission.

Our focus will not only be on the great masters of “I Ching Academic Study” (the philosophical Yili side). We will also dive deep into the famous figures of “I Ching Practical Technique” (the Shu Shu side). These are the people who left behind authoritative works on divination, Liu Yao, Feng Shui, and Mìnglǐ that profoundly shaped future practice.

For our first installment, we are focusing on the author who contributed what is arguably the pinnacle of I Ching divination literature: I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored (Zengshan Buyi). He is a master whom specialists revere, yet his true identity remains a complete mystery.

This Issue’s Key Figure: Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Laoren)

In the profound culture of the Chinese Zhou Yi (I Ching or Book of Changes), Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder) is a name that commands immense respect. Specialists revere him as an immortal master of the I Ching Six lines divination (wen wang gua or Liu Yao) method.

A timeless masterpiece, I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored (Zengshan Buyi), cemented his status.

This work, first compiled in the 29th year of the Kangxi Emperor (1690 CE), is an undeniable pinnacle of ancient divination. It swept away the “empty talk” and vague theories that dominated the late-Ming dynasty. It did this with unprecedented practicality, a systematic framework, and an empirical spirit. As a result, it became the essential textbook for countless enthusiasts to enter the world of practical divination. To this day, most serious scholars consider it required reading.

About “I Ching Divination: Complete and Restored” (“Zengshan Buyi”) — also in English

First compiled around 1690 by Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder) and Li Woping, “I Ching Divination: Complete and Restored” (“Zengshan Buyi”) is a foundational classic for Six Lines Divination (Liu Yao), with close ties to Wen Wang Gua and the Na Jia Method.

Often referenced as “Zengshan Buyi English” in catalogs and discussions, it features over 460¹ real-world case studies and the “Golden Strategy,” a core text cited throughout Six Lines literature. It presents a practical, systematic framework for divination.

Consequently, it serves beginners who wish to internalize principles and methods through cases, and it rewards advanced practitioners with new insights on each reading.

However, as a foundational work, it places less emphasis on symbolic imagery; readers seeking deeper symbolic approaches may consult companion classics such as “Fire Pearl Forest – I Ching (Six Lines) Divination Classical Text,” “Undersea Eye – The Core Principles of I Ching (Six Lines) Divination,” “Collected Insights on I Ching Divination (Yi Donglin)” including “Donglin Secret Manual,” “Guo Shi Donglin,” and “Zhouyi Donglin,” as well as “Studies on Ancient I Ching Divination Cases.”

However, in stark contrast to the book’s legendary status, the true identity of its named author, Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder), has become one of the most fascinating cold cases in the history of Chinese esoteric arts. This article will conduct a “forensic investigation” to uncover the truth behind this master.

1. Note on case count
   The cover uses “460+” as a conservative rounded figure. This edition contains 465 case studies, numbered by hexagram groups, in one-to-one correspondence with the in-book numbering [1] to [465]. ↩︎

Why Is the Wild Crane Elder’s Identity So Hard to Pin Down?

Before we start, we must understand one thing: historical investigation into figures like Yehe Laoren is extremely difficult. In ancient China, misattribution of texts was a common phenomenon.

Based on analysis, this wasn’t just a “historical mistake.” More often, it was a deliberate marketing strategy. Publishers or promoters, wanting to “ride the coattails” of a famous figure, would intentionally attribute an excellent but obscure work to a household name. We see this with the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), which publishers attributed to the mythical Yellow Emperor himself. They did this to instantly boost the work’s authority and influence.

Therefore, we must understand the investigation into Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder) in this complex historical context.

A classic example is another Ming dynasty classic, the Huangjin Ce (Golden Strategy). Its author appears as Liu Ji. Over time, people accepted that this was the famous Ming dynasty founder and military strategist, Liu Bowen. However, as the original materials point out, the author was likely just an unknown professional diviner, while the other was a famous statesman. This is most likely a case of “historical misunderstanding.”

The hunt for Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder) is trapped in the exact same predicament.

The Prime Suspect: The Literary Master Ding Yaokang

The prevailing theory today points to one heavyweight figure: the famous late-Ming and early-Qing dynasty literary master from Zhucheng, Shandong, Ding Yaokang (1599-1669).

Ding Yaokang, styled Xisheng, was a novelist and playwright from a noble family. His most common hao (courtesy name) was, in fact, “Yehe” (Wild Crane). He is most famous for writing Continuation of the Jin Ping Mei. Unfortunately, this book, which contained veiled criticisms of the Qing court, led to his downfall in the “literary inquisition” (wén zì yù). In 1665, the court imprisoned him. Although authorities eventually released him, the ordeal left him blind, and he died in 1669.

The Evidence (Pros)

On the surface, the case linking him to Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder) looks strong:

1.The Name Coincidence: His most famous nickname was “Yehe.” This is the most direct link.

2.Inclusion in His Complete Works: In the modern, scholarly Complete Works of Ding Yaokang compiled by Zhang Qingji, the 15-volume I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored (Zengshan Buyi) is included.

3.The “Ironclad Evidence”: The Preface. Most critical of all is the existence of an author’s preface. This collected version includes a preface dated 1668 and explicitly signed by Ding Yaokang. This was just one year before his death. If this preface is authentic, it’s a slam dunk case. It would prove the divination classic was the final work of his life, written after he went blind.

The Strong Rebuttal: Fatal Flaws in the Theory (Cons)

However, when we apply a “forensic” lens to this evidence, the case falls apart with contradictions.

Doubt #1: Clashing Writing Styles. This is the core internal evidence. The original materials state that the style of Ding’s other works (novels, plays) and their “expressions related to the Zhou Yi (the foundational text of the I Ching) are vastly different from the style of Zeng shan bu yi.” The style of zengshanbuyi is simple, direct, and highly logical. It is written in the unmistakable voice of a technical practitioner. In contrast, Ding Yaokang, as a literary master, had a sophisticated, polished, and complex style. It is incredibly difficult to believe they came from the same person at the same time.

Doubt #2: A Very Common Nickname. “Yehe” (Wild Crane) was an extremely common nickname for scholars, recluses, and poets in ancient China. As the source material notes, “in any dynasty, there were many, many people who called themselves ‘Wild Crane’.” Consequently, relying on the name alone is weak evidence.

Contradictions from External Evidence

Beyond the internal issues, the external evidence against the theory is just as strong.

Doubt #3: The Collective Silence of His Family. This is a fatal external clue. The scholar Zhao Xin points out that Zengshan Buyi “is not mentioned in any bibliographies, nor is it ever mentioned by his son, Ding Shenxing, or by anyone else writing prefaces for his other works.” It is inconceivable that his own son, while compiling his father’s literary estate, would completely fail to mention his father’s final, monumental masterpiece. This simply makes no sense.

Doubt #4: The Logic of the Complete Works. The fact that a modern scholar, Zhang Qingji, included it in a modern compilation is not ancient proof. As the source notes, this is likely a “modern scholarly attribution.” In fact, Zhang himself noted his source was a Qianlong-era manuscript copied by Li Wenzao. This manuscript first appeared long after Ding Yaokang had already died.

An Alternative Theory: A Two-Generation Collaborative Work

Since the Ding Yaokang theory is full of contradictions, the original sources offer a much more logical theory. I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored (Zengshan Buyi) was likely a “collaborative work” completed by two different people across two generations.

1. The Original Author: The Ming-Dynasty “Wild Crane Elder”

The real “Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder)” was likely a master practitioner of divination living during the “chaotic late-Ming era, full of internal and external conflict.” His “real name, identity, and appearance are lost to history.” He compiled his life’s work into a manuscript, which practitioners then circulated by hand.

2. The Key Editor: Li Wenhui

In the early Qing dynasty, this rare manuscript fell into the hands of Wenhui Li (styled Jue Zi, circa 1690 CE). Li Wenhui was also an I Ching master. Using the manuscript as a base, he combined it with his own decades of practical experience and began a massive project:

• “Shan” (To Delete): He removed the “impractical theories and fallacies” from the original text.
• “Zeng” (To Add): He added “many of his own effective methods and a huge number of case studies.”

This process perfectly explains the book’s title, Zengshan Buyi (which means Add-Delete Divination and is also known as I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored).

The Evidence: Prefaces and Timelines

This theory is also strongly supported by evidence:

1. The Preface. In the same version attributed to Ding Yaokang, there is another preface, this one from Zhang Wen (1690). This preface states: “Wild Crane Elder… sadly did not see his work published. Jue Zi (Li Wenhui) obtained it… he could not bear to keep it hidden, and so he added, deleted, and edited it into a book.” This text clearly describes Li Wenhui’s role as editor and co-author.
2. The Case Studies. The cases in Zengshan Buyi “span a very large period.” They appear to include “both the chaos of the late Ming and the princely revolts of the early Qing.” This strongly suggests the book was not the work of one person in one era. Instead, it was the accumulation of at least two generations: the Ming-era Yehe Elder and the Qing-era Li Wenhui.

An Authoritative Classic Shrouded in Mystery

Based on this investigation, we can conclude that the true identity of “Wild Crane Elder (Yehe Elder)” remains a profound historical mystery.

The “Ding Yaokang theory,” while tempting due to the 1668 preface, is fatally undermined. Contradictions in writing style and the deafening silence from his own family deal a heavy blow.

In contrast, the “two-generation (Yehe Elder + Li Wenhui) collaborative” theory provides a much more elegant explanation. It accounts for the book’s title, its timeline, and the clear testimony in Zhang Wen’s preface. It is highly likely that a grateful Li Wenhui, after significantly co-authoring the book, chose to attribute the final work to the original master, “Wild Crane Elder.”

Whatever the truth, I Ching Divination – Complete and Restored (Zengshan Buyi) remains an immortal, authoritative classic of I Ching divination. The name “Wild Crane Elder” no longer represents just one person. Today, it represents the book’s powerful, guiding spirit: to dare to question, to perfect through practice, and “to keep what is proven and delete what is not.”

Reference：

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%B8%81%E8%80%80%E4%BA%A2/3544672

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%A2%9E%E5%88%A0%E5%8D%9C%E6%98%93/10867343

Related Reading and Future Articles

Other articles:

• Essential Classics of I Ching Divination – Six Lines Divination (Liu Yao), Wen Wang Gua, and the Na Jia Method: English Editions Now Available, Complete with Difficulty Levels, Target Readership, and Study Notes
• The Ultimate I Ching Chart for Six Lines Divination & Wen Wang Gua & Na Jia Method

For further study in I Ching (Six Lines) Divination, see: