The nuclear operator as a matrix
The hu gua is a linear map over F2
Choose a hexagram and check that multiplying it by the matrix M gives its nuclear hexagram.
The nuclear hexagram (hu gua) takes the inner lines: the output is (l2, l3, l4, l3, l4, l5) of the input hexagram. Since every output line is a copy of an input line, hu gua is a linear map over F2: there is a matrix M of 6×6 such that M·x = hu gua(x) for the 64 hexagrams. And out of that matrix comes, with nothing else, the whole dynamics of the nuclear forest.
row = output line (l′), column = input line. A 1 at (i, j) means: output line i copies input line j.
M·x agrees with hu gua(x) ✓
image 16
image 4
image 4
image 4
The rank falls 6 → 4 → 2 and stabilises there: they are the images 64 → 16 → 4 of the nuclear forest, now as powers of a matrix. Moreover M⁴ = M² (verified): from the second step onwards, the system merely oscillates.
fixed point
cycle of 2
cycle of 2
fixed point
On those 4, M fixes Kūn and Qián and swaps Wèi Jì and Jì Jì: the only cycle of the forest comes from the fact that M, restricted to the image, is an involution with 2 fixed points. Linear algebra tells the same story as the arrows.
Hu gua is linear over F2: there is a 6x6 matrix with ranks 6, 4 and 2, and M^4 = M^2, which explains the single cycle (Ji Ji with Wei Ji).
verificar_matriz_nuclearThe types of claim and the full bibliography (APA) are in Foundations.
