Abstract: Illustrating the system of meaning, images, and words from The Book of Changes, Yang Wanli concludes that one should seek images through and within words, and Tao through and within images. Applying this philosophical logic to poetic logic, Yang reaches the conclusion that in that case, wan xiang bi lai (you can see all images in your head), and yi zai ju zhong (what you intend to convey has been expressed in sentences) help form rigorously structured poetics with Confucian tradition of meaning and words. Based on Yang's unique theory of mind-material relationship and his favor to natural imagery, wan xiang bi lai theory proves that arcane logic and Tao can also be grasped. As for poetics by analogy with that theory, naturally, natural imagery can lead people toward aesthetic freedom. The theory yi zai ju zhong is based on Yang's conception that reason and meanings can be expressed by images and words. Explicit and implicit meanings can be expressed exquisitely in one same sentence, if the latter derive from elaborate wording and sentence-making.

Key words: reason, realizing the marvel and the changing, natural phenomenon, syntax