‘The

great strength of Richard Bertschinger’s rendition of the Yijing is that it is

both a personal interpretation and one that is based on scholarship of the Chinese
language. For millions of Chinese who have read the Yijing over the millennia,
understanding its ideas has been part of a lived experience, a personal journey.
This edition also encourages the reader to place themselves at the centre of
understanding; to understand it from the inside, not as an external observer.’
– Ian Appleyard, course director of degree programmes
at the London Confucius Institute for Traditional
Chinese Medicine

‘Reading through this translation of the Yijing by my old friend Richard

Bertschinger, I was struck by his deep respect for the wisdom and living spirit of
this ancient text, always allowing the oracle to speak for itself. Our practice is to
become still enough to hear its voice.’
– Shi Jing, 31st generation Dragon Gate priest and
Chairman of the British Taoist Association

‘Richard Bertschinger’s new translation of The Book of Change is poetical and

perceptive, revealing aspects of this enigmatic work that may easily pass
unnoticed. Whether the reader is interested in the cosmology of the Change, or
wants to experiment with it as a divination manual, they will find inspiration in
this translation.’
– Fabrizio Pregadio, Taoist scholar and translator, and
researcher at the University of Erlangen, Germany

‘An essential book for anyone interested in humanity’s relationship with heaven
and earth. Richard’s scholarship opens a door to the rich imagery of the Yijing,
illuminating its relevance for our time. Its insights guide us in adapting to
change, whilst orienting ourselves with the awareness of that which is beyond
change.’
– Alan Hext, acupuncturist, zero balancer and co-author
of Jing Shen
‘As a scholar and practitioner, Richard Bertschinger has devoted much time and
interest to researching ancient Chinese philosophy. This new translation and
commentary on the Yijing is an exceptionally fine piece of work, creating an
easy-to-understand interpretation of the shamanic oracle of China for modern
times.’
– Dr Jidong Wu, PhD, senior lecturer in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Middlesex University
Shaman Fu Xi, originator of the trigrams. Watercolour by Ma Lin (13th century)
by the same author The Secret of Everlasting Life
The First Translation of the Ancient Chinese Text on Immortality
Richard Bertschinger
ISBN 978 1 84819 048 1
of related interest

Seeking the Spirit of The Book of Change

8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System
Master Zhongxian Wu
Foreword by Daniel Reid
ISBN 978 1 84819 020 7

The 12 Chinese Animals

Create Harmony in your Daily Life through Ancient Chinese Wisdom
Master Zhongxian Wu
ISBN 978 1 84819 031 3
Yijing, Shamanic Oracle of China

A New Book of Change

Translated with commentary by

Richard Bertschinger

LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA

Photo of Chinese coins on p.15 is reproduced by license from Shutterstock.
Photo of yarrow sticks on p.18 is reproduced by permission of Renee Hella – www.helladelicious.com.
Photo of the creative and receptive forces on p.29 is reproduced by license from Shutterstock.
Photo of song porcelain bowl on p.36 is reproduced by permission of Ben Janssens Oriental Art.

First published in 2012

by Singing Dragon
an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street
London N1 9BE, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA www.singingdragon.com

Copyright © Richard Bertschinger 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including
photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally
to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in
accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a
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8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication
should be addressed to the publisher.

Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim
for damages and criminal prosecution.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Yi jing. English
Yijing, shamanic oracle of China : a new Book of change / translated with commentary by Richard
Bertschinger.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-84819-083-2 (alk. paper) I. Bertschinger, Richard. II. Title.
PL2478.D27 2012
299'.51282--dc23
2011033067

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 84819 083 2
eISBN 978 0 85701 066 7
 Contents

Why a Book of Change?

Why another Translation?
How to Cast the Oracle
Introduction

First Book

1. Qian / The Creative

2. Kun / The Receptive
3. Tun / The Hesitant
4. Meng / The Innocent
5. Xu / Waiting
6. Song / The Lawsuit
7. Shi / The Army
8. Bi / Relating
9. Xiaoxu / Small Cultivation
10. Lu / Stepping
11. Tai / Flourishing
12. Pi / Decline
13. Tongren / Fellowship
14. Dayou / Great Possession
15. Qian / Humility
16. Yu / Harmony
17. Sui / Following
18. Gu / Corruption
19. Lin / Approach
20. Guan / The Observing
21. Shihe / Biting Through
22. Bi / Adornment
23. Bo / Tearing Apart
24. Fu / The Restored
25. Wuwang / The Unerring
26. Daxu / Great Cultivation
27. Yi / The Jaws
28. Daguo / Great Excess
29. Kan / The Double Trap
30. Li / The Adhering

Second Book

31. Xian / Affection

32. Heng / Constancy
33. Dun / Withdrawal
34. Dazhuang / Great Strength
35. Jin / The Advancing
36. Mingyi / A Darkening Light
37. Jiaren / The Family
38. Kui / Separation
39. Jian / Obstruction
40. Jie / Release
41. Sun / Decrease
42. Yi / Increase
43. Guai / Breaking Through
44. Gou / Encounter
45. Cui / Gathering
46. Sheng / The Ascending
47. Kun / The Stuck
48. Jing / The Well
49. Ge / Reformation
50. Ding / The Cauldron
51. Zhen / The Shaking
52. Gen / The Stopping
53. Jian / The Gradual
54. Guimei / Marrying Maiden
55. Feng / Abundance
56. Lu / Travelling
57. Xun / The Yielding
58. Dui / The Joyful
59. Huan / Dispersion
60. Jie / Restraint
61. Zhongfu / Inner Faith
62. Xiaoguo / A Little Excess
63. Jiji / Already Over
64. Weiji / Not Yet Over

A Yijing Phrases Glossary

Resources
Selected Bibliography
 The wind to scatter them,
The rain to moisten them,
The sun to warm them.
The mountains to halt them,
The wetlands to pleasure them,
The skies to rule over them,
The earth to preserve them.

(From the Shuogua)

 Why a Book of Change?

In third-century China, when the Chinese began their classical canon, the Yijing1
易经 occupied pride of place. But the Yijing is no ordinary classic. It is a guide
to the old philosophy surrounding shamanistic practice and their texts,
mathematically in keeping with ‘the new thinking’ of the Han – a book on the
elegant waveform of a binary universe, in yin–yang 阴阳 mode.
One of the earliest books in the world, it retains traces of our innate simian
fascination with manipulation and play. It was always named first among the
Confucian classics along with the Histories (documents of the house of Zhou),
the Rites (ritual and etiquette), the Songs (court odes and peasant songs) and the
Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the state of Lu, where Confucius was
born. All these texts defied the ‘burning of the books’ by the notorious Emperor
Qin Shi Huangdi (around 213 BCE) and supplied the corpus, crystallised by later
Han scholars. The morality and humanity present in these writings epitomised
the Chinese classical ideal.
What is so Chinese is that this bundle of folk-wisdom, half-remembered
rhymes, rituals and old wives’ tales became the philosophy for the largest nation
on earth. The Yijing reflects the connecting and enquiring structure of the mind –
an operating system for humankind.
For the Chinese, individual and cosmos are inextricably linked. We come as
a total package with our environment. We are born from, are part of, and return
to nature. The harmony between all things is encapsulated in the 64 hexagrams
(the ‘two’, or Yin and Yang cast to the sixth power, equal 64). Through casting
the oracle, pondering the shapes of the hexagrams, with their yin–yang lines, and
poetry, the message of the ancients is clear. You hold in your hands an
adamantine logic on how to direct your life. Whether you throw the coins or cast
the yarrow stalks, no matter. But you must have faith!
This new translation includes the King Wen text, attached to each hexagram,
written while he was in prison, and also the line-texts (six to each hexagram)
written by his son, Duke of Zhou (founder of the Zhou dynasty 1122–256 BCE).
I have also included the Xugua, or ‘trigrams in sequence’, a later commentary,
explaining the order of the hexagrams – and how each one follows the one
before. The other ‘Wings’ or Han commentary texts will appear in a second
volume.

1 The Book of Change or Yijng (I Ching). Yi 易 means changes, and jing 经 means classic.
 Why another Translation?

In my late teens I first picked up the Yijing. But it was not till I met Gia-fu Feng
(1919–1986) that the book became a reality. Gia-fu had been educated with
Confucian scholars in 1920s Shanghai – and yet came to the United States in
1949 and ‘learnt the lingo’ of the West. His life brought together East and West,
Yin and Yang, representing the workings of the Way. At Stillpoint Hermitage in
Colorado, under Manitou (‘Great Spirit’) mountain, I attended classes on The
Book of Change in the summer of 1977, finding a strong thread of a shamanic
tradition stretching back some several hundred generations. For ten years we
worked together and corresponded. My dedication was to produce a true and
recast edition of this vital work. Thirty years on, a dozen attempts and a dozen
failures, and we seem to have arrived.
Many previous translations have failed to plumb the depths of the tradition.
Few make a careful and studied use of the sources, in order to reveal their deep
structure. Many show the Book in an overly mystical light, retaining Western
logic and ideas; skimming its thought, and refracting it through a Western lens,
leaving much unexplained, or else compounding complexities. Richard Wilhelm,
translator of the great German edition of 1923, never worked on the Taoist
classics1 and we can only say that a lack of an experience of the dading ⼤定 or
‘great stillness’ must have hampered his work. Gia-fu used to call this ‘the rock-
bottom of human existence’ which is achieved through tong 通, or
‘transcendence’, and he often spoke of encountering it on his long solitary walks.
All this is contained in the Yijing. It is a book that can be clearly understood,
if we take a little trouble. Of course you need a teacher to appreciate its
plainness, for there is a snapshot of true humanity, the junzi 君⼦, or ‘true
person’, contained here. Confucius, who drew his inspiration from the ‘sages of
antiquity’ believed we are all fundamentally alike in sharing our humanity, but
ranked differently – ‘by nature all the same, but through habit far apart’ (as
recorded in the Analects). Taoists stress acceptance and gentleness of spirit. The
Yijing asserts goodness, for it was written at a time of ‘great care and sorrow’.
And again the prime Confucian virtue is ren 仁, ‘benevolence’ or ‘human-
heartedness’, and here there is no room for ‘original sin’ – although a river of
regret and remorse runs deep through the Book. A resounding translation, made
in this spirit, may serve as a guide to our times – and it should be approached as
an elderly counsellor or sage, giving sound advice. The Yijing counsels us to
work diligently at our own fund of faith and understanding, thereby to draw the
world increasingly into an Age of Great Peace, or wang dao 王道.
I have always worked from the original Confucian commentaries in order to
reveal how structure and meaning inter-relate. Marriages, break-ups, business
ventures, journeys, disputes, world affairs, anxieties, and health and money
issues: all are grist for the yin–yang mill of the Yijing. It will grind them down
into a lighter logic – a small flame illuminating the subtle wisdom of the old
Chinese.

1 This is evident if you read his own Foreword to this edition (Wilhelm 1951).
 How to Cast the Oracle

The coin oracle

Choose a question, or topic. Mull it over and wait a moment quietly. Then when
you are sure you are clear, and feel the time is right, throw the coins, all three
coins together. You throw three coins at a time, six times in all; record the line
after each three. Build the six-line hexagram from the bottom upwards. Six
throws, each time of three coins, make up six lines of the hexagram – this should
be performed in a calm and straightforward manner.
Record the first throw thus (H stands for Head, Yang, odd or ritual number 3;
T stands for Tail, Yin, even or ritual number 2):

Chinese coins

Note that two heads and a tail (H + H + T) form a Yin line while two tails and a
head (T + T + H) form a Yang line. Totals are not simply cumulative. Three
heads (H + H + H) form a changing Yang; while three tails (T + T + T) form a
changing Yin. But you may not have any changing lines. This simply means the
situation is more stationary. Remember to toss the coins six times in all.
A table to work out the line from the three coins

So six tosses yield six lines. Build the hexagram up from beneath. Then look up
the hexagram number in the table. Find the hexagram in the book and read the
text of the hexagram as a whole. You may want to read it straight through, the
first time – concentrating on anything that stands out. Some passages you will
immediately understand, some you will not.
Then, if you wish, you can read the text again, more slowly. Perhaps read it
out loud. And then you can consider any changing lines – Nines or Sixes. They
change because you threw three heads or three tails altogether. They move in
opposite directions: Yin lines become Yang lines, and Yang lines become Yin.
Thus the hexagram turns into a second, tending hexagram.
The whole hexagram represents change but the moving lines represent the
momentum of change. Yin moves into Yang, and Yang into Yin – at its peak the
hexagram alters to form another hexagram. In the tending hexagram you read
only the opening hexagram text, and not the line-texts.
Finally it might be helpful to paste the hexagrams and their names up on
your wall, or to your desktop. Select a few lines; copy them out by hand and put
them in your pocket, or by the bed – or folded in your wallet. This all brings
them closer to your heart.
In summary:
1. Choose a question, and find a place to throw the coins.
2. Mull the question over in your mind and throw the three coins once.
3. Look up the combination of heads and tails in the table and record the
line.
4. Draw the line. The first line goes below. Put a cross on a moving Yin
line – a circle over a moving Yang line.
5. When you have thrown six times look up the number of the hexagram
using the table below.
 6. First read the whole hexagram text. Then consider especially any
changing lines (Nines or Sixes).
7. Lastly, if there are changing lines work out the tending hexagram and
read only its beginning text.
8. Give some time to pondering over the results. You can throw again as
soon as you wish. But do not be disrespectful.

A key to the hexagrams

It is never too soon to begin using the oracle, for it allows us to see the ‘bones’
of the book. It enables us humility in the face of a fragile human existence. Also
it informs us of the workings of Yin and Yang, and the Tao – the sense of a
greater, guiding whole.
The task allotted the reader in the Yijing, who is always addressed as the
junzi or great-hearted individual, is that of watching, and keeping the yin–yang
in equilibrium. Yin and Yang are as inter-related as night and day. How could
Yang (the king) rule without the support of Yin (the people)? How could the
people long survive without the guidance of their ruler? How could the body
remain active (Yang) without time for rest and recuperation (Yin)? The strength
(Yang) of the body depends upon the suppleness (Yin) of its muscles and tissues.
It choosing a question, do not hurry: any consultation should be approached
as if dealing with a Chinese sage – with consideration and respect. The question
clear in your mind, cast the oracle: the coin method is handiest and quite
acceptable, although the yarrow stalks are preferable as they are slightly biased
towards the Yang.
Sometimes the significance of the text will be clear; sometimes hidden.
Don’t just read a passage once. Read it – put the book down – pick it up again –
re-read it. The oracle may even reply to a question at the back of your mind. If
you throw with friends, it may also speak to them, or to another member of your
family. Above all have faith in its silent workings. They show the source of
blessings in our world – and reveal the pathway we can follow. The ancient
Chinese sages constructed the Yijing to illuminate the spirit and enable it to
reach future generations. We must be thankful.

The yarrow-stick oracle

The more traditional oracle uses the yarrow stalks. This method takes longer but
it is good for some consultations. This was also the method used extensively by
Carl Jung when he first picked up the book. For those who have time, I describe
it below. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is picked, in the autumn – after
flowering – hung up to dry and the leaves stripped off. The stalks are then brittle
and easily fashioned into squarish cross-sectioned sticks, handy to manipulate.
(As distinct to the square sticks, the coins are round, traditionally with an open
square centre.) Take 50 sticks. Set one aside (The One). Divide up the remaining
49 sticks at random into two bundles. This is the division into day and night, Yin
and Yang. Remove a stick from one of the two bundles and set it aside. This
represents the intercalary month – the slippage and irregularity in the calendar.
Then count through each bundle by fours (four seasons), setting aside the
remaining group of 1 to 4 sticks from each bundle.
 Yarrow sticks

These set-aside sticks play no further part in the divination for this line.
Recombine the two bundles. Then divide up the remaining 44 or 40 sticks at
random into two bundles (Yin and Yang). This is the crucial move, which
determines the line. Afterwards remove a single stick from one bundle and set it
aside, as before (the intercalary month). Count through each bundle again by
fours, setting aside the last group of 1 to 4 sticks from each bundle. Recombine
the two bundles. You should now have 40, 36 or 32 sticks remaining. Divide up
these remaining sticks one last time, at random into two bundles (Yin and Yang).
This is the third division made for this line. Remove a single stick as before (the
intercalary month) and set it aside. Count through the two bundles by fours,
setting aside the last group of 1 to 4 sticks from each bundle. Recombine the two
bundles one last time. They should total 36, 32, 28 or 24. Count through all the
sticks this time, again by fours. There will either be 9, 8, 7 or 6 sets of four sticks
remaining. Write this number down for the first line of the hexagram. This is the
ritual number. The table on p.16 will show you how to convert it into a line-
shape. Remember to put the first line beneath, as the hexagram is built up from
below.
Now recombine all 49 sticks and begin again. The procedure of three
divisions of the sticks is carried out six times in all. This yields the six lines of
the hexagram. It is all much easier to carry out than it is to explain!1
In summary:
 1. Start with 50 sticks. Set one aside to leave you 49.
2. Divide the 49 sticks at random into two bundles. Take a single stick
from one bundle and set aside.
3. Count through each bundle by fours, setting aside the last group of 1 to
4 sticks from each bundle. Recombine the two bundles.
4. Divide the remaining 44 or 40 sticks again into two bundles. Take a
single stick away from one bundle, and count through each bundle by
fours. Set aside the last group of 1 to 4 sticks from each bundle.
Recombine the two bundles.
5. Divide the remaining 40, 36 or 32 sticks again into two bundles. This is
the third dividing up. As before take away a single stick from one
bundle, count through and set aside the last group of 1 to 4 sticks from
each bundle. Then recombine the two bundles, for the last time.
6. You will now have 36, 32, 28 or 24 sticks remaining, in total. This time
you do not divide them. Count them through one last time by fours. You
will find 9, 8, 7 or 6 bundles of four sticks remaining. This is the ritual
number.
7. Look this number up in the table on p.16 to yield a single line for the
hexagram.
8. Combine all the 49 sticks together and begin again.
9. Follow these steps through six times in all, to yield six lines.

An alternative approach
It is best for a full appreciation of the Yijing that you learn to cast the oracle. But
if you would rather not, then secure yourself a notebook, a few pens or pencils.
Begin reading the book at random and jot down any stray thoughts, or passages.
Pay special attention to the trigrams, three-line figures, variously named in the
text as Heaven, Earth, Thunder, etc., and the characters of, and interplay of the
lines.
Wisdom and divination walk hand in hand. Without divination, philosophy
becomes fossilised and cannot be reformed to lighten our hearts. Without clear
wisdom, divination becomes self-referral, and personal association – ‘like
duckweed, without a root’ – lacking a guiding hand. The Yijing states that as our
minds adhere to principle and remain open, the inner nature of humanity is
revealed and a favoured course can be steered through the world.

1 This description of picking out, dividing up and counting the stalks is a recent interpretation of
passages in the Xici (Ch. 9). I explain how to cast the oracle in a video on www.mytaoworld.com. I
must credit Greg Whincup’s scholarship in Rediscovering the I Ching (1986). Most traditions follow
the great scholar Zhixi (the Song dynasty editor of the book).
 Introduction

Orientation
Throughout China’s long and evocative history, The Book of Change (I Ching or
Yijing) has occupied pride of place. It is named first among the Five Classics –
the Changes, Histories, Poems and Songs, Rites, and Spring and Autumn Annals,
which survived the ‘burning of the books’ in 220 BCE.
The Changes has always been a foundation text for Taoist and Confucian
alike and assumed canonical importance during the Song dynasty (960–1279
CE). Its philosophy of Yin and Yang and Great Unity (tai yi ) was a corner-stone
for the amalgam of neo-Confucianism which sustained China for a thousand
years. The philosophy of the Kangxi1 commentary, the Zhouyi Zhezhong, which
I have used as the basis for my work, was the official imperial ‘line’ right up
until the dissolution of the Empire, after the abdication of the last emperor.

History
The sage Confucius is traditionally credited with collating the Yijing, but this is
unlikely. We have very little idea by whom it was written. It is a re-ordering in a
‘new Han style’ (Yin/Yang) of the rather disparate writings left over from the
hiatus preceding the unification of the Empire in 221BCE. These writings
include scratchings on bone and tortoise-shell and were among the earliest of
antiquity, dating back to the Shang (second millennium BCE), and are of great
interest as they form a direct link with the Bronze age lunar-based culture of
Eurasia – a time of the founding of the first cities. Only the Chinese preserved a
record decipherable to this day.
Confucius was perhaps only one of many editors of the book. However,
authorship is not the point. There were many more songs than those recorded in
the Poems and Songs, and many events in the Histories were ‘fixed’ by later
historians. External authenticity matters least in the Yijing, for the book concerns
the workings of the spirit of our human nature within. As befits a tool of
meditation, it illustrates the constant interplay of the heavenly principle of Yin
and Yang in the world, involving us perpetually, whether we understand it or
not!
The significance of the poetry and images in the lines and hexagrams in the
Book is that they may apply to any situation. They invite us to become involved
in, separate out and then reintegrate each problem as we encounter it. This is
truly scientific – an inductive method, stressing the underlying order in any
situation. We can plumb through observation and interior cognition, without the
rigidity and ‘objectivity’ of Western science. This supplies us with a guide, a
road-map for a busy world.

Structure and philosophy

The structure and philosophy of the Book, which are intimately connected,
derive from the Chinese people’s observance of the multiplicity of phenomena,
our common human experience, which we all share; and the classification of the
unchanging principles which lie behind them.
The Chinese were the earliest and greatest natural scientists, content not
merely to observe and tolerate change, but wanting to get involved and influence
it – to understand that which lay behind it. Superstition played no great part in
this, due to the concrete logic of the Chinese mind. In reading Chinese
characters, mind and sensation always work closely together. In seeking to
understand and control their physical world, they were thus true scientists, intent
upon perceiving the concrete pattern of things. In the texts of the Yijing they
founded a method anyone could use.
In the one of the longest commentaries on the Book we read:

In ancient times, when Fu Xi, the legendary Emperor, came to rule all
under heaven, looking up, he saw the shapes and patterns in the sky,
and looking down, he saw the signs and patterns on the earth. He saw
the markings of the birds and beasts, and their suitability of place.
Close by, he scrutinised his own body; afar, he scrutinised the world
around him. From these observations he began to construct the Eight
Trigrams…and so came to an understanding of the spirits’ light
(shenming 神明) and their power to classify all things by qualities.2
The Eight Trigrams, with their binary combinations of Yin and Yang, strong
(—) and weak (- -) lines form the working parts of the book. They represent a
primitive and yet in no way unsubtle science. Some translations ignore the
trigrams. But to neglect them is to miss the point – change occurs because of
unchanging principles exposed by the interplay of Yin and Yang.
The way Yin and Yang lines involve, invoke and contradict each another,
reflects the dialectic workings of our world. The Yijing was a product of the
most brilliant philosophical age China ever witnessed. The ‘canon of the
changes’ became quite as influential in Eastern thinking as Aristotle in the West.
The trigrams are best understood in pairs:

Heaven Qian 乾, and Earth Kun 坤, Yin and Yang

Thunder Zhen 震, and Mountain Gen ⾉, movement and stillness
Wind Sun 巽, and Marsh Dui 兌, penetration and dissipation
Fire Li 離, and Water Kan 坎, light and dark

They are also members all of one family: Heaven and Earth being father and
mother, while Thunder, Water and the Mountain are the sons and the Wind, Fire
and the Marsh, the daughters. As always in Chinese thinking, every part relates
to the whole.

The family of the Eight Trigrams with their main

associations
Fire, clarity, brightness, middle daughter
Heaven, assertive, strong, father
Earth, receptive, mother, mare
Thunder, movement, eldest son
Wind, wood, penetrating, eldest daughter
Mountain, to stop still, youngest son
Marsh, destructive, autumn, youngest daughter
Water, toil, faith, middle son
There is a legend that Fu Xi saw the dragon-horse (the dragon is the energetic
Yang, the horse is the receptive Yin) climbing out of the great Yellow River,
inscribed on its back with an arrangement of shapes something like trigrams.
The trigrams were later doubled up to yield the 64 hexagrams (six-line figures),
each with a name descriptive of its character and a few lines of commentary.
These enlarge upon the situation and significance. Later were added six brief
texts for each of the lines.
Throughout later generations, the book grew, gaining layer upon layer of
commentary. Much in the manner of an archaeologist, we have to dig down and
sift through cultural accretion to gain an understanding of its nature.
The most recent ‘layer’, the extensive Confucian-school commentaries, do
not pertain to the main body of the book, although they became supremely
important later. Clearing away this layer, we come upon three distinct portions
of text. In the first and deepest layer, the most ancient, we find the names for
each hexagram (Flourishing, The Hesitant, The Creative, etc.) and its
accompanying mantic formulae yuan – heng – li – zhen, 元 – 亨 – 利 – 貞, ‘the
source – blessings – favour – devotion’; in the second layer there are more
extensive phrases (the ‘King Wen’ text) attached to each hexagram – though still
not more than a line or two (these I put under each hexagram shape). In the third
and most recent layer, we find the six-line texts (inserted by the Duke of Zhou),
numbered from bottom to top.
Language research suggests that these writings probably derived from an
agrarian civilisation,3 living along the upper reaches of the Yellow River where
it flows down from the foothills of the Tibetan massif onto China’s wide
northern plain, some 500 to 700 years before the birth of Christ. They concern
the lives and culture of the people of the Zhou, and contain the shape of their
lives and votive practices. Much later, during the Han, the rest of the Yijing grew
organically. The whole attained its present form about the time of the Bible in
the West.
The legend concerning the authorship of the book speaks of ‘Four Sages’: Fu
Xi (already mentioned), King Wen, his son the Duke of Zhou and Confucius. So
the legendary Fu Xi supplied the shapes of the trigrams. But King Wen is
credited with the main body of the book. King Wen lived towards the end of the
second millennium BCE, about three thousand years ago, when China was
emerging from the Bronze Age. A moral and upright man (as described in the
Histories), he was captured and thrown into prison by the jealous Shang tyrant
Zhou Xin and there he remained for several years, in solitary darkness. In this
abject state, according to the story, he put together the 64 hexagrams of the
Yijing along with its main text. He was able to draw upon an exceedingly rich
fund of folk-sayings and peasant lore, old wives’ tales, folk-omens, proverbs,
magic lore and the then already ancient votive formulae of fortune-tellers,
imperial soothsayers and the like.
His fourth son, the Duke of Zhou (who acted as regent for his younger
brother) also followed in his father’s footsteps. As I have said before, he added
further texts – one for each line of the hexagram. This gave far more scope,
subtlety and complexity to the book. Lower lines were envisaged as entering into
the situation, upper lines as receding away from it; in this way, a time-dimension
was added and the whole book became more useful in divination. Lastly the later
Han editors brought together the ten ‘Wings’ or supportive commentaries.
We can see that the legend accords with the probable facts. There can be no
doubt whatever that oracles were much in use throughout the early ‘warring
states’ period of China. We have contemporary texts to prove it. Some of the
oldest writing in the world occurs on oracle-bones and tortoise-shells which date
from the middle of the second millennium BCE. These were used during the
Shang – the first verifiable dynasty. The priest or shaman would prepare the
shoulder-blade of an animal or a tortoise-shell by boring a hole through it.
Questions were then inscribed on the surface and, as they were touched with a
heated rod, the omens of the future were revealed in the suddenly appearing
cracks and splits in the bone. Some think these random patterns gave rise to the
shapes of the trigrams themselves.

The shaman’s world in the classical Chinese canon

The classical Chinese canon was a neo-Confucian selection from the vast corpus
of pre-Qin texts written in the ‘old language’, before it was stylised by Emperor
Qin Shi Huangdi. As such, these records stretch well back into the second
century BCE. Indeed, from this time there are accurate records of eclipses on the
same bones used for oracles! The Chinese, alone among the Big Four river
cultures (the Nile, Indus, Tigris-Euphrates and Yellow River of China),
preserved both a living and written memory – thousand of years of observation
of the natural or shaman’s world – much of which is recorded in the Ten Wings
to the Yijing. Much that just did not fit went into the Yijing and its commentaries,
especially that related to divination and communication with a world of spirits.
Upon a closer reading, many of the ‘Wings’ seem to be an amalgam created
by later editors: the Great Commentary (Xici ), for example. And why such a
seemingly arbitrary division for the ‘Boar’s Head’ and ‘Images’, and the
juxtaposition of the ‘Small Images’ and ‘Great Images’, when they are so
obviously different in style? We have to extract and read between the lines to
pick up the voice of the shaman.
This is the Shuogua,4 an early commentary on the Yijing, speaking of the
power behind the trigrams:

The Great Spirit comes forth in rolling thunder, is brought to

completion in the wind, manifest to all in fire, finds service in the
earth, a full and joyful expression in the wetlands, struggles in the
heavens, toils in the waters and arrives at its resting place by the
mountain, toils in the waters and arrives at its resting place by the
mountain.

Again, when it is stated in the hexagram Following (17) that ‘the King makes an
offering on Western Mountain’ it is clear he is communicating with a spiritual
world. In the ceremonies you were to meet directly with your ancestors.5
And when King Wen is induced to preserve the sacrifice at the ancestral
temples on Mount Qi in the hexagram The Ascending (46), this is precisely
because he is able to speak to his forebears and therefore ‘ascend the Path of the
ruler above and the Path of the people in the world below’.
Professor Needham has shown that the practices of the Northern shaman
were preserved within Chinese culture and no doubt their classical canon.6
There are numerous passages in the Xici that testify to using the yarrow
stalks to talk to a spiritual world. For instance:

An exhaustive counting of the stalks to foretell the future – this is

prognostication. An understanding of how they change – this is to be
of service.

And directly after this it states: ‘They are unfathomable, the Yin and Yang! They
are the spirits!’7
Many of the opening texts of the Xici (possibly the oldest parts) have a
declamatory tone. They appear as transmitted teachings – of a shaman! For
instance, in the next chapter, the shaman speaks:
 These are the Changes! How immensely wide, immensely great they
are! We speak of them far and wide, and there is no limit to their
knowledge. We speak of them to a neighbour, and they become still
and correct in manner. We speak of them occupying the space ’tween
heaven and earth, and they embrace all!
There is ‘The Creative’: in stillness it is self-absorbed, when
acting it moves directly…this is how greatness is born. There is ‘The
Receptive’: in stillness it is self-possessed, when acting it opens out
abroad…this is how vastness is born.
Greatness and vastness, alike to heaven and earth; change and
understanding, alike to the four seasons; the revelation of Yin and
Yang, alike to the sun and moon; effecting the easy and simple, alike
to the ultimate in virtue.8

The Yijing celebrates an avowed spiritual humanity – connecting our

understanding (tong 通) with the cosmos. It is a book with access to a spirit-
world, a world of prognostication.
Later in the Xici, at the end of the chapter on how to manipulate the yarrow
stalks, the teacher states: ‘He who knows the way of change and transformation,
may be said to know the actions of the spirits!’9
It is very clear for whom The Book of Change was written. At its opening,
the Shuogua states:

In ancient times the sages composed the Yijing. In solitary silence by

the light of the spirit they came upon the idea of using the yarrow
stalks.

Then it explains how they used the verses to communicate how to conduct your
lives:

They contemplated the changes in Yin and Yang and set up the
trigrams; brought out the interplay of the firm and yielding and gave
birth to the individual lines, yielded softly to the Tao and its virtue
and so established the principle of rightness. Through this exhaustive
rationale, fulfilling their natures, they arrived ultimately at destiny.

So the ancient shamans wanted to put down a description of the Tao (the Path), a
guide to right action, and ultimately the destiny of each individual’s life. The
Yijing brings order out of chaos – to guide the awakened seeker on their journey
through the world.

A brief look at how trigrams represent our world

The Yijing has the intent of teaching future generations how to handle the power
of change, and understand the springs of fortune. What is of importance in our
lives? Is there any ultimate meaning to it at all? What is greatness? And how
should we conduct ourselves in adversity? The Book answers all these questions,
using the language of the yin–yang as represented in the trigrams. Their patterns
echo the complexities and contradictions inherent in the natural world. They are
the key to unlocking the earlier wisdom of the shaman – knowledge of the cycles
of the sun and moon; the mountain, thunder and marsh, of the waters and the
light.
In the first few lines of the Cantong Qi, the earliest alchemical text on Yin
and Yang,10 we read:

Heaven and earth set the stage,

Whilst Change travels in their midst.

And Change is represented in the Yijing by the shifting lines of Yin – – and
Yang ––, and their associated trigrams (three-line figures).

A digital (yin–yang) representation of our world and all it contains

Consider the picture over the page of the rock above Lake Lugano in
Switzerland, rising up from the lake. I found it among some old slides taken by
my grandfather… He had used them formerly to give talks about his homeland.
We can see heaven and earth laid out in this picture, with all the space between
them. Just as heaven and earth ‘set the stage’, while ‘change travels in their
midst’.
 Lake Lugano

The sky and earth…with the sun shining down, reflected in the waters below, the
sun drawing up moisture from the lake to form clouds. Here is the mountain,
standing quiet and immovable over the lake – with the abruptness of rock, thrust,
like a thunderclap, out of the quiet calm, gently ruffling surface of the lake; trees
and vegetation cling to the land, fed by the waters and warmed by the sun. This
picture is a microcosm of Yin and Yang in action: of life on earth, in which all
humankind has a part.
At the opening of the the Xici, greatest of all commentaries to the Yijing11
comes a clear statement, explaining the derivation of high and low in the world,
the origins of class, fortune, form and transformation:

The Heavens are lofty above, the Earth humble beneath

And the CREATIVE and the RECEPTIVE settle forthwith.
Once the humble and lofty are spread out…
Rich and poor are established, forthwith.
Their motion is constant –
And the firm and yielding are decided, forthwith.
Thenceforth come about all kinds and classes,
Things are herded together and divided,
And good fortune and misfortune arise, forthwith.
In the Heavens appear diagrams and images,
On the Earth come about shapes and forms,
And change and transformation are seen, forthwith.12
 The creative and receptive forces

This small poem explains how the sky above and the earth beneath determine the
character and nature of all life on earth. As the Cantong Qi explains, ‘heaven and
earth set the stage and change travels in their midst’. At the beginning of the
universe, out of a swirling partly gaseous, partly solid ball of gas, fired by the
sun, came our planet – came rich and poor, firm and yielding, all forms and
transformations of life and death. Clearly the creative and receptive forces of the
sky and earth may be represented by Yin and Yang, the two dynamos of all that
is living. Nature falls or stands by these two mutually active forces.
Put very simply, using the language of the Eight Trigrams, the interaction of
Yin and Yang may be represented in this way:

The interaction of Yin and Yang

Heaven and earth, the purely Yang and purely Yin, above and below, mix and
interrelate, working through the medium of water and fire. The waters, as rivers
and springs, flow from the earth – the pure Yin trigram embracing a single Yang
line of Heaven ; while fire, as the sun and lightning, derives from the heavens
– the pure Yang trigram holding within itself a single Yin line from the earth .
The sun draws up the moisture to make clouds, which then rain back down to the
earth. In this cycle we see the crux of both traditional Chinese science and
philosophy.
Let us look at biological life is some more detail. Out of the ‘great blooming,
buzzing confusion’13 which might be an apt description for the microscopic
power-house of life that activates each living cell, some order appears. In terms
of Yin and Yang, order arises so:

Yin and Yang emerge out of chaos

…and this can be further developed…

Ying and Yang produce life

The passage of all life is as ‘light on matter’, fire warming the damp earth, the
morning sun annulling the dawn mists, the fierce heat of intercourse quenched
within the womb. All show simply and directly how Yin and Yang underpin all
commerce and each occurrence within nature and life. Remember that broken (or
yielding) lines are Yin, and solid (or firm) lines are Yang, and then look at the
following:
The doubling of the lines reveals an interaction of Yin and Yang, in detail. In
summer we have heat, purely Yang; in winter, the cold and purely Yin. In
spring, the Yang (heat) is rising (a Yang line below, rising up); in autumn the
Yin (cold) is growing (a Yin line beneath, penetrating the Yang).
Chinese thinking has evolved along these lines, with an idea of ‘the greater
whole’ always at hand. It follows the cycles and rhythms of the natural world:
the alternation of heat and cold in the seasons. This is shown in the well-known
Five Element Diagram, the very bedrock of Chinese natural science. In this
diagram wood gives birth to fire (just as carbohydrates are ‘burnt’ within the
internal respiration of the human cell), as the growth of springtime seeks the
florescence of summer; fire dies down to ashes on the earth; ores and metals are
derived from the refuse of the earth; water flows down deep within the earth,
while woods and vegetation again draw their sustenance from the waters. Put
imaginatively:

– tree becomes flame, which becomes flower, ripens in the fruit,

which yields the stone, falls back to the seas and rivers, which deposit
again… making the conditions for rebirth and renewal…

The whole is a picture of nature’s ongoing rhythm, cycling without cease.

 The Five Element diagram

This diagram actually reveals the very biology of life, an intuited, felt perception
of the deeper order in things – about which the Yijing speaks. It tells of faith and
order of the universe, in the workings of Yin and Yang. It also represents the
human body with the heart (Yang and above) as fire and the kidneys (Yin and
below) as water. Indeed, the whole is a direct representation of the Oneness of
nature, heaven and humankind. Later we will see how the trigrams also represent
this cycling process.
Now let us return to the four images of doubled-up lines…

…add another single line underneath, either a Yin or a Yang line (one more
change), and we get the following:

Each two-line figure has been given another line, either a single Yin or a single
Yang line – ‘raising the power again’ and this doubles up the number of trigrams
from four to eight.
These are the Eight Trigrams, the classical three-line figures caused by
forming all possible paired combinations of Yin/Yang, three times in all.
Extending this idea naturally leads to the 64 hexagrams (six-line figures) – the
building blocks of the Yijing.
The Eight Trigrams are best understood in pairs. Here they are with their
shapes and primary attributes.
 Heaven purely Yang Earth purely Yin
Thunder movement Mountain stillness
Wind penetration Marsh (lake) dissipation
Fire brightness Water darkness

Here are some of their other associations. The explanation as to why these
‘work’, as it were, unpins the method of the Yijing.

Fire, clarity, brightness, clinging, eye

Heaven, assertive, strong, father, active, the head
Earth, receptive, mother, love, passive, the belly, mare
Thunder, movement, eldest son, the foot, dragon
Wind, wood, penetrating, influence, thigh
Mountain, stop still, the hand, to nourish
Marsh, destructive, autumn, the mouth, sheep, pleasure
Water, toil, faith, danger, the ear

But why do we need these symbolic shapes? What is their merit? Why can we
not just describe change in words? The answer is simple. Because any written
language has its limitations – and our real and ever-changing experience of life
cannot be easily caught within a web of words. This is exactly what the Taoist
classic the Tao-te Ching states in its opening paragraphs:

THE TAO WHICH CAN BE TOLD IS NOT THE CONSTANT

TAO; THE NAME WHICH CAN BE NAMED IS NOT THE
CONSTANT NAME…14

What this implies is that when we attempt to name things right, we do not
always get it right. When we speak out, we are not always sincere – this is
simply the reality of our human condition. The mind plays tricks.15 The whole
task of what Confucius called ‘naming things right’ (sometimes called in
grandiose manner, ‘the rectification of names’, or zhengming 正名), is to clear
up our language – and to make an accurate description of what we are talking
about. The name is not the thing!16
Since the birth of speech and writing human expression has been somewhat
cut off from its shamanistic and animistic roots. This development paralleled the
evolution of the humanoid brain, during the early Tool Age (c.1,000,000–10,000
BCE). Surely this is why Chinese philosophers seem often to be doing nothing
much out of the ordinary – just telling us what it means to be human.
Once more, in our thinking, we move from darkness of feeling and sensation,
from the odd hunch, into the light of connected thought – moving from one
world to another. So our cognition passes on. Thought brings with it shapes and
images, language and words tumble out, and before we know it, we have
expression, the teachings, a book, a school…but this is all further and further
removed from the source! The insight lies behind the idea.17 Shapes and images
are closest to the solid world. If the ancients were to get the Yijing to work they
had to give us a route to the source – to the primal yuan 元. And this route was
the bagua ⼋卦, or the Eight Trigrams. After all ‘a picture is worth a thousand
words’.
The trigrams are traditionally organised into two corresponding charts:

The Inner World and the Outer World

These two diagrams represent the ‘Inner World’ and ‘Outer World’18 bagua
(‘Eight Trigram’) arrangements, and describe very well the power-house of the
Yijing. But an appreciation of their workings takes many years. It would be
better, for the present, to muse on the greater implication of there being two
worlds.
It is commonly accepted that Tao gives birth to Yin and Yang, and Yin and
Yang give birth to everything else in the world. The Tao-te Ching states:
 THE TAO GIVES BIRTH TO THE ONE, THE ONE GIVES BIRTH
TO THE TWO, THE TWO GIVES BIRTH TO THE THREE, THE
THREE GIVES BIRTH TO TEN-THOUSAND THINGS19

In a very real sense, Yin and Yang divide us into two – into two worlds. Modern
neuroscience and observations from brain research confirm that, when we think
we ‘decide’ and form ‘intentions’, a fraction of a second before we are conscious
decisions are being made deep within the layers of our brain.20 So do we or do
we not have free will? It really does not matter what the answer to this question
is as the image bypasses the thinking brain.
It seems intrinsic to the human condition (and is probably due to the activity
of the cerebral cortex) that thinking follows on after decisions are unconsciously
made. Thought is a kind of stalled action, as Gestalt psychology would have it.
Thinking and language produce a separation from the concrete world.
Furthermore, an alphabetic language, which we have in the West (with its
Graeco-Roman origins), produces a greater dislocation than a language based
upon pictograms.
Just look at these two representations of ‘a horse’ and ‘fire’, the one in
English, the other in Chinese:

horse ⾺ fire ⽕

Which figure would you say is closer to the reality? Which of these two
representations is closer to the actual object we are describing?
With the horse you can almost see his four hooves and mane. With fire, the
flickering movement is graphically shown in the Chinese character. Images are
much closer to reality.
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato held that all objects in our world were,
in some way, just shadowy representations of an ideal – just beyond our reach.
In the parable of the cave he speaks of a group of people sitting in a cave,
chained so that their heads point only in a single direction, towards the wall of
the cave. Behind their backs, objects are carried in front of a light source and the
shadows of the objects projected forward onto the wall of the cave, in front of
their eyes. But they cannot turn their heads. All they see are shadows on the wall
– the real objects are out of sight. This is the famous representation of the
Theory of Ideas, notorious in Platonic and Socratic philosophy.21 I believe the
Greeks evolved a language which put them somewhat at a remove from the real
thing.
The imagery and dance of the trigrams brings us in closer. Since our divorce
from the shamanist world – during the last few thousand years of civilisation –
we have inhabited two worlds, the one closer to, the other further from, our
nature. Back in the ‘cave of language’, as it were, thinking has removed us from
reality. Socrates and the Platonist tradition, all Christian philosophers, right
down to the European enlightenment, Descartes, Leibniz and Kant, have been
dogged by this separation – ‘the mind-body split’ – trapped in a logic of thought
which led to scientific method, reasoning and deduction, and formed much of
our contemporary view of the world.
I believe this happened also in the Chinese tradition, but not to such a great
extent. In Far Eastern art and culture there is a certain lightness of touch, an
appreciation, one might even say, of a different beauty. You only have to look at
the delicacy of a Sung picture, or the grace of a piece of porcelain.

Reading a Tombstone under a Tree by Li Cheng, painting on silk, 10th century

 Song porcelain bowl, 13th century

The Chinese do not use an alphabet. The pictograph and its derivative – the
Chinese character – with their multi-layered logic, form the basis for all Chinese
thought and civilisation. They present us with a greater physical component –
‘we see, and remember’ – because pictures, characters and symbols contain
more possibilities for complex thought than allowed by Aristotelian logic. There
is room for conflicting interpretations, for contradiction, uncertainly and
paradox. Is this not more like real life?

Inner and outer, the trigram’s field

Let us return to the Inner World and Outer World diagrams. Their two ‘fields’
relate to a form of perception encouraged by both the Yijing and the Tao-te
Ching. The dual world, before and after language can be represented by that
before being born (inner) and that after being born (outer). Just take this
expression as it stands for the moment.
 The Inner (before being born)

The Outer (after being born)

The Yijing is a guide to human relations and our place in both these worlds, the
concrete and untimely – the world of ideas and the world of senses. And the
human world is a world of desire. We are bound to a physical body and the
world of senses. Prompted by ‘a hand reaching out, a team of horses, a touch, a
glimpse of a bird in the sky, of the thump of the drum, or a maiden given in
marriage’22 – and led by the imagery of the lines and hexagrams we come back
to our senses.
What does the Tao-te Ching say about our dealings with a sensory or ‘outer’
world?

WATCH! IT CANNOT BE SEEN, IT IS SO BLURRED. LISTEN!

IT CANNOT BE HEARD, IT IS SO HUSHED. GRASP! IT
CANNOT BE HELD, IT IS SO MINUTE. THESE THREE
CANNOT BE FURTHER IDENTIFIED…BECAUSE THEY ARE
ALL MUDDLED INTO ONE.23

This is to recognise that there is also an ‘Inner World’ of perception. That there
is something existing somehow ‘out of time’, and beyond outward sensation. I
believe the Chinese were talking about something (call it the Tao if you wish)
akin to the liminal. The threshold of two worlds. Look again at the opening lines
to the Tao-te Ching:

THE TAO WHICH CAN BE TOLD IS NOT THE CONSTANT

TAO, THE NAME WHICH CAN BE NAMED IS NOT THE
CONSTANT NAME… EVER WITHOUT DESIRE, WE GAZE
INTO THE MYSTERIES, EVER DESIRING, WE GAZE AT THE
 MANIFESTATIONS.…THESE TWO CAME FROM THE SAME
SOURCE BUT APPEAR HAVING DIFFERENT NAMES…
HAVING THE SAME SOURCE IMPLIES DARKNESS. A
DARKNESS WITHIN DARKNESS, THE GATE TO ALL
MYSTERIES.

What this actually says is that the path (Tao) we follow never stays the same. It
is hardly still for a moment; but always changing. Thus we have a book of
change. Similarly with our own identity (or ‘name’), it is also difficult to hold to
any constancy. What is the reality of our lives as we step through the world?
This is no small question – but it is the question both the Tao-te Ching and Yijing
sought to address.
The answer, given in both books, is that the path and our human identity (our
‘name’) are ever-changing; they rarely remain constant. They shift. ‘The Tao
which can be told is not the constant Tao’ and ‘the name which can be named is
not the constant name’. Crucially and paradoxically, it is within this nameless
uncertainty and space that everything happens. For the liminal represents infinite
potential.
Consider this. Once we are happy and blessed, we are happy. We are happy
and know we are. Once we find this simple path, the path of yuan heng, 元亨, or
our ‘bubble of existence’ – everything proceeds. But there is a time before.
There is a time perhaps ‘before-heaven’, the moment of the Inner World. This is
the significance of the earlier of the two diagrams – where trigrams in pairs hold
themselves apart, in readiness and tension.

The Inner World (in readiness)

‘Ever without desire, we gaze into the mysteries,’ says the Tao-te Ching. This is
the moment of detachment spoken also of by the Buddhists. It describes the
moment before we feel the need to move or act. A moment before desire.
Indeed, this is a spiritual time. A place full of mysteries. Once we move and act,
the whole world, the path, our identity, and all that follows – all of it – springs
into action! These are the manifestations in the Outer World. So we are told that
‘ever desiring, we gaze at the manifestations’. These are the words, the imagery,
the symbols, and the movement of the trigrams – as in the second diagram.

The Outer World (in release)

Lastly we are reminded that these two diagrams are not actually two. They do
not actually contain different realities. Ultimately all life is undivided. As the
Tao-te Ching says, ‘These two come from the same source’. But this is not easy
to understand. To say they ‘come from the same source’ is a statement made in
an attempt to explain the irreducibility of the physical world – which yet is
divided. The One represents the undivided nature of space.24 The Tao-te Ching
concludes that ‘having the same source implies a darkness’ – fundamentally dark
space within dark space. This is the quantum world of emptiness where
uncertainty and probability rule.25 Indeed they are ‘the gate to all mysteries’.
I hope that you have not lost me in this. All that is required in order to gain a
greater understanding of this marvellous Book is to allow the trigrams some free
rein within your mind. An understanding of the Inner World and Outer World
diagrams will take a little more time.
Let us return to our picture of Lake Lugano. I will rerun the paragraph
describing it – this time showing how the trigrams operate within the scene.
 Lake Lugano

Heaven and earth with the sun shining down, reflected by the waters
below , the sun drawing the moisture up from the lake to form clouds.
Here is the mountain , standing quiet and immovable over the lake with the
abruptness of a rock , thrust up, like a thunderclap , from out of the quiet
calm, gently ruffled surface of the waters of the lake ; trees and vegetation
cling to the rock, fed by the waters and warmed by the sun . This picture is
a microcosm of Yin and Yang in action – life on earth, from which all
humankind derives and wherein it plays its part.
This shows how to apply our attention to the world, using the trigrams to
explain our sensory awareness. It demonstrates how to make meaning of the
Outer World.
A legend in Yijing lore describes how the emperor Fu Xi saw the dragon-
horse (the dragon is the energetic Yang, the horse is the receptive Yin) climbing
out of the great Yellow River, inscribed on its back with an arrangement of
shapes something like the set of trigrams. They were in the ‘Inner World’,
‘earlier heaven’ (xiantian) or Fu Xi arrangement: we can see heaven above, the
earth beneath, water and fire left and right, each trigram including the mountain
and marsh, thunder and wind opposing each other.26
Of more common use is the ‘Outer World’, ‘later heaven’ (houtian) or King
Wen arrangement, where the trigrams follow each other in a timely sequence.
Identifying the trigrams and their attributes yields the following diagram:
 Outer World and Five Elements combined

This diagram reveals how the ‘Outer World’ King Wen sequence parallels the
Five Element diagram (see above). It is a further play of the elemental forces of
wood, fire, earth, metal and water – a more extended version of Yin and Yang.
In brief:

With Thunder’s shout in the East, seed, kick, start, movement –

begins the entering in, softening, Wind and breath – then Fire ,
rising up, aware and clear, attractive, bright, heating, wordy – but it
can cause clashing arms and weapons – then, to the mother Earth ,
matrix, the masses, the receptive – her joy draws you in, to the Marsh
, autumn-tide, weeping, crying out, gathering and dissolving – what
can happen now but the reaffirmation of the Yang strength,
maleness within – and Water , dark, cooling, firm within, soft
without, which eventually will triumph, in faith – and bring
completion and stillness in the Mountain , the quiet, the stopping,
the jewelled, showing the way to a sense that is hidden…returning to
Yang’s thunder…

This is my own rendering of how the trigrams progress in this ‘Outer World’.
In summary the trigrams and their arrangements function like a universal
‘clock and compass’. They orient us within the changes. By reading the book
and casting the oracle you discover the principle of Yin and Yang. The essential
dynamics of trigrams, diagrams and sequences will become clear – and you may
be able to picture them in your head. Lastly, and most importantly for any
Westerner, there is a need for a lightness of touch. We must be gentle to
understand – be allowing, flexible, listen and watch, and follow the signs and
inklings; always inquisitive to the world around us…
The Yijing has been preserved as a remnant of the ancient teachings of a
shamanistic system of nature-worship. It is a book of great wisdom and
understanding. But wisdom alone without understanding becomes dry-as-dust;
and understanding without wisdom can easily go astray. Knowledge of the
trigrams, their attributes and characters, and how they work can bring both
together, both the wisdom and the understanding. Thus the sages of antiquity
work tirelessly to guide us on our journey through a troublesome world.

The science of the Book

The science of the eight three-line figures or trigrams is fundamentally elemental
– it results from an accurate observation of nature in all its guises. For example,
the Marsh (metal, the west, coming into form), the youngest daughter, is the last
of the Yin (female offspring). She describes the end of a cycle, the final fruition
of things, which must lead to breakdown, destruction and loss. She has a
negative aspect. She also stands for joy, the culmination of an emotion which
can only pass away, and autumn, the end of the year.
This cycle begins with the eldest son, the first of the Yang, or Thunder
(wood, the east, moving out of form). He represents movement in general, a
commander, even a ‘fleet-footed steed’.
The lines of each hexagram are firm, hard and strong or leading (— Yang),
or gentle, weak and yielding or serving (– – Yin). Both Yin and Yang have plus
and minus qualities. Neither is all good or bad, it depends on the time. This is
important when interpreting the oracle. No line, no person can be separated from
their time or environment, be that their family, body, job, their emotions, food,
politics, landscape or metropolis. The ‘changes’ of the Book deal with all of this.
Furthermore, each ‘moving’ line (‘Nine’ or ‘Six’) in the hexagram is
significant. How it moves often gives an idea as to the derivation of the line-text.
Through each of the trigram’s associations and connections, the flexibility,
subtlety and transparency of yin–yang thought is made clear. Chinese logic,
derived from pictograms, is multi-dimensional; whilst Western thought is bound
by its language. Any translation which ignores the multifaceted nature of the
book (shown in the dance of Yin and Yang within the trigrams) only skims the
surface.

A philosophy of sincerity
Chinese philosophy is profoundly mundane and this-worldly. It concerns itself
not with ‘seeking knowledge’ as such, as with self-cultivation and the ‘Way’, or
path to be followed for each of us.
Ethics for the Chinese did not mean discussing right and wrong, but in
gaining insight into our nature, which most Confucians saw as intrinsically good.
Metaphysics meant no more than an intuitive understanding of the ‘way of
Heaven’, or the course of Yin and Yang as depicted in the natural world.27 This
is hardly a notion of a conceptual Heaven, but plainly and simply the single sky,
with the sun, moon and stars there above us, to which we all owe our life. The
Tuan commentary (to the first hexagram) states:

The clouds pass and the rain does its work, and all things flow into
form…the way of creation is change and transformation, each and
every thing correct in its own nature, supporting and protecting the
Grand Harmony of all.28

Thus the persona grata for the Confucian was the sincere and true-hearted
individual (junzi ) who could divine the harmony of this cosmic rule. In this
individual, manners and moral substance were matched; he was never over-
refined in his behaviour, nor too forceful and uncouth. The importance of a
sincere and sensitive individual was that he would cope, and fit into position
within the social network, and thus preserve the health and prosperity of the
nation. Perhaps this is the key to the long-lived Chinese civilisation and culture.
It is difficult for any Westerner, schooled on liberty and freedom, and the
‘creativity’ of the individual, to understand the constant emphasis on restraint in
the Chinese mores. But it is a sign of an advanced people. For us to live in close
proximity and harmony, we need good manners, respect and restraint.
All these are Confucian virtues. Luckily a sprinkling of Taoist mysticism and
humour in the Chinese world prevents it becoming too heavy-handed and
overpowering. It is in the nature of the yin–yang that Yang depends on and is
confronted by Yin and that Yin is nourished and protected by Yang. The unique
factor of this book is that these ideas are written into its very make-up – the 64
hexagrams.

An example of how to use the oracle

To explain how the hexagrams work, I will take a single example. Suppose we
have thrown the three coins (see instructions on p.15), and received the
hexagram The Hesitant (Hexagram 3).

In this example I am asking about an office situation where I have been offered a
better job.

As we throw the coins, three heads or three tails landing together signify a
‘changing line’ – this means the situation is weighted, at the ‘crux’ of change.
Therefore a changing Yin line (or ‘Six’) would change into a Yang line; and a
changing Yang line (or ‘Nine’) would change into a Yin line.
As I throw the coins now I get three heads on the first throw, and three tails
on the fourth and sixth throw. This means the hexagram should be written thus:

Note that the first line is the bottom line. It is said to occur earlier and below the
others. Here the first Yang and fourth and sixth Yin lines are said to be
changing. (They are called Nine at the Beginning, Six at the Fourth and Six at
the Top.) We give special consideration to these lines when reading the
commentary.
The lines of the hexagram occupy six positions. The lowest are the first, the
‘earliest’ and ‘inside’; the sixth line is at the top, it comes ‘last’ and is ‘outside’.
Generally, the direction of the lines is said to be upward, which also signifies
outward and forward in time.
Now let us read the oracle on this throw. First we read the text under the
hexagram shape. This is the oldest, from the King Wen tradition. We read:
The Hesitant
the source of the blessings
favour devotion
not useful to take action
favourable establishing feudal-lords

The advice here seems to be quite clear. Hesitating as to this job offer will confer
blessings. But I have to stick with it (‘devotion’). It is not useful to act. The
oracle seems to be saying I should establish ‘feudal-lords’. Looking up the
glossary at the end of the book I see this can mean ‘close friends, helpers or
work-associates’.
On reading on further I see the book counsels that I should enlist helpers, not
confront the situation. Now to read the lines. The first line is named Nine at the
Beginning and its text reads:
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
a rock and pillar
favourable to dwell in devotion
favourable to be established a feudal-lord

This suggests that I act solidly. Possibly it is saying I should think about
supporting my work-colleagues, as well as myself.
The fourth line reads:
SIX AT THE FOURTH
riding a horse in retreat, seeking a suitor
going ahead, good fortune
nothing unfavourable

This makes me think a bit. And the top line reads:

SIX AT THE TOP
riding a horse in retreat
tears and blood streaming down

Again ‘riding a horse in retreat’! And then ‘tears and blood streaming down’.
The image is very evocative – and the advice to hesitate and hold back even
stronger here. But why in the Six at the Fourth does it say ‘going ahead, good
fortune’? On reading the commentary I finally understand that I should ‘seek
help from others’. This is the meaning of ‘seeking a suitor’. Incidentally, it also
explains why it is ‘favourable to establish feudal-lords’. Then the going ahead
will be favourable and bring good fortune.
I have briefly explained here a single way in which an oracle can be read,
during a consultation. There are many ways; as many ways as people and
situations. It is through allowing the free association of thought and imagery that
the Yijing goes to work. Our minds are always seeking a solution.
One further point before we leave this example. As the three moving lines
which I throw change, they form another hexagram. In this case The Hesitant
changes into Decline (12). Now for the tending hexagram we only read the text
under the hexagram shape. It goes as follows:

Decline
because of evil people
not favourable for the devotion of the junzi
the great depart, the small arrive

The junzi stands for the great-hearted, true person. Again the implication seems
clear. It is not a time for advancement. I would be well advised to refuse that
promotion!

The characteristics of each hexagram

Let us look at the above example again. The hexagram is made up of six lines, or
two trigrams, each of three lines. The upper three lines, numbered fourth, fifth
and top, make up the upper trigram and the three lower lines, numbered first,
second and third, make up the lower trigram. In between them, the second, third
and fourth lines and third, fourth and fifth lines make up the two less important
linking trigrams.
Thus the lines of each hexagram occupy six positions. The lowest position is the
first, it is ‘earliest’ and ‘inside’; the sixth position is the top, it comes ‘last’ and is
‘outside’. Generally, the direction of the lines is said to be upward, which also
signifies outward and forward in time.
A Yang line is a ‘Nine’ (odd) and a Yin line a ‘Six’ (even) when they change
character within the hexagram, a custom which derives from the rule when
casting the oracle. This explains the recurrent headings within the text. A Yang
line changes to become Yin, and a Yin line changes to become Yang. For
instance, in our example above, a Nine at the First (Yang) changed in Yin line.
Six at the Fourth (Yin) and Six at the Top (Yin) changed into Yang lines. These
changing lines form a second set of figures which may also be taken into
account.
As to the characters of the lines, Yang lines are strong, hard or firm, and
often represent people in authority, a ruler or the true-hearted individual. They
also depict the strength of virtue and inner faith. Yin lines, being open, yielding,
and inherently weak represent comparatively ‘lesser’ people, such as ministers,
women at court or in the home, disciples and people with less influence. The
book illustrates how different characters, great and small, interact and work
together.
For example, take the pair of linked hexagrams Flourishing (11) and
Decline (12). In Flourishing three Yang lines are within, and three Yin lines
without. Thus the situation is one of greatness advancing and weakness
retreating. Thus the text reads, ‘the small depart, the great arrive’. Conversely, in
Decline, the three Yang lines are without and departing, whilst the three Yin
lines are within and advancing. Thus the text, ‘the great depart, the small arrive’.
As to the characters of the individual lines, the second and fifth lines, in the
midst of their corresponding trigrams are said to be ‘centred’. These are prime
positions and favoured, so in the above hexagrams of Flourishing and Decline
the lines speak of ‘walking the middle path’, of ‘the great man’ and ‘good
fortune’.
The first line may occupy a position which can be favourable or not,
depending on the character of the hexagram and the way it relates to the other
lines. In both the above hexagrams, it relates to ‘grassroots, pulled up in a
bunch’ (grass grows on the ground, beneath, like a first line), and the lines
admonish one to work actively for the good.
A third line has departed from the centre of the lower trigram but not yet
reached the upper. It is also still far from the ruling fifth, so its position usually
involves some failure. The third line in Flourishing is warned against being
‘soft-hearted’ while the third in Decline speaks of feeling ‘shame’.
A line in the fourth place is also sometimes cautioned, as it lies close to the
ruling fifth. Both fourth lines in these two hexagrams speak of sharing within an
open heart. The fifth line in a hexagram takes precedence over the second, as it
is higher. It is usually honoured and known as the ruler. The fifth in Flourishing
speaks of the humility of ‘Emperor Yi’s little sister’; the fifth in Decline
describes the attitude of ‘the great man’ in retaining a state of flourishing, he
must ‘stay as if tied to a knotted mulberry tree.’
The top line often shows entirely another aspect. Sometimes it will have
exceeded its position unfavourably; other times it will have transcended (perhaps
as a sage, or wise counsellor) and be bringing great blessings. In Decline and
Flourishing, both top lines speak of ‘toppling’ and ‘falling back’. They are
concerned with the constant alternation of success and failure; they take the
broad view and see the large picture.
Furthermore, each position, first, second, third, etc., also has its proper
occupant. Odd numbers are Yang and even numbers Yin. Thus a Yang line in
the first place is proper, while a Yin line occupying this position is inappropriate.
Thus it is usually favourable (although not always so) for a yielding line to
occupy the second, fourth or top positions and a firm line to occupy the first,
third or fifth positions. But this is not an infallible truth. There are exceptions,
for sometimes the shape and distribution of the lines is given precedence.
A line is referred to as ‘doubly firm’ or ‘doubly yielding’ when it is Yang in
a Yang position, or Yin in a Yin position. However, this may not always be
appropriate. Sometimes it will overbalance the situation. The book’s logic is
enormously fluid; any interpretation depends very much on the moment. This
point was appreciated by Carl Jung in his introduction to the Wilhelm
translation, where he speaks of the principle of ‘synchronicity’.
Lines are said to ‘relate’ or associate when next to one another, which is
usually favourable, though not always so. Generally a firm line next to yielding
line is better.
There is also the pairing of the lines, the topmost pair belong to heaven, the
middle pair to man, and the lowest pair to the earth.
Finally, and most importantly, the lines are said to ‘respond’, or reach a
correct union, when in resonating positions. This is one way to associate and is
particularly important in setting up favourable positions. Usually a firm line
responds to a weaker, as a ruler leads his minister or a teacher his pupil. But they
may both be firm, going on together as friends. It is often favourable for first and
fourth, second and fifth, third and top lines to respond and relate together. This is
obvious, as the trigrams then resonate together.
More broadly speaking the characters of the upper and lower trigrams, which
make up the body of the hexagram, are especially important. These, together
with the relations between the lines, and the linking trigrams (those between the
upper and lower), have always been the main source of the commentary
material. This is what is so unique about the Yijing – mathematics and morality
walk hand in hand.
A little study of these few technical rules, applied in the case of several
hexagrams, will enable any reader to see into the inner patterning at work. This
intricate system was worked out by Chinese scholars. Its flexibility and
looseness reflect the plasticity of the brain. You would be advised to read this
section several times and look for further examples in the Book. Then you will
understand the depths and power of divinatory thought and be able to use it to
great effect.

Response, following and the greater whole

Response, following and the greater whole
Every individual (line or person) within the Yijing tends to gain a response
appropriate to its position and kind. This truth stands at the heart of early Han
philosophy, and comes out most clearly in the Tuan commentary. There is
always a perception of tong 通, a relationship or connection with the greater
whole. Thus the power of virtue in the Nine at the Fifth of Great Possession
(hexagram 14) finds good fortune through merging with its fellow lines.
Through taking a humble stance, its intimacy permeates the world.
In the appendices to the Nine at the Fifth to The Creative (hexagram 1) we
read:

The same notes resonate with each other; the same creatures seek
each other out. Just as water flows down and dampens things, fire
rises up and dries them out. Clouds follow on behind the dragon (the
junzi ) and the wind follows on behind the tiger. When the sage
makes his appearance all the ten-thousand creatures follow him with
their eyes upon him. Those belonging to heaven move above and
those belonging to the earth move below. So in fashion, each follows
its kind.29

The ‘following’ of heaven means the uniting of the breath of heaven with the
human heart. Then the source of goodness in each of us is brought out into the
world.
Within government, if a ruler was caring towards his people, the people
would submit to his rule. Both ruler and ruled form an organic whole, in which
each fulfils their role in the state. The Emperor’s single aim was to arrive at
stability (the greater whole or ‘One’) – but preserve dynamism (Yin and Yang).
A conservatism tempered with a view of confronting or guiding change runs
throughout the Book. It depicts the exquisitely scientific mien of the early
Taoists – a detachment in the presence of an ever-changing fate, born of a desire
to follow, weigh up, scrutinise and understand an ever-changing world.

Sincerity and the true individual

If I asked a Chinese to whom the Book was addressed, he would reply ‘to the
ideal, to the true-hearted, the great fellow’. The aristocrat (the junzi ) or
‘nobleman’ of early Zhou times, with his reverent, sensitive manner, was the
paradigm of virtue for the old Confucian school.
The Yijing is aimed at giving good counsel and encouraging faith within the
individual. Confucius believed there was good in all of us. He once said
(recorded in the Analects), ‘if three people are walking together, one will be my
teacher’. Confucianism was concerned with life in this world, not life in a world
to come. He spoke of how to make relationships between people work, not how
to deal with the supernatural.
For the Chinese this morality was intimately linked to the larger social and
cosmic scheme of things, which orders the world. Human action and behaviour
are to the fore. When we throw the oracle we want to know what to do. We are
often encouraged ‘to be devoted’ to the task in hand. To commit – ‘to cross the
Great River’, ‘to take a wife’, ‘to have completion’. Later Confucians saw the
rule of Heaven as being embodied within our ‘good mind’.30 Neo-Confucians
embraced both the salvation of the Buddha and the gift of spontaneous arousal
treasured by the Taoists.
The first four words of the Book say all this: ‘the source of the blessings,
favour devotion’ (yuanheng lizhen). This ‘source’ (yuan) is the spontaneous
source of life, present in oneself, the moment one casts the oracle and reads the
hexagram; ‘blessings’ (heng) mean joy and happiness (yuanheng means ‘in the
bubble’); ‘favour’ (li ) suggests an implicit, beneficent and gracious outcome;
and ‘devotion’ (zhen) is the act of renunciation – surrendering oneself, either to
the cosmic order or Path (dao), or to another individual or task in hand.
The opening lines to The Creative (1) speak of this opportunity for
goodness within each heart:

When you are united with heavenly virtue, heaven will send down its
blessings. This is the general rule in The Book of Change.

Also from The Unerring (25):

When our human nature and the course of heaven unite, then man
and heaven coincide. But if the thinking heart intervenes, intending to
be good and unerring, this is less than proper. If thoughts stir, or one
even forcibly stops them – using the heart to control the heart – then,
to call this unerring, is to injure human nature. Completely get rid of
the human heart and return to your own nature. To follow the
likeness of nature is the way to the Path. Act from Heaven without
 thinking of yourself, and your selfless devotion remains unimpaired.

Thus the goodness of Heaven – the power of the restorative Yang – lies in each
of us. And it is only when heart or mind tries to tamper that harm is done. Within
Chinese morality the heart is basically good; there is no ‘original sin’. The only
sin, if one can call it that, is the intrusion of thought into our process of being!
Witness the direct pointing and spontaneity of design in Zen art and much Far
Eastern culture.
The Double Trap (29) explains the task:

Life is nothing but the double trap. When our human and spiritual
nature enters into the body, it is caught within the inner trap; and
when our material and physical body enters into the world, obstructed
in space and time, it becomes confined within the outer trap. Yet
though this confinement may be severe, our heavenly nature is
constantly preserved. Though there may be numerous dangers and
obstructions encountered in the world, our nature remains unchanged.
It is through repeatedly struggling in the double trap, that there comes
faith.

The struggle for faith is central to the Book. Through finding faith we transform
others – this is more than direct action. Faith is an inward-dwelling strength. It is
the Yang of the true person or ruler, blended with the Yin of others, the
environment or community that can be indirectly transformative.
The Double Trap (29) again:

Our human nature has no need of action; action comes from

following the heart. Use the mind to bind the wandering heart. Do not
let yourself sink and drown thereby losing your self-nature. Follow
this path and this path alone; and your virtue emerges, like a spring
bursting forth from a rock.

And is this a selfish task? Not at all, for it is through following our call that we
meet the needs of others. It is through our own inner truth that we succeed in
finding harmony with others and the world.
The Double Trap (29) again:

The nature of all under heaven is one. If you fulfil your own nature
 then surely you fulfil the natures of others – like flowing streams of
water you join together and find one another. Your action finds
integrity and any danger or obstacle outside will be overcome. Build
up faith and transform others, through staying ultimately sincere.

The hexagram Adhering (30) stresses (in ‘cultivating a cow’) the humility so
needed – that faith accumulates and transformation comes about. For the heart
must adhere to principle – not stick with desire. It is thinking which obstructs
our true nature.
The Unerring (25) hexagram stresses that the ultimate meaning of sincerity
lies in non-action – that is, any action in accord with what we find natural and
appropriate to the time and situation.

The heavenly heart always returns – unerringly – this is the ultimate

meaning of sincerity. Sincerity fundamentally means non-action; that
is action in accord with heaven.

The sincerity of the heart is a source of blessings within us. It is difficult for the
Westerner to catch up with the plainness of this idea. There is a goodness at the
heart of most things. In fact, good and bad are inextricably mixed; but if they are
so mixed then wilful change is unthinkable! Much more important is to be open
and flexible; to be able to adapt to each situation.
 The Heart Embracing the Whole Universe (after Chen Zhen-sheng 1410–1473)

The oracle, self-discovery and destiny

The Yijing can be approached in two distinct ways: as a book of wisdom where
you take it as read – or as an oracle and book of self-discovery, allowing ideas
and emotions to partake in the dance of Yin and Yang. Both enable us to
understand human nature and find good fortune in a troublesome world.
The best method for the oracle (though not the most respectful, I have to say)
is to use three coins. This has been done in China for millennia. The heads of a
coin score three (Yang, Heaven) and the tails score two (Yin, Earth). Consider
any question carefully. It should properly be answerable by a yes-or-no –
although sometimes this is not possible. Mull over the question and wait quietly
a moment. Then when you are sure you are clear, and feel the moment is right,
throw the coins onto a clear surface, three at a time. How they fall identifies the
single line. You throw the three coins six times in all, making up the six lines of
the hexagram – and this should be performed in a calm and attentive manner.
Throwing three heads or three tails at once signifies a line on the cusp of change.
This method has been described in detail previously (in How to Cast the
Oracle). When you have read the main hexagram and tending hexagram, put the
book aside for a while. Sometimes understanding is immediate; more usually it
takes a day or two.
Consider the book as a mentor or teacher, respectfully – one with greater
wisdom. Have faith in the words and give them your utmost consideration. The
Yijing represents interconnectedness at work, whether we understand it or not.
A sincere heart will resonate with the Yijing and solicit an answer.
Sometimes it is an answer to a question at the back of your mind. Sometimes it
will answer a question of someone else in your family, or close to you. This is
the question you should have asked! Sometimes the oracle is clear, sometimes it
is not clear. Have faith! On the other hand, do not regard the book as giving
infallible advice – as set in stone. The Yijing can reveal the seeds of the future,
but above all it teaches reverence for those small inklings in the present which
determine the science of change. It encourages us all to be alive to the world,
and take a stand on destiny.
The Book of Change was put together at the time of the Warring States, when
the sages ‘surrendered to the principle of the oracle, to their natures and
destiny’.31 This was before the unification of Empire (221 BCE), but parts of the
text are even older – remnants of an ancient shamanistic reverence for the power
of nature. This book has sustained Chinese thought through a hundred
generations. May it act as a wake-up call! We live on a precariously poised
planet. Trust and tread lightly.
Richard Bertschinger, Somerset 2011

1 Emperor Kangxi ruled 1654–1722 CE.
2 The Xici written around 200BCE (II:2).
3 Shchutskii 1980.
4 Sometimes called ‘the Eighth Wing’ to the Book, Shuogua (Ch. 20).
5 See also in The Observing (20).
6 See Joseph Needham (1956), especially p.132 ff. for more on shamanism in early China. I would
suggest that the Zhou Li (‘The Rites’) would be a good starting point for further research.
7 Xici (I:5).
8 Xici (I:6).
9 Xici (I:9).
10 I have translated this text as The Secret of Everlasting Life (Bertschinger 2010).
11 Written probably by Confucian scholars during the early Han (c.200 BCE – 200 CE).
12 Xici (I:1). The symbols and , which follow the titles ‘creative’ and ‘receptive’, stand for the
purely Yang and purely Yin.
13 The term ‘great blooming, buzzing confusion’ is from William James (1890).
14 Tao-te Ching (Ch. 1).
15 I am minded that Gia-fu Feng used to call Alan Watts the ‘trickster’ – a figure taken from one of Carl
 Jung’s archetypes.
16 Confucius said: ‘If names are not correct, language is not in accord with the truth of things. If language
is not in accord with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.’ (Analects XIII:3).
17 The far-sighted physicist and thinker David Bohm has coined four modes of thought: insight,
imagination, rationalisation and calculation: see www.mgtaylor.com/wff. Perhaps it is magic, or the
‘participation mystique’ (another Jungian term), which joins all these together.
18 I come back to these shapes later.
19 Tao-te Ching (Ch. 42).
20 For example, see Radin 2011.
21 The classical source is Plato’s book The Republic.
22 All images from the line texts to the Yijing.
23 Tao-te Ching (Ch. 14).
24 Just as the Tao is one, yet divides into two, Yin and Yang.
25 A good summary of modern thinking close to that of the Yijing, on chaos theory, spontaneous self-
organisation and the emergence of life, is Deep Simplicity by John Gribbin (2005).
26 See frontispiece.
27 See Fung Yulan 1960.
28 From the Tuanzhuan (Ch. 1), sometimes called ‘the first and second wings’.
29 From the Wenyan commentary, the Seventh Wing to the Yijing (Ch. 1).
30 For instance, the neo-Confucian Wang Yangming, CE 1472–1529.
31 The Shuogua.
Yijing, Shamanic Oracle of China
First Book
 1
Qian / The Creative

The Creative
the source of the blessings
favour devotion The creative embodies the purest Yang: the lines reveal the mandate of Heaven itself, life
born and reborn, unending.

The heavens lie above and the earth beneath, the clouds travel the rack of the
skies and the rain does its work. Thus do all living beings flow into form,
recorded in the seasons: the round of the spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Similarly, within humanity the Yang is manifest in the principle of our
solemn inborn nature: in benevolence, rightness, propriety and wisdom.

Follow your self-nature: this is the Path.

For through your nature Heavenly principle is manifest.
Wherever you are all is in abundance;
Whatever you do the moment is timely.

When you are united with natural virtue, Heaven sends down its blessings. This
is the fundamental teaching of The Book of Change.
As life first begins, it manifests as a Grand Harmony within primordial
chaos. This is the source. As an energy stirs, a pattern is disclosed: the source of
the blessings. It assumes form as principle – within the heart, as our self-nature –
and that which is blessed attains a course favoured throughout the world. The
Grand Harmony is preserved and all unified, attaining its ultimate goal in human
devotion.

Attain the devoted heart.

Within the devoted heart, the source returns:
 Within the devoted heart, the source returns:
A turning circle, returning relentlessly;
The virtues of blessings and devotion are utterly embodied
Within the system and Way of human sincerity,
A life-process which is perpetuated without end.

The beginning and end of all enlightenment finds its completion in these six
lines of The Creative (1). Through timely riding on the six dragons, we manage
to take a strong hand in the guiding wisdom of Heaven.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
a crouched dragon, do not use

This first line lies hidden at the base of the hexagram and is crouched. The pure
Yang is intrinsically dynamic. But now the dragon is submerged and crouched
and should not be used.

In tranquillity nourish your virtue;

In seclusion, cleanse your heart.
In this way a foundation is established.

At this moment do not use the Yang – in order to make better use of it later!
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the dragon seen in the field
favourable to see the great man This line is the higher of the two lower lines in the hexagram, the position
of mankind. Yang is great, while Yin is small. No longer crouched, the dragon is seen in the field.

Now the Yang power emerges and is recognised. When the spiritual dragon
is seen in the field, it means the power of the skies sending down rain upon the
earth, giving life to the crops.
This is just as when the junzi dwell in this world; their command is revealed
and spread abroad. Benefits are immediate and transmitted throughout ten-
thousand generations.

When the junzi dwell in this world,

The true Path is revealed.
Thus does the great man carry out his teaching.

This line is centred and changes to create the trigram Fire, which signifies
clarity, thus forming Fellowship (13). As it is centred it reveals the Path to the
people.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the junzi are creative, creative
till the end of the day
still apprehensive in the evening
hardship, no blame This line is also doubly hard and surrounded by Yang lines. It is doubly creative. It
occurs at the end of the lower trigram when it changes to form the Marsh trigram, the last daughter, also
implying the end of a cycle. By changing it creates the hexagram Stepping (10) which brings caution and
apprehension.

Just as the dragon is the wisest of all creatures, the junzi are dragons among
men. To be ceaselessly creative till the end of the day is a sign of Heavenly
strength. It reveals itself without the interference of human desire.
But the position is precarious. Still apprehensive in the evening, you should
simply seek the truth – shunning anger and looking to make few mistakes.

The Book of Change counsels us to be fearful!

From beginning to end be fearful!
Then there may be hardship, but certainly no blame.

All the other lines are dragons, but this line refers to the junzi. It lies amidst the
Yang lines and remains precarious as it is still distant from the ruling fifth. Yet
its strength brings no blame.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
as if leaping about
in a canyon, no blame As this fourth line changes it forms the trigram Wind, which means it vacillates and
is unsuccessful. It leaps about, responding to the first and becoming crouched with it, in a canyon. This
dragon is energetically ready to fly. It leaps and suddenly then halts, awaiting the right time.

The spiritual dragon in the canyon.

It dwells at the utmost depths –
Yet emerges with the utmost ease!

No blame is awarded to this line as encouragement. Retreat in peace in order to

advance in time.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the dragon flies in the heavens
favourable to see the great man These two top lines occupy the position of Heaven. The fifth is firm and
established in the position of honour. It occupies the centre of the trigram and sets the standard of propriety.
 The dragon flies in the heavens, unfolding its spiritual power and riding the
clouds afar. This is like someone in a Heavenly position. You use your strength
to influence the people, just like the dragon travelling the Milky Way who
bestows his bounty upon everything and everyone.

All observe and are covered with blessings of deep peace.

They are spread throughout the world.

This line changes to form Fire or the trigram of the sun. Facing the sun gives the
image of the ruling monarch, or Son of Heaven. It is favourable to seek an
audience with the great and wise.
NINE AT THE TOP
the wilful dragon repents

This line tries to fly too high and breaks up. It is the top line in the hexagram and
must seek repentance.
The body of the wilful dragon begins to tear apart, as it reaches strenuously
for the heights. It has travelled the heavens, far above the earth, and must turn
back to the depths, in order to follow a path which restores its strength.

As repentance prevails, wilfulness disappears.

This lays the foundation to fly another day.

Just like the top line in Tearing Apart (23) this line breaks up. It also must seek
renewal in the hexagram The Restored (24).
By timely riding the six dragons we may partake in the powers of Heaven.
However, this line is the topmost and fullness invites repentance. The line breaks
up.
ALL LINES NINES
see a flock of dragons without a head!
good fortune Both the texts to All Lines Nines and All Lines Sixes in these first two hexagrams refer to
devotion being restored at source.

The top line in The Creative shows an arrogant dragon who has lost his way
and is breaking up. So All Lines Nines restores the Path through creating a flock
of dragons without a head. The top line in The Receptive (2) shows belligerent
dragons fighting in the wilderness – they have lost their devotion. So All Lines
Sixes speaks of everlasting devotion being favourable. Devotion sustains the
source of the virtue.
At the hour around midnight it is the beginning of the new day yet still the
previous night. This is to be without a head. Similarly spring begins the year
without a head, and at the same time completes the year over its end. This is the
power of the dragons without a head.

See a flock of dragons without a head!

This idea is not easy to grasp, but not difficult to understand.
The idea being not easy to grasp makes it easier to understand.

This illustrates a case of having no-beginning and no-ending. It can be extended

to all people and situations, ten-thousand in all. Now there is good fortune!
Yin and Yang take their cue from one another, alternating in an endless cycle
– there is nothing The Creative does not influence nor The Receptive bless. All
the lines illustrate the ultimately mysterious mixing together of Yin and Yang,
heaven and earth.
 2
Kun / The Receptive

The Receptive
the source of the blessings, favour the devotion of a mare
when the junzi take action, leading they get lost, following they gain a lord
favourable to gain friends in the southwest
favourable to lose friends to the northeast
peace, devotion, good fortune The receptive embodies the purest Yin. As the earth carries all the ten-
thousand things, it closes up without leaving a trace. It supports all people and things, selflessly and
endlessly, and is the source of the blessings. Like a mare, the receptive is strong yet at the same time
yielding. The mare is vigorous, yet at the same time devoted.

To be vigorous yet gentle,

To be strong yet devoted:
This is the marriage of Heaven and earth,
The merging of Yin and Yang,
And water and fire intertwined.

Our bodily form and substance ultimately derive from us being receptive to the
strength of Heaven – and the junzi, in all their actions, follow this Path. They
yield to Heaven just as the expansive earth yields to the skies and rain above.
This is the source and end of the blessings.

Going against Heaven, you get lost;

Yielding, you gain a lord.

It is favourable to gain friends in the southwest, as they are the more amenable
and yielding. Yet losing friends to the northeast you are still following Heaven –
for finding or losing friends, it is all the same: the passage of Yin and Yang
brought about through the devotion of the mare. This is how the junzi take
action.

Gaining friends or losing friends – it is all the same.

Favour the staying power of the mare!

Following this Path you find peace, through devotion; uniting the virtues of
Heaven and earth. What good fortune could be greater!
In the Outer World diagram, the three daughters, Fire, the Marsh and Wind,
all accompany their mother Earth in the southwest. They are the more yielding.
The three sons, Water, the Mountain and Thunder, all follow Heaven their father
to the northeast. Gaining friends or losing friends, it is all the same: the cycle of
the originating Yang, made possible through the devotion of the mare.

The Outer World diagram

SIX AT THE BEGINNING

stepping on frost
solid ice coming The Yin is at its peak in midwinter. In this first line it is midsummer, yet the Yin energy
already begins to stir. At midsummer the first signs of cold lie deep within the soil. Stepping on frost you
understand that beneath the ground lie the first signs of winter which will lead eventually to solid ice.

Stepping on frost.
Observe the first signs of winter and be prepared!

The top line signifies the beginning of winter when the ice turns solid. The fifth
line corresponds to the ninth month when the first frosts appear. This very first
line is the first of the Yin. As it changes to form the trigram Thunder, it signifies
a foot stepping out.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
straight, square and great
nothing habitual, nothing unfavourable This second line is gentle, correctly centred and proper in position.
In its straight and square manner it embodies the great virtue of The Receptive.
 As our self-nature outwardly prevails, it expresses itself simply, in a
straightforward manner. As the heart yields naturally, all stations are found
appropriate and fitting.

Being straight within, makes our nature great;

Whilst being square without, makes our work great.
This is the Path which follows self-nature.

Human nature finds no need for action. But after we are born, habits are
acquired, and through what we see and hear we become distracted. Then our
own Heavenly nature becomes clouded and the true Path is no longer clear.

By nature close together,

Through habit we stray apart.

Discipline the heart and renounce all attachment. Do nothing habitual. If you
simply follow your own nature, without being stained by habit, nothing is
unfavourable. This is the Path which returns us to our self-nature.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
the splendour concealed, you may have devotion
if serving the king, do not seek any accomplishment
you possess completion The bountiful Earth radiates splendour. This Yin line changes to form the
Mountain, signifying stopping, so it halts. It may have devotion, but lies concealed.

The perils for a junzi lie in the relentless pursuit of worldly fame. If you
restrain your wishes, hide your traces and quietly finish your work, the true Path
will endure.

To act with the devotion of a mare:

Vigorous, yet at the same time yielding.

However, although you do not strive for recognition, there will perhaps come a
day when you are called. Then go out and serve the King but conceal the
splendour of your work. Do not seek any accomplishment. Do not have
preconceived ideas. Only follow his commands and finish the task.
The Creative (1) acts as King and The Receptive serves him. As this line is
yielding it does not seek accomplishment. Instead it changes to form the
hexagram Humility (15), to possess completion in its work.
 SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
tying the bag
no blame, no fame The shape of the hexagram is empty within like a bag. This fourth line enters into the
upper trigram and, as it changes into a Yang line, draws all the Yin lines round it, tying the bag.

When a true-hearted individual sees the seeds of change, he quietly takes

what he has and stores it away. This is like tying the bag. He is able to remain
inconspicuous, without incurring any blame. However, it is easier to stay out of
trouble than it is to escape fame.

Can you forget the wealth in the bag

And not even show a trace of its tying?

If you are too clever and expect to win recognition for tying the bag, the fame
becomes the real blame! Therefore no blame, no fame. This requires caution!
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a yellow coat
the source of the good fortune This fifth line occupies the place of honour. Yellow is the colour of the
mean. The elegance of the Earth may tend to excess, so yellow, the colour of soil, signifies moderation.

You occupy a place of honour. Wearing a yellow coat signifies devotion. A

yellow coat is the means by which your heart is rooted in the benevolent and
originating power of Heaven.

You are kind to all around you,

Radiating love and surrender.
The transformation is complete.
There must be good fortune.

More than any other line, a fifth in a ruling position must guard against
ornamentation. Then as elegance and substance are well matched, the
transformation of all under heaven is complete.
SIX AT THE TOP
dragons fight in the wilderness
their blood sombre and yellow!

When the Yin is at its extreme, it can no longer endure Yang. The dragons
become resentful, quarrelling and fighting.
Now the solid ice predicted by the first line has formed. The path of the Yin
reaches its extreme point and its power is ebbing away. Yet you still have not
retreated, but are fighting like dragons in the wilderness of the world. Their
blood flows sombre and yellow.
Shun the belligerence and stop the fighting immediately! Or you will be
unable to return to the Path of Heaven and humankind.

A good learner disciplines himself, A good governor governs himself.

The place of the Yin is within and the place of the Yang without, but now the
natural principle has become warped. Their strength obstructed, they both incur
injury. Sombre are the heavens, yellow is the earth. Their blood flows sombre
and yellow.
ALL LINES SIXES
favour everlasting devotion Everlasting devotion is favourable. Yielding yet vigorous is the devotion of the
mare. There is nothing further to add. See the text for All Lines Nines in The Creative (1).
 3
Tun / The Hesitant

The Hesitant
the source of the blessings, favour devotion
do not move to action
favourable to establish feudal-lords

Storm-clouds and rain fill the sky, creating turbulence and confusion. Thunder is
within and the perilous Water without. Action meeting with danger without
implies hesitation. It is fitting to find deputies in the feudal-lords. Both first and
fifth lines are firm, and act as feudal-lords.
After a time of war and great turmoil, the first priority is to establish peace.
But how are we to do this? Through the favouring of devotion.
A benevolent policy depends on a benevolent heart. Therein lie the blessings.
So open yourself to the people’s needs and quietly nourish them. Neither be
anxious for achievements, nor start projects; nor march armies. If you attempt to
lead the people, you will only trap them in danger. In this way hesitation brings
blessings.

There are Heaven and earth, and afterwards come the ten-
thousand things which fill the space between, hence there
follows the hesitant…1

Map out the hills and rivers.

Establish separate states and capitals
And appoint feudal-lords.

When you are able to select worthy people as feudal-lords and induce them to
treat the people as their own children, there will be no more warfare and the Path
of peace extend to all corners of the world. Indeed it is favourable to hesitate.

Put away your swords and lances,

Store up the bows and arrows.
Seek out excellent virtue throughout the land.
May you sincerely preserve it!

Although you hesitate and do not move, you are neither inactive nor still.
The trigram Thunder begins with a Yang line and the Earth yields to it,
implying blessings. This is the primacy of the benevolent heart finding a
response. The Water seeps below like rain but the Mountain halts it, implying
devotion. The Earth stands for the multitude and Thunder, the eldest son,
commands them, but meeting the settled Mountain again brings a halt. It is not
useful to move to action. The first line wins the support of the people and
eventually so does the fifth. Both are established as feudal-lords.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
a rock and pillar
favourable to dwell in devotion
favourable to establish a feudal-lord

This Yang line is beneath, like a great immovable rock or timber, and solidly
devoted. The tree of Thunder may form a pillar. Yet it is still warned to dwell in
devotion, as Thunder is impetuous by nature and loves to change position. If you
are the right person, as dependable as a rock and pillar, you will become
appointed as feudal-lord in order to assist the people.
Therefore there is order, as your tranquillity transforms the people. The
warfare ceases and peace is restored. A hesitant and steadfast attitude brings
blessings.

In this case you do not seek the ruler.

The ruler seeks you.
Yet you need to dwell in devotion,
In order to understand how to be still.

Rocks and pillars act as foundations for the building. This line speaks of finding
the right person for the position. This first Yang line is established as feudal-
lord, along with the ruling fifth.
 SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
as if hesitant, as if stuck
riding a horse as if in retreat, not a bandit but a suitor
the woman is devoted, but does not pledge
ten years, then she pledges

This second line is yielding, centered and proper in position. It associates and
responds to the firm lines in the first and fifth places. It wants to approach the
fifth but is held back by the first and so thinks to hesitate. As it cannot approach
the fifth directly, it becomes stuck.
At a time of turmoil, many heroes emerge – not only may the ruler select a
minister, but a minister may also select a ruler. It is difficult to decide whom to
follow and whom to reject.

However, the junzi are guided by rightness,

They are not guided by ideas of power.

You want to commit yourself and meet one riding a horse as if in retreat. This is
the fifth line. He is not a bandit but a suitor and it is proper to respond. But you
are over-cautious, preferring to think of the first line closer to home, and this
gives rise to suspicion.

Here is a challenge for you!

Stay in the devotion and follow the correct course.

You do not pledge for ten years. Eventually the heart settles and the suspicion
clears. You are correct not to pledge until there is a deep trust between you.
The position is complex: the first line is close and strong while the fifth line
in authority is distant and in a weak position. Consequently, this line cannot
make up its mind whom to choose. It is also doubly weak and over-cautious. The
first is devoted and hesitant while the fifth withholds its bounty. Both create an
atmosphere of suspicion.
Thunder below stands for the thundering hoofs of a horse while the Water
trigram rides on top of it. All top three lines of the hexagram, including the fifth,
are riding horses. This line changes to form the Marsh, the youngest daughter,
and being gentle she displays devotion. The number ten is associated with the
Earth trigram. Ten years, a complete cycle, is the length of time she takes to
commit.
 SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
hunting deer without a guide, you only get lost in the forest
a junzi spies the seeds
it is better to give up, going ahead, regret

It is not necessary to get lost in the forest to know its dangers. When hunting
deer without a guide the seeds of change are there from the very beginning, but
profit makes you so blind you cannot see.
A junzi understands rightness. He can see the signs which tell him it is better
to give up. Going on or giving up, he will not get the deer – but giving up is the
mark of a junzi whilst going on ahead and getting lost is the mark of one inferior.
It is clear what to do: go ahead and every step brings shame and regret, and you
do not have to get lost in the forest to feel shame!

The difference between the true man and the small,

Is the difference between rightness and profit.
Giving up profit is the mark of the true man,
Giving up rightness is the mark of the petty.

Knowing the seeds of change is nothing but distinguishing between rightness

and profit: knowing which to follow and which to reject. This third line is at the
end of the Thunder trigram and chasing after the Water – which moves as fleet
as a deer. Yet this line neither associates with, nor responds to either of the two
Yang lines. It hunts without a guide. Thunder, the initiator of movement, and
Water both signify growing plants and trees, which cover the Mountain like a
forest. Water, flowing deep in the abyss, is lost. This Yin line does not act in a
true manner, so it is encouraged to change into a Yang line and gain the same
virtue as the third in The Creative (1). If it changes to form the Fire trigram, it
also gains clarity and may follow the seeds. The still Mountain means it is
tempted to stop and give up. Here is a third line which is neither centered nor
proper. It does not think to help others but only looks for profit. It has no guide
and gets lost in the forest, without the deer!
In this way the schemes of the petty are exhausted. Their exhaustion brings
change – change, it is hoped, for the better.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
riding a horse as if in retreat, seeking a suitor
going ahead, good fortune
nothing unfavourable
The troubles of a minister come not from lacking talent but from being unable to
delegate authority. However, if you find the right person to work with, your
hesitancy is blessed with good fortune. Then not only do you overcome the
troubles – you also find a trustworthy companion.

Nothing is unfavourable when you reach out for a good person.

This fourth line is in a high position but doubly weak in its talent. Luckily it
responds to the first line, riding a horse as if in retreat and seeking a suitor. It
bends itself to the first line, so they may go on together.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the bounty withheld
the small, devotion, good fortune
the great, devotion, misfortune

The small person receives bounty through maintaining a devoted tranquillity.

Not going out to seek others, the self is withheld within and the true Path
prevails, which brings good fortune.
But if you are one of those whose motives are great, you must spread your
bounty abroad. Even if you preserve a devoted tranquillity within, if you do not
seek out others the Path is obstructed and its dangers cannot then be overcome.
This brings misfortune.
You are deeply pitied for finding no originating blessings and in the end
losing devotion.
This fifth line forms the body of the trigram Water, which works bountifully
to nourish all the ten-thousand things. But it is a Yang line trapped between two
Yin lines. The still Mountain means it cannot move and the second line does not
pledge itself for ten years. This means there are none to help it escape and its
bounty is withheld. It is not that it lacks devotion, but it is the duty of the fifth to
reach out. If it does not seek others, it finds misfortune.
SIX AT THE TOP
riding a horse as if in retreat
tears and blood stream down

Blood and tears stream down and nothing can be done. Yet it is still fortunate
that one can weep. All circumstances have their limit – except the true Path
which has no extreme limit.
If anxiety makes you determined to seek help from others, the calamity can
be turned to your advantage. There is no judgement given in order to urge you to
look forward to the future.

Anxiety and toil can make a country flourish.

It is all up to individuals to exert themselves!

This top line has entered the danger of the Water, and as its talent is weak it
cannot overcome the perils. It rides its horse in retreat in order to seek out the
third. The fourth responded to the first which is established as a feudal-lord, so it
was advised to go ahead. The fifth responded to the second which meant not to
pledge, so it was advised to have devotion. This top line responds to the third
and they go and hunt deer together. But nothing is achieved and the dangerous
abyss of the Water trigram close by means blood and increasing anxiety. All six
lines are different in positions. Those below may encounter danger and should
wait; those above have already encountered danger and should go ahead. Both
follow the movement of the times. Thunder moves actively and should be still;
the Mountain is still and should rouse itself; the Water is trapped and should
struggle. Each of these trigrams shows how one must transform the energy of the
moment in order to follow the true Path.

1 Here, and for every subsequent hexagram, I supply the text to the ‘sequence of the hexagrams’, the
Xugua or Ninth Wing.
 4
Meng / The Innocent

The Innocent
blessings, I do not seek the innocent youth
the innocent youth seeks me
the first question I answer, but the second and third are unclear
if they are unclear, there is no answer
favour devotion Water supplies the nourishing power of wisdom but the Mountain blocks it off. When one’s
feelings and knowledge have not yet been unblocked, there is innocence.

The innocent nature of the heart is originally good, although its light may be
bottled up within. If this light can be tapped and guided out, it will gush forth, as
our innate knowledge, like a spring bubbling up from under a mountain. This
knowledge is goodness itself. So there are blessings. However, these will not
come about through force. Blessings come about through chance and by finding
the seeds. Coax and encourage the heart and it will open, wanting to be taught,
and the seeds will sprout and grow.

…the hesitant commits to filling…all things are hesitant at

birth and as they begin to fill they are sure to be innocent;
hence there follows the innocent…

The second line is firm and centred, the teacher, while the fifth in the Mountain,
the youngest son, is weak and seeks out the authority of the second. As his heart
opens out, I do not seek the innocent youth, he seeks me. When his seeking
comes from a beginner’s mind, one and unscattered, his nature will emerge and
his first question I answer. But if his mind is not concentrated and wavers,
human desire is born and the heavenly nature lost. Then the second and third
questions are unclear, and there is no answer.
 Of all the many methods for attaining blessings There are none that do not
refer back to devotion.
Meet the correct people, hear the correct words and be correct in
behaviour.

Proper learning restores proper nature. Therefore favour devotion. When all
return to their own nature, the purpose of the teaching is resolved.
The Mountain is the youngest son, whilst the firm second line stands as his
teacher. In the first trigram the firm and centred second line is the first question
which gains an answer. In the second trigram the hard line stops in the Mountain
and to the second question there is no answer.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
unblock the innocent
favourable to use punishment to remove his shackles
letting him go on, regret Water, with its strong trapped line within, shows the shackles. The first line
changes to form the Marsh, breaking them.

A youth is seen here with his nature shackled and blocked up. The way to
remove his shackles is to use punishment. But the one who punishes must use a
model. To mould there must be a model.

Therefore be severe without becoming angry,

And be sensitive without using words.
Severity stills desire while sensitivity creates love.

Then the shackles are removed and his innate goodness bubbles forth and cannot
be halted.
It is favourable to unblock the innocent youth but this must be done at the
very first when the time is right. If you let his behaviour go on until it is habitual,
the shackles cannot easily be removed and there is regret. This teaching
emphasises early action.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
embrace the innocent, good fortune
taking a wife, good fortune
the son takes over the family The second line is centred so it can embrace and unblock the innocent youth
of the first line. It removes the shackles and embraces the innocent. Embracing restricts him as well, so he
knows the limits of his behaviour and is not embittered with the problems he faces.

The whole art of teaching lies in being tolerant. Sometimes the pupil will
follow the teaching, sometimes he will find it difficult. The business is like that
of taking a wife. Although you come from different families you manage to live
together, for through propriety and sincerity, the differences between you are
gradually resolved. Just as in teaching, there should be no discrimination.

Act like a minister serving his ruler,

Or as a son serving his father.
When each member of state or family
Has realised his or her innate goodness,
You have fulfilled your duty.
A minister carries the teachings
Just as a son orders the family.
This is an ordained process and cannot be halted.

The second line is minister to the ruling fifth. The second and fifth lines also act
as husband and wife.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
do not take the wife
who sees her husband’s gold and loses herself!
nothing favourable The third line changes to form the Marsh, a young girl. The second Yang line in Water
is her husband, and also the gold. Human nature is innately good and there are none who cannot be taught.
But there are some who lose body and soul over what they can gain and they are kept outside the gate. They
would use their learning only to please others, or for reward. So then to teach them only furthers the
deception. In the end, nothing is favourable.

Do not teach the one who is not worth teaching.

To refuse teaching is also a form of teaching!

The middle line of Water represents gold. The husband in the second line takes a
wife, but not the third because it is hiding something. The third responds to the
top but also sees the gold of the second and thus loses itself, craving reward.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
hindered innocence, regret This fourth line is doubly weak, hindered and alone. You are either hindered by
Heaven or hindered by man. If you are slow by nature you are hindered by Heaven and should make an
effort to improve yourself. There is regret mentioned to evoke shame. This is to arouse and awaken you, so
you no longer hinder yourself.

Make no effort to find either teacher or friend, And you only hinder
yourself.
This fourth line is alone, without associating with either of the two distant Yang
lines. This makes for regret.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
an innocent youth, good fortune In all things innocent, there is none better than an innocent youth. He is
filled with love and respect. The heavenly Path is revealed in the sincerity of his relationships and his
spontaneous activity. Thus all virtue is complete.

Being innocent he seeks a teacher, and because he is innocent, a teacher can

nourish his propriety and sense of right and wrong.

A teacher draws out his innate potential

To mature him finally into a sage.
What good fortune could be greater?

But present-day teachers have not understood this pattern. They neglect innate
talent and impose strictures on the young from outside. Then, forcibly taught a
twisted counsel, the Path of blessed devotion is lost and their heavenly nature
mutilated and destroyed.

When the teaching of the sages is obscured,

Natural talent wastes away.
How lamentable!

The fifth line is gentle and centred, like an innocent youth or young wife. It turns
below to seek a teacher in the second line. Changing to form the Wind and
resting within the generous Earth, it is doubly yielding and receptive. The
situation describes the innocence of the first question, not the confusion of the
second and third questions referred to above.
NINE AT THE TOP
striking the innocent!
not favourable to become a bandit
favourable to prevent bandits The third line does not listen to the teaching and the top line is hard and not
centred – so it strikes. Yet it is not in the nature of the third to be unyielding. Influenced by their
environment, anyone may become drawn into banditry. If you strike and it is not on target, it creates
bitterness and further resentment.

How can you exchange one form of banditry for another? This can never be
right. Preserve the innate goodness of Heaven and neither of you are drawn into
banditry.
 Take care in striking!
Embrace all types of people and be cautious.
Honour virtue and be slow to punish.

The path of the ruler in The Hesitant (3) and the way of the teacher in The
Innocent is one and the same. Both must be acquainted with the use of restraint
and caution.
 5
Xu / Waiting

Waiting
have faith and blessed light
devotion, good fortune
favourable to cross the Great River The lower trigram Heaven confronts the dangers of the Water above and
pauses before advancing. But waiting must not be waiting in vain, so have faith. Be at peace with your
destiny. Keep to the rightful path, and any urgency will disappear.

…the innocent means being blocked, just as in the young of

all things...when things are young they need nourishment;
hence there follows waiting…

Stillness and tranquillity will reveal our originating nature, which gives birth to
blessed light. Thus the mind becomes enlightened and clear.
The trigram of Water is full in the centre, like faith within. Fire signifies light
and the Marsh, the youngest daughter, brings joy and blessings.

With a calm spirit and relaxed body,

Meditating in peace, the heart is blessed.
Quiet gives birth to light.

Yet when confronting danger, blessed enlightenment is not enough, you also
need devotion. This means holding to one’s course without wavering so that the
merit of faith is gained even when there is not a trace of blessings. Indeed this
demands faith.
Do not fail – you will overcome. This course will bring good fortune. Even
the Great River itself may be crossed.
 Pursue deeply the learning of the sages In order to attain self-realisation.
Consistently follow the Path of Peace
And you achieve transformation.
This is the Way!

The second and fifth Yang lines are correct and centred, as in devotion. Water
signifies a river and the Heaven trigram is vigorous enough to cross without
sinking.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
waiting in nature
favourable to be constant, no blame This first line, firm and below, is properly away from the danger of
Water ahead. It waits patiently in nature for the obstacle to be removed, like a hermit.

Like a hermit, you tend to your own home and garden, seeking nothing from
the world whilst preserving the self. But if your observance is unfirm, in time
restraint may be lost. It is favourable to be constant, keeping faith with devotion.
If you preserve unfalteringly a beginner’s mind, you will be neither wavered by
the world nor anxious in heart.
Then although your position may not advance, virtue will.

Hidden strength is always honoured,

For then there is no cause for blame.

The dangers of Water are resting above. This line waits beneath like a hermit.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
waiting on the shore, petty criticism
in the end, good fortune This second line and the fifth both share the same virtue. They have the will to
overcome danger yet both are firm and centred, and do not advance lightly.

Neither distant from, nor close to, danger is waiting on the shore. This is the
way to deal with troubles in the world.
Some criticise you for being neither high-minded nor forward in your
behaviour. But these are viewpoints are one-sided. They are the thoughts of the
petty.

Preserve your centre:

Neither rushing ahead nor lagging behind.
Acting at just the right moment,
The self is not lost and the world saved!
 The self is not lost and the world saved!

The critical people eventually subside. Choosing the middle path will eventually
bring such good fortune!
The shape of the Marsh trigram suggests an open mouth or criticism. The
hermit of the first line criticises this line for not being high-minded while the
third, which advances to take office, criticises it for being inflexible. But this line
finds the good fortune.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
waiting in mud causes bandits to come This third line is not centred and near the dangers of Water. This
implies the presence of bandits. The Marsh, the youngest daughter, is also a tempting source of pleasures
and delights. Waiting in mud signifies enjoying worldly pleasures and delights.

Those who strive for fame are ruined,

Those who strive for profit will be robbed.

Bandits reveal you, for waiting in mud you eventually bring them upon yourself
!
This line is counselled to know when to stop.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
waiting in blood, emerge from the cave Water implies blood, and also the depths of a pit or cave. In a
tortuous situation such as this, the heart can only remain sincere. Then there will arrive humility. This
fourth line lacks talent and whilst entering the danger is wounded. It turns back to seek help from the first
line below.

What you await will surely arrive.

A sage will surely come.
All difficulties resolve and the bloodshed ends.

In this fashion, you are able to emerge from the cave and gain relief from
disaster.
This fourth line is counselled to seek a sage or hermit. Thus it gains relief
from disaster.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
waiting in wine and food
devotion, good fortune This fifth line is in the midst of the danger, awaiting help from others. As the fourth
emerges from the cave, the three Yang lines of Heaven all advance, which means that those awaited are
now coming.

Before finding the right people, one awaits them – after they arrive, one
awaits peace and order.
Now while waiting, you cannot be hasty, or busy with too many things.
Entertain your guests with flutes and wine, awaiting the completion of orderly
reform. Water implies wine while the shape of the Marsh trigram suggests an
open mouth, or food.
Yet happiness can lead to complacency, so remain devoted to the path
without becoming arrogant.

Befriend the people without hypocrisy.

Follow the proper path and your heart is pure.
All under heaven are blessed by the quiet of your repose.
This is good fortune indeed!

The fourth line waits in blood and before any are anxious it is anxious. The fifth
line waits in wine and food, and after all are happy it is happy.
SIX AT THE TOP
stumbling into a cave, three uninvited guests arrive
respect them, in the end good fortune This top line occupies a high position and the dangers surrounding it
are deep. But it does not wait long. It advances abruptly, stumbling into a cave and confronting the
difficulties. Fortunately it responds to the third, which has the same solid virtue as the first and second.
These first three lines advance together on behalf of the fifth – but they have not been invited by the top.
Yet as the top line changes to form the Wind, it turns gentle and is capable of respect.

Whenever people are met unexpectedly, they should be shown respect. This
behaviour should be part of one’s nature not sought for its own benefit. Keep a
sincere heart and eventually you win support. Even though you find yourself in a
cave, guests come to your rescue. Respect them and in the end there is good
fortune.

Showing no respect brings danger.

Showing respect clears a path through the world.
Respect others and deal equitably with all things.
The proper path to follow is clear:
When confronting danger be sure not to yield!
When in danger, be sure to escape!

The third line waits in mud and must be alert not to fail. This top line advances,
by stumbling into a cave, guests arrive, and in the end good there is fortune. The
three lines of Heaven all patiently wait to advance, showing the path of self-
preservation and, when confronting danger, they must be sure not to give in. The
three lines of Water all wait for the lines of Heaven to advance, showing the way
to make use of people. When in danger be sure to know how to get out!
 6
Song / The Lawsuit

The Lawsuit
have faith, though stifled, be restrained
the middle path, good fortune
carrying on to the end, misfortune
favourable to see the great man
not favourable to cross the Great River

The perilous Water brings danger and the trigram Heaven suggests vigour.
Danger and vigour are quick to quarrel, bringing The Lawsuit.

…waiting is waiting for the provision of food and drink…

the provision of food and drink is sure to bring conflict;
hence there follows the lawsuit…

People’s troubles often start with a lawsuit and lawsuits sometimes cannot be
avoided. To win through, you must have faith and not make unfounded
accusations. Having faith you may still feel stifled, but will avoid The Lawsuit
lasting too long. With patience you may even avoid a suit.

Have faith and you may avoid a suit.

The advice is to avoid unnecessary troubles.
This is not the time for great deeds.

Act in a restrained manner and do not be hasty. Water’s perils imply the need for
faith. Wind can stifle while restraint comes through the strength of Heaven.
If the suit is unavoidable, meet your opponent half-way and compromise to
dissolve any resentment. The middle path brings good fortune. Carrying it on to
the end, in order to win, only deepens any resentment and leads to misfortune.
The second line treads the middle path of the lower trigram.
The fifth line represents the great man. It is favourable to see the great man
since to emulate him, in being centred and proper, transforms the quarrelsome
heart. Water gives the image of the Great River. It is not favourable to cross the
Great River, for quarrelling brings disharmony. This is not the time for great
deeds.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
do not press the charge
the petty find words
in the end, good fortune

This first line is Yin, weak and small. It cannot carry the lawsuit through to the
end. Do not press the charge. Petty people may see this as timidity, and criticise
you. But when resentment dissolves the self is preserved. In the end there is
good fortune.

The self preserved and the suit dissolved.

The charge may not be carried on, but your contentment is!

This line is without talent and remains at the bottom of the hexagram.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
you must not sue
return and retire to your own three-hundred household hometown
no harm

This second line is Yang and in command of the danger of Water. It uses the two
attached Yin lines, its fellow-townsmen, to bring a suit before the fifth. But the
suit cannot stand up in court. Fortunately this line is centred and it does not push
on to the end.
You return and retire to your own hometown, avoiding any entanglement. At
the same time your own fellow townspeople escape harm, as you appease the
anger of others.

To return and retire may seem a defeat.

But they escape harm and you dwell in peace.

This second line withdraws to a central position, returning and retiring to its own
hometown. The anger of the ruling fifth is appeased and there is no harm done.
In its outer lines the trigram Water embodies the lines of the trigram Earth,
which means a town. In The Adhering (30) the trigram Fire means clinging
together in spirit, as in a household. It is also the number three.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
cultivate the old virtues
devotion, hardship, in the end good fortune
in serving the King, have no expectations

The second line of the Earth has changed to form the Water trigram, signifying
danger. But the first and third lines have not changed – they still possess the
yielding virtues of the Earth. The receptive Earth also stands for a town. The
second line brings its suit and then retires to its hometown. This line yields and
does not press the action. It protects its own hometown and stays there, firmly
cultivating the old virtues.
There may be trouble from others. Despite your devotion, there is hardship
and you need to plan ahead. Remain firm but continue to yield.
Cultivate the old virtues of devotion through hardship. In the end there is
good fortune. There may still be work to be done: the second line has returned,
the fourth has a change of heart, and the top is stripped off. But this third line
obtains a privileged position where it may perhaps serve the King. If you find
yourself in a powerful position, you may resolve the suits of all those around
you.

Get rid of prejudice and be un-opinionated,

Only yield to principle in order to decide the suit.
You must have no expectations.

Having no expectations is also mentioned in the third line of The Receptive (2).
Here, however, you cannot have completion as the conflict may never be carried
on to its end.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
you must not sue, return and accept destiny
change, peace, devotion, good fortune

This is the first line in the Heaven trigram and it signifies returning. The bending
Wind brings influence and destiny. You must not sue. Not that your strength is
inadequate but you are incorrect in principle. As this fourth line changes, the
trigram forms the Mountain, a place of rest and retirement, which also implies
devotion.
Think it over; restrain the urge to win and return to accept destiny. Subdue
the quarrelsome heart and change, to find peace through devotion. Then
principle will prevail not to say destiny! Your faults are corrected and there is
good fortune.

Realise that your lot is destined –

There is no occasion for a conflict.
Be aware that the good can be enjoyed by all.
By changing you lose the heart for a lawsuit
And find peace through devotion.

The fourth and the first both tend to quarrel, but the first does not press the suit
while the fourth abandons it. It is not committed to any right cause. The second
line must not sue, or else it will get trapped by those above. The fourth line must
not sue so as not to manipulate those below.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a lawsuit, the source of the good fortune

This is the ruling fifth line in a position to hear both sides of the suit. The source
of the good fortune lies in the compassion of an elder.

Be kind to the people and sense their feelings.

Be sympathetic in order to win their hearts.

This is a hard line in a strong position and it is feared it may prove too severe
and lack feeling. When all under heaven escape a suit, the ruler himself finds
good fortune.
The first line does not press the suit. The third avoids a suit. The second and
fourth must not sue. The fifth line uses its benevolence and kindness to resolve
the suit. This hexagram is named The Lawsuit not to encourage suits, but to
counsel against them!
NINE AT THE TOP
now bestowed a leather belt
by the end of the morning
it is stripped off three times!
Heaven suggests something circular, like a belt. The blowing Wind awards the
decree of Heaven. This is like being bestowed a leather belt. Fire brings the light
of morning and also the number three. Water’s fury signifies something violently
dragged, torn or stripped off.
You have now been awarded a leather belt and ceremonial dress because of
your rank. However, the Path of Heaven loves to revert and the anger of the
multitude is difficult to oppose. Before the morning is out, these honours have
been stripped off you three times and there is finally misfortune!
In a suit, one always wants to win. But those who avoid the suit or do not
press on will usually find good fortune, while for the winner there is sometimes
misfortune.

The junzi loves to delay and hates a conflict.

He finds fault with no one –
He worries about the use of force.
The feeling against a lawsuit is herein revealed.

This top line and the third may tend to quarrel. The third remains yielding but
the top line is vigorous. It is at the end of the hexagram and has the strength to
press on to win. Then it will be awarded ceremonial dress to show its position.
But the position is precarious. All the lines consider winning. But those which
do not sue or do not press the suit find good fortune, while for the winner there
may come misfortune. The hexagrams Waiting (5) and The Lawsuit both
counsel delay, while Relating (8) and The Army (7) counsel against the use of
force. In each situation the feeling against conflict is clear.
 7
Shi / The Army

The Army
devotion and a superior man
good fortune, no blame

Thunder signifies a commander and the open lines of the receptive Earth trigram
represent the people. The abyss of Water brings danger. This is an image of The
Army.

…the lawsuit is sure to stir the multitude; hence there

follows the army…

The use of weapons is a bad sign. Warfare brings troubles and this is not what
the people want.

Be righteous in order to bring their hearts to surrender,

For when all yield there manifests devotion.

Devotion comes from the yielding power of the Earth. The superior man is
shown in the hard second line. The country’s elder statesmen are described as
superior men. If there is devotion in the army and a strong man in command, it
puts an end to the cruelty and killing. The people no longer suffer as their lands
are not laid desolate and destroyed.
The challenge in using the army lies in achieving the good fortune whilst
escaping the blame.
The second line in this hexagram stands firm and centered. It is both wise
and courageous. The Water may bring clarity within whilst the Thunder stands
awesome outside.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the army goes forth with rules
improper rules mean misfortune

When the army is first sent out, there must be strict rules and discipline. Yet
these must be in accord with the people’s hearts, simple and easy to follow. If
they are unjust, there is only disorder and misfortune.

The counsel is to take care when making rules.

The danger asserted by the streaming Water trigram brings the need for rules and
regulations. Without constant guidance, the course of the army will tend to
misfortune.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
in the midst of the army
good fortune, no blame
the King issues the mandate three times

The rule in marching an army is to have the general in the midst. Then his orders
are heard and there is good fortune without blame.
However, though the general is in command of the soldiers, it is the supreme
Ruler and King who commands the general. A general may be experienced and
responsible, but he is liable to be slandered unless the King issues the mandate
three times in order to strengthen his confidence.

When there is a brave leader in command,

The people look up to him in awe and fight.

This second line is hard and centred like a superior man in the midst of the army.
The Army hexagram is the inverse of hexagram Fellowship (13), in which
Heaven represents the King and the bending Wind stands for the issuing of a
mandate. Fire always stands for the number three.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
the army may haul away corpses
misfortune

If the army is creating delay in hauling away the dead bodies and not fighting, it
means the foot-soldiers have taken over from the general. And if leadership is
not centralised, defeat will be inevitable. The commanding officer must share
responsibility for this misfortune.

Although you may exhaust the opinions of others,

Never delegate the final authority.

This third line rests on a hard line below. But it is outside, relating to the people
of the receptive Earth. It dares take charge of the army’s affairs. The second
must share responsibility for this misfortune.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the army’s left wing sets up camp
no blame

The army’s left wing sets up camp to await a change in the battle. Wherever
possible it will advance, but now it retreats to preserve its strength. It is
important for an army to keep pressing forward – but rather than advancing
lightly and suffering defeat it is better to retreat.

No one is to blame here.

You are encouraged not to advance
Simply for the sake of destruction.

This fourth line follows the first line. Thus the right wing of the army advances
while its left wing follows behind.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
wild game in the field, favourable to catch it
speak out, no blame
the eldest commands the army
the younger haul away corpses
devotion, misfortune

You are in the position of the supreme Ruler. When barbarians turn to plunder
and treachery, it is proper to raise an army and subdue them – like capturing wild
game in the field. Speak out and clarify your reasons for sending out the army,
carefully giving the people due warning. Then the army’s exploits remain
blameless and there is devotion.
Yet, even with devotion, only a superior man can bring good fortune. If the
eldest are in command and they authorise the younger ones to take time to haul
away the dead, then even devotion will bring misfortune.

A ruler must be careful in selecting his general,

And single-minded in delegating authority.

The open Earth trigram signifies a field, and Water moves as wildly as
dangerous game. This line changes to form the still Mountain, implying
stopping, and the game is caught. The Thunder trigram is the eldest son, and the
Water trigram is his younger brother. This fifth line is in the position of the
supreme Ruler who commands the second line as general on the field of battle.
SIX AT THE TOP
the supreme ruler issues a mandate
establishing states and forming clans
small people are not chosen

At the end of the conflict, the army returns in triumph. Ranks are conferred and
borders drawn up. Different states are established and various clans formed to
reward those who have shown merit. But small people are not chosen.
An army is raised because of petty people. There are problems as they crave
to profit through the troubles, and difficulties arise as they seek power.
Only a superior man may enable the army to complete its work. If small
people are used, as soon as the first army’s task is complete, trouble springs up
elsewhere and another army must be raised!
The Army hexagram is the inverse of Fellowship (13) in which Heaven
proclaims its mandate through the movement of the bending Wind. The
receptive Earth stands for states and cities. The Yin lines represent small people.
 8
Bi / Relating

Relating
good fortune, ask the question repeatedly –
the source of the everlasting devotion, no blame?
they arrive from troubled lands
latecomers find misfortune All the Yin lines in Relating relate to the fifth line above. The Yang line
emerges in the place of honour, and the Yin lines follow, turning their hearts towards it.

In relating, people redirect their hearts and, as their hearts are returned to the
ruler, there must be good fortune.
However, to preserve this condition you need the correct path to follow, as
people often change their minds. Only the really kind will find one mind.

…the army refers to the multitude…the multitude are sure to

find a way to relate; hence there follows relating…

The Water trigram attaches itself to the Earth, just as Yin follows Yang, the
rivers and seas accumulating over the earth. The fifth line emerges, firm in the
upper trigram, like a repeated question. Being Yang and centred, it typifies the
source. The receptive Earth signifies everlasting devotion.
Ask yourself the question, repeatedly. Do I really have kindness and
benevolence within?

Above all else am I human-hearted?

And do I possess devotion?
Am I holding to the centre
Thus to escape blame?
Then your virtue will gradually purify and the Path of Peace be disclosed.

Then of their own accord, the suspicious and irresolute Change their hearts
and are transformed.
They arrive from troubled lands,
While the obstinate who stand alone are exhausted.
Only those who arrive in time find peace.
Hold to the source of the goodness!
With everlasting devotion you escape blame.
This is the Path to follow when training in relating.

The first line is distant from the fifth and the third responds to the top. They may
be unbalanced and troubled. The top line comes late, like a latecomer. It may
find misfortune.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
have faith in relating, no blame
faith will fill the pot
in the end arrives some other good fortune This first line changes to form Thunder, implying strength. Faith
makes you strong. The shaking Thunder also stands for a pot or container which can move things and the
water pours in, filling it.

You have the faith to relate to others. In dealing with people sincerity and
trust are foremost. If you have the faith to relate, there is no blame.

With complete faith in relating,

There is ultimately no blame.
Faith will fill the pot.

Being filled with loyalty, there are no obstructions in your way. Moreover, in the
end unexpectedly there arrives some other good fortune.
All the Yin lines in Relating relate to the fifth line above. This line is the
first to relate and it does so with the utmost wholeheartedness. The first and
second are neighbours and the second also responds to the fifth. Therefore the
first line reaps its fame and good fortune without intending to do so.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
relating from within
devotion, good fortune This second line is within as it lies in the inner trigram. It responds naturally to the
fifth from within.
 This is to accumulate virtue in your own heart and carry it through to your
own family. Thus you win the trust of friends and the confidence of superiors.
Such devotion brings good fortune.

Accumulating within is the proper way to act.

To relate from within is the way to serve the ruler.

SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
relating, with the wrong people This line is neither centred nor proper, and it responds to the latecomer in
the top place. Although it relates to the fifth, it does so with a divided heart. There is neither faith here, nor
devotion.

A divided heart possesses neither faith nor devotion. There is nothing further
to add.

When the heart is divided,

There is nothing more to say.

The bad people in Decline (12) do harm to the junzi. Here the wrong people are
partisans of the petty. The Book of Change makes little comment on bad people.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
outside relating
devotion, good fortune This fourth line is outside because it lies in the outer trigram. It would usually
respond to the first, relating within, but instead it turns to the fifth without, cutting off friends and family.

This is like one who abandons all ideas of self and family to offer his
services to the ruler.

You sever all links with others.

Your heart is all the ruler’s.
You follow this course naturally,
Devoted because of your position.

When sincerity and trust are put foremost, there will come only good fortune.
The second pairs up with the first, relating within. This is The Receptive (2)
‘gaining a friend’. The fourth line neglects the first and relates outside. This is
The Receptive ‘losing a friend’.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
 illustrious relating
the king surrounds the game on three sides
letting that in front escape
the townspeople are not warned, good fortune This Yang line is firm and centred. It works properly for the
utmost good of the people, without selfishness or expecting favours. You occupy the place of honour and it
brings illustrious relating. The Path shines out ahead in brilliance! The still Mountain stands for brilliance
and illustriousness.

Let your heart be open, excluding nothing and nobody. Relate to those who
want to relate but do not press upon those who reject you. When out hunting, the
King surrounds the game on three sides – he lets that in front escape. This fifth
line is ruler of the hexagram and thus King. The townspeople are not warned so
that they do not interfere. Then there comes good fortune.

Either relate or do not relate,

But do not press upon them.
As high and low leave each other in peace,
There will arrive good fortune.

Water passes in perilous places like a chariot. Also it fears no abyss and the
Thunder acts abruptly. They are like horses roaming the wide Earth trigram. This
gives the image of hunting. The perilous Water also stands for wild game. The
Earth trigram suggests a town and the Mountain implies halting, so the
townspeople are not warned.
In both The Army (7) and Relating there is game mentioned. In The Army
bandits within the borders must be subdued, whilst in Relating barbaric tribes
are loose in the frontier regions and may be left alone. In The Army you speak
out to warn others of your plans, but in Relating there is nothing said, as no
warning is necessary.
SIX AT THE TOP
relating without a head
misfortune The first four Yin lines all ascend, relating with the fifth as their head. This top line is above the
fifth and does not descend to follow it, nor is there any line left above to follow. Thus it is relating without a
head. When you relate without a head it means losing all direction. Then, by not following, you lose all
chance of serving. Relating without a head means misfortune.

Relate without a head:

You lose all chance of relating.

All the lines in Relating have a head except this one. The Creative (1) does not
have a head, but there is good fortune as the Yang does not consider itself as
head, thus gaining the Path of the ruler. In Relating being without a head brings
misfortune, for the Yin above does not take the Yang as head thus losing the
Path of a minister.
 9
Xiaoxu / Small Cultivation

Small Cultivation
blessings, gathering clouds
no rain from our Western countryside

A single Yin line gains position and the other lines respond to it. The first
daughter in the Wind appears, leading out her father in Heaven. This is a picture
of the utmost tenderness, of gentleness and moderating strength. The Wind
passes across the sky and the Yang lines of Heaven rise as clouds, but unless Yin
and Yang work together there will be no rain.

…relating is correspondence, those relating are sure to find a

means of cultivation; hence there follows small
cultivation…

The falling rain is an image of the meeting together of Yin and Yang; it also
signifies the benevolent rule of the King over his people. As upper and lower
respond, Yin and Yang join, fire and water mix and the gathering clouds release
their rain and bounty upon the people. The crops may sprout and grow and there
are blessings.
But now there are also gathering clouds and no rain from our Western
countryside. It is as if there was someone small blocking the road. The fourth
line is not centred, unlike the second and fifth Yang lines. Yet the Yang lines are
numerous and move to prevail.
Let the Path of the junzi prevail! Have faith in those acting in a petty manner
and open up yourself. Others may help in your purpose, just as when Yin and
Yang work together they produce rain.
 Not able to transform others,
Extend the blame to yourself
And take personal responsibility.
Only wish for ultimate sincerity!
You are able to motivate the people.

The lower Yin line of the Wind trigram is in a position to halt the Yang lines of
Heaven, just like someone small obstructing the great. As Yin restrains Yang,
the cultivation cannot be great. But if they never joined, there would be little
cultivation at all.
This text is derived from an actual recorded speech made by the King Wen,1
the father of the Zhou dynasty. He considered it was because his virtue was
inadequate that the people did not receive the beneficial rains.
In the Outer World diagram the Marsh represents the west, and Heaven
signifies the wide skies of the countryside. When clouds arise in the west, there
is less chance of rain.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
return to your own path
how could there be blame? good fortune

This first Yang line in a Heaven trigram embodies returning. Although it is firm
and proper in position, and responds to the yielding fourth line, it does not
advance. It returns to its own path. How could there be blame?
You are not tempted by a desire for power over others. You would rather
accept any blame or censure for your position than deviate from the true Path.

With both self and fame intact,

How can there be blame?
There will arrive good fortune.

This first line does not seek glory. It retreats to preserve itself.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
drawn to return, good fortune

The second line possesses the same virtue as the fifth. It is fitting for it to ascend
and advance, but the fourth blocks the road so it is wary of proceeding. It is
apprehensive and does not go forth. It is drawn to return, just like the first line.
 You are apprehensive of advancing. Return to work on the self and there will
be good fortune.

Acceptance means serving the world,

Rejection means preserving the self;
Both have their proper place.
Some must be rejected before they are accepted.

The first and second lines in Small Cultivation influence each other. They are
drawn to return. Both follow the same path with the ensuing good fortune.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the wagon-wheel sheds its spokes
husband and wife do not see eye to eye

Heaven revolves like a round wheel and the Marsh trigram shatters it. The Marsh
is the youngest daughter and also the last of the Yin. Moreover, this line is the
last in the trigram and it wants to be drawn back with the first and second. But
the wheel sheds its spokes and the wagon can no longer be moved.
You enter the ways of small people and the whole situation falls apart. This
is like a wagon-wheel shedding its spokes so the wagon can no longer be moved
forward.
You cannot retreat and your nature and feelings do not match. A Yang line
close to a Yin line falls under its influence. Yin and Yang together give the
image of husband and wife. But the husband and wife do not see eye to eye.
They cannot live together in peace. At first they relate, but now they fight.

In the end you can neither advance nor retreat.

A junzi does not lose touch with himself.

The Fire trigram is open and bright like an eye. This line looks down below,
whilst the fourth looks up, so they do not see eye to eye.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
have faith, the blood disappears
the apprehensive go forth, no blame

This line is Yin and tender in substance. It occupies a leading position where it
may be nourished by the Yang lines surrounding it. This is to arrive at the heart
of the cultivation.
 You are at a loss what to do – as if dense clouds surrounded you. Others are
approaching and they do not wish to harm you, so firstly have faith. Having faith
will never harm you and it may even make you of service to the ruler. And if
faith does not harm you, it will certainly never harm another. Any antagonism
disappears and those who were apprehensive of advancing may now go forth.

Emulate the propriety of true-hearted people,

That you may also be of service some day.

The third line does not see eye to eye, and this line is unsettled, so there is blood.
The first and second lines were apprehensive and would not approach. This line
can do nothing about their state and is at a loss what to do. The counsel here is to
support the Yang and to suppress the Yin – to uphold the propriety of the junzi.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
if you have faith and hold fast
your riches influence the neighbours

This line changes to form the shape of the Mountain, which holds like a hand. It
grips and holds on fast so it may be of service.
The small-minded are perpetually difficult to transform and it is only through
gradually finding the utmost faith that we may be able to sway them. Then they
may slowly forget their suspicions and move into service. In this manner the rich
in heart influence their neighbours.
A junzi always instils faith in others and helps them into service. These are
the blessings mentioned in hexagram text which arise from the cultivation.

Find first the root of faith and hold fast.

Through gentle means, chaos is pacified,
And one may influence the world.

The first and second lines return to the true Path to purify themselves. The third
line does not see eye to eye with the fourth which may precipitate violent
change. The duty of the junzi is always to emulate the fifth. It reveals how to
influence the world. The fourth line is empty and Yin, while the fifth is
substantial and Yang. To be empty within is the root of faith – to be full within is
its substance. Which is of more importance?
NINE AT THE TOP
 already rained and stopped
loaded with esteemed virtue
a wife’s devotion, hardship, the moon almost full
a junzi undertakes an expedition, misfortune

This Yang line changes to Yin and forms the Water trigram so it rains.
Afterwards the rain stops, the tension passes and those who were apprehensive
have gone on their way.
The virtue referred to here is faith, which has accumulated over a long while.
The cultivation has at last been attained. But to be loaded with virtue is like the
full moon. It can only be temporary. When you provide nourishment for others,
it can only be short term. If you are over-committed, it brings hardship. The
image of the moon almost full is to warn against persistence. A wife’s devotion
may also bring hardship. Thus to undertake an expedition brings misfortune.

Have faith with inferior people

That they may be of service.
But forsake the true Path to follow their way,
And it only brings misfortune.

The moon is full in the Yang trigram Heaven. During the time of the Marsh, it is
passing the first quarter and almost full. This top line inherits the meaning of the
last two lines. Yin and Yang have at last found faith and the cultivation is
attained. The fourth Yin line is the wife; the fifth Yang line stands for the junzi.

Small Cultivation: minor husbandry, care

1 Around 1150 BCE.
 10
Lu / Stepping

Stepping – on the tail of a tiger!

it does not bite you, blessings The first and second lower lines correspond to the earth. The middle third and
fourth lines represent people stepping on the earth. As people travel through this world, in all their meetings
they find it full of dangers and confrontations. The whole hexagram depicts the striped body of a tiger,
while the top line is its head and the bottom line its tail. As the mouth of the top line is not open, it does not
bite.

Let your heart be watchful of danger,

As if you stepped on the tail of a tiger!
With reverence and respect,
Find harmony in all things.

…things are under cultivation, so then afterwards there must

be propriety; hence there follows stepping…

When the virtues of reverence and respect are practised, even in violent
situations, there is nothing that will harm you. It is like stepping on the tail of a
tiger and not getting bitten! It does not bite you. Stepping on the true Path, there
arrive blessings.
This situation describes exactly the problems which arise when a true-
hearted individual confronts the world. The Book of Change places a special
emphasis on solving problems.
The Wind trigram stands for the following upper thigh or leg, used in
stepping out. The Fire trigram symbolises the tiger, with its stripes. Heaven is
naturally apprehensive and watchful. The gentle Wind, passing through the
skies, likewise stands for humility and respect. The joyful Marsh, the youngest
daughter, reveals the outcome of the situation.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
simple stepping
go forth, no blame This first Yang line lies within, not yet distracted by material things. It implies following
your own self-nature. The true Path lies direct ahead, level and easy to follow. This means you make no
mistakes – and when there are no mistakes there is no possibility of blame.

Follow your own self-nature.

Allow nothing that appears contrived.
Your nature is a simple thing,
Akin to a plain and uncarved block.

The bottom line speaks of simplicity, putting substance before cultural

achievement. Similarly the top line in Adornment (22) speaks of whiteness,
implying culture reverting back to substance.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
stepping the path, level, level!
a hermit’s devotion, good fortune This is a hard line but in a yielding position, centred in the second place.
It uses its inner gentleness to practise propriety, and thus steps on the true Path – level, level!

Among all things in the world only stepping the Path provides a position,
both balanced and secure. So do not be opportune – or take risks.

Remain gently at anchor, peaceful and calm.

Trust in the Path for your preservation,
Acquire a hermit’s devotion and your whole life becomes level With the
coming good fortune.

Stepping the Path means enjoying simplicity in one’s position, just like a hermit
who wants nothing from outside. This means self-contentment wherever you go.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
the one-eyed can see, the crippled can walk
stepping on the tiger’s tail you get bitten, misfortune!
become as a warrior, serving the great ruler This third line is gentle and joyous, within the joyful Marsh.
But it rests totally on two Yang lines beneath, so it may easily become overconfident. It also responds to the
top line whilst stepping on the tiger’s tail in the first. If the tiger turns its head, it gets bitten!

Being joyous, you become confident and brave. In a situation such as this,
the one-eyed man says he can see and the crippled says he can walk. This means
you confront the danger and act. You tread on the tiger’s tail, and if its head
turns you will get bitten!

Weakness does not always mean failure;

Confidence does not always ensure success.
It all depends upon how they are put to use.

You must become as a warrior, serving the great ruler and stepping in military
formation.

You properly risk your life to fulfil your mission, Misfortune could even
become a path to good fortune.

In normal circumstances follow the hermit. At a time of crisis follow the

warrior! The true Path is not limited to any single direction, just tread in a timely
manner!
The bright Fire trigram signifies an eye and the following Wind means a
thigh or leg. They meet in the Marsh, the last of the Yin, which implies an
injury. The Fire also stands for armour and a helmet, which adorn the body just
as fire clings to all things. Both are worn by the warrior. Heaven, the father,
stands as the great ruler.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
stepping on the tiger’s tail, beware, beware!
in the end, good fortune The third and fourth lines represent people stepping on the tiger’s tail in the first
two lines. If you are stepping on the tiger’s tail beware, beware! There is much to fear, so guard closely
against calamity and avoid injury. In the end, there comes good fortune.

To be fearful from beginning to end!

This is the crux in managing change.

The third line is brave and responds to the top. It may get bitten! The fourth line
is in a yielding position and responds to the tail in the first, stepping on the
tiger’s tail. The strength of the Heaven trigram makes this line naturally
apprehensive. You have much to fear.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
decisive stepping
devotion, hardship This fifth line is hard and strong in position. It is centred in the most honoured place in
the hexagram. The saints and sages of ancient times dwelt in the world’s most honoured positions. Their
light was brilliant, their strength decisive and their power went unchallenged. Yet they never failed to
consult the whole world and thus became wise.
 consult the whole world and thus became wise.

If you are self-assuming and arrogant, You forget to consult others.

Then your devotion will turn to hardship!

In the midst of the Heaven trigram this line may become overconfident.
NINE AT THE TOP
observe your own stepping, record the omens
turn about to the source of the good fortune This top line is above in the position of Heaven and thus able to
send down omens. The bright Fire trigram signifies looking down from on high. It is Heaven that observes
us, while we observe ourselves. Therefore observe your own stepping. Heaven watches over our stepping
and we record the omens – for where there is someone stepping, there are always omens.

To turn about means to reverse direction. Eventually one finds within the
source of the good fortune – the simplicity of the human heart. Return to natural
benevolence and discover its goodness.

Wherever the human-heart is, there is goodness; Wherever there is

goodness, there is Oneness.
Whenever there is Oneness,
You encompass the Heavenly heart.
Omens are revealed and the good fortune.

The first line is to go forth, while this line turns about. These two lines comprise
the beginning and end of stepping. The top line must turn about to rediscover the
simple ways of the first. The first follows simplicity, whilst this line returns to
find the source. The third follows the path of the warrior, while the fifth is
decisive and cautious. The second is level and devoted, while the fourth is in
danger and must fear. All these lines reveal the true Path to take when stepping.

Stepping: a proper advance, propriety
 11
Tai / Flourishing

Flourishing
the small depart, the great arrive
good fortune, blessings

The lower three Yang lines are rising, like the first three moons of the year,
when Yang is within and Yin without. The season is spring, when all nature is
bursting forth. Similarly these lines depict great people ruling within, while the
petty-minded are kept without.

…stepping and then peace, so then afterwards quiet; hence

there follows flourishing...

The sap of the year is rising, and the seasons are flourishing upon their yearly
course. This reflects the state in which great people govern, whilst small folk are
kept without. A benevolent government prevails. There is order and the world is
at peace.
As the inferior depart, peace comes. The great arrive and pursue their
practice of following the Path. This is why there is good fortune and blessings.

It is Heaven that makes the seasons flourish,

It is people who make the world flourish.
How can we ignore the coming and going of the great and the small?

In the passage of the transformations of Heaven and earth, the Yang stands for
the great and lord of life; whilst the Yin stands for the small, and lord of death
and decline. Among people, Yang stands for the great, enlightened and
compassionate; whilst the Yin are the small, whose petty influence can be cruel
and deceptive.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
grassroots, pulled up in a bunch
going forward, good fortune

The first line changes to form the Wind, blowing over the grass. These Yang
lines, at the root of the hexagram, are pulled up by the invigorating Thunder. A
group of junzi is advancing, just like a clump of grass pulled up with its roots
intact.

The flourishing reigns without obstruction,

Such is the good fortune!

But you must not be complacent. Go forward to return others to the true path.
The three Yang lines rise together in a bunch.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
to contain those in the wilderness
it is useful to ford the yellow river
neither neglect the remote, nor indulge those nearby
gain esteem, following the middle path

The Earth supplies the barren wilderness while the second line changes to form
Water, implying the Yellow River born in the wilderness. In the state of
flourishing, employing the talents of others is not such a problem as pacifying
small folk – who cling on like the rough grass, struggling to survive in the
wilderness.
The top line is remote and does not respond. The fourth shares the same path
nearby. The fifth line is gentle, and responds on the middle path. If your
government is too strict and forceful, you may set off a rebellion.

Value leniency and strive to contain them.

Although restless, they pacify themselves.

But again, if you suspect duplicity, do not vacillate but force a path through the
obstacle – like proceeding on foot to ford the Yellow River.

Neither neglect the remote, nor indulge those nearby,

Approach all with an equal sincerity.
 Approach all with an equal sincerity.
Enlighten them and they are transformed
Through esteem for your own openness.

As you follow the Path to contain the unworthy, you carefully tread the middle
way between leniency and severity. Thus you discover the method of truly
preserving the state of flourishing.
When this line changes, the third lies within Water, and Thunder signifies a
foot, fording the Yellow River. This second line is strong and centred, and it
responds to the fifth above. Thus it manages the state of flourishing.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
nothing level without a slope
nothing going will not return
persevere in devotion, no blame
do not be soft-hearted, have faith
there is bliss in being fed

This third line stands at the border between Heaven and Earth, and in it there
may appear the first signs of decline. Level ground and a slope are features of
the land. Going and returning are the motions of Heaven. There is nothing level
without a slope and nothing going which will not return. So be wary of the slope
and watchful for the return. Persevere in the devotion of the heart. Be aware of
change at a time of fullness and danger at a time of peace. Then you may avoid
blame.
Do not worry about those beneath you. Small folk are there to be fed by the
worthy and if you are soft-hearted you arouse their suspicion and envy.

Simply be open and sincere.

Then you transform them through faith
And they can be governed to feed others.

The people are governed through being fed, just as the third and fourth lines find
nourishment and mutual faith. In this fashion both above and below are left at
peace and all receive the bliss.
Perseverance stops the great departing, while faith makes fear over the small
unnecessary. Heaven signifies apprehension, so persevere. The Earth is devoted
while this Yang line has substance and faith. The top open line of the Marsh
depicts a mouth, being fed.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
fluttering, fluttering
 fluttering, fluttering
not using your wealth to woo your neighbours
do not feel threatened, have faith

In a position of power, you act as among a flock of birds fluttering down to

roost. The three Yin lines flutter down, to return back within. This is to disregard
any influence you might have over others and to come down and mingle with the
Yang beneath.

Not using your acquired wealth,

Is to ignore rank and position.
Seeking friendship, with an empty heart,
Will certainly bring aid and assistance.

So do not feel threatened or doubtful. But use openness to establish faith with
others and there will come mutual trust.

Where there is mutual trust, there is mutual forgetting.

Therefore, at a time of change, how valuable is faith!

The three Yin lines ignore their influential position to come down and mingle
with the Yang beneath. Through mutual faith you forget your differences. When
the fourth and fifth lines in Cultivating the Small (9) find mutual faith, their
cultivation is complete. When the third and fourth in Flourishing find mutual
faith, the state of flourishing is attained. This is why The Book of Change values
faith.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
Emperor Yi married off his little sister
in this way, happiness and the source of the good fortune!

This fifth line, in an honoured position, walks the middle path and responds
below to the second, also on the middle path. When the Shang Emperor Yi’s
little sister married, she married beneath her. In this way she received supreme
happiness from Heaven and the greatest good fortune!

The best government comes in loving goodness,

The highest virtue lies in bowing to the wise.
The great no longer depart, nor the small arrive.
This is the source of the good fortune!
If the third and fourth lines change position, Flourishing turns to Marrying
Maiden (54). The Emperor’s little sister condescends to marry beneath her – and
her royal sleeves were not so fine as the concubine’s. This shows the highest
virtue. As this yielding fifth descends from its high and honoured position, it
proceeds to follow the firm second line below. The Emperor comes forth from
his palace during the spring – the season corresponding to Thunder. Earth
symbolised the reign of the Shang Emperor Yi.1
SIX AT THE TOP
the city wall falls back into the moat
do not use the army
announce the mandate from your own town
devotion, regret

The three lines of Earth pile up outside, just like a city wall. But the three Yin
lines are descending, so they fall back into the moat. The course of events is at
the point of decline. There is mounting conflict and disorder.
At this moment do not use force but announce the mandate of change clearly
from within your own town. The Earth signifies the people, and Thunder, the
eldest son, takes over their command as in an army. The Earth is also like a
town, with Heaven ruling over them. Thus it is one’s own town.
But a display of weapons is never as good as a policy of cultural reform.
Attempting to reach those remote is never as good as pacifying those nearby.
They will calm and be brought back to order. But if you are inflexible and do
alter course, it will only bring regret. Even devotion will fail.

Guard your own city and state,

And make clear laws and teachings!
Although the states of flourishing and decline are destined by Heaven,
A junzi still does all within his power in order to initiate change.

The open Earth trigram signifies speech and the top line of the Marsh is a mouth
which speaks out. Yielding to Heaven and guarding your own, displays the true
devotion of The Receptive (2).

Flourishing: openness, growth

1 1191–1155 BCE.
 12
Pi / Decline

Decline
because of evil people
not favourable for the devotion of the junzi
the great depart, the small arrive

The Yang lines are without and the Yin lines within. The great have departed
and the small arrived. The world is in a state of decline. This is an exact opposite
to the state of flourishing. Because of the arrival of evil people, the great have
departed.

…flourishing, peace and interpenetration…but things can

not for ever be in interpenetration; hence there follows
stagnation…

But there is nothing level without a slope, and nothing going which will not
return. Whichever and whatever it is that departs, it will return. This simple rule
illustrates the constancy of the grandeur of Heaven and earth.

First decline, then celebration.

It all depends upon you!

A true-hearted person makes every effort to fulfil what it means to be true, but
the hearts of evil people are opposed to those of the good. The situation is not
favourable for the junzi. Great people depart, as the small begin to arrive.

As the great arrive, the small folk depart,

And the world is in a constant state of flourishing.
 And the world is in a constant state of flourishing.
As the small arrive, the great depart,
And the world is in a constant state of decline.

How appropriate it is that all people are open to flourishing and guard against
decline!
In the first ten hexagrams of The Book of Change, following on The
Creative (1) and The Receptive (2), we pass through 30 Yin and 30 Yang lines.
Once these have been decided, then Flourishing (11) appears. How difficult it is
to attain! Then immediately Decline follows on behind. How easy it is to reach!
Everyone must do all in their power to open to a state of flourishing and guard
against decline.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
grassroots, pulled up in a bunch
devotion, good fortune, blessings

The first line derives from the body of the Wind, which suggests the swaying
grass. The Mountain above is a strong hand which pulls them up. The Yin lines
gather like evil people, or grassroots all in a bunch, so there is a cause for
concern. Yet if the unworthy can turn back and repent, eschewing the bad to
follow the good, they may yet receive grace and good fortune.

The course of devotion will run true.

There is time to turn back, then blessings!

This first line also responds to the fourth, the firm top of the Mountain. A hand
pulls up the bunch of first three Yin lines, to root them out.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
contain their acceptance
small people, good fortune
The great man declines, blessings

This second line is doubly weak. It responds to the fifth above, admiring its
power and accepting it. Being centred, it shows no trace of inferiority in its
behaviour and even finds good fortune. The Yin lines are like small folk below,
accepting and admiring your position, without showing even a trace of their
petty ways. You are not harmed and they may even receive good fortune.
When flatterers advance, it is proper to retreat and contain their acceptance
of your position. The great must always accept any decline and not admire
another’s good fortune or imitate their success. It is only the great who retain the
energy of Yin and Yang, no matter what.

The blessings of the true Path

Are the bliss of the world.

Flourishing and decline may come and go, but the bliss of the world for the junzi
is self-made. This Path reaches throughout the world!
The fifth line is also centred. It contains the behaviour of the second line and
goes along with its goodwill.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
containing the shame

This third line is neither centred nor proper. It moves close to the fourth but they
do not get along. So it feels insulted and then ashamed. To hide your shame
without revealing it is the peril of the small-minded. To contain your anger until
it turns to resentment will bring misfortune.

Be aware of this trouble and repent.

Good fortune will surely follow.

There is no judgement added to this line, to allow a free choice. It lies in the still
Mountain, which means it contains its shame and resentment. It has not yet the
courage to talk out its feelings.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
announce the mandate, no blame
share in the happiness together

This is a Yang line in a Yin position. Strong and weak complement each another.
The mandate accords with the people’s hearts and there is no blame. The three
Yang lines are of one mind and issue the mandate, which is Yang bringing
happiness to Yin. The three Yin lines lead each other to follow the mandate,
which is Yin bringing happiness to Yang. As Yin and Yang thrive together in
grace, although the small arrive, the great will not depart.
The decline is now passing and the state of flourishing will follow.
Announce the mandate of change, which can only accord with the people’s
hearts, and you will escape any blame. Although this line is improper in position,
it is not to blame.
 As decline slowly changes to flourishing, the whole world follows its course
and transforms, to share in the happy event together.

Though matters of growth and decay

Derive from the mandate of Heaven,
Do they not still depend on the work of man!

The penetrating Wind announces the mandate. In the top line of Flourishing
(11), as decline approaches, the mandate is announced from one’s own town.
During the decline there is no mandate. Now the decline is passing and the fifth
issues a mandate, executed by the fourth. It calls out to the whole world, not only
to those in its own town.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the decline arrested
the great man, good fortune
I may lose! I may lose! –
stay, as tied to a knotted mulberry tree

This fifth line is hard and vigorous in position. It also changes to form the
brilliant Fire trigram, which means insight and clarity. Although the second is
nominally supportive and the third full of shame, the fifth knows enough to
understand their true motives and so it halts their behaviour. Then the decline
will stop also. It has the insight to understand others and the strength to alter
their errant behaviour. Thus the decline is arrested and there must come good
fortune.
But the small-minded are still at large and if you are not on guard, fatal
danger will again abruptly arise.

Day by day, be fearful of losing!

Then there will arrive peace and order.
Stay firm! As if tied to a knotted mulberry tree!

The still Mountain signifies a halt and the decline is arrested. The bending Wind
stands for a tree and trees on mountains become hard and knotted, like a
mulberry. The Wind also means a rope, which is tied. The third line in
Flourishing (11) must persevere. The fifth line in Decline knows to fear. Both
share the apprehension present in the Heaven trigram.
NINE AT THE TOP
the decline topples
 the decline topples
first decline, then celebration!

As the story of decline comes to an end, a state of flourishing begins. They are
exact opposites of each other. Now high and low exchange places, and the
decline finally must topple. First there was decline, but from now on celebration
can be predicted!
However, the state of decline endured a long time and one should think back
and regret over that which has been lost. Plan to prevent it happening again.
Then you may celebrate.

This is to act like a dutiful mother –

Anxious before the family are anxious,
And happy only after the family is happy.
This is to fear the precipitous nature of Heaven
And to begin to take precautions in time!

Though the decline has ended and the flourishing begun, let your awareness of
their inevitable course be more acute than ever. Be alert to the mutual
transformation of Heaven and earth. There is nothing going which will not
return.

Decline: closed, stagnation

 13
Tongren / Fellowship

Fellowship
in the wilderness, blessings
the Great River may be crossed
favour the devotion of the junzi

There is a single Yin line within. The Fire trigram represents the fire of the
human heart, soft and receptive within, while clinging without. The Heaven
trigrams are spread over the single Yin line of the Earth, just as in the
wilderness.

…things cannot for ever decline, thus there follows

fellowship…

People may not be the same, but their Heavenly natures are one. If they wish to
be together, let them meet in the wilderness, at the borderline of Heaven and
earth; where they can meet with no fences or boundaries between them. As our
Heavenly natures unite, all directions are open. There is nothing that cannot be
overcome and blessings arrive. The Great River may be crossed when we are
one with the strength of Heaven. The Yang lines are vigorous and strong.

Heaven was originally a single unity,

But differences arose from our hearts.

The human heart is born in Heaven, but manifest in man. Thus the Heavenly
heart stands for principle, and when principle is shared there is Oneness. But the
human heart concerns the passions, and when we are selfishly possessed there
come ten-thousand differences. Therefore favour the devotion of the junzi.
The second and fifth lines are both centred and proper, like the junzi. True-
hearted people act to unite the minds of all under Heaven.

Their light clarifies principle and their vigour banishes selfishness.

Only selflessness reaches the depths of the self.
Then the differences of the heart disappear
And the Oneness of the Heavenly heart returns.

When walking the Path of fellowship, the devotion of the junzi is always
favourable. Where there is peace and order together, we can arrive at an age of
Great Oneness. The Fire trigram is empty within and enlightened as the human
heart. Heaven rising above Fire depicts our Heavenly nature, present within each
of us.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
fellowship at the gate, no blame The second line is split in two like a gate. This first line moves ahead to
meet the second. The world was originally a single unity but, because of gates, there arose separation and
differences. Together at the gate, we see the sameness in each other’s hearts and gradually forget the
differences.

Even though we may not be sharing everything,

There is little selfishness and thus no blame.

The gate stands open and the second line is properly centred, so it is fitting for
both lines to join together.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
fellowship as a clan, regret This second line is centred and proper, and along with the first and third forms a
clan. It approaches them and they form together. This is not to be self-seeking, but the second line ought to
respond to the fifth in the honoured position above. Its duty is to give up its close attachments to follow
Heaven alone, but instead it stays among its own clan.

You ought to respond to the one in an honoured position above – to give up

your friends and follow the mandate of Heaven. But instead you stay within, in
the fellowship of your own clan. Although not selfishly done, this is not in
accord with principle. It implies regret.

Being centred and proper, but not responsive,

Is this the devotion of the heart?
Water belongs to Earth, its trigram formed from the central line of Heaven
entering the Earth. Fire clings to the heavens, its trigram formed from the central
line of Earth entering into Heaven. Thus Earth is the clan of Water, while
Heaven forms the clan of Fire. This line stays with its own clan within.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
hiding your weapons in the undergrowth
you climb a high hill
for three years, lying low The clinging Fire gives the idea of armour and weapons. The Wind implies
covering and hiding something. It also stands for bushes and undergrowth, all blown by the wind. This third
line changes to form the Mountain, to climb a high hill.

You are hiding your weapons solely for your own protection and climb a
high hill in order to spy out the land. But there is no justification for your
actions. You do not even have the strength to fight. So for three years you are
lying low. Yet even this is unnecessary action.

To be in fellowship with people is to avoid fighting.

But to fight in fellowship –
This is not as good as staying apart!

Three is the number corresponding to the Fire trigram. The second line is the
only Yin line in the hexagram. The third wants to join together with the second
and form a clan, but it fears competition from the honoured fifth above. It hides
its weapons to protect the second and climbs the hill to spy out for the fifth. But
it has not the right to unite with the second and not the strength to fight with the
fifth. There is timidity and fear of the fifth and so no misfortune. This action is
unnecessary.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
mount the ramparts
do not attack, good fortune The distinguishing Fire implies separation, the idea of ramparts. There is one in
your path, obstructing you, so you mount the ramparts. But do not fight them to gain an advantage. It is not
that your strength is insufficient – you simply do not have justification for a battle. Thus do not attack.

Return to spending time with yourself and follow the Heavenly principle.
Then there comes good fortune. In being together with people, it is best to be
reasoned and unemotional. Be principled, and act calmly.

If you fight to be one, you cause separation.

If you follow principle and do not fight separation, You may become one
and find fellowship.
 and find fellowship.

The true devotion of fellowship is none other than following the harmony of
Heavenly principle.
This fourth line stands above, mounting the ramparts. It wants to join with
the second Yin but the third stands between them. So it mounts the ramparts,
meaning to attack. But though the union of the third and second is improper, the
fourth’s behaviour is also improper. Do not attack.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
fellowship, first weep and wail, then laugh!
the great multitude are ready to meet Fellowship is paired with Great Possession (14) which also refers to
the great multitude. They both have five Yang lines which suggest the multitude. The Fire trigram is hollow
like an eye, so they are ready to meet. However, to penetrate the will of all under heaven is not the work of
a single day. If the people are divided amongst themselves, even loud and fervent shouts will not bring them
together. In fellowship first weep and wail, then gradually there is communication. When we are one at
heart, what is the need for words? So then we laugh! If you follow this path, the great multitude are ready to
meet.

To be one in fellowship in the wilderness

Is to be one amidst the grandeur of Heaven.
Needless to say, there are blessings:
The Great River may be crossed.
We join together on the true Path
As all is at last revealed!

The harshness of Heaven implies metals, which weep and wail when struck. The
moaning Wind also suggests wailing. This line changes to form the Marsh,
which has an open mouth so it laughs. All these depict emotion. The fourth is
strong in a weak position but the fifth is vigorous, hard and properly centred. It
responds to the proper second and thus completes the work. The second now
abandons its clan to follow the fifth above. The first comes out of the gate and
joins it, the third leaves its weapons hidden and the fourth does not attack. In this
fashion, the great multitude are ready to meet. The true Path of Fellowship is
found in this line.
NINE AT THE TOP
fellowship in the countryside
no remorse The countryside suggests an area away from the town, where there are few to be friends with.
This top line is alone in the country. Yet we may still speak of fellowship – for there remains something
with which we may unite. Although people are all different, the Heaven within their hearts is the same. As
in The Well (48), take from here and pour over here, but the well remains the same.
 Unite with the Heaven within
Dwelling in its wide expanses.
In solitary silence and emptiness,
You are able to discover the Path
Which completes humanity’s goal.

Even though there are none around to unite with, there is still fellowship. This is
true devotion – to be in the country, away from the world, your whereabouts
unknown! Yet you remain one, all-knowing and without remorse. You succeed
in being one – not for just a moment but for ten-thousand generations!
The Heaven trigram suggests the open sky, the wilderness and frontier. The
great multitude all together met at the fifth line, while this top line stands above
and alone. It inhabits the countryside.
 14
Dayou / Great Possession

Great Possession
the source of the blessings In Fellowship (13), the Fire is beneath like the heart of man. Now the Fire is
above, representing the ruler’s heart, bright and shining as the sun in the sky.

Just as the sun casts its light down onto the earth and all the ten-thousand
creatures flourish in response so, as the ruler’s heart is enlightened, it associates
with the greatest of all people and things.

...through fellowship with others, things are sure to work

out; hence there follows great possession…

When what you possess is great it must be governed by the great Path. As
goodness is found in a gentle heart, there arrives sincerity and you touch the
source of the blessings.

The power of Heaven lies within you,

And an Age of Peace unravels without.
Preserve this abundance
And put all to good use.
Harness the powers of true people
Who live within your realm.
Follow this Path when governing great possession.

The fifth line is the only Yin line in the hexagram. Tender and open to the Yang
lines it accommodates their original vigour. The goodness of Heaven allows it
sincerity and strength. The Yang lines cherish its intimacy and stand in awe of
its gentle strength.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
not associating is harmful, nothing to blame
persevere, then no blame This first line is strong in a lower position. Quite properly it is not associating with
the fifth above, so does not share in the wealth of its position. This may well prove harmful. Yet, because of
the time and place, there is nothing to blame. The fifth would prefer to relate, but the first does not want to
get involved because of the poverty of its position. This is correct behaviour. There may well be harm, but
there is nothing to blame.

However, when this line changes to Yin it forms the bending Wind. You
may have a faltering heart and, if you change course, blame will arise. Be severe
in conquering your feelings and hold fast to the poverty of your position.

Cultivate the fear of incurring harm.

Persevere, and there will be no blame.

This line must persevere in self-renunciation. If it has a change of heart, blame

may immediately arise.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the great carriage loaded with somewhere to go
no blame The sky of Heaven being circular like a wheel and also vigorous suggests a carriage. In Great
Possession the several Yang lines all associate with the single Yin, ruling above. Your responsibility lies in
bringing the wisest and most talented people together. But they must first be accommodated by a minister
who can present them to the ruler. Then they can be put to use. This is the way your work benefits the
world.

When the wise combine forces and cooperate, It is as if you had a vehicle
to assist you.
The great carriage is piled high
And loaded with somewhere to go!

The situation provides a weighty responsibility and you are moving to a distant
goal. But there is no danger and thus no blame.
The several Yang lines all associate with the single Yin ruling in the fifth
place. The second line responds to the fifth with a responsibility to bring all the
other lines before it. Good fortune is not mentioned as this merit is reserved for
the fifth.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the Duke makes an offering to the Son of Heaven
petty people are not capable of this The strength of Heaven stands for gold, jade or good horses: all used as
offerings. This third line also occupies a top position in a lower trigram. It suggests a Duke with abundant
offerings. This third line also occupies a top position in a lower trigram. It suggests a Duke with abundant
wealth which, if not used skilfully, will become a burden. Luckily being strong and proper, the third relates
to the fifth above, and makes an offering.

Wealth which cannot be skilfully used becomes a burden. Now your wealth
is not kept personal but distributed to others. Thus the Duke makes an offering to
the Son of Heaven. This will do no harm. Petty people act selfishly and are
incapable of sharing with others, so who knows what will become of them?

Use some of what you possess

To make an appropriate offering.

This line speaks of the difficulties in handling possession. Fire, being brilliant,
suggests a King or Duke. As the upper trigram is Fire, it signifies the Emperor or
Son of Heaven. This third line also changes to form Fire, which in this case
stands for the Duke. If it changes it also forms Separation (38), which contains
the image of people being not capable.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
deny your own prosperity, no blame This fourth line sits over two Heaven trigrams and is close to the fifth.
It may easily become overpowering. Your wealth may grow too great, which could be harmful to the
person. Therefore deny your own prosperity and surrender to others. Submit to the will of the people and
there can be no blame.

This is to return to the deeds of the sages.

To renunciate selflessly what you possess
Is to be skilful at maintaining it!

This line dwells in a gentle position and the substance of Fire lends clarity so it
is capable of surrender. The third offers its wealth to the ruler, while the fourth
renunciates its own accomplishments to be selfless. Both show the way to be
skilful in handling possessions.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
thy own faith, like intimacy, like awesome power
good fortune The single yielding fifth line gains the centre and all the firm Yang lines respond to it. This is
to possess all their greatness. Gentleness possesses a strength of its own – humility and emptiness – and
only this line is empty. The faith of the whole hexagram is its own. As high and low find each other, they
unite as good friends. Others observe your humility and you find intimacy with each one of them. This is an
awesome power.

As you relate only to the true-hearted,

The small-minded cannot intervene.
 The small-minded cannot intervene.
Evil suppressed the good flourishes.

When you act in this way, others cherish your intimacy and an awesome power
shines forth. Others cherish this intimacy and are in awe of it. This is the good
fortune.
The first line is distant from the possession, while the second accumulates it.
The third transcends the possession while the fourth denies it. This fifth provides
the faith. It causes each of the other lines to cherish its intimacy and revere its
power. The other lines find no blame, whilst the fifth alone finds good fortune.
They are actually one and the same.
NINE AT THE TOP
grace from heaven
good fortune, nothing unfavourable The several Yang lines follow beneath the fifth like his ministers but
this line treats them all as friends. The top Yang lies above the fifth, beyond any position, and removed
from the world, so honoured as a sage.

This is to honour and follow a teacher or sage. The sages lie beyond any
position, away from the human world, so your faith in them must be even more
profound. A sage possesses the Heavenly heart and to honour him is to accord
with its will. Grace will descend from Heaven. What good fortune could be
greater? Here there is nothing unfavourable.

Virtue originally lay in the mandate of Heaven.

But the mandate of Heaven is obtained
Just through being the right person!

As the faith of the fifth rises to the topmost position, it becomes even more
profound. Just as Fellowship (13) exhausts the whole capacity of human nature,
so Great Possession may fulfil its ultimate destiny.
 15
Qian / Humility

Humility
blessings
the junzi possesses completion

The Mountain is still within and the Earth is receptive without. To be still within
and receptive without: this is true humility. The mountain may reach high above,
but its roots lie deep within the earth.

…but when possessing greatness one must not be too

forceful; hence there follows humility…

In walking the Path and dealing with people, there is nothing better than
possessing humility. Put yourself beneath others and there is nothing you cannot
reach. This is the way to find blessings.
The junzi has a superior talent which can easily become overbearing. With a
merit which is great, one may simply be arrogant, and this creates troubles, for it
is difficult to see things through to the end.

Simply be empty and surrender,

Possessing without abiding.

In this way, without showing your virtue, it grows loftier each day and without
being aggressive, your work reaches far.

The more you lower yourself,

The more you are honoured.
The more you obscure yourself
 The more you obscure yourself
The more you shine!

The junzi holds on to Heavenly principle and surrenders to an inner lord. By

these means he possesses completion. He delights in Heaven without competing.
He turns within himself and withdraws, yielding to others without being proud
or boastful.
To be still within and receptive without is humility. The hexagram Humility
evolves as the third line of The Creative (1) enters into The Receptive (2). This
line typifies the actions of a junzi. The solidity of both the Earth and the
Mountain bring completion.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
humbly, humbly the junzi crosses the Great River
good fortune

The junzi, with the utmost humility, manages the great task of crossing the Great
River. A gentle line occupying a lowly place, is doubly humble. Others delight
in being with you and there is great good fortune.

Never weary of being humble in heart,

Nor tire yourself of reverence.

Through submitting yourself constantly to others they delight in your company.

And if to cross through danger in this way brings good fortune, how much more
so does this happen in other circumstances!
When this first line changes to form Fire, it signifies the elegance displayed
by the junzi. Water stands for the Great River while hollow Fire is a boat, and
the river may be crossed.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
crying out about humility
devotion, good fortune

This second line changes to form the trigram Wind, which stands for a cockerel,
crying out. You delight in telling of the goodness of others and also speak out
loudly of your own humble surrender. Although boasting of humility is close to
conceit, you put yourself properly beneath the wise – for the good of them all!

If you love from the bottom of your heart,

You cannot help but speak out.
 You cannot help but speak out.

You act wholeheartedly, in loving goodness. Heaven is with you and there is
good fortune.
The line is gentle and properly devoted, receiving the third and responding to
the fifth. Understanding deeply the toil of the third, its heart also surrenders. This
line wants the fifth to know the toil of the third and also of its own humble
surrender, so it cries out, signifying both achievements.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
toiling in humility, the junzi possesses completion
good fortune

The hexagram Humility has only a single Yang line and the other Yin lines
depend on it. It toils hard, managing to serve the ruler above while benefiting the
people below.

The toil may be bitter, but the achievement is high.

Toiling in humility, you possess completion.

You refuse to take credit for the toil or dwell on its success – which is to display
the highest virtue and reverence. There is good fortune.
This third Yang line is among the Yin, serving the ruler above and the people
below. Thunder is a galloping horse and the Earth is a carriage. The horse and
carriage gallop over the mountains and rivers, shown by the Mountain and the
Water. Their toil is bitter, although their achievement is high. The ruling fifth is
gentle and this third line, as its minister, is firm so with both achievement and
fame intact its gain may be excessive. This is a worry for the true-hearted
person, represented in this firm line. But the Mountain knows to stop and
Thunder knows to fear, meaning this line refuses to acknowledge either its toil or
its success.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
nothing unfavourable, demonstrating humility

This fourth line is doubly gentle and quite capable of demonstrating humility. In
lifting the hand or moving the feet, everything is demonstrating humility.
Neither your virtue nor your merit are equal to those around you, so it is correct
for you to be demonstrating humility.

Though remaining below you shine,

 Though remaining below you shine,
And ascend above through your lowliness!

Riding on a firm line beneath, it is fitting for this line also to be humble. The
Mountain stands still above and the broad Earth below. This line changes to
form the Wind, which is shifting and bending. The Marsh, the youngest
daughter, is full of joy. Located between the sage ruler in the fifth and the wise
minister in the third, nothing is unfavourable in this line demonstrating humility.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
not using your riches to influence the neighbours
an invasion favourable, nothing unfavourable!

The fifth line is Yin and empty, so it does not use either the strength of its
position or its wealth. The Earth stands for the multitude while the Thunder
commands them. Yet humility cannot be forced. If you think yourself wealthy,
but put on a humble exterior this is hypocrisy. On the other hand, if you dare not
consider your own riches but pretend to be humble it is denial.

Not using your riches is to

Unconsciously forget your own wealth,
For without striving to be humble,
You effortlessly become humble.

In this fashion all offer their services and the multitude will follow you alone.
With the army devoted and a superior man in charge, an invasion is favourable.
Nothing is unfavourable!
With an empty centre the fifth line is able to command the multitude of Yin
lines and entrust them to the third. Thus without using its riches, it influences the
neighbours.
The idea of an invasion comes from the third line. Thunder is the eldest son,
or superior man. The fifth can use the third line as commander, the fourth to
demonstrate humility, the second to cry out and make music and the first to
humble itself to encourage learning. Along with their military success comes a
cultural enlightenment, simply through favourably influencing the neighbours.
The fifth line in Great Possession (14) does not possess what it has and so
possesses all the others. This fifth line in Humility makes no use of what it has
and so may use all the others. Great indeed is its humility.
SIX AT THE TOP
crying out about humility
 crying out about humility
favourable to march an army
in order to conquer city and state

This top line is in an extremely yielding position but it submits to the third
beneath, wishing to descend and follow it. The third lies in Thunder and the top
responds to it and cries out. City and state are both derived from the trigram
Earth. As this line is situated high above, it cries out about its own humility to
show its heart. Crying out about humility is showing the innate tendencies of
your heart.
Now you proceed to march an army because it is unavoidable. But you must
be humble enough to know when to stop! Make your intentions clear through
proclaiming them to the people of the city and state. Then when they hear you
cry out, they do not oppose being conquered and surrender of their own accord.

When the sages march an army in humility,

It is indeed another aspect of the Path!

The body of Humility is formed through the multitude following on the

command of the single Yang line. The fifth is in the position of ruler who can
invade all under heaven, while this top line is in the position of minister who can
only conquer his own city and state. In a yielding position it should never be
over-severe – so it cries out to announce its own humility, whilst taking on a
vigorous task. In Harmony (16) to march an army is favourable as one yields
and moves; now in Humility to march an army is favourable as one yields and
stops. The blessings and good fortune of humility are known to all, the only
doubt is whether to march an army.
 16
Yu / Harmony

Harmony
favourable to establish feudal-lords
and to march an army

A single Yang lies in a commanding position and the Yin lines all follow. This is
the image of a feudal-lord marching his army. The feudal-lord serves the ruler.
When the ruler is in position, the people surrender of their own accord and the
state is filled with benevolence and respect. The great multitude are united in
heart and the army can be marched with success.

…when you can possess greatness and be humble with it,

there is sure to be enthusiasm; hence there follows
harmony…

The Earth trigram stands for the state, while the active Thunder gives the image
of a feudal-lord. The populous Earth also stands for the multitude, whilst
Thunder, the eldest son, stands over and commands them. The people are broad
in their views but one at heart. If the ruler is able to treat them as his own
children, there is prosperity and joy. His mind accords with theirs, all harm is
eradicated and they become yielding in their behaviour.
At this moment to appoint feudal-lords is to further the work of Heaven. A
state of harmony is quickly achieved.

Act in accord with Heavenly principle,

And it reveals the greatest harmony.
This is the highest music known to man.
Follow the Path of Heaven to enhance the affairs of man. You should make
every possible effort to further human relations.

This is the teaching of the sages,

To further the work of Heaven.
Nothing less and nothing besides!

When the three Yang lines ascend in Flourishing (11), the thundering force of
the springtime sounds forth, illustrating the harmony of the four seasons. The
single Yang line in Harmony lies in an authoritative position to illustrate the
harmony of position. For each of us to act in this manner is to accord with
principle in order to create the harmony of humankind.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
crying out, in harmony, misfortune

The first line responds to the single Yang above in Thunder, crying out. This is
the forced striving of someone weak. Their reward exceeds their share and they
become uncomfortable. Then they cry out complaining about their state, even
though in harmony.

There is no fullness without loss, nor pride without peril.

You cry out because you know misfortune is coming!

Being weak and neither centred nor proper in position, this line can only struggle
towards the source of the harmony.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
be solid as a rock
devoted, before the day’s end!
good fortune

This second line responds to the fifth, but they are separated by the fourth. If it
properly preserves its centre it will be able to be clear about rightness and profit.
Stand solid as a rock and your heart is settled. Then quiet gives birth to light –
and you will understand what to do.

Decisively detach from the pleasurable harmony.

If this is not done before the day’s end, it will drown you!
Be devoted before the day’s end and your virtue advances. Harm departs and
there can be good fortune.
The still Mountain suggests a rock. A second line before the end of the
trigram stands for before the day’s end. It is fitting for this line to seek the fourth
but also to preserve its central position. It may enjoy the harmony of the fourth,
but must also stand solid as a rock. If it does not firmly detach before the day’s
end, it will drown in the harmony.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
wide-eyed in harmony, repentance
delay furthers repentance

The third line is weak, and neither centred nor proper. It looks upwards and begs
from others and this is deeply shameful. It is fitting to repent but it has no
strength. If you clearly know you are in the wrong but carry on regardless, one
day there will be harm and the repentance comes too late.

Repent before it is too late.

In overcoming the self, value courage.

This line associates with the fourth above, craving its harmony. It should repent
but as it changes into the Wind, it hesitates and delays. This furthers the
repentance.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the cause of the harmony, the greatest gain
avoid suspicion, gather friends
like hair around a hair-pin

This fourth line is the cause of the harmony. A Yang line always means
greatness. You stand in a dominant position and your command prevails. Thus
you are taken as the cause of the harmony surrounding you. This must attract the
wise and talented who are brought to serve the ruler. Then there is the greatest
gain for all concerned.
It is only right to avoid suspicion and remain open-hearted for the sake of the
nation.

Advance the wise to bring all talents together.

Combine them in an orderly fashion,
Like hair gathered and twisted around a hair-pin.
In this fashion the state of the harmony you are enjoying is preserved.
The Earth gains friends as in The Receptive (2), so the single Yang strings
the five Yin together crosswise just like hair gathered around a hair-pin. Being
close to the ruling fifth, this line attracts people to it, who serve their ruler. This
is the greatest gain.
The perils of Water bring increased anxiety and suspicion. The jealousies
which arise, sharing a position close to the ruler, must be excluded.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
devotion in sickness
with constancy, no death

The fifth line is in the position of honour and it should join in the harmony. But
as the fourth is in command, it may not be able to join completely as it feels
something is lacking. Thus it should find constancy. Devotion will open the way
back to the source.
In a position of honour, it is fitting also to be in a state of harmony. But you
are unable to gain it completely and are sick at heart.

Yet even in sickness, remain aware.

Remain constant and you may learn devotion.
Much is born amidst care and sorrow!

Eliminate any pride or complacency and build on an increasing respect for the
world and its peoples. Was not The Book of Change born at a time of troubles!
Through suffering you may be reborn. Then in sickness, there is no death.
The perils of Water suggest heartache and sickness. The movement of the
Thunder implies a return to life.
SIX AT THE TOP
darkened harmony, complete it, change course
no blame

This is the last line in Harmony and finally the Yin lines lose their way. Yet any
movement to an extreme finds completion and you will change course. Sinking
and drowning in the harmony, you have lost your way and cannot return. The
harmony darkens and begins to fail.
However, one day there comes an awakening through repentance and the
sickness of a whole life is healed! You are able to complete it and change course.
When the sickness is over, it will heal.
 Through changing course, and avoiding ultimate blame
You can open to goodness at the end.

This top line is sinking and drowning in the harmony, but fortunately it also
embodies Thunder which precipitates a change. The first line cries out because
of the misfortune and must suppress evil at the beginning. The top line changes
course to avoid blame, opening to goodness at the end.
 17
Sui / Following

Following
the source of the blessings
favour devotion, no blame

The firm Thunder, the eldest son, lies beneath the gentle Marsh, the youngest
daughter, and he is content to follow her. In his heart he finds the source of the
blessings and understands devotion.

…harmony surely entails following; hence there arrives

following…

Following yields the greatest momentum of its time, for it is through following
that you gain a lord and direction. However, bending to follow another person or
situation, it is always easy to stumble and fall, thus incurring blame. There is the
danger of turning off the Path to follow the movement of the times. Act
impulsively and you may stray in search of fame.

Be rooted in benevolence and there will certainly be blessings;

Be devoted to rightness and you find favour.

In this manner you penetrate the world outside while, at the same time,
preserving yourself within.

In your actions, accord with principle;

Rejoice, being selfless and giving.
Follow only the good, to avoid the blame incurred in deviating from the Path.
Thunder contains the first Yang line of the Heaven trigram, finding the
source of the blessings. It concerns movement and action. The Marsh contains
the last Yin line of the Earth. It signifies joyful devotion.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
the senses change course
devotion, good fortune
go out of the gate to relate, success

The first Yang line in Thunder returns to create an inner lord. It suggests the
senses of the heart. The senses of the body change course to follow the senses of
the heart. When following act selflessly and the senses change course.

In cases such as these, esteem devotion.

Then you may follow Heavenly principle
Without the interference of human desire.
Follow the right, without thinking on gain,
And you change course whilst preserving fortune.

Yet you must also avoid being narrow-minded and inflexible. The second line is
open like a gate and the shape of the Mountain depicts a towered gateway. Go
out of the gate to relate to people without discrimination. Follow only the good
and you benefit all under heaven, not merely yourself. This is true success. Great
indeed is the timely meaning of following!
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE:
clinging to the little child,
you lose the adult.

Yang is great and Yin is small. The Yang lines are adults while the Yin lines are
children. This second line is weak and it becomes self-seeking.
Following properly signifies following from a position of strength. If you
walk behind others through weakness, this suggests clinging.

In following there is openness and no loss,

But clinging involves self-seeking and loss.

If you change course but without devotion misfortune may be predicted.

Ignorantly clinging to the little child, you are still distant from virtue.
 If this line foregoes the first strong line to follow the weak third ahead, it is
clinging to the little child.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
clinging to the adult
you lose the little child
following you find what you seek
favourable to dwell in devotion

This line clings to the Yang line above whilst it loses the Yin line below. This is
clinging to the adult and losing the little child. This is clinging to what should be
clung to and embodies the true meaning of following.
But there is a danger here. Nothing can debase the character as much as
seeking – for calamity may lurk in what we find.

But if nothing is sought and nothing gained,

How can this be called profit?
Because you do not take profit as profit,
But the rightness of the act as the profit.

The counsel is to dwell in devotion and seek neither fame nor profit. Preserve
the self to keep away from harm.
In Following each line draws on the line above. The second clings to the
third, and the third to the fourth. Thunder means to seek and the Mountain
dwells in devotion. The fourth gains a proper position close to the ruler and this
line follows it. Therefore it finds what it seeks.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
following for gain, devotion, misfortune
have faith, follow the true path!
understand clearly, then what blame could there be?

The fourth line is near the ruling fifth, which it follows. This is a Yang line, full
of faith and Thunder is a great road, like the Path.

When you follow one ahead, let there be faith.

Keep the heart simple without expecting favours.

These words describe the source of the blessings mentioned in the hexagram
text. For gain is what the people covet, but gain should not be the rule. If you
follow consistently for gain, it will bring misfortune. It is not the following
which brings the blame, but how you go about it!

When serving, follow the true Path!

This means finding each other through propriety,
Through understanding not through acquiescence.

This is the favourable devotion mentioned in the hexagram text. Discern the way
ahead clearly and you may grasp the true meaning of following. Then what
blame can there be? The following is the same – but between openness and
hypocrisy, following for rightness or gain, the gap is so very fine. Discern it
clearly and act with care.
The still Mountain brings brilliance and clear thinking. This line bends like
the Wind to follow its ruler. The joy comes from the playful Marsh.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
having faith in excellence
good fortune

This fifth line is centred and proper, and it responds to the proper second. They
act with mutual trust, having faith in excellence. Yet in a position of authority,
following may be fraught with difficulty. Being self-righteous you may not deem
it necessary to consult others. On the other hand, if you lack an inner lord, you
may be wavered by opinion.

Therefore have faith in excellence.

Be open but without clinging to opinion,
Simply choose the best path and follow it.

This is to follow goodness alone – not any single world-view or opinion. Then
you may relate to the multitude with undoubted success. What good fortune
could be greater?
This is how the ruler follows the Path. It displays the correct attitude –
following goodness alone.
SIX AT THE TOP
tightly clinging and firmly bound
the King makes an offering on Western Mountain

This line is at the top of Following and its position is precarious. It must follow
with a single-minded intent.
 Bind yourself closely with a single drawn knot
So that, tightly clinging and firmly bound,
You follow all your life without letting go!

Following does not value clinging unremittingly but there are times when one
has to cling. Such a time is when making offerings. The Path is not limited to
any one direction!
All the lines in Following follow the one above. But by the top line, there are
none left to follow. So it returns and clings to the fifth below. The position is
precarious and it must be firmly committed to the task. In ancient times,
although King Wen1 ruled over two-thirds of the kingdom, he still tightly clung
to the constraints of his life as a feudal-lord, offering up ancestral sacrifices on
Western Mountain. He was as firmly bound to the spirits as he was to being a
ruler.

1 c. 1150 BCE.
 18
Gu / Corruption

Corruption
the source of the blessings
favourable to cross the Great River
before the start, three days
after the start, three days The hexagram Corruption has evolved from Flourishing (11). Heaven starts to
alter into the bending Wind as a Yin line enters from below – so it becomes weak. The Earth trigram stalls
like the Mountain, unable to cope. Let the Wind find again the Yang of Heaven, and the Mountain move on
to Thunder.

…for those who enjoy following will surely find work to do;
but then there comes corruption…

The state of peace has become ruined, through eventually becoming weakened
and corrupt. What was flourishing is now in decline. It is your duty to turn back
from this path to eliminate the corruption. This is how you recover the source of
the blessings.
Blessings come through being vigorous within whilst raising up and
supporting the weak. This is the transformation accorded the weak by the strong.
Now surely it is favourable to cross the Great River as by stimulating those who
have faltered you are able to get them moving again. The movement of Heavenly
vigour is unceasing.

Those responsible for matters in the world

Match the movement of Heaven.
They erase any sign of change which may lead to weakness.
Then the corruption will never appear!
Matching the movement of Heaven, corruption may be prevented. Therefore
before the start, allow three days; after the start, allow three days. It is crucial to
choose the moment to act.

The Inner World diagram

In the Inner World diagram, the third trigram before Heaven is Thunder, in
which the Yang has its start. The third trigram after Heaven is the Mountain, in
which the Yang movement comes to an end. Therefore before the start, three
days, after the start, three days. In such a manner is the strength of Heaven
unceasing.
Use the rousing Thunder to match the vigour of Heaven. Then you erase the
vacillation of the Wind and avoid stalling as the Mountain. Then it is as if the
corruption was never present.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
overcome a father’s corruption, by having a son
the parent, no blame
hardship, good fortune This first line is weak, yet the corruption is still overcome for it has not gone on
long. As the father and mother grow old, a son or daughter in the family take over their affairs. A father and
a son form one body, and if the son is capable of overcoming his father’s corruption, it will disappear.

But if there is corruption to be straightened out, there will also be hardship.

Because you fear your own father’s feelings may be hurt, your heart is in
turmoil. Yet finally even this is overcome.

Your parents are blameless.

Ultimately you are relieved of the hardship,
And there must be good fortune!

In the Outer World diagram the Mountain trigram, the youngest son, and the
Wind trigram, the eldest daughter, both oppose their mother and father in Earth
and Heaven. All the lines in Corruption are shown confronting and overcoming
a parent’s corruption.

The Outer World diagram

NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE

overcome a mother’s corruption
be not too devoted This second line responds to the fifth, which is gentle and honoured like a mother. It is a
firm line, and through confronting her overcomes the corruption.

A woman’s nature is such that she is influenced more through her emotions
than reason. She is moved more covertly than overtly. Thus in overcoming a
mother’s corruption, do not be too devoted to your thinking. Yield and blend
with her peaceably and manoeuvre – that her faults may be overcome.

Devotion may not be too straightforward.

This being the case, remain skilfully devoted!

The gentle Wind is used to circumvent within the confines of the situation. Thus
it remains skilfully devoted. Skilled devotion is not blind devotion.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
overcome a father’s corruption
a little remorse, no great blame This third line is doubly strong and not centred. It is also a moving line in
the Thunder trigram. It cannot help revealing its father’s faults. In this situation there is bound to be a little
remorse, but no great blame. Recognise which is important.

Rather accept a little remorse

Than incur and suffer great blame.

This line is over-direct in its actions and cannot help revealing its father’s faults.
It may well suffer a little remorse but no great blame.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
tolerate a father’s corruption
wherever you go, see regret!
This fourth line is doubly weak and not central in position. It is afraid of change
for fear of making the situation worse. You dare not overcome your father’s
corruption and would rather tolerate it, trying to explain away and cover up his
faults and feelings – without confronting them.

When the signs of decay are evident,

Wherever one goes, one sees regret!
Now you wish to cover up the corruption
But you make it plainer than ever!

The junzi prefers the remorse of the strong third to the regret of the weak fourth.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
overcome a father’s corruption
thereby fame The fifth line is yielding but in a strong position. Also as it is centred, it overcomes any
corruption. Now your movements are well-timed. You show no trace of over-extending yourself – only the
goodness of a continuous communication with all concerned. Not only does your father escape blame, but
thereby there also arrives some fame.

Correcting his faults without disgracing his reputation, This is how a son
should treat a father!

In this situation any advance and retreat are well timed.

NINE AT THE TOP
not serving either king or feudal-lord
your service is lofty and noble The fifth line occupies the position of honour like a King. The third line in
Thunder is the feudal-lord. This top line is above them both, thus not serving either King or feudal-lord.

A time of corruption is a time of crisis. Now you occupy a position away

from the world with no immediate influence – not serving either a King or
feudal-lord. How does this come about? Because you serve something higher.

All corruption is either corruption of relationship, Or else corruption of the

heart.
Corruption of relationship is of the moment – But the corruption of the
heart rests ten-thousand generations!

You remain serene, above mundane affairs, scrupulously detached from the
show of the world. This is not to deal with the corruption of the moment but the
corruption of ten-thousand generations!
 Whilst others take serving as service,
I take not-serving as service.
The service of not-serving is the noblest of all!
Indeed how fitting!!

The lofty Wind signifies something high. This line is well above the Wind, on
the Mountain, far from the busy traffic of the world – its service serene, its
sentiment noble and its temperament divine.
 19
Lin / Approach

Approach
the source of the blessings, favour devotion
come the eighth moon, misfortune The two Yang lines advance and approach the Yin. This is an approach
based upon propriety and virtue. The four Yin lines descend and approach the Yang. This is an approach
based upon position. Yin and Yang interchange, they wax and wane.

…corruption signifies entering into service…when you are

in service, afterwards you can grow; hence there follows an
approach…

In the order of the natural world we have the Four Seasons, which reflect the
Four Virtues of the source, the blessed, the favourable and human devotion. In
the world of Heavenly nature, there is always a source, which brings blessings.
All we need is to time our human devotion.
In approaching the people to rule over them, it is well to emulate the powers
of Heaven.

Nourish them with a human heart,

And it brings about blessings.
Correct them with a righteousness
Which is based upon human devotion.

Discern clearly the course and destiny of Heaven, and the pattern of the waxing
and waning Yin and Yang. As you approach people, there may well come
misfortune, so prepare for it beforehand. It will come at the eighth moon, at the
beginning of autumn, not before. Therefore prepare for it and you may turn aside
the course of Heaven.

Follow the Heavenly Path in order To attain the utmost through human
effort.
As you help to exhaust the destiny of Heaven, The world may be governed
without chaos.
This is the ultimate rule in approaching people!

The rousing Thunder brings originating blessings. With the receptive Earth it is
favourable to be devoted. As the second moon approaches, the Yang is waxing
and the Yin waning. But come the eighth moon, the Yin advances and the Yang
finds misfortune. The course of Heaven is displayed in the natural order of the
four seasons.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
a united approach
devotion, good fortune This first Yang line lies at the bottom, joining with the second line to approach the
four Yin lying above. Out of position, it cannot force them to submit but must influence them solely
through its firm propriety.

Occupying a lowly position, you cannot force others to submit. You must
understand how to influence through firmness and propriety. This is to make a
united approach.

As the heart is proper, others will trust.

When actions are proper others will follow.
Make yourself proper and all things are proper.

Influence through a proper position comes, above all, from being committed to a
united approach. Eventually all respond, as your devotion brings good fortune.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
a united approach
good fortune, nothing unfavourable The second and first lines unite in the same virtue, to approach the Yin
above. Man is born in a central position, lying midway between Heaven and earth. If we influence each
other from a correspondingly central position, all our actions bring a fortunate response.

As we uphold our centre in dealing with people, Everything will turn out
favourable.

Devotion is not mentioned here because being centred, everything must be

proper.
The first line uses propriety to approach the Yin lines, while the second uses
its position. In The Observing (20) the upper Yang lines are centred and proper,
observing the whole world. In Approach the lower Yang lines are centred and
proper, influencing the whole world. Their positions are different but the method
is the same.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
a sweet-talking approach, nothing favourable
already concerned beforehand, no blame The third line is weak, and neither centred nor proper. Directly
next to two strong Yang lines, it is not their equal – while its position is above them. It is concerned the
lines may not submit. It tries to use sweet-talk to please them.

But to use words in this fashion is never favourable. However, as you are
already concerned about this beforehand, simply strengthen the spirit and
substantiate the words. Then there will be no blame.

In our dealings with people,

Loving goodness is always best.
There is no need to appease others.

This is an open line, the mouth of the Marsh, which uses sweet-talk to please
others. The resounding Thunder brings apprehension and fear, so this line is
concerned about the matter beforehand.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the ultimate approach
no blame As this fourth line is Yin and empty, it may appear insufficiently sincere. But fortunately it uses
the gentle propriety of its position to respond to the firm and proper first line below. Its feelings and
intentions are utterly truthful. This is the ultimate in making an approach. Without using sweet-talk and
truthful in speech, it does not waver from its position.

You follow the truth loyally,

Discarding all elegance to return to substance.
This is to remain blameless!

This is to judge the situation accordingly. This line is utterly truthful, which is
the ultimate approach.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a wise approach, befitting the great ruler
good fortune This fifth line is gentle and centred, responding to the firm and centred second line below.
With clear vision, it unites the wisdom of all people in the world. This encompasses the bounds of great
 With clear vision, it unites the wisdom of all people in the world. This encompasses the bounds of great
wisdom, befitting a great ruler.

No virtue could be more honoured.

There must be good fortune.

Intelligent foresight makes this ruling line capable of a wise approach. It

understands the view of the second and trusts it, following its advice.
SIX AT THE TOP
a genuine approach
good fortune, no blame This top line changes to form the Mountain which has its roots deep within the
earth. The Earth trigram sustains all things in depth. By the summit of the hexagram virtue has accumulated
in depth, which is to make a genuine approach. The depths of virtue are reached and all people under
heaven are transformed! What good fortune could be greater? That which is genuine will be long-lasting
and never fade away. There is no blame.

The ways of approach vary according to position: To unite is to make a

swift approach,
To be genuine is to make it long-lasting.
To be wise is to make an enlightened approach, While the ultimate is to be
sincere.
To use sweet-talk is to make a detrimental approach.
The ways of approach are thus made clear.

The hexagram Approach speaks of teaching and protecting the people without
bounds. The Path varies according to the lines but the way to make a proper
approach is clear.
 20
Guan / The Observing

The Observing
cleansed but not yet offered
have faith, like awe The hexagram The Observing is formed as the Mountain trigram doubles up, like the
gate-towers to a native palace or temple. The two Mountain trigrams suggest a pair of holding hands, and
the gentle Wind stands for purity. The hands have been washed clean before the sacrifice. The Mountain
also means to stop and be still, implying that the offering at the sacrifice has not yet occurred.

The inner spirit of man is revealed at the arrival of subtle respect – just as it
happens in the atmosphere of a sacred place, deep within the palace or temple.

Those beneath observe those above,

Not regarding their faces but their hearts;
Those above manifest themselves to those below,
Not through their faces, but through the spirit within.
Their appearances are seen and observed;
But the unseen and unchanging goes unobserved.

…approach signifies growth…as things grow so afterwards

they can be observed; hence there follows the observing…

At that moment, we look upward and observe the ritual in silence. We take up
our positions in awe, in reverence and sincerity, without realising why we do so.

Truly the proper fellow does not act, yet is respected, He does not speak,
yet is trusted.
Through reverence and sincerity,
The whole world is brought to peace.
 The whole world is brought to peace.

Now each of us has had our heart opened and is observing. We have performed
the ritual cleansing but not yet the offering at the sacrifice. Now there is such
faith, it turns to awe.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
youthful observing
the lesser people, no blame
the junzi, regret The Mountain is the youngest son, thus youthful observing. Ignorant of any further
responsibility, the people in the far-off regions yield to the rule of the Emperor. This is only natural for
lesser people, so what blame can they incur? But a junzi must observe the ways of government and know its
virtue.

For what you see in the ruler today,

You see in the people tomorrow.

Ignoring this fact will surely bring regret. Much is expected of the junzi when
observing!
This first line is Yin and at the bottom of the hexagram like people living in
the overgrown wilderness, distant from the capital. They find peace in their
lesser style of simplicity and ignorance.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
observing, peeking out
favourable for the devotion of the woman The still Mountain suggests a gate but the solid Earth blocks it
up. This second line is soft and proper, and can only peek out. It has not the strength to advance and so
becomes trapped, peeking out from within. This is like a woman at home, peeking out from behind her
door.

Sagely virtue permeates all things and the Path of peace spreads throughout.
Yet you hide in a corner, like a narrow-minded scholar, and see only the
pettiness of things, not their greatness!

To act in a petty fashion is regrettable.

This second line properly responds to the fifth, but is doubly gentle and does not
advance openly. This kind of devotion is only favourable for a woman – one
who stays at home.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
observing your own life
advancing or retreating This line is weak but in a strong position and so wants to advance. However, as the
Mountain stands in its way it also thinks of retreat. Being under the bending Wind, it does neither and
 hesitates.

Always take the time to observe your own life: all that you are and all that
you create. Advancing or retreating, watch your movements closely. There is no
need to be over-concerned at their timing – it is enough simply to decide whether
to advance or retreat.

If the task is complete, then advance to enhance your learning, If talent is

insufficient, then retreat to sharpen your skills.
Either enables you to advance further.

To observe in this way, without compromising fame or success is the path of the
junzi.
This line hesitates and takes the time to observe its own life. Because the
fifth is centred and proper, there is no need to be concerned over how and when
it moves.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
observing the brilliance of the country!
favourable to be a guest to the King This line lies close by the honoured fifth so it basks in the radiance of
its court, unlike the youthful first or the peeking-out second.

The brilliance of the country is the same as the brilliance of the court! All the
worthy and enlightened assemble, and it is fitting to advance and not to retreat. It
is favourable to be a guest to the King.

Bring forth what you have learned

As a guest at the King’s court.
This is to put your skills into practice.
It can only be favourable!

The Earth suggests open country and the Mountain glistens above in brilliance.
This fourth line is close to the fifth, like a guest at court. The fifth is centred and
proper, observing all under heaven. Their ceremony and music, literature and
learning are splendid and fulfilling, so now the brilliance of the country comes
close to the brilliance of the court!
This line is the only line in The Observing which gains, observing above
from below.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
 observing your own life
the junzi, no blame The fifth line stands properly in a centred position, observed by all the lines below. The
Mountain is the image of a settled heart, so it turns within, not observing others but its own life.

You can transform those observing below, by observing the causes of your
own life. Observe yourself within and contemplate the events of your own life.
At no time neglect to seek the middle path and at all times act properly.

Never to blame others but to discipline oneself,

These are the accomplishments of the junzi.
All in power properly observe like this,
And thus transform without blame.

This line transforms those lines beneath it through observing the circumstances
of its own life.
NINE AT THE TOP
observing others’ lives
the junzi, no blame This top line lacks position and so goes unobserved. Advance and retreat have been
settled in the third, so neither has it the need to observe itself. The turmoil of the moment has passed and
settled. You need no longer observe yourself, so you are able to turn to watch others.

Keep a watch on the ruler’s conduct to see if he is proper in action and on the
people to see if there is the faith needed to transform them. To forget oneself for
the country in this fashion is to embody the expansiveness of one honourable in
faith. This is the work of the junzi. Those who observe like this will always
remain without blame.

It is hoped that you will be concerned when prosperous, And cautious

when you find yourself in the light.
Observe those beneath you and transform them,
Then neither of you suffer the harm of tearing apart!

The ruling fifth observes in grandeur, whilst the people observe below and are
transformed. But this line stands higher and alone, and to forget oneself in this
way is to escape blame. The Observing has great expectations of the individual.
The Yin lines are so powerful that if one Yang is lost, The Observing will turn
into Tearing Apart (23). Observe those beneath you and transform them. Then
you will not suffer the harm of tearing apart!

The Observing: contemplation
 21
Shihe / Biting Through

Biting Through
blessings
favourable to use punishment

In Biting Through the lines represent the shape of a pair of jaws, with the fourth
line stuck between them. As the jaws close together, they bite through and
eliminate the obstruction. The lines also depict the bars of a jail.
All the troubles under heaven arise from separation. Within the family or
state, evil gossip puts obstacles between us; whilst in the world it is obstinate
stubbornness which drives us apart. Both are like having something stuck
between the jaws so that they cannot come together.

…as you can observe so afterwards you can unite; hence

there follows biting through…

Bite through the obstruction. Bite through!

Get rid of what is between the jaws;
Once you can shut them, there are blessings!
This is why it is favourable to use punishment.

Get rid of gossip, and goodwill prevails. Get rid of obstinacy and government
and teaching penetrate the people. This is why it is favourable to use
punishment. If you are compassionate and magnanimous in using punishment,
you fulfil the people’s destiny. This is the essence of government.
The perilous Water sets a trap and Thunder, Water and the Mountain all
suggest something wooden. Being trapped by three bars of wood is the image of
a jail and punishment. Use the clarity of Fire to discover the causes of the
separation and the awesome Thunder to get rid of its ill effects.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
shoe-shackles, hiding the toes
no blame

Thunder suggests feet and this line is at the bottom like the toes. It is also the
wood which can be formed into shackles. The shackles only hide the toes, which
means they are small. The first line is not yet deeply in trouble. When you halt a
mistaken action at the very beginning, the punishment is only small.

A slight punishment to serve as a great warning!

For both the punisher and the punished, there is no blame.

As this line comes forward, riding on the Thunder it meets the Mountain and
halts.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
biting through skin, hiding the nose
no blame

This second line is doubly soft and far from the gristle of the fourth, suggesting
skin. Skin is soft and easy to bite through so your teeth sink in until your nose is
all but covered up. This is a picture of enforcing the law against one who easily
submits.

The truth is revealed in a single question.

There is not the blame of prolonged imprisonment.

The Mountain is the nose. This line uses the virtues of being centred and proper
to enforce the law. There is nothing to be blamed for in this behaviour.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
biting through cured meat, finding poison
a little regret, no blame

This third line is also soft and near the gristle of the fourth, resembling meat.
Fire suggests the sun, which has cured it. The meat has been cured but kept too
long. It is old and has gone bad. This is like finding poison or confronting a
long-standing legal dispute, where there is rancour, stinging suspicion and
doubts.

Perhaps there is slander or a little regret.

But you must only seek out the truth!

Eventually the deep grievances on both sides are resolved and the prolonged
dispute will end. Then there is no blame.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
biting on dried gristle
getting the metal of the arrow
favourable to persevere in devotion, good fortune

This hard line in a yielding position is like the gristle around the bone. Fire
suggests the sun, which has dried it. The central line of Water is like the metal
shaft of an arrow. You bite on dried gristle and find the metal of an arrow. It has
lodged there, close to the bone.
Dried gristle is tough to chew, like a legal dispute where you grapple with
strong and intractable opponents, who possess both position and wealth.

Stand firm without fear of being overpowered.

Straight as the metal of an arrow
Which does not alter its aim.

Having antagonised a strong opponent you must be prepared for setbacks and
resolved to seek out the most fitting solution. Steadfastly uphold the law, without
being either shaken or intimidated. Eventually the obstructions clear, while both
you and your reputation are preserved intact. Then there is good fortune.
Water implies flying fowl, and the weapons of Fire and Thunder mean they
are shot at. The arrow-head becomes lodged in the bone.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
biting through dried meat, finding yellow gold
devotion, hardship, no blame

This fifth line is yielding like soft meat and dried through the Fire. Yellow gold
is again an arrow left in the flesh. Yellow is the colour of the mean, suggesting
the fifth line. Biting through dried meat gives the image of striving to enforce
prison sentences which have already been set. Finding yellow gold implies not
using force, but coming from the position of the mean. Remain in devotion,
despite the hardship.

If you act with mercy the punishment ends,

For punishment puts an end to the need for punishment.
Neither then is there any need for blame.

The fourth line perseveres in devotion, like a minister executing the law. This
fifth line finds devotion during hardship, like a benevolent ruler above the law.
NINE AT THE TOP
wearing shackles, hiding the ears
misfortune

The top line stands at the head of the hexagram while the Fire trigram is hollow,
like a tree, the wood of which is made into shackles. This suggests the shackles
are worn over the head, hiding the ears. If they hide the ears you are deaf to the
cries of others which suggests a harsh inquisition which can turn brutal. In this
case both punisher and punished suffer the misfortune.

Severe punishment lacks the heart of compassion.

Tyrannical states have never come to a good end.

This top line is the last in Fire. It possesses the utmost clarity and is firm but not
centred. This is why there comes the misfortune. The second enforces the law
lightly with merit while the third enforces the law forcefully but without harm.
The fourth is firm while the fifth is centred and compassionate. The first incurs
only a slight penalty but the top acts severely and suffers a misfortune. Use
discernment in following either of these lines.

Biting Through: enforcement
 22
Bi / Adornment

Adornment
blessings
in small matters, favourable to act This hexagram has evolved from Flourishing (11). A Yin line from the
top of the Earth trigram enters into the middle of Heaven to fashion Fire, which is the weak coming down to
enrich and adorn the strong. In addition, a Yang line from the middle of the Heaven trigram travels to the
top place in Earth to fashion the Mountain, which is the strong arising to invigourate and adorn the weak.
Both are illustrations of adornment.

…biting through and uniting… but things should not be

thrown together and left at that; hence they are followed by
adornment...

When any object with substance in this world is cultured, it creates conditions
apt for adornment. The most typical situation is of gentleness and strength.
Gentleness softens and refines strength by making it more supple. Thus our
conduct is made more sincere and reverential.

In fellowship, virtue may prosper

And we are graced by blessings.

Similarly gentleness is given definition and guided by strength. Conduct is

humbled and made more allowing – and we are content to act in small matters.

We yield, although with no fixed purpose, Gaining harmony through

correct behaviour.

Then also there are blessings and, again in small matters, it is favourable to act.
 But for the junzi there is neither great nor small. He is never over-daring, nor
over-hesitant. For him, strength and weakness are two sides of the same coin. As
substance is cultured it becomes adornment – yet the junzi never loses touch,
either with the substance or the adornment.
Both Adornment and Corruption (18) derive from Flourishing (11). In
Adornment strength arises to culture the weak while the weak subsides to adorn
the strong; in Corruption strength falters and halts, unable to cope, while a
weakness enters in, and causes corruption from below.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
adorning your toes
abandon the carriage and walk A first line at the bottom refers to the toes. Neglecting your toes, you
abandon the carriage and walk. Since you walk, your toes may suffer but be confident that your conduct is
correct.

Honoring rightness and humility,

Neither wealth nor position;
This is the essence in creating adornment.

Travelling Water carries along like a carriage, but the settled Mountain means to
stop and abandon. This first line responds to the fourth and associates with the
second. The second is the determining line in the trigram. It wishes to use a
carriage to adorn the first, but the first does not respond. It turns down the offer
and prefers to walk.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
adorned, as a beard This second line has descended from the top position in Flourishing to form
Adornment. This depicts the gentle coming down to enrich the strong. This line is attached to the third as a
beard.

Gentleness enriches strength, not as something added to it but as something

attached and moving with it. This means it grows along with and follows it. This
is to act as a beard on a chin.

One is graceful in manners,

Which adorn the strength within.
This is never adornment
Adopted for its own sake.

When you grow a beard, in reality you are adorning the chin. This is something
involving culture, not as an empty gesture, but with substance. Forced elegance
is never the culture of the wise.
The third and top lines form the shape of a pair of jaws with this second line
attached beneath them like a beard.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
as if adorned, as if watered
everlasting devotion, good fortune This third line is doubly strong and two weak lines surround it, attaching
themselves and adorning it. Adorning is like watering. Although the gentle may enrich the strong, if there is
too much gentleness you will drown! Water can entrap as well as moisten. If your elegance reaches the
point of destroying its own substance you will drown and never escape.

Preserve your own strength and propriety Through maintaining everlasting

devotion.
Then there is the good fortune!

If the watering is done to enrich the person instead of to drown him, there comes
the good fortune.
The central line of the Water trigram, in a rich and fertile position, indicates
the splendour of a cultural enlightenment.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
as if adorned, as if bleached
like a white horse on wings
not a bandit, but a suitor!

Now the path of the adornment is changing. It grows plainer and appears as if
bleached. This weak fourth line associates with the strong third and they cross-
fertilise one another in mutual adornment. But it has already entered the body of
the still Mountain, and the cultural splendour is beginning to pale. Although
outwardly concerned with mundane matters, you live simply in the heart,
seemingly undecided as to whether to esteem culture or substance.
Yet help is coming. Like a white horse on wings, someone gallops with
speed to save you. Believe him not to be an intruder! He is one coming to your
aid. It is the first line which is coming as a white horse on wings. It refuses the
carriage of Water and mounts on the horse of Thunder, which has white hooves
and a blaze on its forehead. By mounting a horse the first line unites with the
third and offers it help. If this line can find trust, they will unite in heart and
succeed. By uniting together in virtue, you reach decisively for substance.

During a time of vulgar extravagance,

 During a time of vulgar extravagance,
We must work together with people
Of differing interests and backgrounds, Thus we are able to restore the
world.
Building up my own strength,
I trust in both myself and others to succeed.

This line changes to form the gentle Wind, the eldest daughter, who can produce
silk. Silk is originally white, as if bleached. Now the path of adornment is
changing.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
adorned in a hill-garden
your bolt of silk, a tiny small bundle
regret, in the end, good fortune This fifth line is only halfway up the Mountain, like a hill. It changes to
form the Wind, the eldest daughter, who produces something plain like silk. This shows a situation where
one is disgusted with the world and its extravagant love of luxury. Where people pursue only the fruit and
branches, they forget the root – losing all sense of modesty. They have no frugality. The image is of
adornment in a hill-garden, a return to simplicity and plainness. You farm a few mulberry trees, which yield
only a tiny bundle of silk.

At a time when decoration prevails,

More than ever one must act frugally.
Return to the root!
Some may criticise you for being frugal, And you may feel some regrets.
But live simply and no good fortune is greater!

The rousing Thunder suggests bamboo and reeds, and the Mountain brings fruit
and squashes as in a garden. This is a fifth line and five rolls of silk make up a
single bolt, a tiny bundle. The yardage is regulated by the Mountain.
NINE AT THE TOP
white adornment, no blame Being the last line in the Mountain trigram, this line is utterly still. It completely
discards the value of the brilliant Fire, and becomes quite colourless. White is not usually considered
adornment, but here the colour white is explicitly indicated. For when values outreach themselves, a return
to the root is timely.

When substance prevails,

Elegance is considered adornment.
But when culture prevails,
Being without elegance is considered adornment.
Return to the grand simplicity of the beginning of all the myriad things and you
discern only purity and whiteness. This shines out more brilliantly than any
colour! So what blame can there be?

The virtue of the sages deplores ostentation And does not reveal itself.
The Path of Peace saves a decline in culture, By reverting to the values of
loyalty and trust.
We follow the idea of white adornment!
Far-reaching indeed!

Although plain white is not usually considered adornment, here it is allowed to

be so.
 23
Bo / Tearing Apart

Tearing Apart
not favourable to take action The first five lines in this hexagram are Yin. They are growing full in order to
eclipse the single Yang – just as small folk creep in to tear apart the junzi.

…adornment and ornament…you reach ornament and later

success and then it comes to an end; hence there follows
tearing apart…

At a time when the world is in turmoil and disintegrating, the small-minded

appear in your way like poisoning weeds – until finally they erode and corrupt
your position. Like the sun setting or the waning moon, this is simply a matter of
course which happens so gradually it can hardly be noticed. It is not favourable
to take action – but this is to your advantage. The way of the petty prevails and
you are left standing.

Do not try to achieve –

But neither give up lightly.
Find security in yielding, open to change – Whilst preserving a still and
settled position.

When your speech is softly heard and your footsteps fall lightly, the self may be
well preserved. Then you can await the course of Heaven. Today it may not be
favourable, but another day will come. This is much more than simply keeping
the self whole and free from harm.
In Breakthrough (43) the junzi gets rid of small people by proclaiming their
sins and banishing them. But now they approach so stealthily they go unnoticed.
Yielding like the receptive Earth, you are still as the Mountain.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
tearing apart the bed at the feet
devotion destroyed, misfortune In Tearing Apart the pure Earth trigrams act as a bed. They wish to give
the single Heavenly Yang rest, but cannot bear its weight, tearing apart under its weight. A bed yields and
gives security. This first line is the lowest like the feet. But the concern is not just with the feet as the whole
bed is tearing apart, beginning with the feet. When small people injure you, they begin at a place which is
easily overlooked. As they hit you there, you gradually topple over and fall apart.

Devotion refers to the solidness of the bed-frame. If the feet are damaged,
the frame topples over.

As small folk appear in your way,

The devotion begins to fail.
The petty tear apart the great!

Once the bed-frame is destroyed, the whole bed collapses. Not only that, but
those who destroy the bed lose any chance of their own security as well. When
devotion is destroyed it means misfortune for all.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
tearing apart the bed at the step
devotion destroyed, misfortune This second line is in the position of the step. The feet of the bed have
already torn apart and now it is the turn of the step, which leads up onto the covers.

As the petty-minded tear apart the junzi

They confuse his values and damage his integrity.
Until his name can no longer be cleared.

As the step of the bed is tearing apart, the bed-frame again topples over and
collapses. The process is the same as in the first line, with the same misfortune.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
tearing apart, no blame This third line is central to the Yin and it alone responds to the Yang above. It is as
if there is someone with a petty attitude beneath you, secretly trying to rescue you, whilst involved in
tearing you apart. The situation is unusual, but no one else is suspicious. Both of you receive the happiness
of mutual recognition and are rescued.

At a time of tearing apart and destruction The junzi can do nothing – In

this case only the petty-minded can help.

No blame is allowed to encourage the good will. This is like someone with a
small outlook, coming to the rescue of the person of the junzi.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
tearing apart the bed at the covers
misfortune This fourth line changes to form Fire, which is brightly coloured like the covers of a bed. The
covers of the bed act as a skin over it and covering it. Now the bed is eroding beneath the covering,
underneath the skin. This kind of tearing apart is the worst of all.

Devotion is not mentioned because once what is under the covers has gone,
nothing is left of the bed at all.

As the covers are tearing apart,

There is no point in talking about the frame.
As hidden forces destroy you,
What is the point of devotion!

The destruction does not stop simply at the frame, so the misfortune is more
serious than before.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a string of fishes
you are preferred by the palace maidens
nothing unfavourable The fifth line is the most honoured of all. It has the virtues of being gentle and
centred, and does not tear apart from the Yang above but yields, leading the Yin lines along like a string of
fishes. You are not tearing apart but yielding graciously in order to lead them on like a string of fishes, to be
presented before the ruler. This is to act as one preferred by the Palace maidens. These maidens are the
women who surround the Emperor. In this situation, you are most honoured. Preferred by the maidens,
nothing is unfavourable.

Tear apart and all find misfortune.

But as you are open, all find favour.
Serving the ruler it is easy to see
Which to follow and which to reject!

At the fifth line the expansion of the Yin reaches its peak and it is unthinkable to
tear apart once more. It would result in no Yang at all, something The Book of
Change could never consider. Therefore the wording of the line is changed.
There is no more talk of tearing apart. Fish are Yin creatures. This line changes
to form the Wind, which acts as a rope to string them. The Earth signifies
women and the Mountain is a gate or eunuch. Having several women within and
a eunuch outside, guarding the gate, is an image of the Palace maidens.
In Withdrawal (33) the Yin are growing but still can be controlled.
Therefore one nurtures men and maid-servants. In Tearing Apart the Yin has
reached its peak and cannot be held in check. This means one must seek out the
Palace maidens. Yang has the power to nourish Yin, and it is usually summoned
to control them. But now the control rests in the Yin, so the Yin is summoned
and this enables them to follow. This kind of flexibility befits the junzi.
NINE AT THE TOP
the large fruit, uneaten
the junzi obtains a carriage
small people tear apart his hut!

This Yang line, like a large fruit hanging at the top of the tree, survives uneaten.
It holds within itself the seeds of rebirth. This is an image of the constant
goodness residing within the human heart.
At a time of chaos, people more than ever think of order. Anyone who
displays the ways of the junzi is sure to be loved and supported by the people
beneath him. This is the way to obtain a carriage or means of moving out of the
danger. However, small folk are by nature rebellious and resist reform. They
turn against the one in authority and wish to tear apart his hut! Their behaviour is
only natural. But the junzi obtains a carriage to share it with them. If they tear it
apart they also lose their own security and have no means of self-preservation.

The choice is clear:

That which benefits their superior
Is exactly that which benefits them also.

The Mountain is a place where fruits grow. This is a Yang line, like a large fruit
out of reach, so it is survives on the tree uneaten. The Earth forms a carriage,
which can move things. The top Yang line forms the picture of a hut which can
shelter the five smaller Yin lines beneath it.
 24
Fu / The Restored

The Restored
blessings, going out, coming back in, there is no sickness
friends come, no blame, returning to restore the path,
in seven days, it is restored
favourable to take action The top line in Tearing Apart (23) reverts to the lowest place and is restored. The
large fruit at the top of the tree survives uneaten. It falls to the ground and its seeds enter into the earth.
Thus the blessings are restored.

…tearing apart signifies dissolution, but things cannot be for

ever destroyed…the torn completely apart are renewed
beneath; hence there follows the restored…

Now is the time when the junzi returns to restore the course of Heaven. In seven
days, the Path of goodness is restored – such is the Heavenly decree.

Tearing apart, the Yang departs;

Entering in, the Yang is restored.
Although you are trapped and fallen,
Your self-nature is permanently uneroded.
Going out and coming back in,
Ultimately there is no sickness.

It is the Yang which is restored. As the Yang advances, it forms Approach (19)
and then Flourishing (11). Once you begin an approach good people follow you
and friends come. This is why there occurs no blame. Banish any selfish desires.
Heavenly goodness will arrive and present itself to all who are employed in
dealing with the world – just as in olden times the sages appeared, lending their
strength to bring about the realm of the ancient kings. This is them returning to
restore the Path.
The time is blessed by the workings of Heavenly destiny so it is favourable
to take action. In seven days, once the Path is restored, Heaven and man may
work together towards blissful achievement.
The hexagrams other than The Creative (1), The Receptive (2), The
Double Trap (29) and The Adhering (30), total 360 lines, one for each day of
the lunar year. As the Yin enters in, The Creative first changes into Encounter
(44), and then, in six days, the Yang is Tearing Apart. This is Yang losing the
path. Now it is returning to restore the true Path – it passes successively through
the hexagram and in seven days, it is restored below. Such is the course of
Heaven.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
restored from not far away, no remorse
the source of the good fortune In the first line the Yang begins to stir. It is the very first sign of being
restored and it does not go far wrong. It is as if a thought begun to stir and your heart, immediately aware,
stops it.

Your stopping restores the source.

Restored from not far away,
No good fortune could be greater!

If you halt now, you do not go far wrong and may be restored without loss.
There is no remorse.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
restored at ease
good fortune This second line is empty and centred, with its Heavenly goodness held within. It associates
easily with the first line as a teacher or friend, and places itself beneath to complete its virtue. If you are
able to discipline yourself through the help of others, false thinking is obliterated and the Heavenly
goodness of the human heart reborn.

The effort is not laborious and the reward great.

Therefore one is restored at ease!

The first line overcomes itself. The second line needs help from others. Though
the work is not the same, they are both restored. Thereby the good fortune.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
repeatedly restored
hardship, no blame Being restless in your position, you are repeatedly restored but then repeatedly lost. This
is a dangerous situation. However, eventually you are restored. Although there is some danger and hardship
in this position, there is no blame.

Repeatedly restored and repeatedly lost.

A dangerous position indeed!

This third line is neither centred nor proper and at the utmost end of the Thunder
trigram. It moves uneasily and cannot be firmly restored. The line counsels one
to reach out for the good.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
amidst the multitude
lone restoring This fourth line is alone amidst the Yin lines. It is the only line to respond below to the Yang
line. Thus it follows goodness – alone amidst the multitude. You do not try to be different in your outward
behaviour and neither do you submit within. Alone amidst the multitude, you are restoring the good.

Coming and going, completely alone,

Unconcerned over fame, blame, sadness or joy.
This is lone restoring.

No further prognostication is given to strengthen the will of the active individual

in lone restoring.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
sublime restoring
no remorse The empty fifth now obtains the centre of the hexagram and is able to be restored. The receptive
Earth trigrams lie deep and profound within, like sublime virtue. Being empty and clear at your innermost
heart, you hold to the centre. You immediately realise your mistake, and restore back the virtue you lost.
Going out and coming in, there is no sickness. Neither can there be any remorse.

Virtue is accumulating in depth.

Once restored it is never lost again.
In this situation there can be no remorse.

The first line also has no remorse. Both find the good fortune of being sublimely
restored. They never suffer the hardship of the third.
SIX AT THE TOP
turning astray, being restored
misfortune, calamity and injury
march an army, in the end suffer a great defeat to your own state and ruler
misfortune, even in ten years it cannot be overcome The Yin line finally does not return. It turns astray
whilst being restored. Far from the lower Yang line, it lacks the strength to return to goodness. Extremely
 weak in character it lacks the courage to correct its faults and return.

You occupy a high position but without the grace to be kind and loving to
those beneath you. You lack the seeds of a contrite heart and turn astray, without
returning to goodness.

When you have not the courage to correct your faults, Heaven becomes
angry and the people resentful.
Misfortune, calamity and injury must surely follow.

For one in this position, it is certainly not favourable to march an army. The
fighting will continue, disasters mount up, and in the end you will never be
restored – suffering a great defeat to your own state and ruler. Misfortune
indeed! Even in ten years, there is no end to it and the problem cannot be
overcome.

Can you not be careful!

A single thought astray can have such grave consequences!

The line text is opposed to the hexagram text. The hexagram says both going out
and coming in, there is no sickness, but in the line there is misfortune, calamity
and injury. The hexagram says friends come and there is no blame, but in the
line both state and ruler suffer misfortune. In the hexagram you are restored in
seven days and can take action, but in the line even in ten years the
consequences are interminable and the problem cannot be overcome.
 25
Wuwang / The Unerring

The Unerring
the source of the blessings, favour devotion
if improper, there is injury
not favourable to take action In response to Heaven, Thunder acts unerringly to accord with it. A leading
line enters into the hexagram from below. The Heavenly heart will always return, unerringly – this is the
significance of sincerity in mankind. Sincerity actually implies non-action, which is the same as acting
naturally, in accord with Heaven. This is the source of the blessings.

…in the restored there is no disorder; hence there follows

the unerring…

Blessings come through proper action which reveals the mandate of Heaven. The
movement of Thunder sources the blessings, whilst the settled Mountain favours
devotion. To be unerring one needs an inner lord. If you know that thoughts stir
but the mind wavers, seeking to be unerring but failing – in the end nothing is
favourable. For Heaven to be unerring is easy, but for man it is difficult!

Completely get rid of the mind!

And return to your own nature.
To follow self-nature is the Path,
Acting from Heaven without thinking of self.
Your selfless devotion goes unimpaired.

When human nature and the course of Heaven unite, man and Heaven coincide.
The firm fifth takes the centre and finds a response in the second. But if the mind
intervenes, intending to be good, this is improper. Intending to be proper is
improper and there is injury. If thoughts stir or one forcibly stops them, using the
mind to control the mind, or the heart to rule the heart, then to call this unerring
is to violate human nature. It is not favourable to take action.
If we err, where can we go? Without the grace of Heaven, what can we do?
The difference between right and wrong is as fine as a human hair! Discern it
with care.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
going unerringly, good fortune This first line comes into the hexagram at the very beginning from without.
The human heart is pure, every single moment at its very beginning. Our first thought follows our self-
nature, moving in accordance with Heaven.

Whatever your response is,

Going in this fashion is fitting.
Your inner lord is settled.

Earth embraces the firmness of the first Yang line of Heaven in order to give
birth to her eldest son. For both the first line of Thunder and Heaven, the going
is the same. It brings good fortune.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
sow, but not to reap
plow, but not to harvest
then favourable to take action Thunder strikes like a ploughshare into the soil and the bending Wind is
entering and sowing. Thunder also stands for farming and the Mountain stops above like a hand reaping the
harvest.

When people fail, it is mostly because of expectations. If we plough and sow,

expecting to reap and harvest, not only is the hope of reaping and harvesting in
vain but the work of sowing and ploughing is also wasted.

Ask with an empty heart; act with an empty mind.

Sow but not to reap, ploughing but not to harvest.
Then although moving you also do not move,
Revealing stillness in action.

Then it is favourable to take action. The second line stands above the ground like
fields ready to be ploughed and harvested. As this line is empty and Yin, it acts
with an empty mind.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
unerring in disaster
perhaps a tied-up cow
 the traveller’s gain – the townsman’s disaster The third line in the body of Thunder moves unerringly, but
because it is both uncentred and improper in position there is an accident. There is a disaster despite the fact
that it moves unerringly.

There has been an accident – perhaps the traveller acquired a tied-up cow
belonging to the townsman. Then his fellow townsman suffers a disaster. This
happens even though you acted unerringly. Even though this should not have
happened, it is mentioned here to help us understand the seed of error which lies
within the unerring.

Although you sow and reap, plough and harvest,

Doing good and gaining blessings,
You must have no sense of gain in anything you do.

One may gain in travelling or find disaster in staying. But even though one acts
unerringly, does good always bring blessings? If you suffer disaster, do not feel
resentful. Just perform to the best of your ability, which is all. This is to be pure
in the bliss of the unerring!
Thunder and Mountain form together the shape of the trigram Fire. As in the
hexagram The Adhering (30), Fire stands for a cow. The Wind, moving and
bending, is a rope, used to tie up the cow. Thunder is the traveller while the
Mountain remains still like the townsman.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
one can have devotion, no blame The fourth line has entered Heaven. The Wind stands for the ruler’s
mandate, which travels the land, until the Mountain halts it. This is the mandate of Heaven resting as
devotion within the human heart.

The mandate of Heaven rests within your heart, so it is easy – and one can
have devotion. Hold to this devotion, finding peace in non-action.

It is not that you never act –

But you act knowing when to stop.
Stillness remains stillness,
Whilst acting one is also still.

Then there comes no blame. The first line goes with good fortune because it acts
when it should; this line can have devotion because it stops when it should. The
second acts with no expectation of gain; this line stops without being
overwhelmed by having nothing. These are all proper forms of unerring
behaviour.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
unerring in sickness
do not take medicine, but celebrate!

This fifth line responds to the second and both are centred and proper. There
should be no sickness in this situation, but the fifth becomes attached to the
second’s response and so falls ill. As soon as there is any kind of attachment the
heart is fettered and becomes sick.
Attachment to self is the sickness of error and one uses medicine to cure this.
But attachment to principle is also a sickness – an illness which derives from
being unerring. Do not take medicine for this or it gives rise to more error! Using
the mind to heal the mind will help the sickness to grow. Simply celebrate!

Transform your own thinking and enter no-mind.

You respond without becoming attached.
Then without taking any medicine, you are healed.
Not taking medicine is the best medicine!

As this line changes to form Water, it develops a sick heart.

NINE AT THE TOP
unerring in travel, there is an injury
nothing favourable This last line in the Heaven trigram is over-hard. It seeks to act unerringly in response to
the third, as it sees the traveller gain a cow and its heart is similarly moved to travel. Yet as soon as there is
any thought of travelling, there is an injury. One is not moving from Heaven, but from man. Injuries mean
setbacks and what is favourable in them? There is nothing favourable.

When it is time to stop, then stop,

When it is time to travel, then travel.
Travelling you discover the blessings of Heaven.
Being stopped you are favoured by the earth.
Yet wherever and whenever the human mind intervenes, Heaven will
withhold its grace.

In all these situations we must take the utmost care. The six lines are all
different. Thunder below responds to Heaven above, so it is fitting for these lines
to travel. The first finds good fortune and the second understands to act
favourably. But the third should leave and it suddenly stops, so there is disaster.
Heaven above is joined to the Mountain beneath, so it is fitting for these lines to
remain still. The fourth can have devotion and the fifth does not take medicine,
so both lines stop. But this top line should stop and it wants to travel, so there is
injury. This is not to act in accord with Heaven.

The Unerring: spontaneous, unexpected, natural
 26
Daxu / Great Cultivation

Great Cultivation
favour devotion
not eating at home, good fortune
favourable to cross the Great River When the Wind and Heaven join in cultivation, the wind is in the skies,
and Yin is nourished by Yang, forming Small Cultivation (9). Now the Mountain and Heaven join, which
is Yang being nourished by Yang. This gives the idea of Great Cultivation.

...and as things move unerringly, afterwards there is the

possibility of cultivation; hence there follows great
cultivation…

Great cultivation also means cultivating greatness. Cultivation suggests both

settling and nourishment. Favour the merit of devotion and it preserves the
propriety of position – which means you remain still, without wavering. Then
admiring the correctness of your Path, others will stop also and be still – and
being still, once again, find nourishment.
When cultivating greatness within people, success is not found through
clever schemes and projects. It is simply through the strength of your own
innermost virtue that they are influenced and helped to submit. The still
Mountain means stopping, as in devotion.
As people approach, receive them with the proper ceremony and richly
reward them. In this way they will have no need to eat at home, but remain at
your court. They are happy to remain and there is good fortune. Then is it
favourable to cross the Great River.

Once nourished, the people will serve willingly And their great talents
 carry out great deeds.
Using their nourishment to nourish others
You can rejoice in gaining the right people,
And all rejoice in the flourishing of the great Path.

Working in this way, people forget there ever was a time they were halted. It is
surely favourable to cross the Great River.
The top line of the Marsh is open like a mouth and, as it is on the outside of
the hexagram, people are not eating at home. Thunder stands for wood and
vegetation, which is fashioned into a boat. Travelling across the Marsh suggests
a boat crossing the Great River.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
there is hardship
favourable to pause This line is Yang and it presses forward but the situation is less than perfect, as the
Mountain stands ahead. Keep on your way and conflict arises. Advancing will bring hardship and it is
favourable to pause.

It is better to pause and not to advance.

Keep the self whole and the Path also.

This line and the fourth respond to each other, but act in different ways. If this
line forsakes the path it is lost, but if it keeps on its way conflict arises.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the chariot loses an axle

This line is also a Yang line within the Heaven trigram, but shadowed by the
Mountain. The chariot loses an axle. Thus one temporarily halts, whilst
advancing.

To wait patiently is the correct way to advance.

Like the first and the fourth, this line and the fifth also respond to each other, but
again they act in different ways. As the chariot loses an axle, the line must stop
also. The first two strong lines in Great Cultivation behave like the first two in
Small Cultivation (9). Neither of them are permitted to advance and join in the
work.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
racing good horses
 favourable to persevere in devotion
daily practise in chariot and defence
favourable to take action The strength of Heaven suggests a good horse and the vigour of Thunder means a
race. Racing good horses means training one’s strength. Do not waver in heart but persevere in devotion
without acting hastily.

Sharpen the tools of action and daily practice in self-defence. This is to

prepare oneself fully. Then the world is saved and the self also.

Persevere in devotion, without allowing haste.

Then you may take effective action.

The third line and the top behave in the same way. The third leads the first and
second to advance strongly together, like racing horses. But there is an
obstruction in the fourth and fifth, so they must persevere. The top line in the
Marsh suggests a mouth and the authority of Heaven brings words and
teachings. The first line is warned not to advance, while the second is pleased
not to advance. The third line can advance, but fears moving forward lightly.
Truly is it not difficult for the junzi to advance!
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
a young ox’s yoke
the source of the good fortune The Thunder and Mountain trigrams combine to form the shape of Fire,
which means a cow or an ox, as in The Adhering (30). The Mountain, the youngest son, suggests a young
ox.

Yoke a young ox – and when he becomes accustomed to it he forgets to butt.

It transforms his disposition and returns him to his self-nature, which is the path
to the source of the good fortune.

Eliminate the evil before it sprouts:

Instruct the people while they are unclear.
Lead them daily in the cultivation of virtue
And they avoid evil without knowing it.

The cultivation of greatness can mean two things: both the nourishing of talent
and the taming of young vigour.
A single Yang line is stretched across the head of the hexagram like a yoke.
The idea of nourishing wisdom is contained in the hexagram text. The fourth and
fifth lines speak of taming vigour.
 SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a young boar’s tusk
good fortune Thunder moves impetuously, like a boar. Its tusk is hooked so it can be tethered firmly, like
the still Mountain. A young boar is good at running away, but he has tusks by which he may be tethered and
halted. The people under heaven are scattered and unruly, but a junzi has a way to tether them. He organises
their fields and villages so they cherish their homes, and teaches them love and respect for their parents and
elders so they cherish their own kin. Under these conditions, they regard travel as something serious and are
afraid to violate the law.

All under heaven are at peace and secure.

Then there is good fortune.

Although the evil cannot be stopped before it sprouts, as with the yoke on the
young ox, by tethering it, it cannot run wild.
NINE AT THE TOP
how great is Heaven’s boulevard!
blessings Thunder is a great highway, like a boulevard. Now at the top of the hexagram, the cultivation is
complete. The horses race along the King’s boulevard, which stretches into the distance, level and
expansive as the highway to Heaven. Blessings are awarded as now the cultivation reaches its peak and
transcends.

The great highway is as blessed as Heaven’s boulevard!

There are celebrations beyond your greatest dreams.

In the final line of Small Cultivation (9) you are not allowed to go forward. But
now in the final line of Great Cultivation both not eating at home and crossing
the Great River are favourable.

Great Cultivation: major husbandry, care
 27
Yi / The Jaws

The Jaws
devotion, good fortune
observe the jaws, seeking to fill the mouth The still Mountain halts above while the rumbling Thunder
sounds below. The whole hexagram is in the shape of the jaws, in which only the lower jaw moves. The
shape of the jaws means they are waiting to be filled. However, nourishment cannot be obtained without
some effort. It is because of our constant devotion that there is the good fortune.

..the ten-thousand things are cultivated and so find

nourishment; hence there follows the jaws…

Mountain and Thunder trigrams together also form the shape of Fire which,
being bright and hollow like an eye, suggests to observe. The whole hexagram is
seeking to be full. Yet nourishment must be properly attained, and this depends
upon personal effort.

Observe yourself. Are you following the Path?

Observe the jaws, seeking to fill the mouth.
Are they seeking to nourish your self-nature
Or simply your own body and frame?

In nourishing one’s own nature, one eats from the Path, and it is best to be still,
filled with virtue, without the need from others. In nourishing the body one eats
grain, and it is best to labour with one’s own hands, without needing to take
from others.

To nourish your self-nature, seeking within is proper.

To nourish the body, seeking without is improper.
 To nourish the body, seeking without is improper.

It is necessary to observe this distinction with a discriminating heart. Be aware

of your innermost thoughts. Have devotion and there will be good fortune.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
your spiritual tortoise is discarded
you observe me with gaping jaws!
misfortune This line is far apart at the beginning of the hexagram. It hurries to observe those above it,
discarding its innermost thoughts. The tortoise is a spiritual animal and is said not to eat. Thus it represents
the human heart – also something which does not eat, something worthy and wise like our own self-nature.

You do not see your self-nature within,

But only the flavour of the food without.
This is to lose the joy and feeling of righteousness And instead to seek out
the pleasures of the world This brings dismay. Your spiritual tortoise
discarded, you observe me with gaping jaws! If we do not seek within,
we cannot nourish ourselves but only seek from others. The gaping jaws
bring misfortune.
Heaven and earth nourish the ten-thousand things, while the sages seek out
spiritual wisdom in order to bestow it upon the people. This is the opportunity
presented in The Jaws. The whole hexagram is in the shape of the hollow Fire
trigram, representing a shelly creature or tortoise. Fire also signifies the spiritual.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
dropping the jaw
stretching the neck high up the hill
going forward, misfortune This second line is Yin and weak. It cannot nourish itself so it seeks from the
Yang lines, dropping the jaw to the line beneath and stretching the neck to the line above, high up the hill.
But it should respond to neither. Going forward like this only brings misfortune. Inwardly you have no
resources to rely on whilst outwardly you are lacking friends.

You turn your face shamelessly to others,

Only to disgrace yourself in vain.

Dropping the jaw and stretching the neck serves as a great warning.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
stretching the jaw, devotion, misfortune
for ten years, one is not used
nothing favourable This third line is at the top of the Thunder trigram. It cannot stop itself but responds to
the top by stretching its jaw.

To move rashly, in an uncertain manner, is to covet gain insatiably. This kind

of devotion will only bring misfortune. A corrupt nature is of no use. Even if you
have been searching a long time you will be rejected, for if you were to serve,
nothing would come of it.

There is deep distress.

You are not only unable to nourish yourself
But also unable to provide nourishment for others.
Even if you were to be used, nothing would come of it!

Ten is the number of a complete cycle, suggested by the Earth. The Mountain
means not to use. This third line may not serve the Yang line at the top in
nourishing others.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
dropping the jaw, good fortune
the tiger fiercely glaring, driven by desire
no blame This fourth line lies in the upper trigram, in a position where it can nourish others. It is weak but
responds below to the first line, finding a source of strength. Seeking wisdom and making use of it to
nourish others is to drop the jaw with good fortune.

But while nourishing others, beware of confusion and complacency. Watch

carefully their innermost thoughts and peer down on them unwaveringly – just
like a tiger, fiercely glaring at its prey.

Generously provide that which they need,

As if driven by your own ardent desire.
Diligent and consistent in your behaviour,
What you offer is unexhausted
And you remain without blame.

How difficult it is to nourish others! The second line seeks others to nourish
itself, dropping the jaw with misfortune; but the fourth seeks wisdom in order to
nourish others, dropping the jaw with good fortune. This line lies in the
Mountain trigram and it changes to form the Fire trigram. Tigers live on the
mountain and fire is brightly streaked, like a tiger. Hollow Fire also suggests an
eye, which glares. Thunder moves rapidly, driving on this line like desire.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
stretching the neck
abide in devotion, good fortune
not able to cross the Great River This fifth line is open, yielding, and in the position of honour. It is centred,
 trusting in the wisdom of the top line just above. It relies on the strength of this Yang line, stretching the
neck to feed all under heaven. To trust in wisdom and nourish the people is the true devotion of the ruler.
Abide in devotion and preserve your stance.

I do nothing and the people find peace by themselves, I desire nothing and
they get wealthy of their own accord.
Then comes the good fortune.

A ruler has great responsibilities. If he neglects to fulfil his own needs,

confusion is created and instead of nourishing the people he disturbs them. Then
there is untold harm. This is why you are warned against crossing the Great
River.
NINE AT THE TOP
depend upon the jaws, hardship, good fortune
favourable to cross the Great River A Yang line stands at the top of the hexagram and the fifth line looks up
and depends upon it. This is the ruler drawing upon the wisdom of the sages. The source of all nourishment
lies in the ruler casting his eyes towards the wise. To trust in wisdom and to nourish the people – this is the
devotion of the ruler. He always considers that, if any in his realm are starving, he is the cause of it. He
constantly suffers the misfortunes of his own peoples.

This is a heavy responsibility and the burden is great, but there is good
fortune despite the hardship. Attention will resolve these difficulties and the root
lies in diligence. Exhaust all talents and you eliminate the trouble. Once there is
peace and order, work proceeds and it is favourable to cross the Great River.

Observe the ways of government!

Nourishing the body is small,
Whilst nourishing virtue is great.
Nourishing others may mean abandoning the self,
But nourishing the self can mean self-seeking.
Not nourishing the self and seeking from others is worthless.
But nourishing the wise to provide for the people – This is surely to be
valued!

The fifth line is not able to cross the Great River because a ruler should not
delight in projects, but this top line may cross because a ruler should not be
complacent in peace. The line finds hardship but then good fortune, so it is
allowed to proceed. Each finds fulfilment in its own way. Good fortune and
misfortune are clearly shown in the lines. The three lines below find misfortune
while the three above achieve good fortune. You are urged constantly to observe
the jaws.
 28
Daguo / Great Excess

Great Excess
the beam is breaking
favourable to take action, blessings

The image in Great Excess is of the central roof-beam of a house about to break
under the weight of the roof. Four Yang lines are grouped together and over-
heavy. The weak Yin lines top and bottom cannot bear the strain and are
breaking. The flexible Wind stands as a tall tree, used in the great central rafter
of a house. The lower Yin line depicts the roots, while the upper Yin line depicts
the twigs and branches.

…but when you fail in finding nourishment you will not

budge; hence there follows great excess…

What virtue is there at a time of excess? There is the virtue in acting excessively
to overcome the faults of the time. You may overcome the fault of being over-
strong within, yet still remain centred. In this fashion you support the fallen and
raise them up again. The beam is breaking but you may yet retain blessings.

Using exceptional virtue to confront exceptional times!

Then you act exceptionally, without acting excessively.

It is favourable to take action as it becomes the way to blessings. To use

exceptional talent to perform exceptional deeds is to act exceptionally, but not
excessively. Not indulging in excess, you exceed others by far!
The virtues in Great Excess lie in the second and fifth lines. They occur
amidst excessive strength, yet remain centred. Flexible as the Wind and joyful as
the Marsh, they support the fallen and raise them up again. Use their strength
and virtue in order to confront the needs of the time.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
a mat of white reeds, no blame

This first line lies at the bottom of the hexagram like a mat. The Wind suggests
bending reeds. The junzi uses the humble as a mat. If the people are meek and
gentle, they may serve as the root of the state. Do not spurn widows or
widowers, nor neglect the poor and needy. Comfort and look after them, using
them as a mat of white reeds.
All may make use of a mat. Then, although the task is insurmountable, it
may be overcome.

It is advisable to tend to the root.

Approach the withered and give them new life,
Respond to the weak and raise them on high!

To make use of a mat of white reeds in this way is to remain without blame. The
Wind is also an elder daughter who weaves silk, something pure and white.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the withered willow puts forth shoots
the old man gets a younger wife
nothing unfavourable

The Wind trigram also stands for a tree, and willows grow close to the Marsh.
The Yang lines are excessive so it is withered. The tree is withered above, but
there is new life shooting out below. The withered willow putting forth shoots is
like an old man gaining a younger wife. The dry and withered is yet graced by
gentle virtue.

When Yang and Yin meet together

Then nothing is unfavourable.

This Yang line represents the husband but the many hard lines have aged him.
He has grown old. This line uses the Yin line beneath as a mat. She is his
younger wife.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
 NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the beam is breaking, misfortune

The third and fourth lines rest in the middle of all the Yang lines, like a solid
roof-beam. But this line is doubly hard and off-centre, so it cannot bear the
burden. It drops its attachment to the first to respond alone to the top.

Not to tend to the root but to chase after the branches.

It can only bring misfortune.

This is a warning to the arrogant, stubborn and self-willed. The third is distant
from the weak first line. If it is rootless it cannot stand by itself, for it does not
find a mat to support it. How can the top line help!
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the beam holds! good fortune
with duplicity, regret

This line is firm in a weak place but it also responds to the first. This means it
tends to the root and does not become over-hard. Unlike the third line, it holds.
Now the beam does not break, which implies good fortune. Yet the situation
is still uncertain. A junzi ponders whether he has misplaced his trust. Therefore
he is warned against duplicity.

Do not have any doubts or second thoughts.

The import of this moment is far-reaching!

This line is close to the top and if it drops the first line to appease the top it will
fall. Then there is regret. The first line is over-cautious, while the top line is
excessively proud. The fourth line wonders which to follow and whether it has
misplaced its trust. Therefore it is warned against duplicity and equivocation.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the withered willow puts forth leaves
the old woman gets a young husband
no blame, no fame

This line and the second make use of the same image. The second is close to the
root and puts forth shoots while the fifth is close to the branches and puts forth
leaves. But the tree loses moisture from its leaves, and becomes even more
withered within.
 A moment of flowering and a moment of union,
But in the end nothing is lasting.
What is excessive becomes more so,
And the weak become even weaker.
When the beam breaks it is beyond repair!
Therefore the junzi values tending to the root.

This fifth line finds no response like a young man who has not yet found a home.
Also the top Yin line next to it is already old. It is the last of the hexagram and
withered. But there is no blame as it is Yin which chooses to move towards
Yang. This is not an ideal situation and it will never lead to fame.
SIX AT THE TOP
excess in crossing, your head goes under
misfortune, no blame

With a weak talent, but bearing a heavy burden, you delight in unrestrained
behaviour. This can only bring misfortune.
But these antics are followed only on behalf of others, not for your own
benefit. Thus the misfortune comes through there being insufficient talent, not
through insufficient effort, so there is no blame.

Catastrophe and blessings follow good and evil,

But they do not always concur!

As good brings blessings so give encouragement – and as evil brings

catastrophe, take precautions! But if evil actions happen to bring blessings, do
not consider it the rule for fear people will imitate you, and if doing good
happens to cause catastrophe do not consider it wrong but still help people to
make an effort.

Put catastrophe and good fortune out of your mind.

Do only good and avoid evil!
In this way you bring harmony to the world.

This top line enters deep into the Marsh. It is a Yin line and the last in the
hexagram so its head goes under. There is misfortune. But as there is an attempt
made to respond to the Yang line beneath, it is awarded no blame.
 29
Kan / The Double Trap

The Double Trap

have faith
binding the heart, blessings
action finds integrity The two Yang lines are trapped deeply within the Yin. A single trap is dangerous. It is
only the double trap which allows of virtue. Through repeatedly struggling within the double trap, we find
faith. The centre of the Water trigram is solid like faith.

…things cannot for ever be in excess; hence there follows

the double trap…

Life is nothing but the double trap. As our spiritual nature enters into the body it
is obstructed within the inner trap and as our physical body enters the world it is
caught within space and time, and confined within the outer trap. Yet though the
confinement may be severe, our Heavenly nature is always the same and
preserved.

Despite there being obstacles in the world,

Our soul and self-nature remain unchanged.

It is through repeated struggling in the double trap, that we have faith. The centre
of the Water trigram is solid and hard as faith.

Our self-nature has no need of acting,

Yet action comes from following the heart.
Use the mind to recall the wandering heart.
Do not sink and drown in the perils of the world, thereby losing your Heavenly
nature. When you are repeatedly in danger you must have a solid centre to serve
as lord. Therefore bind the heart. Binding the heart finds blessings.

Follow this Path and this path alone, And your virtue emerges
Like a spring bursting from a rock,
The danger within surmounted with blessings.

The Heavenly nature of all is one. If you fulfil your own self-nature you surely
fulfil the natures of others. It is like flowing streams of water, which eventually
join and find one another.

You are one, but also two.

Then not two, but not one either!

The movement of the water shows the way. Its flowing action finds integrity as
any obstacle is overcome. In such a fashion do blessings and integrity lead
naturally to enlightenment and sincerity. Establish sincerity and your light
penetrates everywhere. This is how the junzi learn the discipline of the heart.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the double trap, into the pit!
misfortune The first line is submerged beneath the danger of the second. Being weak it cannot rise above.
Not having faith, it can only rely on its wits. But repeated efforts make it sink deeper into the trap!

Everyone says, I know how to escape.

But when caught in the pit, they cannot get away!

If you cannot clamber out, misfortune is certain.

NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the trap is dangerous
seeking to accommodate small people A single Yang line lies between two Yin. But their power is
unmatched and its position precarious. The line is on its own and small people surround it. The answer is
not to contend. But the temptation is to seek to accommodate them and avert the danger.

Do not demean yourself in flattery

For to compromise is not to give in.
Build up your faith and transform them, staying ultimately sincere.
The junzi seek the integrity of binding the heart; they do not seek other people.
This line is in a weak position, but it holds faithfully to the centre and
accommodates itself to its surroundings. The fifth Yang line in Cultivating the
Small (9) acts in a similar manner, by not using its riches to influence the
neighbours.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
coming or going, trap upon trap
danger, so then pause, or fall into the pit!
do not move The third line lies in Thunder, amidst the danger, with a trap both before and behind. Coming
or going, it will fall into the pit! There is extreme danger and it is not fitting to move. You are tangled in a
mass of loose ends and should then pause. Select a quiet place to sort them and find a way out.

Simply find the right time to act.

Move suddenly and you are going to fall into the pit.
It is a trap! Then you are beyond salvation.

The advice is not to move, or even make any plans to move.

Thunder is restless to move on but the still Mountain implies a pause. When
the first line in The Hesitant (3) is advised to dwell in devotion, it describes the
same situation.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
a jug of wine
two platters of food and earthenware
making a pledge through the window
in the end, no blame Water suggests both wine and jugs. Platters and earthenware are used to move things,
like Thunder. Thunder also implies the sound of laughter and conversation, as in making a pledge. Use your
honest sense of loyalty to pledge yourself to the ruler. Offer him plain wine and food, on a wooden dish or
platter, without worrying about its simplicity.

When you speak straight to an enlightened heart, it is like making a pledge. It

is like reaching through a small window in the palace corridor. You contact each
other in an unconventional way.

Not using too many words

You speak straight to his heart.
Not making a lofty speech
You appeal directly to his understanding.
In the end you avert the danger and escape the blame.

The Double Trap hexagram is hollow between the second and fifth lines like a
window. This fourth line is close to the ruler in the fifth. Encountering the
difficulties of the time, it makes an informal approach and uses its honest loyalty
to pledge itself.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the pit is never full
just about level, no blame This fifth line is centred and proper, and thus can surmount the danger. Water
will never rise higher than the top of a pit. As soon as it is close to the edge, it must flow over, out and
away.

The highest good behaves in the same manner – like water. It is never over-
full. Being weak in substance, and close to emptiness, it cherishes those beneath
it, yielding to them as they are naturally in themselves. Responding to each one,
it seeks the level wherever it goes.

When all the obstructions have been overcome,

You do not vaunt your own achievements.
You only avoid being at fault.
This is the very essence in escaping blame!

Neither proud nor complacent in their work, the junzi are just about level with all
under heaven.
SIX AT THE TOP
bound with dark cords
thrown into a bush of thorns
in three years, still unresolved, misfortune This top line is weak and unable to get away from the danger.
The Water trigram with its solid central line means a hardwood, with many thorns and prickles. Doubled up
it suggests a bush of thorns.

The purpose of a long confinement is to make one repent and think on one’s
wrongs. Then you may repent and be rid of them. But if in three years you are
still unresolved, the misfortune is brought on yourself.

Danger never overburdens man,

It is man who overburdens himself.

But if you can find repentance, you are already released – in less than three
years! Herein lies the great opportunity offered in the double trap!
Water is often dark and, as it changes to form the Wind, it suggests a flexible
rope or cord. The Mountain is the hand which binds them fast. When Water
crosses over to Fire in the Outer World diagram, it indicates a time-cycle of
three years.
 30
Li / The Adhering

The Adhering
favour devotion, blessings
cultivating a cow, good fortune The Fire trigram signifies the human heart, firm without and tender within.
Both the hexagram and the lines of The Adhering speak of cultivating the human heart.

Fire has basically no substance and must adhere to something solid before a
flame is produced. Similarly the heart of man is basically formless and it must
adhere to the material before a spirit is generated. What the heart adheres to must
be proper. Then it returns to its true nature, the nature of Heaven – which is to be
enlightened.

…the double trap means a hole or pit, the hole must surely
have something clinging to its sides; hence there follows the
adhering, adhering means clinging…

Let your heart adhere to principle

And it may be proper,
Let it adhere to desire and it turns evil.
Once evil, its light dims and is obstructed.
Once proper it turns clear and transcends.
Therefore favour devotion!
As you adhere to Heavenly principle
It can only bring blessings.

The task is the accomplishment of a careful discernment based upon the inner
cultivation of the self. This is indeed difficult, for without an inner lord, one is
left wanting – but with attachment there comes encumbrance and every day one
makes a show of devotion, without after all knowing what it is!
Therefore use the image of cultivating a cow. It is in a cow’s nature to be
gentle and to cultivate this gentleness is to instil within oneself the virtue of
yielding. This brings the good fortune.

Concentrate the heart in gentleness and restraint.

Cultivate this purity, night and day,
Allowing not a single interruption.

Then you attain a detachment which is never left wanting and are devoted
without thinking of it. Without even a single thought of devotion, devotion
comes!
It is through the gentleness of the heart that one possesses, without being
encumbered by the possession. Blessings arrive unexpectedly, of their own
accord, which brings the good fortune.
Both the Fire trigrams in The Adhering contain a central line, the gentle line
of the Earth trigram. A cow likewise has a gentle nature.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
ready with tangled steps
reverence it, no blame The first line is at the beginning of the hexagram where it adheres to the rising sun.
At the time of the morning sun, there is a great deal of movement and interaction. Being ready with tangled
steps suggest confusion and doubt.

Though things number ten-thousand,

The heart must remain one.
Reverence it and gather up the light
And make Oneness your lord.

In this fashion the heart remains undimmed and your actions remain without
blame. The basis in educating the heart is to make reverence one’s inner lord.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
adhering to yellow
the source of the good fortune The second line lies at the middle of the lower Fire trigram, adhering to the
sun at noon. It is gentle and centred, adhering to yellow. Yellow is the colour of the mean.

You rest without wavering, at the centre. Herein lies the source of goodness.
It is the great and peaceful centre of all – and one finds only good fortune.
 Cling to the essence. Adhere to the One!
Hold only to your centre.

This signifies the essence of the heart adhering to ‘yellow’ at the centre.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
adhering to the setting sun
not drumming on a pot and singing
then great octogenarian groans! misfortune The third line is at the top of the lower trigram, adhering to the
setting sun. Just as the sun has its setting, so people have their old age. But if virtue is not continuously
enlightened, it will also grow old and die. If you cannot take advantage of the time and make merry,
drumming on a pot and singing, you become anxious at the idea of death and groan like an 80-year old! The
heart turns servant to the body, and joy and sorrow are out of tune. It will only bring misfortune.

Shine with a steady light,

Unconcerned at the approach of old age.
Do not worry about the setting sun,
Joy and sorrow are not two!
They make up the One.
Between living and dying, there is little separation.
Cultivate the self and await your destiny,
Then you may confront all things!

The Fire trigram is empty within like a pot. The Adhering is made up of eight
strokes, thus an octogenarian.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
as if abruptly it comes!
as if blazing up, as if dying down, as if abandoned In the fourth line, the sun has already set. It is night and
the fire is burning low. The Wind gusts and the embers from the fire burst into flame. The flames consume
the wood and then die down, whilst its embers are blown about by the wind and abandoned.

As the sun goes down, fire takes it place.

When the Great Enlightenment abates desire is born!

If you tolerate a single thought of anger or desire, abruptly it comes – like

blazing fire, killing the whole body and destroying the self; it acts with complete
indifference.
Yet though its coming is abrupt, it has a cause. You must act as if cultivating
a cow – nurturing its gentleness within your own heart. Then the calamity of
blazing up, dying down and being abandoned will not arise. In a situation such
as this, the junzi value perseverance.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
like bubbling-out tears, like lamenting groans!
good fortune This fifth line is near the top of The Adhering. The time corresponds to the middle of the
night, when the light of the next day is born. After midnight, your true conscience emerges. Deeply
saddened at heart by the sudden conflagration, your tears pour out in emotion.

As anger meets sadness it is eliminated,

As limitless desire meets fear it is stifled!
Bubbling-out tears and lamenting groans
Are a common way towards good fortune.

The Fire trigram is hollow like an eye, suggesting tears. This line provides the
mouth of the Marsh, and is groaning. The fierce strength of the Fire now changes
into the sobbing of Water.
NINE AT THE TOP
the King makes an expedition, with success
capture the head, not his companions, no blame The Fire trigram, strong without and hollow within,
brilliant and dangerous, suggests armour, a helmet, spears and swords, all taken on a military expedition.
Fire’s clarity also means it meets with success.

In the use of fire, one is usually warned against being over-fierce. This
means to play down its strength and to act accordingly, with gentleness. Yet the
Path is not limited to any one direction. If you are far-sighted, you may use this
vision to make an expedition and rely on your fierceness to overawe the enemy.
But subjugate only their leaders. You need not capture and punish their
companions. Fire is made up of the body of Heaven, which being the father
stands for the head. The last line of the Marsh means he is captured and
destroyed.
Weapons are like fire, you must temper their strength with compassion. Be
fierce yet not cruel and you escape blame.

The Path revealed in The Book of Change

Concerns nothing more than Yin and Yang.
The Creative and the Receptive:
The hard and soft, the strong and the weak

In the previous hexagram, The Double Trap (29), the problem lies with water’s
weakness. Yet action finds integrity, as even sinking and drowning you will win
through if you exert yourself. In The Adhering the problems lie with fire’s
strength. But cultivating the gentleness of a cow, even its ferocity can be
tempered. Water is simply made up from mother Earth gaining a line from father
Heaven, so use his strength in gaining integrity. This is Yang acting as lord to
Yin. Fire is simply made up of father Heaven gaining a line from mother Earth,
so use her gentleness, as in cultivating a cow, to preserve good fortune. This is
Yin compensating for Yang. As Heaven and earth take their places, the
substance of all things is established; as waters and flames interact, their
function is fulfilled. This is the alchemy of the Elixir. Such is the marriage of
Heaven and humankind!

The Adhering: dependency

Second Book
 31
Xian / Affection

Affection
blessings, favour devotion
gain the woman, good fortune The fog on the mountains rises from the marsh, while the rains fall and seep
down into the earth. Thus do the Mountain and Marsh interpenetrate their energies and affect, the one the
other. The two youngest trigrams influence each other, the male choosing to be beneath the female.

There are Heaven and earth, and then the ten-thousand

things, there are the ten-thousand things, and then man and
woman; there is husband and wife and then afterwards there
is affection…

From male and female come husband and wife; from husband and wife come
parent and child. From parent and child come ruler and minister; from ruler and
minister come above and below, the high and low. With high and low comes the
chance of propriety and righteousness. Human relationships always bring with
them the chance of blessings. The only concern must be whether there is any
retained devotion.
Nothing in Heaven and earth stands apart from affection and response.
Heaven’s affection comes through an energy which transcends intent while
human affection proceeds through the spirits, which communicate beyond any
definite words. In just such a manner does affection bring blessings.
But if there is a corrupt relationship between you or you act in an
unstraightforward manner, there is no devotion and no blessings either.

Relate from your own nature, not desire,

And the ignorant and enlightened unite
 While the Heavenly order becomes clear.
In this manner, favour human devotion.

The male following the female is the proper state of the marriage relationship.
As you gain contact with the woman there is good fortune, for this is to honour a
woman’s devotion.

Husband and wife form the basis of all human relations.

Then comes the relation of father and son.
Then ruler and minister, then high and low.
If the ritual of marriage is proper,
Our Heavenly destiny is complete.

The ancient Book of Odes begins with the poem depicting the mating-cry of the
osprey to signify the great ritual of marriage. The second part of The Book of
Change begins with the hexagrams Affection and Constancy (32), to match The
Creative (1) and The Receptive (2). Both ancient volumes speak with the same
voice, illustrating the same Path.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
affected in the big toe The crux of all attraction and affect is nowhere felt more closely than in the human
body. The junzi penetrates the whole world as if it were his own body. He observes what affects his own
body and thus understands the world. He is led to know how heaven and earth, and all the ten-thousand
things are brought to respond.

When you think to move, the big toe stretches out first. This is the seed of all
that is to come. There is a common saying: No one knows what I know; I know
what no one knows.

Be reverent to the first signs

And there is good fortune.

There is no judgement added to this line in order to teach you to be reverent to

the seeds of change. The lines of Affection all refer to parts of the body. This
first line is at the bottom like the big toe.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
affected in the calves, misfortune
dwelling, good fortune This second line lies between the first and third, the feet and the thighs. This is the
position of the calves. The calves do not move themselves, but follow the feet. They cannot even stop
themselves and to be unable to stop is surely misfortune. But although you may not be able to stop the
calves, you can surely stop the feet.
 calves, you can surely stop the feet.

Put aside impetuousness and eliminate faults, Dwelling always in non-

action.
Then you will not find a cause to move.

Unexpected trouble usually comes from neglect. It must be rooted out at source.
Then there is good fortune.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
affected in the thighs, followers hold on
going, regret The big toes and calves follow the movement of the thighs. This third line is above the calves
of the second line, like the thighs. This is the image of followers who hold on. It lies also in the center of the
Wind, meaning both advance and retreat. This is not the proper way to join with and affect others. Going
brings shame and regret.

When followers hold on, going brings regret.

The followers are the two Yin lines beneath, the big toes and calves. Both are
weak lines and they attach themselves to this stronger line. All three lines are
counselled to be still in order to find good fortune.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune, remorse gone
distraught, distraught, going back and forth
friends follow thy thoughts This fourth line occupies a position in the hexagram similar to that of the heart
in the body. Yet nothing is spoken of as affecting the heart because wherever the heart is there is affection.
Affection encumbers the heart, as remorse may be born out of selfish attachment. For this reason one should
favour devotion.

Entering no-mind, empty the self and stop thinking, Grasp onto the
stillness of the centre within.

When the heart is able reach out to all things – in an unhindered way – there is
good fortune and any remorse is gone.
But if you chase after and try to affect people and things, it is moving to an
extreme. You will lose them, distraught, distraught, going back and forth,
vacillating until the essence of the heart is lost and thoughts arise. Then friends
and followers abound, who seek after your thoughts, and their influence wounds
the heart.

Taking reverence as one’s lord means Oneness, Yet having no attachments

is also Oneness.
 is also Oneness.
Taking Oneness as one’s lord means devotion,
Which is the essence in influencing the heart.

Herein lies the distinction between inner and outer, between guest and host. The
implication is rich indeed.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
affected in the back, no remorse This fifth line represents the back. The whole body is able to move with
agility except the back. This line lies above the fourth and near the open mouth of the Marsh. But although
influenced it does not rush forward but prefers to stay within. The back neither affects things, nor is it
affected by them. Affected in the back, you do not rush out, but make an effort to be still along with your
inner lord.

Affecting that which cannot be affected

Is having the heart to terminate all affection.

Dwelling in stillness along with your inner lord is to act without remorse. The
situation is almost identical with that for The Stopping (52). Stopping the back
is also one way of cultivating stillness within the heart.
SIX AT THE TOP
affected in the cheeks, jaw and tongue This line is the open mouth of the trigram Marsh and it uses words to
affect others. The cheeks, jaw and tongue all lie around the mouth.

Using words to influence others is even worse than using the heart. With
reverence it might be done, but without devotion there will certainly be
misfortune. No further judgement is added to enable you to change your ways
and find reverence in speech.

Through devotion we may find good fortune.

Knowing that devotion implies emptiness,
We can speak of the essence of the heart.
Knowing that emptiness underpins affection
We can ultimately discuss its use.

If Heavenly principle can be adhered to, the heart becomes empty and when the
heart is empty it may receive. As the heart receives it brings affection, and as it
can affect and yet still remain empty it lies one-sided towards neither movement
nor stillness.
Affection implies movement but the true Path more often prefers stillness.
When the big toe moves, be reverent to the seeds. The calves and thighs both
want to wait, preferring to be still. Beware of being affected in the back as you
may become stuck and unable to move – stillness does not mean immobility, but
dwelling in devotion. Devotion is simply holding to principle without the
interference of human desire.

Affection: stimulation, attraction
 32
Heng / Constancy

Constancy
blessings, no blame
favour devotion, favourable to take action As Heaven and earth evolved from primeval chaos, their impulse
lay in their eldest children, Wind and Thunder. From time immemorial there has been their ceaseless round
and alternation. The sun and moon attained the heavens and were constant in their light; while the seasons
reformed themselves and were enduring in their task.

…the way of husband and wife must not be other than long-
lasting; hence there follows constancy…

Similarly the human heart finds its ability to open up in the constant movement
of Wind and Thunder. But through all ten-thousand changes of thought, we must
have singleness of purpose. Then there can be accomplishment and blessings.
Constancy is to be esteemed.

Human virtue comes from the One and the One only.
Acting from the One always brings good fortune.

However, this does not mean holding to the One always without adapting. Your
actions must be based upon what is fitting and appropriate. Then there may
arrive blessings without the blame of rigidly holding to the One.

Virtue has no definite teacher.

Let principled goodness be your guide.

Change is not something that should be intentioned, but there are unchanging
patterns which may be followed. If we are guided by them and remain centred,
we may allow adaptation without losing propriety. This is best done through
favouring devotion.

Goodness itself has no definite teacher, Except holding with devotion to

the One.

You must have a humble will to enable this to be possible. Then the virtue of the
good daily advances and it is favourable to take action. From beginning to end
hold to the One and day by day you are renewed. This is the great significance of
constancy.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
profound in constancy, devotion, misfortune
nothing favourable This is the leading line in the Wind trigram, and thus apt at entering into things. Thus its
constancy becomes too profound. Use common sense and be real and reasonable. If you seek too deeply it
brings misfortune, even though you are proper in your behaviour.

By digging too deeply with the intellect you lose it, And looking for the
Path, you obscure it!
In this way what is sharp is soon blunted.
And hurrying to the goal you never arrive.

This is a warning for us to be cautious and receptive.

NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
remorse gone

A firm line in a second place is not proper, so there may be remorse. But this
line is centred in its response and straightforward in purpose, so any remorse
disappears.
Acting naturally and from your centre, any remorse at improper action has
disappeared. This line simply expresses blessings and devotion, and it is
favourable to take action.

Through plain simplicity all is correct.

No image or anything further is added. The hexagram text mentions blessings

and devotion, and that it is favourable to take action. All these refer to this line.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
inconstant in virtue, perhaps receive insults
 inconstant in virtue, perhaps receive insults
devotion, regret The virtue of the third line is being firm and proper. But it has past the centre of the
trigram, and at the end. Wind is impetuous and too hasty. It may suffer insults and humiliation and not
understand why. This is because through worrying you act hastily and without constancy.

Although your actions may be good and appropriate, they are inconstant in
their response. Therefore in this case, devotion brings regret.

Although proper you lack constancy And the situation simply brings
regret.

In this line the value of devotion is made clear. The second line is improper yet
can be constant, so its remorse disappears. This third line, although proper, is
inconstant so its devotion brings only regret. All the lines except this one depict
constancy in one form or another.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
no game in the field

This is the leading line in Thunder while a Yang line in a fourth position is also
improper. It is not centred and without a centre you cannot attain true constancy.
Furthermore, it is unrestrained in behaviour and constant when it should not be
constant at all!

This is like hunting in a field with no game.

Even though you persevere there is no gain.

You persist in the good, but lack true constancy. This is no good at all!
Thunder signifies a horse with thundering hooves, as in a field. It also means
the great highway, where there is no game. The third line has virtue but no
constancy, while the fourth has constancy but no virtue.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
constant in virtue, devotion
the wife, good fortune, the husband, misfortune This fifth line is gentle and centred. This is its constant
virtue. It follows the second line which is firm and centred. This is its devotion. But this is the devotion of a
wife, not that of a husband.

This is to remain centred, but through softness not through strength. A

constancy which never changes course is the devotion of a wife, not of a
husband. This is never the path for the junzi to follow. If the male is constantly
tailing behind the female, it brings misfortune.

To be over-constant – this is to lack flexibility.

Being in Thunder, the son, this line is partly male. Yet it is also in the Marsh, the
daughter, and thus partly female. Looking at the lines, while the second is Yang
the fifth is Yin and when Yin constantly follows Yang, this brings good fortune
for a wife. But Thunder is male and the Wind female, and if the male constantly
follows the female this brings misfortune. The fourth mistakenly exerts itself in
being constant, and lacks devotion. This fifth is excessively gentle. It possesses
devotion but lacks the blessings and this creates blame. Now we can understand
that the Path of constancy never means rigidly holding to the One.
SIX AT THE TOP
constant in agitation
misfortune This top line is the last in Thunder. It is weak and cannot hold to its position. Thus when it
changes, it moves unceasingly.

You move and adapt unceasingly, in agitation. But though you adapt, you
never find propriety. The Path of constancy is to be centred and nothing besides.
You will never succeed.

I do not change and guard my centre.

I change and adjust my centre to the time.
Yet changing the centre it is always the same.
Cling to the essence!
Cling to the One!
Clinging is the meaning of constancy.

The fifth line preserves devotion but lacks blessings. It half gains, but half loses.
This top line seeks blessings yet lacking devotion it cannot possibly succeed.
The Path of constancy means to be at one’s centre and nothing besides. The
fourth line finds no game, the first line is too profound and neither reaches the
centre: they are mired in constancy and do not know when to change. The third
line is inconstant, while the top line is agitated: both have passed the centre and
though good at changing have lost any regularity. The second and fifth are both
centred, but the fifth is weak and cannot change when it should or discern which
behaviour is correct. Only the second is both firm and centred, and by timely
adapting to the true Path obtains both blessings and devotion.
 33
Dun / Withdrawal

Withdrawal
blessings
with small people, favour devotion The small Yin within are growing whilst the Yang without are
shrinking. The Yang lines are fleeing from the Yin. The Yin lines are the small people. The firm fifth line is
correct in position, meeting a response in the second. If the Yang follows the time, the Yin cannot rely on
the situation.

…but things cannot eternally stay in one place; hence there

follows a withdrawal…

It is the timing which makes this opportunity of withdrawal. Withdrawal means

a withdrawal away from small-minded people. You may either withdraw the
body or withdraw the heart. If not in a position of influence, withdraw the body
and wait for the moment to act. If in a position of power, then withdraw the
heart, not with hatred, but severity.

As the body withdraws, you can still walk the Path,

As the heart withdraws, people cannot trick you.
With both, the movement brings blessings.

Follow the time and act accordingly. Then the petty-minded will not be able to
extend their influence. Through favouring devotion with small people, ignorance
may be transformed.
As the Yang follow the time, the Yin cannot rely on the situation. The
opportunity at the moment of withdrawal is great indeed!
 SIX AT THE BEGINNING
a tailed withdrawal, hardship
not useful to have somewhere to go In Withdrawal the top stands as the head while the bottom stands as
the tail. The first line responds to the fourth, which is the earliest to withdraw. It acts as a small-minded
person, tailing after it and watching its every move.

Your attitude when confronted with the petty

Enables you eventually to detach.

You withdraw away while someone of a petty nature tails after you. The counsel
is to delay going, so they cannot tail after you and there is no problem.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
bound with a yellow leather thong
no one can loosen it This line acts as the growing-point of the Yin which causes the Yang lines to withdraw.
Furthermore, it is centred, responding to the fifth line above with a yielding heart, and embracing the
restraining influence of the Mountain. It cannot be loosened.

You want to withdraw but someone binds you fast, knotting themselves to
you until they cannot be loosened.

It is the stance of the small person

Which inevitably delays you.

The Mountain means the stopping influence of a hand, which binds. A central
line is represented by the colour yellow. It is also gentle and yielding like an ox.
The Wind, in its flexibility, implies a leather thong made from ox-hide. In
Tearing Apart (23) the Yin injures the Yang and must procure the favour of the
palace-people in order to yield to the Yang line above; while in Withdrawal the
Yin pursue the Yang using a leather thong to retain them. The Book of Change
always supports the Yang and retains the Yin.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
a clinging withdrawal
there is sickness and hardship
nurturing men and maid-servants, good fortune The two Yin lines within are a lingering sickness. They
squat beneath this Yang line like ministers or concubines. The first line in a strong position is the minister
and the doubly gentle second is the concubine. This third line associates with them both and in its position
is compromised easily. If there is sickness, there is hardship. This line knows it is sick but nevertheless
clings to it, clinging instead of withdrawing. Complacent in the danger, it will never escape.

In this situation, you must nurture and encourage men and maid-servants.
Neither get so close that you are unable to draw apart from them, nor so distant
that it causes envy or resentment.

Discern your position with care

To find the correct approach.

Then you bind their loyal hearts in service and good fortune is achieved. The
Wind, in its flexibility, means a rope, used for clinging.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
a skilful withdrawal
the junzi good fortune, small people decline As this fourth line withdraws, the first tails after it. It changes
to form the Wind trigram, implying the influence of a skill or craft. Thus it manages to withdraw.

You do not indulge in evasion which would only arouse suspicion. This
means others do not tail after you and a skilful withdrawal can be achieved.
When a withdrawal is skilfully made, you rise loftily above mundane matters,
while small people are trapped in the net of the world. They confront their fate
alone.

Now the very means by which they would harm you,

Become the means by which they harm themselves!

If the lower two Yin lines grew again, they would form Decline (12). If the
fourth does not manage to withdraw it succumbs to their power.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
an excellent withdrawal
devotion, good fortune The fifth line withdraws, while the second holds onto it. Yet being centred and
changing to form Fire, signifying clarity, it is excellent at preserving propriety. Its words and deeds show
not a single blemish – none can detect a flaw in its behaviour. This is what is meant by the saying ‘the junzi
withdraw not with hatred, but severity’.

You do not withdraw the body but the heart.

This is a good art for one in this position.
Do not allow yourself to be deluded, but devoted!
The opportunity at a time of withdrawal is great indeed.

In this position the line finds distinction and small people dare not over-reach
their position.
NINE AT THE TOP
a blissful withdrawal, nothing unfavourable This top line stands outside the hexagram. It does not respond
to any of the lines within, neither clinging to people nor things. Therefore it makes a blissful withdrawal.
 to any of the lines within, neither clinging to people nor things. Therefore it makes a blissful withdrawal.
Preserving its lofty attitude, it becomes remote and self-sufficient.

You awaken to the fact that the place of withdrawal is spacious and profound
– and the flavour of it becomes blissful.

Withdrawing away from the crowd without concern,

The body is kept whole and the self far from harm.
Extend this Path to benefit the world,
And your place and position encounter nothing unfavourable.

The Yin are growing and the Yang are shrinking. In this critical situation one
must watch carefully – the junzi find good fortune whilst small people face
decline. For the junzi there is nothing unfavourable. In preserving the true Path
in accord with the times, a withdrawal can bring good fortune. But if you accept
the coming evil and harm the good, any growth will turn to misfortune. This is
why the hexagram text encourages you to find devotion when confronted by
small people.
 34
Dazhuang / Great Strength

Great Strength
favour devotion The power of the four Yang lines is growing full. They have exceeded the centre of the
hexagram, which suggests a reliance upon great strength. The four Yang are searching for the true Path and
must never rely upon forcing their way through. Heaven brings severity, whilst the Thunder is impetuous.
Both suggest reliance upon force.

…things cannot withdraw for ever; hence there follows great

strength…

If you force matters without comprehending principle, it is to indulge in acting

without awaiting the right time. In a position of extreme fullness, devotion must
be desirable. You should not favour strength but sincerity. Be cautious,
deliberate, and patient in your moves. It is favourable to have devotion. If
strength does not turn to aggression, you may stay centred.

If you can discover the proper use of strength, The innate tendencies of
Heaven and earth
Will all be there at your fingertips.

In the previous hexagram Withdrawal (33) the Yin is growing and the text
counsels devotion with small people. In Great Strength, devotion means not
allowing the Yin to become upset and bite back. Both favour the devotion of the
junzi.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
strength in the toes
an expedition, misfortune, have faith.
This is the first line in the Heaven trigram which embodies the meaning of
Thunder. At the base of the hexagram, it is like the toes. If there is strength in the
toes, it means a rash advance or expedition. This will bring misfortune.
Cultivate sincerity by putting your trust in and following another who shares
the same virtue. Join with them in devotion and you avoid the troubles.
This first line has the same strength as the fourth. If it can build up faith
through trusting in and following its partner, they may advance together and
share in the good fortune.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
devotion, good fortune This second line is firm but in a gentle position, at the centre of the lower trigram.
This means to be yielding at the centre. A strong line at the second place is doubtful in propriety, so it is
counselled to have devotion. This is to find gentleness at a time of great strength. It is to be flexible and
cautious, deliberate and patient in your moves.

Discern the weight of the time

And you may act accordingly.

At this moment we are one with the wisdom of the sages. It can only bring
happiness and good fortune. This is the devotion referred to in the hexagram
text. Return to devotion! This encompasses the whole teaching of The Book of
Change.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
small people use strength, the junzi uses none
devotion, hardship
the powerful ram butting the hedge entangles his horns This line is not centred, but firm in propriety. This
describes both the small person and the junzi. Small people use strength, while a junzi uses none. This line
occupies a leading position but, devoted to strength, only spoils its virtue and encounters hardship.

You overpower others, but this brings certain destruction. A powerful ram,
butting at a hedge, only entangles his horns and cannot escape.

Using strength, you lose it.

Using no strength, you gain!

The whole hexagram, in the shape of a doubled-up Marsh, depicts the ram’s
horns. The third line is doubly hard and therefore a ram. The hedge is formed by
the two Yin lines which cover over the Yang. Thunder, arriving in the
springtime, suggests grass, reeds and bamboo which all form a hedge.
 NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune, remorse gone
the hedge broken through, not entangled
strength in the Great Chariot’s axle A Yang line in Thunder likes to be active, so it is fitting to have
remorse. But it also dwells in a gentle position, gaining the propriety of the time. This line lies in a devoted
and gentle position, so it does not push through or make any trouble. It means the ram is not entangled but
breaks through. Any dangerous obstacle is levelled and the advance becomes unhindered. The image is of
strength in the axle of the Great Chariot.

You gain strength simply through losing it.

Using strength is not as good as using none!

The fourth line shares in the devotion and good fortune of the first. The third
uses its strength to butt forward and the top line becomes its opponent. It butts
the hedge but cannot break through and only entangles its horns. The fourth line,
in a gentle position, does not push through, nor does the fifth make any trouble.
Thus the ram is not entangled and the hedge broken through.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
losing the sheep in the frontier
no remorse This fifth line forms the hedge, which the fourth has just broken through. The hedge breaks of
itself and the sheep run through, getting lost in the frontier region. Selflessly you let them go – talents must
advance together. There should be no separation in the land nor any remorse for another’s advance.

At this moment just do not act as a hedge,

Nor stand in another’s way.

When Yin covers Yang it is fitting there should be remorse. But the fifth line is
gentle and centred, and it does not interfere with the Yang lines butting forward
after the fourth. This means the hedge breaks of itself and the fifth acts
selflessly, able to let them go.
SIX AT THE TOP
the powerful ram butting the hedge can neither retreat nor advance
nothing favourable
difficulty, then good fortune The top line is in the hedge formed by the upper Yin lines. It is weak in talent
and wants to let the ram through. The situation arises from relying solely on strength and possessing a
wavering heart. You are weak within and so force yourself to submit and there is nothing favourable in this.

Realise that the difficulty lies in the use of strength, So simply use none at
all!
Then any action will bring good fortune.
Strength would seem to suggest we should be utterly firm and hard. But with the
Path, it is more usual that gentleness succeeds and overcomes.

From the beginning to the end,

We are counselled not to use strength.
It is very clear what we should do!

The ram in the third line entangles his horns in the hedge and cannot retreat. But
the top line now wants to let the ram through. This means the ram can neither
retreat nor advance. Both the second and fifth lines are improper, but can be
gentle and find good fortune without remorse. The first and third gain propriety,
but they are doubly hard and so find only misfortune. In Great Strength the
secret is certainly never to use strength.
 35
Jin / The Advancing

The Advancing
the benign Baron offers a gift of horses
multiplying prosperously
three meetings in a single morning

The Fire trigram, bright as the sun, adheres to the grandeur of the heavens,
similar to an enlightened feudal-lord who dwells close to, yet subordinate to, his
ruler. The image is of the rising of a great light, spreading its active influence
over the whole land. The Earth, signifying the multitude, yields beneath. This
implies winning the people’s hearts and bringing them peace.

…things cannot halt for ever at being strong; hence there

follows the advancing…

You win the people’s hearts and follow the true Path, thereby making the people
secure. This is the task of a benign Baron. At the ruler’s command the will of
their lord prevails, you brighten their hearts and they are brought to order. The
image is of a great light rising, like the enlightened heart of a feudal-lord, who
presides over an age of prosperity and advancing virtue.
The gift of horses refers to the wealth of the Baron’s estate. Since the horses
are multiplying prosperously, the people gain abundant wealth and their ways
prosper. If a Baron increases the wealth of his people, his ruler may be honoured
with more tribute. This is even more valuable than offerings at the ancestral
temple! Three meetings in a single morning signify that the ruler rewards you.
As a Baron you have brought great peace and virtue to the people and are
honoured with dignified ceremony.

Creating happiness and harmony among the people

Is even more far-reaching than granting them favours or dispensations of
grain.
The government of the junzi daily advances.
It all depends on these actions and nothing else besides!

Water and Earth trigrams both signify horses. Fire is bright as the day and also
represents the number three.
The fifth line, soft and yielding, is gently advancing and it adheres to the
three solid lines of Heaven to form the trigram Fire. Thus Fire is born out of
Heaven. Thereafter it turns towards the Earth. It illustrates someone winning the
ruler’s heart and making his people secure. All this is the work of a benign
Baron.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
perhaps advancing, perhaps restrained
devotion, good fortune
not trusted, be tolerant, no blame

This first line changes to form Thunder, which stands for an advance. The
Mountain ahead stands in its way, so it also acts in a restrained manner. You
now occupy a position on the first rung of promotion, but are blocked by one
greater. In this situation, do not lose your sense of self, but properly cleanse the
heart in order to serve the public good. Then there follows trust from an
enlightened ruler and, undoubtedly, good fortune. If by chance you are not
trusted, then simply remain tolerant.

Rest in the right – content to avoid blame.

Be careful not to become confused,
Thereby losing devotion!

The heart always wants to be trusted. Rest in the right and trust will follow. Do
not anxiously lose self-control, thereby destroying your correct position. The
obstruction is created by the fourth line.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
perhaps advancing, perhaps worrying
devotion, good fortune
receive great favours from the Queen Mother
 receive great favours from the Queen Mother

Both the second and the fifth lines have the same virtue, so this line may
advance. But it is anxious about the fourth, which shades off the vision of the
fifth. There is a scoundrel blocking your path, shading off the ruler’s vision and
preventing your advance. But a loyal official is only ever anxious about the state,
never about himself and his position.
Do not fight but remain properly at your post, holding quietly back. Build up
a pure intent to reach out and enlighten the ruler. Eventually he will distinguish
between you both, between the good heart and the bad, and any anxiety is cast
away. In this way, good fortune may be obtained, together with the favours of
the ruler.

When the singleness of virtue is upheld,

Supported throughout by a pure sincerity,
You receive great favours.

This is just as the filial grandson, whilst at court, receives great favours from the
Queen Mother.
The fifth Yin lies in an honoured position, like the Queen Mother at court,
whilst the second is her filial grandson, purely yielding. The perilous Water
brings anxiety and worry.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
all people in accord, remorse gone

The third line is close to the fourth but without a relationship. It is also far from
the fifth without response. This may create remorse. But being extremely
yielding, the remorse is gone. There may be some disassociation as a result of
your advance. However, through remaining yielding at heart and being frank and
truthful, you win trustworthy friends and the confidence of your superior.
As all join in accord, responding to the ruler above, any remorse is gone.
When this is achieved the jealousy of another finds no place to enter in.

Do not suddenly advance

In order to appease one greater.

The top line in the receptive Earth is extremely yielding, with the same heart as
the other Yin lines below. It joins with them in order to respond to the fifth
above. The fifth is also trusting which means that the jealousy of the fourth
cannot intrude.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
advancing, like a rat or mouse
devotion, hardship

The still Mountain signifies a mouse. This Yang line is large like a rat. If you
occupy a position which properly belongs to another, you are always fearful it
might be snatched away. You become covetous with fear, acting like a rat or
mouse.

If you remain devoted to this, there is surely hardship.

Anyone who steals a position, brings danger down upon himself.

A rat or mouse always endangers others in order to make themselves secure. In

the end they also endanger themselves. So what benefit is there in this?
The whole hexagram esteems gentleness and yielding. But this fourth line is
hard. It does not yield and only alienates the people’s hearts. The first line is
restrained and the second is worrying. Both act on account of the fourth.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
remorse gone, gain and loss, never mind
go forward, good fortune, nothing unfavourable

The fifth line represents the benign Baron mentioned in the text. It is yielding
and advancing. A Yin line in a Yang position, there is some remorse. But this
line yields and adheres to the light of Heaven in order to gain the ruler’s
confidence, so the remorse is gone.
Your present position may entail some remorse. But through being open, you
gain the ruler’s confidence and remorse disappears. Set aside any concern about
gaining the ruler’s heart. To show concern over gain and loss is the cause of a rat
or mouse!

Never mind the gain and loss!

Only then can you be pure.
Go forward with an open heart
And there will come good fortune.

In all matters under heaven, it is easy to see which are right and which wrong,
only profit and loss make us confused. Refrain from calculating profit and loss,
and only think on the right and wrong.
Then your thoughts are clear. You stand appropriately and wherever you go
there is nothing unfavourable.
Fire flames upwards and then goes out. It does not last long. This is the
image of gain and loss. Water’s troubles add anxiety of the mind, but through
standing close to the settled Mountain any worry is terminated.
NINE AT THE TOP
advancing the horns, only useful to attack the hometown
hardship, good fortune, no blame
devotion, regret

A hard line in a top position gives the image of a pair of horns. You advance the
horns intolerably – but this is only useful when attacking your own hometown.
Then you may get rid of selfishness without worrying about being too severe.

In overcoming the self, always esteem courage.

If I firmly discipline myself, I will get rid of evil.

Although there is hardship, there is still good fortune and no blame. In this
fashion I am made aware of my own shortcomings. But there is an exception to
this – hardship can be pushed on to the point of being too extreme and this is not
the Path of peace and harmony.

Be flexible and exhaust what is favourable.

Advancing the horns cannot be taken as a fixed rule.

The Earth depicts a town of people. The brilliant Fire means shining armour and
weapons, used in an attack. A hard line in an utmost position allows no chance
of retreat. In Adhering (30) you do not prolong your severity and the top line is
only used for an expedition. In The Advancing you do not prolong your severity
and the top line is only useful to attack your own hometown. Neither approach is
all encompassing.

The Advancing: progress
 36
Mingyi / A Darkening Light

A Darkening Light
favour perseverance in devotion

The light of the Fire enters into the Earth and is subdued. This is the light of
Yang’s virtue being darkened and injured by the Yin. The whole hexagram
speaks of a time of difficulty and repression. This is the darkening light.

…advancing means pressing forward…but pressing forward

will surely bring injury; hence there follows the darkening
light…

There are many small people on the Path ahead confronting you, which should
be unfavourable for the devotion of a junzi. If you lose heart and drift with the
world, the body may be preserved but the true Path is lost. On the other hand, if
you hold your stance and butt against the times, you will guard the way but only
endanger yourself.
In this situation your devotion can not be too straightforward. You should
remain strong in heart and persevere in devotion – but do not make a show of it.

Devoted in heart, do not make a show of it.

Follow the manner of the times
And cultivate your own field and gardens.
Thereby you are nourished in obscurity.

In this case to persevere in devotion does not seem to be favourable, but

eventually it turns out so. It makes difficulties in the short run, but in the end
helps all under Heaven. This is what true people consider favourable.
The whole hexagram depicts the time of the Shang tyrant Zhou Xin.1 All the
lines depict reactions of individuals to his rule.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
a darkening light, drooping the wings in flight
the junzi decides to travel, for three days, he does not eat
he has somewhere to go, his host has words

Fire is sunken under the Earth. The first five lines in A Darkening Light contain
a light which is subdued all because the top line is not enlightened. The first line
is distant from the top but still shaded. You become darkened to preserve your
own rightness.
Cherish your position and obscure your light, fleeing the world like an
injured bird. Since the wings are drooped, it is difficult for you to fly. But a junzi
sees the seeds of change, and sets a date to travel. Though he does not eat for
three days, it does not trouble him. His host has words, but criticism does not
bother him.

Whenever an action is right,

Act whatever the consequences.

Fire signifies a pheasant or brightly coloured bird. Thunder means travelling.

Fire also means the sun, or a single day, and its number is three. The trigram is
also hollow, like a belly without food. Its clarity corresponds to spoken words.
The sages Boyi and Shuqi retreated to the mountains to escape the Shang tyrant
Zhou Xin. Eventually they starved to death, exemplifying this line.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
a darkening light, injured in the left thigh
use the vigour of a horse for the rescue!
good fortune

This second line in the lower trigram is positioned like the thigh. It assists
Thunder which stands for the left, where the Yang rises. The vigorous Thunder
and Water both signify horses. Thunder’s has prancing feet and Water’s central
line displays a graceful backbone. An injury to the left thigh means it is not
critical.

Although injured, your will is set on rescue.

 Although injured, your will is set on rescue.
You will only succeed with the vigour of a horse!

The people below act as horses to the ruler. When a situation is impossible
above, be generous to those below. This will prevent rebellion in their hearts and
preserve strength. Though in danger, you may still be brought to peace. Then
there is good fortune through vigorous action.
The support given by a thigh is like a minister overseeing his people. The
second line is gentle and yielding, centred and proper. It may fulfil the duties of
a minister. Although injured, it sets its will on rescue. This is to act as King
Wen, who led the rebellious Shang states in order to preserve the proper rule.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
a darkening light on the Southern Hunt
the great leader captured
be not in haste, be devoted

Whenever light is subdued in A Darkening Light, it is because of the top line.

The third line responds to the top. Fire means spears and swords. Thunder is a
horse and Water a chariot. Together they imply hunting. Therefore this line
undertakes to eliminate the evil. Fire, as the sun, is situated in the south.
You confront the evil in order to take it on as your own. You cannot help but
go on the Southern Hunt. Capture the great leader and root out the evil but do
not be in haste for a result. Else the darkened light will reappear.

Do not act in haste. But remain calm.

Constantly at one you eventually succeed.
Be not in haste, be devoted.

The perils of Water imply a sickness of the heart – which may encourage you to
hurry. But this line is firm, proper and devoted.
Finally King Wu gained the kingdom through winning a single battle against
Zhou Xin. Even though he rebelled, he typified devotion.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
entering left of the belly
grasp the crux of the darkening light
going out the courtyard gate

This is a Yin line, broken into two like a gate. The Thunder acts and goes out.
The fourth and top lines are contained in the single body of the Earth trigram.
Yet, close as they are, they do not relate. If they do not relate, there is an injury.
It is as if something entered left of the belly. Therefore you must preserve
yourself and continue the sacrifice at the ancestral and state temples. Acting in
this way, flexible in manner, you still may cleanse your heart. But if you are
overfond of your own home and do not go out to perform the sacrifice, you are
overwhelmed within and lose faith. There is no way to regain faith, unless you
go out. If you do not go out, you will be utterly destroyed!

Again and again examine your heart,

To grasp the crux of the fading light.
Go out through the courtyard gate –
Being decisive you will come to no harm.

Earth implies the belly and Thunder means the left. As this line changes to form
the Wind, it enters in. Count Wei took up the sacred vessels and received a
fiefdom in the state of Song to continue worship at the ancestral and state
temples. He understood this line.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
Count Ji darkened his light
favour devotion

The fifth line is gentle, centred and rooted in the light of Fire. But being so close
to the top, it can neither go on out nor turn back to help itself. It must subdue
itself even further. But this is not giving up. Through darkening the light, it
secretly preserves it.
You face the difficulties head on. Though the whole world denies there
exists any light, you secretly preserve it. Then laying in the shadows your
devotion is favoured.

You accept the wound without faltering,

And guard the light without cease.
Subdued a thousand years,
Your devotion lasts also a thousand years.

Count Ji, who lived within the court of the last Shang emperor, let his hair
become dishevelled and acted like a madman. Yet in the end he was able to
transmit the Great Plan.
SIX AT THE TOP
 SIX AT THE TOP
not enlightened, but obscured
at the beginning, ascending into the heavens
in the end, entering the earth

This is the top Yin line, at the very end of the trigram Earth. It is in utter
darkness, not making the slightest effort to enlighten itself and is the cause of the
Southern Hunt mentioned in the third line.
When rooted in enlightenment, you are able to dim your light. But once
rooted in obscurity, you have to make a supreme effort to enlighten yourself.
This line is rooted in obscurity, without making the slightest effort to clear itself.
This is to indulge in self-abuse and self-neglect.

At first ascending into the heavens,

At the last entering the dull earth.

This line depicts the fall of the Shang tyrant Zhou Xin. At first the top line
ascends the heavens, just as before losing his army he was unconquerable. Later
it enters the dull earth, just as he lost his mandate to rule through negligence.
The irreverent actions of the Shang people and their tyrant leader mean they lost
respect for the throne and he lost the mandate to rule.

A Darkening Light: subdued

1 Around 1150 BCE. The whole hexagram is historical; see the Introduction.
 37
Jiaren / The Family

The Family
favour a woman’s devotion Wind comes forth from Fire. This is the gentle influence of the human heart, as
it penetrates the whole world. When a man and woman make a home, it provides the conditions for the
continuance of human life and the source of all blessings. Their influence spreads as wind is stirred by fire.

…darkened means injured… injured on the outside, you

surely turn back to your own family; hence there follows the
family…

Yet it is the woman who forms the basis of a successful home – although she is
also the cause of its failure. Therefore favour a woman’s devotion. This is the
course each family member should pursue.

Within your heart and body,

Emphasise this yielding quality of a wife.
Then each member is at peace
And the family made a success.

Cultivate your own self-nature. This is the way to order the family and the root
of Heavenly virtue. Then the Path of Peace is established.
The fifth Yang line acts as the male without, while the second Yin line is the
female within. There are proper positions for each individual in a family. The
second and fourth lines are both Yin and proper, typifying a woman’s devotion.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
within limits, have a family
remorse gone The Fire trigram signifies clarity, but also separation as it distinguishes between things. This
is an image of limits and propriety. When people live together in a family, it is easy for hearts to go astray
and there to be remorse. This comes about through love overshadowing truth. Preserve the proper positions
within the family and observe limits. Within the gates of your own courtyard, all must be orderly and
secure.

If we guard against trouble before it starts,

And learn from just simple examples,
The remorse at being denied in truth will disappear.

This is the very first duty in making the family a success and it is mentioned in
the beginning line. A Yang line in a Yang position is doubly capable.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
not in pursuit, remain centred, prepare food
devotion, good fortune The second line is in its proper position and within. It is gentle, supportive and
centred. Riding on, and responding to Yang lines, it gives the image of following the father, the husband
and the son whilst not in pursuit of its own interests.

There are no prohibitions mentioned in this line, only the counsel to remain
centred and pay attention to the provision of food. This is to carry out a wife’s
duties and responsibilities. If you practise diligence without seeking self-
fulfilment, you may assume the woman’s devotion mentioned in the text. You
dare not be in pursuit of your own interests.

Let devotion be firmly kept.

When you tend to the children and grandchildren,
Provide shelter and provision for the uncles and aunts, It creates endless
blessings for the whole family.

In such a fashion devotion brings about the conditions for the arrival of good
fortune. Water suggests wine and food. Fire provides the boiling and cooking.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
people in the family, ow-ow!
remorse, hardship, good fortune
wife and children, tee-hee!
in the end, regret ‘Ow-ow!’ is the sound made by raging fire. Yet this line is in Water as well as in Fire, so
it goes ‘tee-hee!’ like trickling water. You may be too strict in regulating the family and the members
complain, ‘ow-ow!’ of hardship. This is the family ‘in the blazing fire’. But if discipline is not lost, all keep
to their proper limits and good fortune is attained. If they are not kept in order, they gather together in
frivolity, tee-hee! Then although this may be fine for a while, in the end proper limits are lost. There is
surely regret.
 Ow-ow! ends in good fortune.
Tee-hee! will bring regret.
Know which to follow
And you make the family a success.

This third line is doubly hard. It is a Yang line in a firm position and somewhat
overconfident in its behaviour. This may bring about hardship. If the strictness of
fire is not adhered to, it may deteriorate into the laxity of water. This line is
immersed between two Yin lines in the midst of the Water.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
a wealthy family
great good fortune When you are able to support your own family financially, it is an excellent basis for its
success. Yet if parents and children are respectful of each other, older and younger siblings cooperate, and
husband and wife are in accord, this also creates wealth for the family.

One who is good at making the family wealthy,

Does not treasure gold or jade, but kindness and truth.

In this manner one can act fairly without fearing poverty – for when the family is
in harmony, happiness and great good fortune follow. This spreads throughout
the whole world.
This fourth line enters into the body of the gentle Wind, which suggests
plying a craft. Wind also stands for silk, which brings a triple-profit on the
market.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the King approaches his own family
do not worry, good fortune This fifth line is in the position of supreme ruler. It is centred, virtuous and
proper. Both in its place and in its relationships, it shows total accord. With appropriate and just affection,
you approach your own family as King and they assume their proper positions. This is to transform them –
not merely to impose limits. The family serves as a model for the whole world.

Regulate the family and the world will be in order.

If the family are correct,
Governing the state and bringing peace to the world Follow as easily as
lifting a finger!

Do not worry that the conditions will not be supplied. There will be good
fortune.
NINE AT THE TOP
 NINE AT THE TOP
have faith, as if awesome
in the end, good fortune This top line reveals the end aim of having a family. Through wholehearted
sincerity you manage to build up mutual faith and all hearts become one. The purpose of the family is
achieved only through having long-term and far-reaching plans. Then there is no longer any separation
between you.

Remain straight and stern in manner, as if awesome, and your faith is long-
lasting. Finally there is good fortune.

In the proper management of the family

Both leniency and severity must accord.
In the country, a need for truth is fundamental, so value leniency; For if
the desire for truth is excessive it will bring about discord.
In the family, love and affection are fundamental, so esteem severity; For
if the display of affection is over-great,
It brings about impropriety and laxity.

One should recognise that limits may never be lost, nor restraint ignored. The
method of managing the family and of governing the state is one and the same.
Make use of both leniency and severity.
The third line warns against frivolity. The top line returns to awesomeness.
These two lines together both recognise that limits may never be lost, nor
restraint ignored.
 38
Kui / Separation

Separation
in small matters, good fortune

Fire flames upward and the waters of the Marsh seep below. These forces are
like peoples whose natures do not concur or who pursue differing interests.
Therefore they must fall apart and diverge. Hence there follows separation.
When our natures do not concur and we pursue differing aims and interests,
then it would seem to suggest misfortune and blame. However, whether we are
similar or dissimilar is not something which can be avoided. We can only be
skilful in making use of each situation.

…when the way of the family comes to an end, there surely

arrives division; hence there follows separation…

In handling great matters, go with the majority; in tending to small matters you
may be in the minority.

With greatness, look for sameness.

In small ways, you may be different.

When you walk the path of separation, you cannot handle great occasions. But
there is a chance of good fortune if you attend to small matters.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
remorse gone
the horse lost and not pursued, returns by itself
evil people seen, no blame
 evil people seen, no blame

This first line at the bottom has none to respond to. However, it is far from the
fourth and any remorse at being separate and alone has now gone. It is a hard
and proper line, and, moreover, in the joyful Marsh, so it has forgotten about any
discord. You have none to respond to yet as the separation has gone on a long
time, any remorse is forgotten. The horse lost and not pursued, will return itself.
When there is separation within togetherness, be allowing. If evil people
come to visit, let them visit. Do not blame them.

To find togetherness within separation, be tolerant.

Do not chase after those that leave,
Nor reject those that arrive.

The fourth in the Water trigram is the horse. It also moves upwards and is lost.
This first line keeps to its proper position so does not pursue it. The fifth
responds to the second, the third to the top, but the fourth has nowhere to go so it
returns. Fire is both brilliant and sudden. Water means danger and the fourth line
is involved in them both. They represent the evil people. The Fire trigram is
hollow like an eye, so they are seen.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
meeting your lord in an alley
no blame

This second line and the fifth respond to each other. It is fitting they should
meet, as during a time of separation ideas may diverge. And, in addition, the
fifth is lord of the hexagram. A ruler may separate himself from his minister, but
a minister may not initiate the separation. If you find direct expression of your
feelings awkward, be roundabout in manner and flexible in order to
communicate the truth. This is just like having a conversation when meeting
your lord in an alley. An alley is not a great thoroughfare, but simply a passage
between the palace buildings. Meeting in these circumstances, there are many
ways to create an understanding.

Indeed there are many ways

To encourage a deep awakening.

Your behaviour does not violate the true Path as it is done to bring you together.
There is no blame.
 Fire, in distinguishing things, suggests an alley.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
a cart seen dragged along, someone leading an ox
his head shaved and nose cut off!
this is nothing beginning, but ending

This line and the top respond to each other. But this line is weak and improper,
so suddenly there is suspicion. It suspects the fourth ahead of leading Fire’s ox
and the second behind of dragging Water’s cart. It also imagines the fourth line
has been harmed by the top.
Suddenly there is suspicion. Seeing a cart dragged along and someone
leading the ox, you suspect you are being deceived. His head has been shaved
and his nose cut off! So you imagine harm.
But this line is in Fire which should bring understanding. It should not be
suspicious. The more suspicion, the less clarity! It should purge away suspicion
and become clear.

Purge away suspicion and become clear.

This is nothing beginning, but ending!

Fire also suggests something seen. Water carries things like a cart and also
implies dragging. Fire, as in Adhering (30), suggests the ox, and the fourth line
is in the position of someone leading the animal. Water brings the need for rules
and regulations while the Marsh, the last child, means to destroy or cut off.
Shaving the head or cutting off the nose were both ancient punishments.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
separate and alone
meet a true friend and join in faith
hardship, no blame

This fourth line is close to the two Yin lines of the hexagram, but without
trusting them. It is also distant from the three Yang lines, without a response. It
stands separate and alone. But the first Yang at the bottom acts kindly and is
non-argumentative. It is a true friend. These two lines, the first and the fourth,
join together in faith.
Separate and alone eventually you find a true companion. Once you meet
with a friend, you are no longer alone. Therefore you join in faith.

After the meeting comes the friendship,

 After the meeting comes the friendship,
Which is humility emptying the heart.
After friendship comes the faith,
Which is trust governing the heart.

There may indeed be hardship at first, but eventually you both escape blame. To
come together once you have been separated, is as hard as this.
The second meets the fifth, a minister serving his ruler. The fourth meets the
first, the one above seeking the one below.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
remorse gone
thy clansman bites through the skin
forward, what blame could there be?

This line is improper, a Yin line in a Yang position, so it may feel remorse. But
as it is centred and responding to the firm second, any remorse is gone. The
second is like a faithful minister and also closely related like its clansman. You
occupy an improper position and it is appropriate to feel remorse. But through
responding to the trust of another in your clan, the remorse disappears and is
gone.

When in the company of one you trust,

Thoughts and feelings come easily together.
It is something like biting through soft skin.

Then you are able to avoid any suspicion and go forward to meet each other. At
first sight, you unite. You offer your hearts and are forever without separation.
What blame could there be?
The second line properly responds to the fifth. There is a Fire trigram
involved in them both, so it forms their clan. When the second line changes, it
forms Biting Through (21), which mentions biting through skin.
NINE AT THE TOP
separate and alone
see a pig covered in mud and a chariot carrying ghosts
first draw the bow, then unslacken it
not bandits, but suitors
go to meet them, rain falls, then good fortune

You are alone because you do not trust others. Being over-severe in manner you
turn cruel, and through being too far-sighted are over-imaginative. Water
suggests mud and a pig. The Marsh also brings mud. Water, which carries
things, is a chariot. It can also secretly hide things, like ghosts. The Fire trigram
is the shape of a stretched bow and Water has a strong central line, like an arrow.
First you draw the bow, then put it down, as the Marsh suggests something
interrupted or broken. The perilous Water means a robber or bandit.
The more you suspect, the stranger the things you see: a pig covered in mud
and you suspect contamination, a chariot carrying ghosts and you imagine you
are being haunted. First you draw the bow, thinking you are being shot at; then
you unslacken it and put it down, thinking you are deceived. You end up this
way simply because you imagine your companions to be bandits. In truth, they
are not bandits, but suitors! This top line properly responds to the third, which
acts as its suitor. Water also joins with the Marsh to form the rain. Trust them
and go to meet them. Then all suspicion vanishes and you unite.

Suspicion gives rise to separation and separation to suspicion.

Trust brings togetherness and togetherness brings trust.
Therefore in confronting separation, value going forward;
In dispelling separation, value meeting others;
In bridging separation, value faith.
You must not be misled by what you see!

As Yin and Yang join in harmony, rain begins to fall. Suspicions are avoided
and enlightenment follows. Separation turns to togetherness and joy prevails.
Then there is the good fortune.
The fourth line is separate and alone because it has none to respond to. This
top line has the third to respond to, but is alone because it does not trust the
response. It becomes paranoid and suspects the third of being a bandit. But the
third is not a bandit, but a suitor. As these two lines unite, Yin and Yang join in
harmony and rain begins to fall. Then unity and joy prevail.
 39
Jian / Obstruction

Obstruction
favour the southwest, do not favour the northeast
favourable to see the great man
devotion, good fortune The Water trigram presents a dangerous gulf ahead while the Mountain stands at
your back. Both present an obstruction.

…separation and division…division must surely bring

obstacles; hence there follows obstruction…

Now wherever you go, there are hindrances and obstructions. However, when
there are obstructions, there are also ways to overcome them. In the Outer World
diagram, the harder trigrams Water, Mountain and Thunder lie in the northeast,
while the softer trigrams Fire, Earth and Marsh are in the southwest. With Water
and the Mountain together, there is the danger of over-severity, so the southwest
is favoured.

The Outer World diagram

There is the danger of acting abruptly, so favour the southwest. Do not favour
the northeast. Cross the Mountain to join the Marsh in the west and move Water
over to meet Fire in the south. Water goes to join fire as in Already Over (63),
and soil is deposited into the marsh as in Affection (31). Hard and soft find their
proper positions and all is favourable.
In order to overcome obstructions, one needs the right people. It is
favourable to see the great man and seek his assistance.

Whenever you are preserving propriety

The Path beyond the obstructions is found.
Devotion will bring good fortune.

The fifth and third lines are both firm – the fifth is centred and the third proper.
The fifth is the great man and the other lines come forward to serve him. With an
obstruction below, a lead is given by the fifth above; with an obstruction above,
there is assistance from the third below. All the lines in Obstruction provide the
path beyond the obstructions. They are proper in position, except the first line.
Preserve propriety; that is all. Eventually there is good fortune.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
going obstructed, coming honoured In Obstruction the Water and Mountain obstruct the landscape. The
lines, going and coming, are seeking a passage through. Those moving outward are going, while those
returning within are coming. At first the danger is without, so better not going, but coming.

This line is the most distant from the danger, so it stops first.

People always submit to the seer.

In this way you are honoured!

The line is at the foot of the Mountain and stops first.

SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
the King’s minister obstructed, again and again
no concern of yours This yielding second line responds to the ruling fifth. It bends to confront the
difficulties of the time without wavering in its position. Both of you, yourself, the King’s minister and the
King himself are obstructed. But confront this problem and do not avoid it!

This is an action done simply for the sake of saving the ruler, not for any
personal gain. Further achievement is no concern of yours. There is no
judgement given in this line.

Simply bend yourself to the task in hand,

 Simply bend yourself to the task in hand,
Success and failure are not your concern.

The second and fifth lines respond to each other like King and minister.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
going obstructed, come and turn back This third line is firm and proper, and has reached the top of the
Mountain which means a single obstruction is overcome. But it is not yet centred in position so something
is still lacking.

Your going obstructed, turn back and gaze on yourself. Come and turn back
to reflect upon your own vision and knowledge of the situation.

If others become ungovernable,

Then turn back to reflect on yourself.

The fact that this line stops in time and turns back does not interrupt the going.
Instead it improves the going!
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
going obstructed, come and join up This line is in double danger. It is purely Yin and weak in talent, with
no one to help it, caught between two trigrams of Water. But fortunately it associates with the strong third
so they come and join up together.

The going on the path is obstructed, so come and join up in order to proceed.
There are many heroes and sages whose whole life’s work is directed
towards saving the good people of the world. Yet, if they can never agree
amongst themselves, they will always go their separate ways.

Only with sincere hearts and dignity will you join.

Then you unite in fellowship and feeling,
Until whatever you encounter will be overcome.

You cannot overcome the obstruction on your own. So come and join up with
others.
The fourth line in The Hesitant (3) cannot succeed without the assistance of
the Yang at the first place below. The fourth line in Obstructions cannot
succeed without joining up with Yang at the third place within. Firm and
yielding assist each other, and Yin and Yang join. The situations are identical.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
great obstructions, friends come The fifth Yang line is in the position of honour. Centred and proper, it
 great obstructions, friends come The fifth Yang line is in the position of honour. Centred and proper, it
takes all the obstructions under heaven upon itself. This implies a real talent, confronting great obstructions.

As the great man confronts great obstacles, he is able to use the supremacy
of the great Path to overcome them. His knowledge is sufficient enough to guide
the people, and his power strong enough to sustain them. All the good people in
the world submit their hearts, to come forward and serve him. They think of
themselves as serving – but the ruler sees them only as friends. With a humble
heart, he befriends all under heaven.

As friends arrive you are forever without obstructions.

All the lines come forward to serve the fifth. The second meets obstructions
again and again; the first becomes honoured, the third turns back, the fourth
joins with others while the top feeds this line’s eminence. These are its friends.
In The Receptive (2) it is favourable to find friends in the southwest. In
Obstruction it is favourable to find the middle path in the southwest. This line
does both, it both walks the middle path and finds friends.
SIX AT THE TOP
going obstructed
coming, eminence, good fortune
favourable to see the great man Yang means greatness. Both the third and fifth lines are Yang so they
represent great men. But this top line is weak, so its going is obstructed.

You are obstructed but fortunately can still descend to follow another way.
You find a companion and together you approach the great man in order to feed
his eminence. Thus you are able to overcome the obstruction.

Allow yourself to be led by a wise minister to serve the ruler.

This will create inestimable happiness.
All under heaven are at peace, including yourself.
There is good fortune.

Fortunately this line responds to the strong third below and joins with it to
approach the fifth. As the firm and yielding assist each other in overcoming the
obstruction, there is good fortune.
 40
Jie / Release

Release
the southwest is favourable
is there nothing to be done? returning, good fortune
is there something to be done? hastening, good fortune

To move like Thunder and escape the danger of Water is to find deliverance and
release. All the lines in Release speak of Yang releasing Yin. In the Outer World
diagram both Thunder and Water occupy the northeast. Therefore the southwest
is favourable.

…obstruction and obstacles…but things can not for ever be

obstructed; hence there follows release…

After great troubles and difficulties, once the people have been delivered, the
first priority is to work for peace. Put them back to work, getting the fields in
order and giving them instruction in planting and making full use of the land.
Then they are soon able to feed themselves.
The southwest is favoured because the Earth is located in this direction in the
Outer World diagram. The Earth also suggests the multitude. As the spring rains
arrive it favours growth, which is Yang releasing Yin. The people are able to
feed themselves and gradually forget there were ever any troubles and
difficulties confronting them.
Examine the situation carefully. If the trouble has been eliminated, avoid
action. If there is nothing to be done then return to care for and feed the people.
If there are still difficulties, then hasten to bring them to a close. If there is
something to be done, then hastening brings good fortune.

The Outer World diagram

Whichever way you proceed,

Do not act so as to disturb things.
Bring the people peace –
Then they are permanently released!

In Obstruction (39) the southwest is favourable because of the Fire and the
Marsh. Now the southwest is favourable because from the Earth everything
derives nourishment.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING:
no blame

This first line is weak and improper in position, like someone small-minded.
Luckily it inherits firmness from the second line and responds to the solid
example of the fourth. In difficulties, if you get rid of small people you block up
the trouble at source. They will follow the wise and be transformed though
learning. No blame is allowed to open the gate to improvement.

To awaken and move to escape blame

Is but the work of a moment!

The hexagram text above speaks of release from difficulties. The lines talk of
release from people. These are not separate issues as all problems arise from
small people. Get rid of the petty-minded and you block up the trouble at source.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
capture three foxes in the field
then recover your yellow arrow
devotion, good fortune
 devotion, good fortune

Water is the fox, the number of Fire is three and Thunder suggests a capture. The
Yin lines are cunning as foxes. The second is like an arrow, hard and centred –
indeed a yellow arrow. Yellow is the colour of the mean. As it responds to the
fifth it takes personal responsibility for releasing the people. It stands firm. It
does not make any false compromises or allow any alteration to its plans.

In releasing small people do not be afraid they will bite back.

Retain the true Path, remain straight and centred.

This is like being in the field, shooting and capturing three foxes whilst still
recovering your arrow. Retain your devotion and their fox-like flattery will not
reach you! Then the Path of truth prevails, allowing good fortune.
Water carries things like a chariot and Thunder is a horse. The Fire trigram is
hollow like a bent bow and the single line of Kan is the arrow. These all give the
image of hunting in the field.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
burdened on the back, riding a chariot
it causes bandits to come
devotion, regret

This third line is gentle and Yin. It is doubly dark, occupying the top position of
a lower trigram. Thus it has no virtue, yet occupies a high position. If what you
have is not your own and you are not strong enough to bear the commitment, the
position is precarious. Yet you still use rank to bully others – as if riding in a
chariot. Burdened on the back, whilst riding in a chariot, you cannot comfortably
bear the load and others steal from you. It is your fault that the bandits come.

Persist in this behaviour and the regret is extreme!

Water is the chariot as in the second line. Water also brings perils, such as
robbers or bandits.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
release your toes
a friend arrives, then there is faith

This fourth line is the foot of the Thunder trigram. The first and third Yin lines
are attached beneath like toes. In Release the two Yang lines join in strength to
release the Yin. You use strength to sever something you love – like releasing
your toes. This Yang line has its toes in the first and third. As you detach from
entanglements, a friend arrives and then there is faith.

In responding to others, value tolerance,

In conquering the self, value courage

The first line was weak, but gained the support of the second and responded to
the fourth. This is weakness responding to strength. In relationships, value
tolerance. The fourth line was honourable, but it associated with the third and
also responded to the first. This is the strong clinging to the weak, so it must
release its toes. In conquering the self, value courage.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
a junzi only releases, good fortune
have faith in smaller people

The fifth line occupies the position of honour, like a junzi. It is centred and
responds to the firm second – which typifies the virtue of a junzi. In dealing with
smaller and weaker people, a junzi need only release them. That is all. Be
decisive in clearing away their stubborn and selfish feelings and their hearts
return to the true Path. You need only have faith in smaller people.

Release them through faith!

Raise up the straight among the crooked,
And the crooked become straight.

The situation is clear. The fifth line acts to release the small people, who dwell
beneath it, so their hearts may return to the true Path.
SIX AT THE TOP
the Duke shoots the hawk from high on the wall
he captures it, everything favourable

The first and third Yin lines lie within the earth, like foxes. This top line flies up
into the sky like a hawk. The first lines are the lowest and are released very
easily but this line is at the top and the fourth has a hard time releasing it. Only
at the very end is it captured.
Now the top line flies up, soaring into the heavens. The Duke, showing both
skill and daring, shoots from high on the wall. So now a capture is made. The
image is of exerting oneself to release one who has gained power. The hawk
gains command through force.

When the chief traitor is captured, all under heaven are unfettered and
released.
Everything is favourable.

Fire is elegant like the Duke and Thunder implies nobility. Water moves like an
arrow, shot from a bow. The top and fifth Yin lines are like a pair of wings.
Thunder suggests a bird of prey or hawk. Fire means clarity and separation, like
a wall. The fourth line is high on the wall. All the lines in Release speak of Yang
releasing Yin. Among the Yin lines the first responds quickly without blame, the
fourth releases its toes, whilst the third carries something on its back and is
robbed. But this top line flies up alone. It escapes into the sky, befriending the
Yin and opposing the Yang. Therefore the fifth line cannot touch it with faith
and the fourth must mount high on the wall to shoot it. Fire implies the need for
skill and Thunder brings daring.
 41
Sun / Decrease

Decrease
have faith, the source of the good fortune, no blame
one may have devotion
favourable to take action, how to do it?
two platters may be used at the sacrifice

What is it that is decreased? One’s self. Decrease has evolved from Flourishing
(11), as the lower Heaven trigram is decreased by a single strong line in order to
serve the Earth above. Thereby the Earth trigram is increased. Strong lines are
esteemed which implies an overall reduction in inner strength.

…release and slackening…that which is slackening will

surely be lost; hence there follows decrease…

So act frugally, restrain your feelings and curb desire. Decrease resembles Inner
Faith (61) in that the Yin lines of Earth are embraced by the Yang lines of
Heaven. So reduce any falseness. Do not be hypocritical but preserve a firm
openness with sincerity. Have faith, for decreasing yourself reveals the source of
the good fortune. The Mountain is settled with devotion but Thunder is active.
The Marsh, the youngest daughter, signifies the action has a joyful outcome with
no blame.

It is favourable to take action, but how to do it?

Be sparing in yours words and actions, and there is no blame.
Preserve a watchful devotion and respect.
Humbly restrained, the people rejoice and your actions find favour.
There is no situation in which the wisdom of decrease may not be used. But how
to do it? Consider this. At no time should anything be offered in such abundance
as when at the sacrifice. But this can not be taken as a fixed rule. Although eight
platters of food are usual in an offering, these can be reduced to four, or even
two. So if what is offered at the sacrifice may be decreased, how much more so
may other things! It is imperative you comprehend that the movement of
decrease has such usefulness.
Thunder implies growing things and wood, made into a platter. The number
of the Marsh trigram is two, and its open top line suggests a mouth and food.
The Earth resembles the multitude, present at the sacrifice.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
hold the matter, hurry and go, no blame
deliberate, then decrease

This first line is strong and at the bottom of the hexagram, like some outstanding
matter to be dealt with. It responds to the fourth Yin above, which is empty and
seeks to increase. This means it decreases its own work to go and help the
fourth. So it may suffer blame.
But if you hold your own work, in order to hurry and increase another’s, no
blame is incurred. However, deliberate over your actions before going. It may be
better to do away with present errors than seek further accomplishment.

It may be better to avoid present harm,

Than to proceed with an intent to help others.

The still Mountain means to stop and hold. Thunder means to go.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
favour devotion
going forward, misfortune
not decreasing is an increase

This Yang line is weak in position, although correct in having strength. With
firm devotion commit yourself fully to the matter in hand without holding back.
But Thunder tends to stir things, so you are warned against going forward. At
present you are not strong enough to go forward and help another. It brings
misfortune. Remain centred calmly and sufficient strength will come.

Not decreasing is already an increase.

Not decreasing is being skilled at increase!
 Not decreasing is being skilled at increase!

This line’s character is opposed to that of the first line which needs to hurry and
go. The first is doubly strong, while the fourth is doubly weak – excess invites
decrease and insufficiency invites increase. But both second and fifth lines are
centred and whilst the second is strong in a weak position, the fifth is weak in a
strong position so here there is neither insufficiency nor excess. If the second
were decreased it would not have enough and if the fifth were increased it would
have too much. Therefore the second is not decreased.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
three people travelling lose one
one person travelling finds a friend

The Heaven trigram has three Yang lines. Give one away and three people lose
one. A Yang line has risen above and a Yin line found its way below. Thus both
are in their proper positions and each finds a friend.
In this situation nothing is depicted – just the rhythm implicit in the whole
universe. In all Heaven and earth there is nothing single; everything has its mate.

One makes for concentration.

Three provides for suspicion.

So three is decreased by one, to form a pair; whilst one alone will find a friend,
also a pair.

What is in excess finds decrease.

What is insufficient, finds increase.

Such is the overall rhythm in nature. The timely movements of Heaven and earth
and the balance of the sage are nothing more than a reflection of this same
guiding principle.
Moving Thunder suggests an open road. The first line deliberates before it
decreases, whilst the second does not decrease. The third line leaves it to nature
and does not become personally involved.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
decrease your sickness, causing him to hurry
there is happiness, no blame
Partiality towards either Yin or Yang will bring sickness. This fourth line is
doubly weak and the lines supporting it and riding on it, are also both Yin. This
means it lies in the midst of a great deficiency.
Because of this the first line hurries to heal it with its strength. But if the
fourth cannot get itself out, it will never be healed. If you cannot overcome on
your own, you will never be quickly healed. Therefore decrease the sickness of
weakness and you quickly receive an increase in strength from a friend. Once the
sickness begins to heal, you are happily renewed. There is no blame.
But even though someone comes to your aid, the sickness is healed through
your own efforts – through the work done on yourself.

The junzi value overcoming the self.

On the day they succeed
The sickness of a whole life is healed!

Fortunately the fourth line lies in rousing Thunder. The first line arrives soon
and there is happiness for all.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
perhaps you are increased
ten pairs of tortoise-shells cannot overturn it!
the source of the good fortune

This fifth line is weak but centred and it responds to the second which is also
centred but strong. However, the second cannot decrease any further, nor can the
fifth seek any increase. Nevertheless, the top line completes the hexagram by
receiving an increase from the third, which it extends downwards towards the
fifth.
Whenever there is an unexpected increase in good fortune, you may feel
uncertain, and it is in order to consult the oracle. The center of the hexagram is
hollow like the Fire trigram, so it implies a hollowed out tortoise-shell. The
Earth also implies pairing up and the number ten. Once the divination is settled,
even ten more oracles will not overturn it – the spirits and gods are one with the
tortoise-shell!

Embrace the source of Heavenly strength within.

It is unexpected – but you may receive it.

There comes good fortune because you remain centred, although essentially
weak.
The hexagrams Decrease and Increase (42) suggest that firmness is softened
through decrease, whilst gentleness is strengthened through increase. The fifth
line in Decrease is similar to the second in Increase for both are centred
although essentially weak. The fifth seeks good fortune whilst the second looks
for devotion. But both hope to end up stronger.
NINE AT THE TOP
not decreasing is an increase
no blame, devotion and good fortune
favourable to take action
obtain a minister, deny the family

This line responds to the third, which is decreased below in order to increase this
line above. The third has been decreased so it cannot be decreased again and this
line has just been increased so it cannot suddenly be decreased. Therefore there
is no decrease.
Not decreasing your own Path will provide an increase for the ruler; whilst
not decreasing the people’s wealth will bring about an increase for the state. The
fifth line’s unexpected increase depends on this line so it is an increase for both
ruler and state. But how does the good fortune come about without decrease? It
is because each situation demands a singular solution. You must make the right
response.

There is no blame, devotion and good fortune

And it is favourable to take action.

However, there is a warning here. You are in receipt of a minister’s respect and
he seeks to increase your own wealth. If you pass this on to your own family,
they may be increased but you are surely decreased! Deny the family and there
will arise no selfish attachments. Now the Path of decrease is complete.

For none are decreased without

While all are decreased within.
Never seek increase for yourself
And you will never be without it!

The hexagram text uses decrease to obtain good fortune while here it is obtained
without decrease. The third below is yielding like a minister and yet also within
like one of the family. This line does not act to decrease the third and the third
rejoices. This is to deny the family. If this line were to use its influence to reward
its own family, it would suffer a decrease.

Decrease: decreasing severity
 42
Yi / Increase

Increase
favourable to take action
favourable to cross the Great River

Increase has evolved from the hexagram Decline (12). The trigram of Heaven
without is decreased by one strong line in order to further the Earth trigram
within. This is an increase of inner strength.

…decrease without ending is sure to bring increase; hence

there follows increase…

But any increase within corresponds to an increase in the affairs of the people.
The Earth stands for the multitude. Thunder infers movement and the Wind
enters in which suggests an influence on the multitude spread over the earth.
These actions aid the people, so it is favourable to take action. It is the moment
for performing great deeds and pacifying misrule. All obstacles have been
levelled and you may travel in any direction as any difficulties are overcome. It
is even favourable to cross the Great River.

As great deeds are performed and peace won,

The people’s increase is inexhaustible.

When all people on earth have been pacified and the will of Heaven fulfilled, the
affairs of the world are in good order and peace reigns for ten-thousand
generations.
 Moving Thunder suggests a great highway, spreading across the land. Both
the Thunder and Wind refer to a time of growing. They also symbolise wood,
and the whole hexagram is hollow like a boat. So it is favourable to cross the
Great River. Both the fifth Yang and second Yin are centred and proper in
position. They respond to each other and travel is favourable. Thunder and Wind
also occur in the spring giving the idea of natural benevolence rising anew.
Benevolent action always commands peace, so again it is favourable to cross the
Great River.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
favourable to perform great deeds
the source of the good fortune, no blame

This line is the lowest in the hexagram and the first in Thunder. It receives the
greatest increase and should therefore repay the most, through performing great
deeds. Great deeds are those such as the spring ploughing. The wood of Thunder
may be carved into a plough-share and bent to fashion the handle of a plough.
Performing great deeds, you find the way to the Path of benevolence, where all
people benefit and find aid. This is the source of the good fortune. What could
be greater!

Ten-thousand generations follow without cease and you incur no blame.

Indeed this is to affect the utmost increase!

The Thunder moves and the Wind penetrates, entering the soil. Thunder also
suggests seeds and fresh beginnings.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
perhaps increased
ten pairs of tortoise-shells cannot overturn it!
everlasting devotion, good fortune
the King sacrifices to the Emperor, good fortune

In such a position you cannot be totally safe. It is only everlasting devotion

which will secure the chance of good fortune. The hexagrams Increase and
Decrease (41) are connected. This second line in Increase corresponds to the
fifth in Decrease and their images are the same. In Decrease the fifth is
increased by the top. Here the second is increased by the first line below. Neither
line receives anything directly, which is why there is uncertainty. Both the fifth
in Decrease and the second in Increase are weak, but this line also occupies a
weak position so it must retain everlasting devotion.
Make a sacrifice to the gods-on-high and there is an increase. Then even ten
further questionings of the tortoise-shell oracle will not overturn your position!

Do not be fickle in heart.

As the spirits and people unite, any increase is sure to be great!

With everlasting devotion there will surely be good fortune.

The settled Mountain halts, so this line cannot easily approach the gods and
spirits. Additionally, Thunder suggests a change in heart. Only with firm
devotion will there be good fortune. The Mountain gives the image of a
sacrificial mound and the Earth suggests a ox, killed at the sacrifice. The
Emperor comes forth at the moment Thunder sounds.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
increase through misfortune, no blame
have faith, walk the middle path
announce it to the Dukes, using a sceptre

This line speaks of faith because it is open and empty within. But it dwells in an
unfortunate situation, amidst the Yin lines. However, Thunder embodies fear,
and as it assesses the situation it finds faith and manages to obtain an increase.
Although you encounter misfortune, you manage to obtain an increase in
fortune. In affairs of state, warfare and famine are the greatest misfortunes. Have
faith in your heart and walk the middle path, using the sceptre of authority to
explain the situation to the dukes, your fellow clansmen. Then neighbouring
states will donate grain and regional commanders raise an army – in this fashion,
others come to your aid. These are exceptional times.

Before you had no food, but now there is food.

Before you were weak, but now you are strong.
Although you occupy a misfortunate situation,
You gain an increase which is shared between you.
Everything depends upon how you react.
A distressed heart sharpens the wits!

Neither the third nor the fourth are centred, but they speak of walking the middle
path as they occupy the middle of the hexagram. The rousing Thunder suggests a
highway, which is walked upon. It also stands for a feudal-lord or Duke, and
something made of precious jade, like a sceptre.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
walk the middle path and announce it, the Dukes will follow
favourable to use support in moving the capital

This fourth line walks together with the third in the middle of the hexagram. It
receives the mandate of the bending Wind. Thunder suggests the dukes and the
first line is their commander. The fourth responds to the first. It walks the middle
path, announces itself and the dukes will follow.

The dukes hold the hearts of the multitude.

In all affairs of state, none are greater than moving the capital.
When you obtain the hearts of the multitude,
They may be used as support.

Finding support in moving the capital must be favourable. There will be an

increase.
The populous Earth stands for a state or capital. The first line has descended
from this position while the fourth has risen from the first place – the image of
moving the capital. As the first line is increased, it obtains the support of the
multitude.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
having faith, a gracious heart, no need to ask
the source of the good fortune
having faith graces thy virtue

This fifth line occupies the place of honour. Centred and proper in behaviour it
has a gracious heart. Gracious government is always based upon a gracious heart
– it is the source of the good fortune. As your faith is able to permeate the hearts
of them below, good fortune is assured. There is no need to ask the oracle. The
people possess faith – for your utter sincerity resonates with their own.

Utter sincerity resonates utter sincerity.

Above gracious in heart, below gracefully follow;
Influenced in heart, rectified in virtue.

You use your teaching to enlighten the people and being gracious in heart, they
follow gracefully below. Indeed this is favourable! Having faith will always
grace your virtue.
This line is centred, proper and still in the Mountain, which reveals a proper
faith. It manifests propriety and all the other lines return to it. The second divines
and questions about an increase, but now there is no need to ask the oracle. As
those above have faith, those below follow suit. The first line provides
nourishment to enrich its position. The second uses sacrifice to receive the
blessings. Now the fifth uses teaching to enlighten the people. In these cases
increase arises mostly out of good fortune, just as the hexagram text says it is
favourable to take action. The third uses its sceptre to summon the dukes. The
fourth uses support in moving the capital. In these cases increase arises mostly
out of misfortune, just as the hexagram text says it is favourable to cross the
Great River.
NINE AT THE TOP
no one increases you, you may be even struck!
committing a heart without constancy, misfortune

This top line is hard and too forceful in behaviour. It occupies the most extreme
position in the hexagram. It seeks increase incessantly and demands decrease by
others – but they do not yield. Indeed no one increases you, you may be even
struck!
Problems which arise unexpectedly always arise from the heart. Commit an
inconstant heart and you only inherit shame.

How can the heart be made constant?

It is only through faith and devotion.

Get rid of all attachments and preserve a true sincerity. This is to discover real
and lasting devotion of the heart, and to find proper constancy. Then an increase
will arrive.
This top line acts just like the third in Constancy (32), which is inconstant in
virtue. It is insecure yet covers this up through being over-forceful and violent.
The top must discover the faith of the fifth, or the devotion of the second. The
top line in Decrease (41) must deny the family to resolve any selfishness; the top
line in Increase must find constancy to preserve its own integrity.

Increase: increasing prosperity
 43
Guai / Breaking Through

Breaking Through
make it public in the King’s court, faithfully cry it out there is hardship, announce it to your own hometown
not favourable to take up arms favourable to take action

The five Yang lines grow full, threatening to throw out the single Yin. To force a
breakthrough may seem to be easy, but such an occasion cannot be taken lightly.
The Yin line rides on top of the Yang lines, enticing them, flattering them and
being persuasive, and this confuses them. The time can prove difficult.

...increase without ending is sure to bring about a

breakthrough; hence there follows a breaking through…

Be clear about any wrongdoings and declare them publicly in the King’s court.
Then all believe in the treachery and there comes the breakthrough. As the
troubles are made public, they naturally resolve.
However, when problems are many, people tend to disagree. There can be
confusion and indecision, lack of will or discipline. Take up arms hastily to force
a breakthrough and everything will be ruined. When there is hardship, you must
announce it to your own hometown.

Be honest in the restraint of the heart,

And have danger constantly in mind.
Be vigilant and allow no opening to be exploited.
Do not be forceful in introducing change
Or it will end in the use of arms.
Make the planning perfect and all is well.
 Make the planning perfect and all is well.

The Heaven trigram refers to the ruler or King. The Yang lines are solid as in
faith. The trigram for the Marsh, with its broken line, opens its mouth to cry out.
Heaven brings apprehension, creating hardship. In the Outer World diagram both
Heaven and the Marsh refer to the element metal. The two metals oppose one
another bringing conflict.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
strength in the advancing toes
going forward does not win, it brings blame

The lowest line in the hexagram represents the toes. It is doubly hard and strong,
with its will set on breaking through the single Yin line. But it has no one to
respond to and only encounters destruction.
At a time of breakthrough there is no blame in advancing but consider the
momentum of the time, and measure your own strength accordingly. Do not act
alone.
If you fail, it is not because of the situation, but because of the timing. Then
you incur blame.

Running ahead and butting in

You will win nothing.

This line is warned not to take up arms, as mentioned in the hexagram text.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
crying out in apprehension, at night
take up arms, do not worry

This line is firm and centred. It breaks through to find harmony. It remains
apprehensive, thinking of the hardship mentioned in the hexagram text. Strong in
heart, it is yet worried at night, crying out and awake in the dark. But this
demonstrates the utmost in alertness. Others may intervene in your affairs and
the top Yin is pressed up against the wall and might bite back. You have to take
up arms.

Take up arms and do not worry.

Being well prepared you will surely win.

The first line should not act too strongly, the third alone negotiates with the top;
the fourth is improper and the fifth associates with the top. In appearance all five
lines are Yang but only the second conducts itself as ruler. How can it not be
apprehensive about the hardship? How can it not cry out?
In the Outer World diagram the Marsh stands in the west where the sun sets.
Heaven stands in the northwest where the sun is at night. The top Yin line is
pressed up against the wall and can bite back, so this line is allowed to take up
arms in its own hometown.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
strength in the cheekbones, there is misfortune
the junzi break through, again and again!
walking alone, they meet the rain
if soaked, remain indignant, no blame

This third line is the highest in the lower trigram, in the position of the
cheekbones. On its own it responds to the top Yin line, walking alone. This is
like going to meet the rain and being soaked. It is right to remain indignant.
When you stand on the borderline of doubt it is revealed immediately in your
face. The strength of your feeling is shown in the cheeks and before anything is
said the secret is out. This is the misfortune.
But the junzi take heart within themselves and break through again and
again, in a decisive manner! No matter the misfortune. If others do not go along
with you, then walk alone. You may well encounter difficulties and be
slandered, like going to meet the rain and getting soaked through. It is correct to
remain indignant.
Make your plans in secret. Be patient. You will eventually achieve success.
Through befriending a wrong doer you help in the breakthrough. There remains
no blame.

Not using strength, you have succeeded!

Not using strength is strength indeed.

This line alone manages to negotiate with the troublesome trigram of the Marsh.
It meets the rain and may get soaked through. But as it befriends the top, it helps
all five lines escape.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
your buttocks rubbed raw!
your walk halted, an obstruction
be led like a sheep and the remorse disappears
these words are heard, but not believed
 these words are heard, but not believed

This is the lowest line in an upper trigram, like the buttocks. The soft Yin is like
skin. But the surrounding lines are all Yang and it is rubbed raw. All the Yang
lines agree on defeating the Yin and if this line does not join in, it becomes
pressed upon on all sides. It tries but cannot move.
But if you try to avoid the breakthrough, it is like having your buttocks
rubbed raw. This is a painful condition. You try to avoid it, but cannot move.
Your walk is halted. There is an obstruction in the way.
You want to be resolute like a ram butting a hedge, but must be led like a
sheep and restrain the wish to push forward. Wait for the right moment to
advance and the remorse of being rubbed raw will disappear. There is warning
here.

Fresh vigour and strength make us overbearing.

Be careful in pushing forward!
These words are heard, but not believed.

From ancient times, whenever great people have found success, they have
tended to this weakness. You are profoundly warned to heed the advice of others
and to consider these words.
The Marsh has a broken top line, like the pair of horns on a sheep. It also has
an open mouth. As this is a strong line in a weak position, it does not believe the
words which come out of the mouth. The line tries, but cannot move forward,
just like the fourth line in Great Strength (34). To butt like a ram will not do. It
must be led like a sheep and restrain itself.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
goats on the prairie
breaking through, again and again!
walking the middle path, no blame

The whole hexagram forms the shape of a large Marsh trigram. This represents a
herd of goats. The Yang lines all rush forward to butt at the top line. The
situation has reached a climax and the trouble can begin to subside.
But this fifth line associates with the top and secretly protects its own
position. The time has been reached when your determination may begin to
waver. The Yang lines beneath must be let through like a herd of goats let run
wild on the prairie. You must advance without interruption. This is like the goats
on the prairie running wild without enclosure.
 Advance without interruption.
If you fear getting entangled, push for a final breakthrough.
Be thorough in getting rid of the trouble –
Walking the middle path, you incur no blame.

The situation is intimate and, when feelings are involved, it is difficult to be

decisive. In this case pushing for a breakthrough is blameless. Break through,
again and again!

This is a case of acting excessively

Whilst walking the middle path!

Both the fifth and third lines break through again and again. They fear getting
tangled up with the top, so eventually force a breakthrough.
SIX AT THE TOP
not crying out
at the end, misfortune

This top line forms the object of the breakthrough. Being a single Yin it may not
seem worth worrying about, but troubles often begin imperceptibly. Stand on
guard against corruption and deceit. When matters are taken lightly, divisions
occur, which have the power to harm you. It is inevitable. Beware of the
misfortune at the end.

How difficult it is to use strength!

Will there be misfortune at the end?
This would prove lamentable indeed!

A Yin line at the very end of a hexagram may not seem worth worrying about.
But if the hexagram is turned over and inverted it becomes Encounter (44) and
this cannot be ignored.
At first with the single Yang line in Restored (24), there begins a gradual
advance. The Yang lines pile up and accumulate, through Approach (19),
Flourishing (11) and Great Strength (34) until at last Breaking Through is
achieved. If there is to be misfortune at the end, it is lamentable indeed! No other
image is added. The other five lines have made it all clear.
 44
Gou / Encounter

Encounter
the woman has the strength
it is no use to gain her

Any chance meeting may turn into an encounter. In the usual way of things, a
single Yang line at the bottom of the hexagram is restored, after being torn apart
by the Yin in Tearing Apart (23). However, now a single Yin is encountered,
acting as host, after being denounced in Breakthrough (43). She has suddenly
the strength again. But situations such as these can at times evolve by uniting
with the Yin within.

…a breakthrough implies decisiveness…decisiveness must

surely bring an unexpected visit; hence there follows an
encounter…

The influence of the woman must always involve man. If the woman has the
strength, it must be our own concern. Even when the Yang returns in Restored
(24), it is against a background of Yin. But if the Yin has the strength, it is no
use to actively gain her. Even if she appears inviting, do not associate with it. It
is no use to gain her.

At first glance they may seem slight and helpless.

But do not be tempted by them.
Block their power at source –
And before too long they will gradually wither away.
The influence of the weak must always concern the junzi. Yin and the Yang will
eventually seek to join – to be transformed. But now the Yin grows suddenly
strong because it is given strength. Wrap it up and shelter it. Contained securely,
what can it do?
A single Yang line at the top forms Tearing Apart (23) and a single Yang at
the bottom is Restored (24); a single Yin line on the outside signifies
Breakthrough (43), whilst a single Yin inside forms Encounter. These
situations are alike. While the single Yang line is restored, it gradually increases
until Great Strength (34). But when the single Yin line is encountered, acting
as host, the Yang lines take refuge and withdraw. As the Yin opportunely claims
the strength, it is not the same as in Great Strength. The Path of Heaven
becomes impure once it is bewildered by the power of the Yin within.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
tied to a metal hook, devotion, good fortune
let it go on, misfortune seen
an emaciated pig can still jump and leap about!

This is the Yin line at the beginning, which the Yang lines chance to encounter.
They should restrain it by tying it to a metal hook. If tied not too tightly or
loosely, the pig will become quiet and peaceful. It may even find devotion,
bringing good fortune.
But if it runs on to second and third place, it forms Withdrawal (33) and
then Decline (12). The pig is let go, and immediately misfortune is seen.
Although apparently weak it can still jump and leap about. It will leap over the
fence and run off. This is bound to happen.

This is a warning to be vigilant.

Do not just tie it once and forget it!

The soft Wind suggests a rope. Water stands for a pig, which loves the mud, but
the Wind trigram contains only its two lower lines, suggesting an emaciated pig.
The Wind is also impetuous, so the pig will jump and leap about.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
wrapped up, with a fish, no blame
not favourable to receive guests

This Yang line wraps around and holds onto the single Yin. It is as if taking hold
of something soft and hidden – like a fish wrapped up in a wide leaf, for
carrying. The invisible Wind means to be hidden, like a wrapped up fish. Fresh
leaves were often used to carry fish. The Yin is held within – there is no blame.
But because something is being held back, it is not proper to receive guests.
If you go on in this way, the trouble increases until eventually it becomes
intolerable.

A fish and a melon both begin to spoil and go bad inside,

Whilst it is still imperceptible on the surface.
This identifies the crux in judging people.

The single Yin line below acts as host and the fourth responds as its guest. The
Yin line wants to meet with the other lines but first comes across the Yang in the
second place, where it is wrapped up like a fish. If it were to encounter the
others, its strength would become intolerable. Therefore the guest in the fourth
goes without the fish.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
your buttocks rubbed raw!
your walking halted, obstructed
hardship, no great blame

The third line wishes anxiously to meet with the Yin line at the beginning, but is
obstructed by the second. It can no longer bear to be still, nor can it move easily.
This identifies extreme danger. You are not at peace sitting still, but neither can
you move. Your buttocks are rubbed raw, and your walking halted and
obstructed. Fortunately this line at the centre of the hexagram is proper, and does
not contend with the trouble.

Let your feelings be known –

But at same time restrain yourself properly.
There is an art in handling the Yin!

This third line accepts the situation, neither contending with the Yang at the
second nor meeting with the Yin at the first. Although blame is incurred, it is not
as great as it would be if the fault went uncorrected. Although there is hardship,
there is no great blame.
The hexagrams Encounter and Breakthrough (43) are inversions of each
other. Both this line and the fourth in Breakthrough contain the same image.
The fourth pushes on towards the top whilst the third wants to meet the first. The
situations are similar.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
wrapped up, with no fish
rise, misfortune

This fourth line responds to the Yin at the beginning although it is not as close as
the second. So it is also wrapped up, but this time with no fish. The position is
neither centred nor proper, so it is never right to move. Your situation is
awkward and wrapped up, with no fish. So let others take on the burden of the
trouble. If you rise, there is misfortune.

The Book of Change teaches us the truth:

In an encounter the closest gets there first.

So the second has the fish, while this line goes empty-handed. Additionally, it is
still unwise to receive guests. If this line thinks of the fish as its own and rises
then there is misfortune. The hexagram text tells us it is no use to gain the
woman. If this line can live without the fish, how can it get into trouble? The
wrapped up fish teaches us the difference between host and guest.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
with a willow, wrap a melon
concealed splendour, it falls from Heaven

A firm Yang line, centred and proper, this fifth line has the responsibility of
restraining the single Yin below and covering it. It acts as a high willow tree,
sheltering the vine of the soft melon plant beneath. Its many leaves conceal the
inner sweetness and splendour of the fruit. This is an image of the hidden
brilliance of Heaven and earth, and all the myriad things.
In human affairs, nothing is for certain – but life is often sweet. In our
dealings with friends and acquaintances we should conduct our affairs in a
spontaneous and unassumed manner. It is as if our deeds were to fall from
Heaven. This is the concealed splendour.

You come across a tempting situation:

Now will the outcome be beneficial or not?
It all depends on how you act right now.

The Wind suggests tallness, like a tall willow tree. The first line is below, Yin
and sweet as the melon. The Wind also means to be balanced and hidden, so the
splendour is concealed. The splendour falls from the Heaven trigrams above.
There is no judgement given in this line.
NINE AT THE TOP
encounter with horns, regret
no blame

A hard line at the top of the hexagram acts like a pair of horns. As the Yang
reaches the top, it turns below to butt at the Yin line. But this is not the way to
deal with the Yin. An encounter with horns will never win. The situation must be
abandoned with regret.
Since you do not make contact, there should be no anxiety over the woman
having the strength. There may be regret but there is no harm done, so no blame.
Keep distant from the Yin and small-minded. They would face you but you
encounter and then evade them – and so avoid harm.

The art in blocking or finishing any task

Lies in remaining always with the Yang.
But you cannot act over-severely.

Thus when meeting during an encounter, simply adapt to the times – when
avoiding, follow principle. If there is a way to be gentle, then be gentle, as in the
second and fifth lines. If there is no way to be gentle, then hold back, as in the
third and top. The third accepts that it cannot meet with the first, so there is no
great blame. The fourth, through keeping its distance, escapes hurt. This top line
meets with the first but then contains it, so again there is no blame. All these
lines find a way round the difficulties.
 45
Cui / Gathering

Gathering
blessings
the King approaches the temple, favourable to see the great man
blessings, favour devotion
using a large sacrificial animal, good fortune
favourable to take action

The Yang lines attain a position of honour while the Yin lines turn and advance
towards them, gathering together. In all Heaven and earth, things must gather
together before they may attain a state of blessings. As they gather, along with a
pure intent, a common bond is sure to arise between them.

…an encounter is an unexpected visit…things meet together

unexpectedly and then afterwards coalesce; hence there
follows gathering…

In formless gatherings, none is greater than when the King approaches the
ancestral temple. The settled Mountain trigram suggests a palace or gate-tower
to the sacrificial temple. The hearts of the ten-thousand may be gathered in to
serve the ancient Rulers, and the spirits and people become one. Among formal
gatherings, none is more useful than seeing the great man – as the people gather,
their hearts unite. In both situations, the gathering is favoured and it brings
blessings. All people and things must favour devotion.
Seeing the great man is the first step in approaching the ancestral temple. But
the use of a large sacrificial animal brings good fortune. It is certainly favourable
to take action.
 When there is firm devotion among the people,
The spirits gather throughout the land.
Then the Sacrifice brings good fortune.

The fifth line is centred and proper, like the great man. The Earth is a yielding
cow or ox, a large sacrificial animal. The Earth yielding and the Marsh, the
youngest daughter, joyful, both suggest a favourable outcome.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
have faith, not lasting
first confusion, then gathering
if you cry out, a single handshake brings a smile
do not worry, go ahead, no blame

The first line changes to form Thunder, which cries out. The still Mountain
signifies a hand. The open mouth of the Marsh smiles. Repent over your own
inadequacy and understand that there is something you lack. You have a faith
but it is not lasting, and there is confusion. If you express this honestly, your
cries and tears help you bond with others and a single handshake and smile seals
your union.

If a single handshake and a smile seals your union,

How can there be cause for worry?

It is favourable to go ahead and see the great man. As the gathering is proper,
where is the blame?
The fifth line is lord of the hexagram and a great man. But the first responds
to the fourth. The first is content with the fourth but also wants to be trusted by
the fifth. The fourth is basically proper in responding to the first. If the first can,
with all sincerity, declare its feelings, both will smile and unite. There is no
longer any worry about the fifth.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
leading, good fortune, no blame
faith means it is favourable to offer the Summer Sacrifice

The second line responds to the fifth and associates with the other Yin lines. It is
leading the first and third to gather with the fifth, which is correct for a minister.
There is good fortune and no blame.
You are leading the people on to serve the ruler. There is good fortune and
no blame. The people are host to the spirits so when the people gather, the spirits
rejoice. Then you may offer the Summer Sacrifice.

You both unite together in faith.

Seeing the great man is the first step in approaching the ancestral temple.
Now it is favourable to offer the Summer Sacrifice!

The Mountain is a hand and the Wind a rope. Both are useful for leading others.
In the Outer World diagram the trigram Earth enters into the Marsh in late
summer, before the beginning of autumn. This is the season of the Summer
Sacrifice. As the first and third lines are led on, the people have faith. As the
second gathers with the fifth, ruler and minister also have faith.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
as if gathering, as if sighing, no action favourable
going forward, no blame, a little regret

This third line responds to the open mouth of the Marsh and so it is sighing. The
first responds to the fourth and the second to the fifth. Only this line and top
have none to respond to. They both seek to gather but fail.
You sought to gather but failed. Before you smiled, but now you sigh. There
is nothing you can do to improve the situation. Therefore no action is favourable.
However, you may be able to gather at a later date. Going forward, there is no
blame. But you see others happy so you feel a little regret.

As if gathering, as if sighing, you feel a little regret.

Others smile – you cannot help but feel a little regret.

For the second line it is favourable to offer the sacrifice but now no action is
favourable. Yet by virtue of the fourth this line may go forward to meet the
ruling fifth, so eventually it gathers with no blame. But it sees the first line smile
and experiences a little regret. The first line smiles, while the third line sighs.
Though it stands close to the minister in the second, they are unrelated.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
great good fortune, no blame
This fourth line does not occupy a leading position in the hexagram. However, it
has the honour of standing close to the ruler in the fifth and so the authority to
gather the people. It works hard to draw out the good and talented people of this
world, and present them before the ruler. Thus he finds the right people to
support him and they in turn have the joy of service. All find great good fortune
without blame.

Great good fortune without blame!

It challenges one to persevere in difficulty.

In the hexagram Relating (8) the fifth is honoured, whilst in Harmony (16) the
fourth is in command. But in Gathering both fourth and fifth work together. As
all lines have faith in the fourth they eventually meet the fifth. Thus it is
favourable to see the great man and the gathering finds it proper place. All the
lines in Gathering are without blame.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
gathering, a position without blame
lack of faith? the source of everlasting devotion
remorse gone

Both the central two lines in Gathering gather the people. The fourth leads the
other Yin lines to return to this line because of its commanding position. This is
a quite natural, so of course there is no blame. However, the gathering is great
indeed and you may experience lack of faith.
Embody the source of Heaven through everlasting devotion. Then you unite
the virtues of Heaven and earth. All gather of their own accord – and any
remorse is gone.
The two Yang lines embody the goodness of Heaven and the Earth trigram
signifies devotion. Gathering and Relating (8) are similar. In Relating repeated
questioning brings everlasting devotion and the fifth line uses this to relate – in
Gathering the fifth uses everlasting devotion as a means of gathering the
people’s hearts.
SIX AT THE TOP
moaning, groaning, weeping and wailing!
no blame

The top line in the Marsh acts as an open mouth, moaning and groaning. A
watery piece of ground, suggests weeping and wailing. A weak line is at the top
of the hexagram with none to respond to. With none to respond to, it seeks
others but with no success. All it finds is sadness. Yet it is in the nature of all
things at times to fail. Moaning and weeping are understandable. Even the sages
acted in this way! Faith will bring completion in the end. What if you do moan
and groan, weep and wail? Remain joyful – the gathering will not be in vain.

Despite your immediate feelings,

Remain intent on the gathering.
Your acts remain blameless.

The top line in Relating (8) has no wish to relate, so there is misfortune. But the
top line in Gathering remains joyful in heart, so it incurs no blame.

Gathering: gathering force

 46
Sheng / The Ascending

The Ascending
the source of the blessings appropriate to see the great man, do not worry
an expedition to the south, good fortune

When firm and weak lines advance together they ascend. The situation is the
same in each of the hexagrams where two Yang lines associate: Approach (19)
and The Observing (20), Gathering (45) and The Ascending. But while in
Gathering the Yang lines are above and find trust below, in The Ascending
they are below and moving upwards past the third place.

…gathering is coalescing – they coalesce and then rise,

which means they ascend; hence there follows gathering…

You place yourself beneath others and yet ascend, for to yield and bend to the
wise is the ultimate in self-restraint. The fifth line is in the ruling place. As it
possesses a weak character and lies on its own, the source of the blessings is
mentioned for encouragement.
The second line is firm and centred like someone great in a lowly position. It
is correct to see and listen to the great man and there is no need to worry. To
listen and bend to the wise shows the greatest virtue. Now the signs of good
fortune on an expedition to the south are clear.

To listen and bend to the wise

Is the ultimate in virtue and self-restraint.
The fifth responds to the second, so it is suitable to approach. In the Outer World
diagram, the Wind stands in the southeast and Earth in the southwest. The single
Yang line in Thunder leads on the multitude signified by the receptive Earth.
These are all signs of an expedition to the south and good fortune.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
friendly ascending
great good fortune

This first line is weak and beneath the others. It is in command of the bending
Wind, and capable of showing both support and respect towards others. When
you respect others they will in turn trust and respect you, and you are able to
ascend together. This is trusting in friends to get ahead.
You succeed in finding friends and advancement and they also gain the merit
of recommending a junzi.

As you ascend in one company,

There comes the greatest good fortune.

The first Yin line slowly advances while the Yang lines gain the merit of
recommending one honourable.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
faith means it is favourable to offer the Summer Sacrifice
no blame

This second line is firm, centred, and friendly with the first, leading it upwards
to ascend towards the fifth. It has the same intent as the second line in
Gathering (45). It joins together with others in pure faith and fellowship. This
must lead to good fortune.

As the people’s hearts gather in faith, the spirits rejoice.

Now is the moment to offer the Summer Sacrifice.

You manage to avoid wrong feeling by not turning against those above you.
There is no blame incurred.
In both The Ascending and Gathering the first two lines have faith, helping
the other lines to ascend to seek the fifth. Both seek to offer the Summer
Sacrifice. Because of the incentives of these second lines, the fifth lines also has
faith in the first. There is no blame in either case.
 NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
ascending into the empty city

This line is doubly firm and it loves to advance, but meets only weak lines. This
is to advance into a region in which there are no people. As the populace have
been subdued, your heart may easily become dulled. Then danger may arise and
whether the situation turns out well or not is uncertain. There is no judgement
given and one is simply urged to have caution.

How should one be cautious?

Enter the empty city as if there were people there.

The receptive Earth implies a city but the trigram contains only empty lines.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the King offered his sacrifice on Mount Qi
good fortune, no blame

The rousing Thunder implies a feudal-lord, who stands here for King Wen,1 who
spent his whole life in the role of a feudal-lord. This fourth line is near the ruling
fifth and if it rises it will confront it. If you are too close to the ruler, you should
not ascend. Instead open your heart to all talented people under heaven, causing
them to ascend – and also to the ruler’s heart, that he might uplift you together.
Although you do not directly ascend, you help all those above and below ascend.
The moving Wind blows high, suggesting the mountain, and the Marsh
stands in the west of the Outer World diagram. This is Mount Qi2 in the west.
Doing your duty as a faithful servant, you offer the sacrifice in the customary
way as did the ancient Kings. Then Heaven sends down its blessings and there is
good fortune and no blame.

You occupy the position of a great minister.

You help ascend the Path of the ruler above
And the Path of the people in the world below,
Whilst all the time remaining at your own rightful post.
Although progress halts, inner goodness grows!

Doubly yielding and within the receptive Earth trigram, this serving Yin line
opens to all under heaven. This is the service of King Wen.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune
 devotion, good fortune
ascending, step by step

This fifth line is gentle and centred, and it responds to the firm second which is
centred also. As the second ascends, so do all the other lines. The first trusts it as
a friend, the third has its virtue, while the fourth shares its aim. With this
devotion there must be good fortune. You can rely on the moment with complete
confidence. You respond to the wise at court and ascend, step by step.

To remain humble within is the proper Path of the ruler –

Firmly preserve this stance with devotion.
How could there not be good fortune!

As the talented ascend, the Path of peaceful government ascends also, step by
step. The three lines of Earth rise, step by step. This is to find order as well as a
foundation.
SIX AT THE TOP
ascending into the dark
favourable for unceasing devotion

This top Yin line is at the end of Earth trigram, in the dark. The receptive Earth
also stands for unceasing devotion. The line is above the fifth and so cannot rise
any further – yet it seeks incessantly to ascend. Therefore its virtue is reunited
with the vigour of Heaven.
You advance without retreating – ascending into the dark. Nothing appears
to be favourable in this course but there is still some benefit.

Man’s heart is fundamentally one thing –

It is possessed with unceasing devotion.
Such is the gift of Heaven.
If your heart reaches out without turning back,
It will strengthen itself unremittingly
And unite timeless devotion with vigour.
To unite devotion and vigour –
Such is the marriage of Heaven and earth!
A course favourable indeed!

Ascending into the dark is only favourable whilst preserving devotion. The top
line in The Advancing (35) advances the horns, but only to attack its own
hometown. The top line in The Ascending ascends into the dark, which is only
favourable whilst preserving devotion.
In The Book of Change, exhaustion will always bring change and change
brings transcendence. This is the teaching of the sages.

1 Lived around 1150 BCE. See Introduction.
2 The site of the ancestral temple of the Zhou.
 47
Kun / The Stuck

The Stuck
blessings, devotion
the great man, good fortune, no blame
there are words, no longer believed

As Water enters into the Marsh, it stagnates; it cannot flow and may drain away.
The second and fifth lines are both firm and centred, showing the way to escape
from the situation. They represent the stern and steadfast attitude of the great
man. When there is devotion, blessings and good fortune are all possible.

…ascending without stopping, you will surely stick; hence

there follows the stuck…

Confronted by obstacles, there would not seem to be the opportunity for

attaining blessings, yet they are still possible. You are counselled to have
devotion.

Stir the heart whilst remaining patient,

Thus you deepen your abilities.
Restrain anger and extinguish desire,
And your virtue gradually grows.

Be like the great man himself and remain constant. Then any obstacles
confronting you are surmounted gradually and there arrive blessings with good
fortune. Blessings which are rooted in devotion will not incur blame.
The open top line of the Marsh is shaped like a mouth, suggesting words. If
you act rashly with a shallow heart and make unfounded criticisms, your words
are not believed. Believing is somewhat similar to stretching. As when a strong
rope is twisted it becomes stiff and inflexible, and can no longer be extended or
reach far. Then there are words but they are no longer believed.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
buttocks stuck in a tree-stump
entering a dark valley
no one seen for three years

This lowest line in the hexagram is like the buttocks. The toes are not mentioned
because one is sitting down and stuck. You have not the strength to go on and sit
down, stuck in a tree-stump, alone in a dark valley. For three years no one is
seen. But there is no misfortune as you are waiting for the right time.

Calamity and joy are they not determined

By what we ourselves seek?

If you can leave the valley and climb a high tree you will see far and find a
friend in the fourth line.
The firm line of the Water trigram suggests a hard tree while the Marsh, the
last daughter, means it is broken and rotting like a stump. It is also stuck within
the abyss, or dark valley, suggested by Water. Fire stands for the number three
and is also hollow like an eye. But this line lies outside Fire, so no one is seen
for three years. It responds to the fourth, but the fourth has not yet the strength to
save it. Instead it is stuck with the second.
In Great Strength (34) strength in the toes means you move forward. But
now you sit down and cannot get up again.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
stuck in wine and food, scarlet leggings just coming
favourable to make a sacrificial offering
going forward, misfortune, no blame

The Water trigram suggests wine and this line responds to the central line of the
Marsh trigram, whose open mouth suggests food. It is trapped and stuck between
the Yin lines of the trigram Water. But it is not the wine and food which make
you stuck, but being trapped in weakness and unable to follow the true Path.
Indulging in over-eating and drinking, you become stuck.
The leggings refer to the knee bands of the Son of Heaven or Emperor. His
leggings are the purest scarlet. Scarlet Leggings is just now coming to rescue
you.

In such a case as this, you have no choice:

Only be utterly sincere in manner.
At your confrontation, there is transcendence.

It is favourable that you make a sacrifice or offering. If you do not wait but
instead press forward, you risk losing what you have so far preserved. Realise
this and do not advance. There will be no blame.
Fire brings the colour scarlet and the following Wind is the lower leg or
thigh. The Marsh, the last of the children, speaks out like a shaman while its
divided upper line shows the horns of a sheep. Pigs love the mud of the Water
and Fire means an ox as in the hexagram Adhering (30). All these animals are
used in making an offering. The fifth line is the Son of Heaven, also strong and
centred like the second. Both lines share the same virtue and approach each
other. The fifth descends to aid the second.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
stuck by rocks, grabbing on prickly brambles
entering the palace, not seeing your wife
misfortune

This third line is neither centred nor proper. It is strong-willed but has only a
weak ability. It wants to relate to the fourth but comes across the rocks in the
Marsh, so it turns to grab onto the second but meets prickly brambles in the
Water. It retreats into its own palace but there is no one there to help. Both
within and without it is stuck.
You are surrounded by people as obdurate as rocks and brambles. Even at
home you are not seeing your wife and there is no one around to help.

If none are around when help is needed,

It seems misfortune is certain.

The Marsh yields rock-salt, giving the image of rocks. The dangers of Water
suggest prickly thorns and brambles. The grandeur of Fire means a palace and
the Wind enters in. The top line is your wife but she is outside and not seen.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
coming slowly, slowly, stuck in a golden chariot
regret, you possess completion
 regret, you possess completion

Golden chariots are bestowed as gifts on fellow-clansmen. The movement of

Water suggests a chariot, and the Marsh, in the Outer World diagram, means
metal or gold. This fourth line acts as a close minister to the ruling fifth and rides
in a golden chariot.
You have been honoured and now your will is set on saving another, but you
make only a halting advance, slowly, slowly – stuck in your golden chariot.
Your will is set on saving another, in the first line, but in a weak position you
lack courage.
However, eventually you unite and find completion. As you go to a friend’s
rescue, in the end you are both able to overcome the troubles.

In a critical situation, if one does not act quickly

There will come shame and regret.
But as the regret passes, you possess completion.

The Wind means both a hesitant advance and retreat. Eventually the hard fourth
is seen by the yielding first line and they overcome their troubles together.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
cut off the nose, cut off the feet!
stuck with red leggings, then slowly have joy
favourable to use the sacrifice and make offerings

The fifth line is the Emperor, firm in the position of honour. This is the only line
to find blessings at the time of being stuck. The second is stuck between two Yin
lines, but eventually meets up with the fifth. The top line also derives its good
fortune from the fifth.
The single Yin line at the top is the nose. The two Yin lines beneath are the
feet. This fifth line wants to get rid of them all. To get rid of the nose, cut it off!
To get rid of the feet, cut them off! This is a sacrifice made for the Heavenly
spirits and offered to the gods of the earth. In this way you may find blessings at
a time of being stuck.
An honoured friend displays his red leggings, showing his influence on your
behalf. But Red Leggings is also stuck himself and cannot come to your aid.
However, you both have the joy of meeting in the end.

From morning to night be sincerely respectful

And fear the awesome power of Heaven.
 And fear the awesome power of Heaven.
Favour the use of the sacrifice and make offerings.
Then gods and spirits bestow invisible blessings.

To favour the use of the sacrifice and making offerings – these are the means by
which a ruler may find help at a time of being stuck.
The red leggings belong to the feudal-lord below in the second line. The
second line makes offerings but the fifth also performs the sacrifice. Only the
Son of Heaven is allowed to sacrifice to Heaven.
SIX AT THE TOP
stuck in tangled vines, on a high cliff
if I move I’ll regret it!
have remorse, go forward, good fortune

This top line is on a high cliff. It can no longer move. Alone on a high cliff, you
cry out – I cannot move! If I move, I’ll surely regret it. But if you can find
remorse in your position, it awakens you to alter from your accustomed
weakness and go forward. Then not only is any misfortune eliminated but good
fortune arrives as well!

You are advised to correct your faults.

Being stuck or not being stuck,
Does it not depend on you alone!

The third line is weak and becomes attached. This top line responds and
becomes entangled in its web of misfortune. The bending Wind suggests the
vines of a tree and the top line of the Marsh cries out. The first and third lines are
small people who get themselves stuck, while the second and fifth lines are the
junzi who find blessings when stuck. The fourth because it is away from the
smaller first and third will possess completion. This top line follows the truth in
the fifth and can go forward to find good fortune. Any escape from these
troubles depends upon the ability of the line.

The Stuck: blocked, oppressed
 48
Jing / The Well

The Well
the town changes, the well does not change
no loss, no gain, they come and go, each using the well as the well
the rope almost reaches the water, but not quite –
if the bucket breaks, misfortune!

The trigram Water is here being raised up by the wood of trigram Wind. It is an
image of the wooden bucket of the well. The quickening influence of the eldest
daughter rests beneath the middle son.

…what is stuck above must revert below, hence there

follows the well…

The image of the well is the embodiment of Heavenly unity. The virtue of the
town well lies in its constancy; the water in the well is inexhaustible – for
although the town and its peoples come and go, the well does not change. It is
always the same. Similarly, although people in their lives differ, their nature
always remains the same and although circumstances differ, the true Path is
always one.
The Well has evolved from the previous hexagram The Stuck (47) as the
third and fourth lines change places – just like people who come and go, each
using the well as the well. In addition, the Fire trigram, signifying a populous
town, has changed position, although the second and fifth lines have remained
firm and centred. Thus the town changes, but the well does not change.

Take from here and pour over there,

The true Path remains the same.
 The true Path remains the same.
And everyone benefits without loss.
It is like drawing water from the well.
The level remains constant.
The water is constantly replenished from the depths,
And there is never any loss.

Return to your original nature for it cannot be added to in the slightest.

Accomplish your work among the people through non-action and they do not
realise an influence.

It is like drawing water from the well.

The level remains constant.
It is constantly replenished from the depths
And there is never any gain.

If each of us follows our nature, without depending on anything else, we will

meet our needs just like people who come and go, each using the common well
as the well.

In dealing with human nature value a return to the source.

For at heart we are all one.

When travelling on the Path, esteem finding that which endures. If you do not
succeed in this, it is as if the rope does not reach the water or suddenly the
bucket breaks against the side of the well. The water spills over and all lose the
nourishment they might have gained. Then there is misfortune.
The flexible Wind signifies a rope, used to bring up the bucket. The bucket
comes from the hollow trigram Fire. The trigram Marsh, the last of the children,
breaks it.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the well is muddy, undrinkable
an old well, no birds The Yang lines of this hexagram signify the clear spring while the Yin lines stand for
the earth. This first line is the lowest where the spring enters the ground and the water cannot yet be brought
up.

The soil has made the water muddy at the bottom of the well. The water
cannot be brought up and drunk. The well is undrinkable. It is old and neglected
and its walls long unrepaired. There are not even any birds.

When desires obscure our nature,

It can no longer be enlightened.
As bad habits contaminate our actions,
They are never able to be renewed.

This is to be abandoned by Heaven and forsaken by humankind.

NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the well is cracked, perch jumping
the jug broken and leaking This second line is centred like sweet-tasting spring-water which should be
brought up to be drunk above. But the lower penetrating Wind lurks beneath a pit full of Water, opening up
a slight fissure or crack. The flexible Wind also stands for fish or perch. Instead the water seeps out of a
crack down to the fishes.

Sweet-tasting spring water should be brought above, not let seep into the
ground below. Yet the well has not been repaired and the water leaks out
through a crack in the well wall, down to the perch which are jumping.
If the jug is broken and leaking, the water cannot be brought up above to
nourish the people. Similarly human nature is fundamentally good, but if
tampered with people may become immersed in themselves and never drawn
out.

The mandate of Heaven returns but you do not heed it.

Those who are impeded by custom cannot reach out and overcome.

The hollow Fire trigram is the bucket or jug. The Marsh, the last of the children,
means the jug is broken and leaking.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the well is cleaned out, but not yet drunk, it makes my heart sad
you can draw from it, the King enlightened
all receive the blessings This line is doubly hard and uncontaminated by the others. The bending Wind
suggests something cleaned out. Yet this line is still in the lower trigram and unable to confront the third
line of the Marsh above, which stands open like a mouth. So the water is not yet drunk.

The well has been cleaned out, but the water from it is not yet drunk. There
is talent and virtue, but they are not used. They are neither made use of nor
offered to the ruler.
The perils of Water bring anxiety – and worry about a nation makes for a
worried heart. You are constantly sad. The water is below and if there were
someone to draw it out it would reach the top. The wise are in retreat and if there
were someone to draw them out they would rise to court.
The flexible Wind supplies a rope and the hollow Fire, a bucket. The fifth
line stands above like the King and with the clarity of the Fire he must be
enlightened. The enlightened ruler uses his great ministers to seek out talented
people. Thus they are led to approach.

This is like drawing water from the well.

Who says it cannot be done?
You can draw from it!

The ruler enjoys the bliss of using honourable people and the sages are able to
distribute their blessings to the whole world.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the well is lined, no blame

This line lies within the Fire trigram, which is hollow like a well. Empty within,
it is also like a well which has been carefully lined.
When you line a well, it is done to protect against it leaking. Similarly if you
can cultivate virtue inwardly, embodying truth and respect, then all material and
human desires are banished. There is certainly no blame.

Honest and incorruptible, all harm is gone.

In this way there are received great benefits.

In the first line the well was deserted, by the third it had been cleaned out of mud
and debris, in the second there was a cracked well, now the fourth is able to line
and protect it against leaking.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the well runs clear and cold
they drink from the spring This line is doubly hard. It represents a pure talent, like water which runs clear
and cold. It is also near the last line or mouth of the Marsh, so it is drunk.

Now the well has run clear and cold without it needing to be strained, and its
purest water is available to all. This is just like when the King is enlightened. It
is a moment for drawing from the well and the people drink from the spring.
In all matters on the Heavenly Path there can never be any loss or gain.
Heaven’s virtue remains peaceful, constant and pure.

As our inward nature becomes settled,

Coming and going they use the well
Gratefully and with care.

The flourishing of the Path of Peace is now finally attained! The third line
cleaned the well out and the fourth lined it. In the first the well was muddied but
now, in the fifth, the water bubbles up and the people may drink from the spring.
SIX AT THE TOP
the well is unscreened and working
have faith, the source of the good fortune The lining of the well was renewed in the fourth line. In the fifth
the spring began to be drunk. In this top line, the mouth of Marsh is at last uncovered. The well is
unscreened and working.

The water from the spring begins to be drunk, the well is unscreened and in
constant use. A path to the well has been laid down and the people use it daily.
Yet this has not been brought about solely through human effort. The source of
the spring is deeply rooted within us just as human faith itself is inexhaustible.
The Yang line is sunken deep in the Water trigram just as the full sincerity of the
heart lies hidden deep within us all.

There is a wholeheartedness deep within us all, Which reaches the four

corners of the world.

Eventually all under heaven receive the blessing and find the source of the good
fortune. Both the virtue of Heaven and the Path of Peace are rooted in inner
sincerity.
Fire is hollow like a bucket. The bending Wind means a rope and the trigram
Water is circular like a wheel drawing the rope and bucket up to the top of the
well. The bucket is brim full, but does not break.
 49
Ge / Reformation

Reformation
on your own day, you are believed
the source of the blessings, favour devotion
remorse gone

The Marsh trigram, the youngest and last of the Yin, stands for the metal which
is smelted and reformed by Fire. This is a case of transformation and
reformation. In the human world, reformation denotes a change in heart.

Once you have faith, there is reformation.

Once you are believed there is transformation.
With both, the human heart opens and becomes yielding.

…the path to the well must always need renewal; hence

there follows reformation...

How do people’s hearts open? It is through the act of faith. Once there is faith in
the heart, one can increasingly cultivate belief which brings about a further
transformation.
Reformation and transformation are natural processes, just like the changes
of season. As spring, summer, autumn and winter arrive and depart, the source
of the blessings and transformation also naturally come and go. Only preserve
the Heavenly principle and the reformation will be fitting. Follow this course
and the remorse, created by the confusion of change is gone. Remorse and
confusion are common problems during reformation.
 The Heaven trigram reveals both the source of the blessings and the
favourable devotion, as in The Creative (1).
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
bound using yellow ox-hide

This first line is at the beginning, so the matter has hardly begun. Fire, as in the
hexagram Adhering (30), stands for a cow or ox.
A matter must be finished before it will change. When the moment has not
yet come, you are far from exhausted and hold on firmly, with an unwavering
will, using strong ox-hide to tie yourself in place. You stand secure and
unmovable – for the change only occurs when it becomes inevitable. Then it will
surely be appropriate.

By not changing, one becomes skilful at change.

The second line is centred in the lower Fire trigram. The time has not yet come
for the reformation. Yellow is the colour of the centre. The first and third lines
form a skin or hide over the trigram.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
on your own day, you reform them
going forward, good fortune, no blame

This second line is in command within the Fire trigram. It is centred in Fire, on
its own day. It has the power to reform, responding to the fifth above, which also
commands authority. But still this line must wait the right moment to act.
The time of reformation is a golden opportunity. As you await, on your own
day the transformation will follow of its own accord.

As the natural moment approaches,

Trust arrives within the heart and all find faith.

Going forward brings good fortune and there follows the change, without any
blame.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
going forward, misfortune, devotion, hardship
three times approach the talk of a reformation
there is faith
This third line is at the top of the Fire trigram, firm and clear-sighted. Yet it is
also crouched at the bottom of the trigram of Heaven, and not yet acting.
Whilst involved in a reformation, if you act impetuously it brings misfortune
upon everyone. The way must be examined in detail, despite the hardship.

Preserve devotion, though there is hardship.

Then the transformation is complete.

Examine the way in detail and approach it many times. Only then is there a
consensus and faith. The change is underway.
The open top line of Marsh means there is talk of a reformation. There are
three hard lines in the centre of the hexagram and any change must be well
made. Passing through each of them, eventually comes the joy of release.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
remorse gone, there is faith
the change of decree, good fortune

There has already been the talk of a reformation and now the people easily
understand and respond. This fourth line has none below to respond to and so it
feels remorse, yet sharing the same virtue as the fifth, its sadness disappears. The
change of decree brings good fortune.

You fulfil the role of a dutiful minister,

The change is nearing completion.

The talk of reformation occurred in the third line while the fifth is the great man
changing like a tiger. This fourth speaks of changing the decree like a faithful
minister.
As the wind passes through the sky, there comes a change in the seasons.
This is a change in the Heavenly decree. Wind and Heaven trigrams link
together; Fire smelts and reforms the metal of the Marsh.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the great man, a tiger changing!
before the divination, there is faith

This fifth Yang line is firm, centred and proper in the position of honour, like the
great man. It occupies the middle of the Marsh trigram at the centre of the
reformation, but the mouth of the Marsh is not open, so there is nothing to talk
about, nor any need to question the oracle. The decree has changed in the fourth
line and now the great man transforms like a tiger!
At a time of reformation, it is difficult to win over the people’s hearts. There
has to be a chance to talk – then there comes the faith. Still later there comes the
change of decree. Yet at this particular time, there is no need to cast the oracle or
even talk things over. There is already faith within the hearts of the people.

The talk usually comes before the change,

But now you are believed even before the talk!
Such a faith is long-lasting!

The Marsh is the youngest daughter and last of the children. In the Outer World
diagram she stands in the west, where tigers dwell. The Marsh also signifies the
cooler season of autumn, when the tiger’s coat changes and grows thicker. As
the dragon in The Creative (1) is the image of inner strength and
resourcefulness, so the tiger in Reformation stands for competence in affairs of
the world.

The Outer World diagram

SIX AT THE TOP

the junzi, a leopard changing!
small people reform their faces
going forward, misfortune,
dwell in devotion, good fortune

This top line supports the great man in the fifth so it speaks in his terms. Since
the great man has already reformed like a tiger, all the people change. A junzi
shares the same virtue as his ruler, although to a lesser degree. This means he is
like a leopard changing! Small people also reform their faces and are remade
anew.
 Once the path of reformation has ended there should be no further confusion.
Wilful action only complicates the matter. You are warned against going
forward as it brings misfortune. Dwell in devotion and there is good fortune.

To change is indeed timely;

On your own day, you are believed.
But it is the unchanging which signifies the true Path.

At first one is tightly bound, while at the end one dwells in devotion.
Reformation esteems change, but nothing changes from beginning to end. Who
else but the sages could think of this!
The first line was tightly bound and not reformed. This line reforms yet
dwells in devotion. Think on this. In Reformation is there really any change?

Reformation: transformation, renaissance

 50
Ding / The Cauldron

The Cauldron
the source of the good fortune, blessings

The lines of this hexagram form the shape of a ritual vessel or cauldron. The
cauldron is used to make sacrificial offerings of cooked meats and wine to the
gods-on-high, during the religious ceremonies. The first line forms its feet, the
three solid lines give the belly, while the fifth and top suggest the shape of the
ears and carrying-rings. The gentle Wind brings the wood. There is Fire, and
both the Marsh and Heaven correspond to the metal element. They all give the
idea of cooking.

…for transforming things, there is nothing like the cauldron;

hence there follows the cauldron…

Both the sacrificial cauldron and the well are sources of nourishment for the
people. The cauldron contains the ideas of both nourishment and reformation.
The path of nourishment is truly far-reaching and its way of attainment deeply
rooted. When the cauldron is brought up during the ceremonies it represents two
things – an accumulation of sincerity and the development of a pure heart.
To make an offering to the gods-on-high nurtures the source of this wisdom.
Then the people, with the spirits assisting, can arrive at a moment of surrender,
bringing good fortune and blessings to all.

Fully understand the people’s hidden wishes;

Their feelings reach you, far, far above.
Empty your heart and trust in the wise;
 Empty your heart and trust in the wise;
Thus the talented will complete their work.

If you are able to bring nurturing and caring to all under heaven the path of
nourishment bestows its blessings, while the transformative work of the cauldron
will be complete. The junzi develops the talents of his people in order to further
serve the ruler. There is no greater achievement than this.
Heaven suggests the source of the good fortune, whilst Wind and Fire
together encourage clarity. The fifth Yin line is centred and it responds to the
firm second Yang line beneath. This brings blessings.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the cauldron, its feet upturned!
favourable to get rid of stagnant filth
take a concubine for a son, no blame

This first line forms the image of the cauldron’s feet. Being weak, they are easily
upturned and the cauldron turned over. As the line lacks substance, filth has been
allowed to build up. Old food and debris have accumulated within the vessel, so
now it is time it were upturned! This is something like taking a concubine for a
son. This line is weak and below, and distant from the ruling fifth, like a
concubine.
In nurturing and developing talent among the people, it is best to identify
their needs, leading them to whatever is beneficial.

When they are ignorant, instruct them.

When they are idle, set them to work.

This is like upturning the cauldron to clean it out, or obtaining a concubine for a
son. Bend yourself to provide nourishment for others and you secure something
new and beautiful. There can be no blame.
Of the two Yin lines in The Cauldron, the fifth is honoured while the first
becomes a concubine. The Yang lines above reveal a son.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the cauldron is full
my companions are jealous, but cannot reach me
good fortune

This line is a firm and centred within the belly of the cauldron. It indicates the
vessel is full. My companions are the similarly firm third and fourth lines.
However, this line responds to the fifth, which is open, and offers itself to the
ruler – turning away from its influential companions.
You offer the fullness of your virtue to the ruler and not to your own
companions. Then they become jealous and would harm you. But as you are
pure in intent and righteous in conduct, their jealousy can find no crack to enter.
They cannot reach you to do you harm.

Preserve your strength and offer it to the ruler.

Talent is developed and it benefits all.
No good fortune could be greater!

Being within the Wind trigram signifies both a pure intent and lofty conduct.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the cauldron’s ears changed, its movement blocked
the pheasant-fat goes uneaten
once it rains, remorse wanes, in the end, good fortune

The fifth line represents the ears of the cauldron. It associates with the fourth and
responds to the second, but shuns this third line. Being solid it cannot receive the
fifth’s carrying rings, which normally pass through the ears. This implies the
cauldron’s ears have been changed and as the ears have been altered its
movement is blocked. This means the pheasant-fat, cooked in the belly of the
cauldron, must go uneaten. The ceremony has lost its purpose and the remorse is
great indeed!
Yet the fifth is open to receive the rings. As the waters of the Marsh rise to
Heaven they fall as rain. Once it rains, the fat and moisture eventually are able to
be scooped out and passed around.

At last remorse wanes, and benefits abound!

At long last there is good fortune.

The brightly coloured Fire signifies a pheasant, cooked in the vessel. As the
waters in the Marsh rises to Heaven, they fall eventually as rain. Then the fat
may be passed around and there is good fortune.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the cauldron’s feet break!
the Duke’s rice overturns and spills over the cauldron
misfortune
The fourth line is at the top of those filling the cauldron and its fullness
overturns. This is the universal pattern for all under heaven. Lifting the heavy
cauldron, you cannot bear its weight so it slips and the feet break as it crashes to
the ground! The cauldron was full to the brim and the rice spills out. There is
great misfortune.

When fullness overturns, beware!

There is great misfortune.

The fourth abandons its fellow lines and responds to the weak first. It cannot
bear the responsibility and weight of its position. At first the cauldron was empty
and could easily be upturned. Now, in the fourth line, the cauldron is full and the
rice spills. It may not be offered and this is the misfortune.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the cauldron has yellow ears with metal rings
favour devotion

This fifth line is in the position of the ears. Being centred the ears are yellow, the
colour of the mean. The ears of the cauldron are open to receive the hard metal
rings used in carrying it. Similarly the ruler is humble and empty at heart. He
remains receptive to the hard and straight opinions of others, which may
influence him. The people’s feelings reach him far, far above and the fat from
the cauldron descends far, far below – to be passed around, among the people.

Devotion is favoured to encourage you.

Stand firm on the blessed Path.

The top line forms the rings, which are hard and square, formed out of metal.
They penetrate the hollow and open ears of the fifth.
NINE AT THE TOP
the cauldron has jade rings
great good fortune, nothing unfavourable

The top line forms the carrying rings mentioned in the fifth. The line is hard yet
it occupies a weak position, so it combines the merits of both metal and jade. A
ruler does not shy away from hard and straight words – like metal, while a
minister gives his advice in a subtle way, like jade. This enables his speech to
influence the ruler.
 Now the rings are made of soft jade and with both metal and jade present, the
ears of the cauldron need not be changed. Its contents are sacrificed at the
ceremony and this brings great good fortune.

As talent is developed the people all benefit.

There is great good fortune and nothing unfavourable.

This last line shows the final achievement of nurturing and developing talent
within the people.
 51
Zhen / The Shaking

The Shaking
blessings
the shaking comes, hu-hu! then the laughter and talk, ya-ya
the shaking resounding one hundred miles!
do not drop the ladle of sacrificial wine The Yang energy bursts forth, shaking its surroundings. Thunder
also means resounding talk and laughter, while the Mountain brings peace and order. Yet no one can hear
the rumbling sound of thunder without being shaken, in fear and trembling. Being startled you must be still.
Do not dare act in an unrestrained manner.

Act in reverence, going forward with a true sense of virtue.

Use talent to confront the situation and there will arrive blessings.

…the one who attends to the cauldron must be the eldest

son; hence the cauldron is followed by the shaking…

As the shaking startles you, you cry out, hu-hu! In fear and trembling, examine
your thoughts within. Wholeheartedness may obtain peacefulness. Then laughter
and talk, ya-ya, will follow spontaneously. Even if a great problem looms, like
the thunder, resounding a hundred miles, still your spirit is secure – knowing
there is a way to retain what you have preserved. This is what is meant by not
dropping the ladle of sacrificial wine. In fear and trembling, be still a moment
and then act accordingly – and courageously!
The perilous Water suggests the hard and spiny wood of the jujube tree
which is carved into the ladle used during the offering at the sacrifice. Thunder
is also the eldest son, who holds the ladle at the ceremony.
 NINE AT THE BEGINNING
the shaking comes, hu-hu!
then laughter and talk, ya-ya
good fortune This line is first in the hexagram. It commands the shaking so it mentions ‘ya-ya’ just as in the
hexagram text above. You are fearful and vigilant, shouting ‘hu-hu!’ and thus find peace and reassurance in
talking together, ‘ya-ya’. As your plans are complete and in good order, preparations have been made and
you relax.

As you are well-prepared, there is good fortune.

Being in the first place, this Yang line is well prepared for any eventuality.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
the shaking comes, hardship, consider –
lose the treasure and climb nine hills
do not chase after it, in seven days, it is regained This is a weak line. It is doubly soft and riding on the firm
line below which is in command. This means it endures hardship and must suffer loss. The shaking arrives,
bringing extreme hardship. You consider and decide in advance that you cannot resist its momentum, so
abandon your wealth and flee – far away to a distant world.

Although the treasure is taken, do not chase after it.

Preserve correctly your position and it is regained.

Although times are hard, wait seven days, and the treasure will be returned.

Preserve yourself in fear and trembling.

First at a loss, eventually you gain.

As this second line changes, it forms Fire like glittering treasure. The Mountain
ahead is the hill. In Tearing Apart (23) the Mountain is above while in
Restored (24) the Thunder is below. From Thunder to Mountain you pass
through six lines in all, which suggest seven days before there is a change. As
Thunder links with the Mountain, there is both loss and gain.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
the shaking, su-su
carry the shaking on, no disaster This line is within the first Thunder trigram. Now its momentum comes to
an end through meeting with the Mountain.

The power of the shaking has passed away and the thunder is heard only
faintly, ‘su-su’. This means the change of fortune has stopped. But if the shaking
in your heart dies away, you may become lax, inattentive and unprepared. Then
there is disaster. Although the shaking of the world may pass away, the shaking
in the heart must carry on. Fear and apprehension encourage the arrival of
blessings.

Shaking in the world is a change of fortune;

Shaking in the heart means staying vigilant.
Remain constantly in fear and trembling,
Be on guard but not over-anxious.
Fearfulness brings the arrival of blessings!

There are three kinds of shaking: the shaking of the heavens, the shaking of the
world and shaking in man. The shaking of the heavens is revealed in thunder; the
shaking of the world means a change in fortune; whilst shaking in man means
vigilance and apprehension.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the shaking, leading to mud This Yang line forms the body of the upper trigram and it strives upwards. Yet
it links up with the perilous Water to form a trap and is halted by the Mountain. The sound of thunder
comes through, but suddenly stops. This is because the pure heart, through a desire for material things, has
dissipated its energies and become blocked.

The shaking carries on and there is no harm.

Once the shaking halts, there arrives disaster.

There is no judgement given in this line as the situation is covered by the third
line.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the shaking gone, the shaking coming
hardship, consider –
then no loss in any matter The first and fourth Yang lines are both shaking. The fifth comes just after the
fourth, so the former thunder has passed away and the latter thunder is coming. This means a return of
hardship, just as in the second line. The shaking has gone, but it is coming again. This means you still incur
hardship. As a ruler, you have important matters to attend to at the ancestral temple. You must consider
carefully the situation in order to preserve your position. Then there will arrive no loss. Be careful
especially not to drop the ladle at the sacrifice.

In self-cultivation, honour fear and trembling.

They will bring completion in all kinds of conditions.

The second line is in the position of a minister who loses his worldly goods but
the fifth is in the position of ruler who makes the sacrifice at the ancestral
temple. He is referred to in the text when it mentions not dropping the ladle of
sacrificial wine.
SIX AT THE TOP
the shaking, su-su, staring around, ai-ai!
going forward, misfortune
the shaking not affecting oneself but the neighbours
no blame, as in a marriage, there are words The top line is weak and it cannot overcome the situation. ‘Su-
su, ai-ai!’ is the reverse of ‘hu-hu, ya-ya!’ You cannot overcome the situation. The shaking is at an end,
‘susu’, yet the confusion totally surrounds you. You stare around, ‘ai-ai!’ The momentum has reached its
peak and now it is only fitting to remain still. Going forth will bring misfortune. Then peace is kept within,
although those outside remain unsettled.

The shaking is not affecting oneself personally, but the neighbours. There is
no blame. Yet just as in a marriage-contract one must consider one’s neighbours
as kin. How can you avoid a disagreement with them? When a marriage is
stirred up, how to deal with the situation?

Only be full of awe from beginning to end!

This is the path to follow during the shaking.

As in the place of the third line, the thunder is now at an end and it dies away,
‘susu’. Yet this top line changes to form the hollow Fire, which means an eye, so
it stares around. It associates with the fifth as neighbour and responds to the third
as in a marriage.

The Shaking: sudden movement
 52
Gen / The Stopping

The Stopping
stopping the back, not grasping the self
walking in the courtyard, not seeing the others
no blame The Yang lines sit firmly above in the Mountain, stopping the Yin. The significance of stopping is
stillness containing movement. All parts of the human body are able to move, except the back. If the back
holds so does the rest of the body. Stopping the back – as in meditation – you know only the stopping, not
the self. This is to practise non-grasping, not grasping the self. There is no separation between you and
others, between you and yourself. As you do not know or value self, you do not know others. You transcend
your own body and walk in the courtyard, only awake to the stopping, not seeing the others.

…shaking implies movement, but things cannot be kept for

ever in motion; you stop them and what follows is
stopping…

When caught up in non-grasping,

There is no difference between self and others.
The heart remains open and all approach
While you yield and respond:
Moving without moving,
Stopping without stopping.

You are neither self-seeking, nor overbearing in manner, nor rigidly holding to
any one position. Therefore there is no blame, as the embodiment of stopping is
complete.
The still Mountain stands as the spine, which holds the back. It also means a
gate or gate-tower to the courtyard. The Thunder means to walk out. The
Mountain means to stop and halt.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
stopping the toes, no blame
favour everlasting devotion This first line is at the bottom like toes. Stopping the toes means not going
forward. Good fortune, misfortune, remorse and regret all arise from movement. By avoiding false moves,
one may also avoid blame. This line is young, weak and fearful that the situation will not last. It must
favour everlasting devotion to the true Path. It is favourable to stop the straying toes.

Everlastingly preserve the proper Path.

Avoiding false moves, you also avoid blame.

Both The Stopping and Affection (31) take the human body as their image.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
stopping the calves
not rescuing those one follows
thy heart is unhappy The second line stands above the toes, like the calves. The calves move through
following the thighs, just as this weak second line follows the firm third above. You may be acting from
your centre – but if you are weak in substance you cannot aid others. You will not be able go to their rescue.
It means the heart is unhappy.

Thy heart is unhappy.

Now you may correct yourself, but not others.

This line is centred and proper in position, thus stopped. Yet being weak, it has
not the resources to overstretch itself.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
stopping the waist, dislocating the spine!
the hardship of the tempted heart The third line divides off the upper trigram from the lower, just as the
waist divides off the body. The waist acts as a dividing line within the body. You stop incorrectly, because
you are stopping the waist. This is to separate off the upper and lower halves of the body and to dislocate
the spine!

You want to stop and want to move, but can do neither.

The dangerous hardship of the tempted heart!

This line is neither centred nor proper – which means it stops incorrectly,
breaking up the hexagram. It obstructs the linking movement of the Thunder and
is trapped in the Water. This implies extreme insecurity.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
stopping the body
no blame You are stopping the heart although the line mentions stopping the body. The fourth line is in the
position of the heart. The heart cannot be seen, you may only observe the body where it dwells. So observe
the body and you know the proclivities of heart.

Practising not grasping the self

Is the way to expand the capacities of the heart, Practising stopping the
body
Is the way to concentrate its essence.

Just as in Affection (31), the fourth line is the position of the heart.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
stopping the jaws, the words in order
remorse gone This line acts as the jaws. Stopping the jaws means saying nothing out of order or improper.
If you are correct in your manner of speech, your actions will surely be timely. You speak from a heart
stopped still and any resultant remorse is gone.

Stopping the toes means taking care in conduct, Stopping the jaws is
taking care in speech.
Your conduct is blameless, your speech unforced, Thus the Path for the
junzi is found!

The Mountain suggests a beak or jaws which hold still. Thunder makes a sound,
bringing forth words.
NINE AT THE TOP
wholeness in stopping
good fortune This line stands on the very summit of the mountain. It is strong and firm. At the very summit
of the mountain you may survey the world around you. Here there is nothing to speak about. It is not
mentioned what has stopped, as everything has stopped – the back, the toes, the body and jaws, all have
stopped from moving.

The back is the mountain, the toes are the mountain, The waist, calves and
cheeks are the mountain.

Everything is still, quiet and unshaken, remaining solid and full. You are deeply
practical in your approach, which represents true wholeness in stopping. This
condition reveals the very essence of our self-nature and acts totally in accord
with the Path.
Stay whole and go deep. Stopping in this way, all matters in the world rest at
the highest good. What could be greater? The Path to follow for the junzi is none
other than that of holding at the right position and at the right time.
 53
Jian / The Gradual

The Gradual
the woman marries, good fortune
favour devotion

The Mountain along with the penetrating Wind, which signifies growth and
plants, denotes a mountain tree which gains height only slowly and gradually.
The Wind outside is the eldest daughter, whilst the Mountain is the young man
coming to marry her.

…things cannot be stopped for ever, so then what follows is

a gradual advance…

When a man approaches a woman according to the correct rites of behaviour,

she will be moved to respond and perhaps marry. You may proceed forward, but
any advance will be difficult at first and is likely be incorrect. As you progress,
beware of impulsiveness and of losing control.
Do not mistake your own desires and there is good fortune for both of you.
The clarity of Fire stands for ritual and propriety.

Remain like the woman who awaits the ritual before she marries.
You both retain self-control and find good fortune.
Correcting yourself, you correct all under heaven.

In a choice between moving ahead and staying behind the junzi follow
whichever is correct. Governing the world through devotion, they will better
serve the ruler. Therefore favour devotion.
The hexagram The Gradual has evolved from Decline (12), as the third Yin
line rises to the fourth place. This illustrates the gradual advance of gentleness
and manners. The third and fourth lines join together, enhancing the advance of
the upper Yang lines. This illustrates the advance of vigour and strength.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the geese gradually approach the shore
the little fellow finds hardship
there is criticism, no blame

All the six lines in The Gradual resemble geese. This is the lowest line, next to
the Water, so close to the shore. Geese generally stay on water but now they
leave their natural home to approach the land, though only the water’s edge,
barely reaching the shore.
The Mountain is the youngest son, or little fellow. When one is young in
years, confronting the world, one’s talent is weak and the dangers many. The
abyss of Water lies ahead, giving the idea of hardship. There is worry and no
peace. Others may give their opinions but you should rest content. There is no
harm done.

Do not be impetuous but remain self-content.

Thus you escape blame.

In The Gradual the Fire stands for a flying bird. Fire travels swiftly, like geese
that are leaving the waters for the Mountain. This first line responds to the fourth
ahead and associates with the second. As they both have open mouths, there is
criticism.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
the geese gradually approach the boulders
feeding and drinking, joyfully, joyfully, good fortune

This weak line sits on the Mountain, like boulders or loose rock. At the water’s
edge, there are strewn rocks and boulders. The geese gradually approach
boulders on the shore, where they are able to land, feed and drink contentedly.
There is now no talk of the hardship of the flight.

Never make a hasty advance, but nurture yourself calmly.

Await the right moment to proceed.
As you understand about a gradual advance,
 As you understand about a gradual advance,
Then there will come good fortune.

This line is soft in a soft position. But it sits properly and centred. It responds to
the ruling fifth and they share the same virtue.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
the geese gradually approach the highlands
the husband goes forth without returning
the wife is pregnant without giving birth, misfortune
favourable to defend against bandits

This third line sits above the second, above the loose rocks on the shore. It is the
highest in the Mountain, like the highlands. It is doubly hard and wants to
advance through joining the two Yang lines above to form the Heaven trigram.
But geese are water-birds and as they approach the highlands they lose their
homes and security.
When a change of fortune comes, you should handle it with poise and
equanimity. But this firm line associates with the soft fourth, like husband and
wife. Instead, it is not still, but goes forth without returning! The wife is also
pregnant without giving birth, which means losing both self and family. There is
surely misfortune.
Do not go forth but stop and await the bandits. Then defend against them. In
this way both self and family are preserved. This is what is favourable.

The causes of the conflict lie not

Within yourself, but within the enemy.
You only respond when you have no choice,
So that then victory is assured.

The trigram Fire is hollow like a pregnant belly. But being near to the barren
Mountain suggests the wife does not give birth. The difficulties of the Water
trigram bring robbers and bandits. The Mountain stays and defends against them.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the geese gradually approach the trees
perhaps they find a stump, no blame

This fourth line lies within the gentle Wind, suggesting growth and trees. Geese
do not usually nest in trees and the position is precarious. It also rests on a hard
third line like a stump. But the place is appropriate and it may well find a
temporary abode.
You have the chance to find peace and security where there should be none.
Take care to preserve your position and make a gradual advance.

Not hurrying to advance makes the best advance.

Even though you step in danger, there are few mistakes.

Luckily the place of this line is appropriate and it lies within both Wind and Fire,
meaning the principle of action is clear.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
the geese gradually approach the summit
for three years, the wife does not conceive
in the end, nothing can stop her
good fortune

This line stands above the Mountain trigram, representing the summit. It
responds correctly to the second line which is Yin, like its wife. But the second
is obstructed by the third and fourth and also lies without the Fire trigram, so she
does not conceive. The number corresponding to Fire is three.
The geese now gradually approach the summit of the mountain. It is as if
over a long period, you have not been trusted – like a married wife who is
ignored by her husband and does not conceive. But this fifth line occupies the
place of honour and a correct response wins through. When whatever natural is
fulfilled, in the end nothing can prevent husband and wife coming together.

When husband and wife come together, the family is made a success.
When ruler and minister unite, a just government prevails.
Both situations bring good fortune.

This fifth line occupies the place of honour. The third and fourth obstruct its
view of the second but eventually a correct response wins through and both
unite.
NINE AT THE TOP
the geese gradually approach the sky
their wings may be used as an emblem
good fortune

Now the wild geese attain the summit of the mountain. They take off, riding the
wind, gradually ascending through the clouds to approach the sky. Soaring far
above our heads, their pattern represents our true nature. They are so distant we
can only observe their straggled shape in flight.

Massed together yet in loose formation,

Soaring high into the heavens but in order,
The advance and retreat of the geese serve
As an emblem for the whole world.
Nothing could be greater!

The lofty hermit or leisurely scholar, who transcends mundane matters, in his
plain and unlettered manner subtly benefits whole generations to come.
The Wind trigram enters in, suggesting something lofty and pure. This top
line is far above the ruling fifth, lacking position in the world.

The Gradual: gradual development, progress

 54
Guimei / Marrying Maiden

Marrying Maiden
going forward, misfortune, nothing favourable

As the father and mother grow old, it is the eldest son who takes charge of the
family affairs. As his youngest sister is given away in marriage she is able to
establish her own family. Marriage retains the ultimate meaning of human
existence. Its action furthers the continuance of mankind. So why the
misfortune?

…a gradual advance means coming forward and that which

comes forward is sure to be married off; hence there follows
the marrying maiden…

The youngest daughter is the Marsh within and the eldest son is the Thunder
without. The elder son leads his younger sister forward into marriage. However,
in this case something is lacking. The whole situation is opposed to that in the
previous hexagram The Gradual.
In The Gradual all the inner lines are proper, whilst here they are all
improper. In The Gradual the strong lines advance as the third and fourth
exchange places, but now two weak lines press down upon the advancing strong
line and the situation may get out of hand. When the girl is actively joyful and
advancing, it means she does not wait until being invited. In the ritual of
marriage, this constitutes an improper advance. This is why going forward
brings misfortune.

Moving to satisfy your own needs brings misfortune.

 Moving to satisfy your own needs brings misfortune.
You are advised to cultivate an inward approach.
Be careful with any virtue at the beginning.
Without a gradual advance, nothing is favourably accomplished.

You must take care going forward. Through preserving your proper position,
you may make a good ending. Marrying Maiden has evolved from Flourishing
(11) as the third and fourth change places. These shifting lines illustrate an
improper advance.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
the marrying maiden, bringing a concubine
the crippled can walk
going forward, good fortune

The first line in Marrying Maiden associates with the second and gains help
from the fifth. The fifth is the girl who marries while this line is lowly like a
concubine. It associates with the second, the husband. When the fifth is married,
she decides to take her younger sister with her as concubine. In this way, this
line is crippled but still able to walk, through leaning on somebody and being
helped. Going forward when crippled would usually bring misfortune. Now
unusually it brings good fortune.

Though not happy in the situation, join together.

Your propriety will lead to good fortune.

In these six lines, the yielding fifth is the maiden who marries, while the firm
second is her husband. The fourth is her elder brother who gives her in marriage
and the third, who does not wait for her sister to marry, becomes a slave. This
first line accompanies the fifth line – the girl – in marriage, like a younger sister
or concubine. The top line, being neither wife nor concubine, is a girl engaged
without completion.
The Marsh trigram, the last of the children, signifies something broken,
crippling the foot of the Thunder. Luckily the first line associates with the
second so with assistance it can walk. The text above says going forward brings
misfortune but, in the line, going forward brings good fortune.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
the one-eyed can see
favour a hermit’s devotion
This second line lies in Fire, hollow like an eye. But opposed by the Marsh, it is
blinded. However, its response to the fifth and its neglect of the third mean its
vision remains far-reaching. One-eyed yet still able to see, you may find yourself
acting abruptly, so favour a hermit’s devotion. Flaunting oneself is ugly conduct.
A man should not lightly approach a girl nor should a girl lightly approach a
man. They should retain a quiet propriety.

Retire alone, retaining devotion.

This is best for you both.

As Fire ties in with the Thunder, it is feared there may be impetuous action.
Therefore the path of the hermit is mentioned.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
the marrying maiden, bringing a slave
return to become a concubine

Marrying Maiden is formed by this third line and the fourth exchanging places.
The third is the gaping mouth of the Marsh and it has come too early, ahead of
its sister in the fifth, so now it can only demean itself as a slave. You have
married ahead of your time. This is to demean yourself and the only position
remaining is that of a slave, even below the rank of a concubine in the
household. Return home to your parents to follow your sister as she is given in
marriage. Then there is the possibility of at least becoming a concubine.

To give up impropriety and follow principle,

This is the preference of the junzi.

The action of this line is neither proper nor timely.

NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the marrying maiden, missing the date
a delayed marriage is timely

This line is the first in Thunder, the eldest son, who marries off his little sister,
the maiden shown in the Marsh. When a girl is about to get married, the
arrangements should be made gradually, without worrying about any delay. The
timing of a marriage is the crucial step.

In the end a delayed marriage is timely.

It goes ahead eventually unhindered.
 It goes ahead eventually unhindered.

In the Outer World diagram, Thunder is positioned in the east and the Marsh in
the west, whereupon she misses the action.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
Emperor’s Yi married off his little sister
her royal sleeves not so fine as the concubine’s
the moon almost full, good fortune

The upper trigram contains the body of the Earth trigram, which corresponds to
the time of Emperor Yi. It has changed to become Thunder, signifying the
emergence of the Emperor. This line is the maiden who is being married off –
Emperor Yi’s little sister. During the marriage ceremony, the bride’s sleeves
were not so finely ornate as those of the concubine – implying that as a wife she
was naturally restrained in her dress and behaviour. This is to be like the moon
coming to almost full, without eclipsing the sun.
A bride always loves ornament and she may tend to excess. Yet when
Emperor Yi’s sister married beneath her,1 the sleeves of her gown were not
embroidered. She acted simply and with due accord. Furthermore, the sleeves of
her husband’s concubine were finely worked, showing she was able to put aside
any jealousy.

To act modestly with no trace of jealousy,

Is the highest attainment in feminine virtue.
To esteem simplicity and sincerity;
And to care for the concubines and family-line
Is to bring the greatest blessings of all.
Great good fortune! A time for celebration!

Heaven, like the sky which covers all, means clothing. The Marsh contains the
body of the Heaven trigram, but is open at the end, like a sleeve. As this fifth
line changes it again forms the Marsh, and both sleeves are complete and
finished. But the concubine’s sleeves, in the lower Marsh trigram, have been
finished already. Furthermore, if this line changes it forms the Wind trigram,
which signifies plainness and simplicity. The Yang lines in both the Wind and
Marsh press in to almost form the trigram Heaven. The moon is full in Heaven,
so now it is approaching full.
SIX AT THE TOP
the girl offers a basket, nothing in it!
 the girl offers a basket, nothing in it!
the scholar slaughters a sheep, no blood!
nothing favourable

The Thunder is the eldest son and scholar, and also shooting bamboo which can
be woven into a basket. The top line is hollow, meaning the basket is empty. The
Marsh is the youngest daughter and the top line depicts a pair of horns, worn by
a sheep. Water implies blood but now Fire counteracts it, and being empty
within, means there is no blood.
Both a basket to hold offerings and a sheep are used at the Grand Sacrifice.
But now the girl offers a basket with nothing in it and the sheep does not bleed
when slaughtered by the scholar. There can be no sacrifice. An empty gesture
which lacks substance is unlucky for all concerned. Nothing is favourable.

The action is empty, without substance.

As it lacks feeling, no course is favourable.

The hexagrams Affection (31) and Constancy (32), The Gradual (53) and
Marrying Maiden all concern the relationship between man and woman.
Constancy and The Gradual both take the gentleness of the Wind as their main
theme. The girl is devoted and the wife yielding, and there are blessings and
good fortune. In Affection the man advances to find joy and with the proper
restraint there is also good fortune. But in Marrying Maiden the girl is actively
joyful and advancing. Since there is no devotion, she is rejected. This is the
pitfall at the end. The junzi sees things through to the end, aware of the pitfalls.
In addition, he is also careful at the beginning.

Marrying Maiden: awkward, an improper advance
1 The reign of Emperor Yi was 1191–1155 BCE. He was father to the tyrant Zhou Xin.
 55
Feng / Abundance

Abundance
blessings, the king arrives, do not worry
be like the sun at noon

Abundance describes an epoch of brilliance and affluence. During this time, a

hundred excellent things gather together to bring blessings. The state of
abundance is reached as the King’s heart becomes enlightened. However, there
may be worry, for a long-lasting abundance is difficult to arrive at, and one must
find the means of preserving it.

…that which is acquired in marriage must surely be great;

hence there follows abundance…

Man’s heart is like the sun which, when centred at noon, becomes bright and
full. Be like the sun at noon. Then the King arrives, so do not worry. Let your
heart be continuously enlightened, illuminating all four quarters of the world like
the sun at noon!

As the heart becomes unmuddled,

The world is ordered of itself.

The means of arriving at this state and the means of preserving it are actually
one and the same. Simply be like the sun at noon. To preserve this state of
abundance in the world is the aim of the King’s reign. Then he attains the lasting
Path of Peace.
 Fire brings enlightenment. It stands for the King and also the sun. The
second line of the hexagram is centred like the sun at noon. Thunder produces
awe, turning the situation into one of abundance.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
meeting a matched lord
even if it were ten days, no blame
going esteemed

This first line matches and responds to the fourth which is lord of the Thunder
trigram. Even though the first is not lord of Fire, it responds. It is the beginning
of the time of abundance and conditions have not yet advanced far. You respond
to another with the same virtue as yourself and become friends. Even if you met
after ten days when the abundance had peaked, there would be no blame. Now it
is far from over, so your going is esteemed.

Clarity results from advancing to the centre.

Simply be like the sun at noon!

In the first line conditions have not yet advanced far. Meeting the fourth line and
responding to it, the first and fourth go on together towards the fifth.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
abundant, like screens
the sun at noon, the dipper seen
going, the sickness of doubt
have faith, as if emerging, good fortune

This line is at the centre of the Fire trigram, where it acts like the sun at noon.
Yet Wind suggests growth and Thunder flourishing vegetation, which provides a
screen. The abundance is arrayed around you like protective slatted screens. This
is the abundance of the self-made and arrogant. It is as if there were an eclipse of
the sun and the stars of the Dipper were seen in the sky at noon. Your going
becomes confused and there is the sickness of doubt in your heart.

Be clear and sincere, with a will of utmost firmness,

Then you will emerge from the tumult.
Faith brings transcendence and doubt cleared.

As you proceed in this manner, you emerge from any trouble and there is good
fortune. At this time, the abundance acts as an obstruction or screen which gets
in your way.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
abundant, like banners
the sun at noon, small stars seen
breaking the right arm, no blame

In the third line the abundance is not yet complete. The lower lines represent the
limbs, and the third is highest like an arm. The Marsh stands for the west or right
side in the Outer World diagram, and also for decline or breaking. Now the
abundance is arrayed around you like royal banners. Banners, being broader than
slatted screens, obscure the sun more effectively – so the eclipse has progressed
and even small stars can be seen. The created abundance is even more damaging
than in the second line, and it is as if you had broken your right arm.
Yet there is no blame in losing the use of an arm for you may still see
clearly.

Banners obscure the sun even better than screens.

Preserve your vision and you escape blame.

This line and the fourth occupy the centre of the hexagram like the sun at noon.
In Abundance the damage is done by the top Yin line, which is far from the
clarity of Fire. Yet this top line in Fire, bright like an eye, is extremely far-
sighted, and suffers no blame. Usually Yin lines respond to Yang, but now the
top line blunts the hard third.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
abundant, like screens
the sun at noon, the dipper seen
meeting a matched lord, good fortune

Both the fourth and second lines achieve abundance but it is partial and acts as a
screen. This line has advanced further. The Fire trigram is below and this line is
rising. Now it is just past noon. The eclipse is passing although you still occupy
an improper position. The abundance continues to act as a screen against the
brightness of the heart.

In advance there is no improvement to be found,

While in retreat there is nothing to be sought.
By accident you meet a good friend and receive his new-found enlightenment of
barely ten days. Now you can improve your position.

Although unclear about your progress,

You manage a move towards clarity.
Although out of position, await the right time.
A good friend arrives and thereby good fortune.

This is a strong line but in a weak and improper position, so it cannot move
ahead alone. It meets a matched lord in the first line and they help each other
win through.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
coming and revealed!
have a celebration, fame, good fortune

The first and second lines are both going – but from the position of this fifth line
they are coming. The enlightened hearts of all under heaven are approaching and
you are in a position to reveal and unite them. This is an abundance indeed,
showering the people with joyous celebration!

Now the ruler obtains fame like the sun at noon!

There must be celebration, fame and good fortune.

The eclipse has passed and the hearts of all have been revealed. The fifth line is
centred and humble. The first, second and third lines have finally become clear.
This is the enlightened clarity of Fire. As this line is yielding and empty at its
centre, it can use all the other lines’ talents. There is good fortune.
SIX AT THE TOP
an abundant house screens off the family
peep in the doorway, it is silent without people
nobody seen in three years, misfortune

This top line is far from the clarity of the first three lines and not centred in
either the hexagram or its trigram. It is without position. Finally it blocks itself
off as well as others.
In the end, you can only find a use for yourself. The abundance results in you
becoming closed off to others. Your home is luxurious, but nobody stays there
for you cannot protect even your own family. Being without clarity in your
position, you screen off the family and become estranged. You peep in at the
doorway and the house is silent without people. There is nobody around.

Screened off and alone,

No one cares to be with you.

The sun is already going down, the abundance declining and, for three years, no
one is seen in your house or doorway. This is the utmost misfortune.

The difference between abundance and non-abundance,

Is the same as the difference between light and dark.
If you are open to people there is light,
If you are closed to people there is darkness.

As you are able to open to the talents of others, they come forward and reveal
themselves. Then there is a joyous celebration and all under heaven are
preserved. When you only find a use for yourself, you cannot even protect your
own family. The causes of gain and loss are plain.
The grandeur of Fire means a palace. Thunder brings on new growth and
wooden things and the Wind travels high, implying a large building or home.
The rich vegetation of Thunder, and the plants and trees of Wind block off both
within and without. Fire stands for the number three and the trigram is also
hollow like an eye – which peeps in.

Abundance: fullness
 56
Lu / Travelling

Travelling
nothing large, blessings
travelling, devotion, good fortune

When travelling, one has few close friends and the only course is to act in an
unassuming manner. Make your heart small. Attempt nothing large, but lower
yourself and be humble. In this way, you not only guard your own interests but
can also handle others. These are the conditions which allow of blessings.

…abundance means greatness and when greatness is

exhausted it surely loses position; hence there follows
travelling…

When travelling, one has no permanent place to call one’s own. Yet the true Path
may be stumbled upon anywhere and anytime.

Whatever you do, wherever you stay, whoever you meet,

When all is correct, there is peace and the true Path prevails.

To be correct in devotion and at peace on the Path is the cause of the good
fortune gained whilst travelling.
Fire spreads continuously and does not keep still. This gives the idea of
travelling. The settled Mountain, on the other hand, does not move, like the
traveller’s lodging.
Yang depicts greatness and Yin smallness. The central lines of both main
trigrams are Yin, signifying small things, nothing large.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
travelling, humbly, humbly
this invites calamity

This is a Yin line at the bottom of the hexagram and so possibly over-small. If
your plans for travelling are over-modest or shortsighted, self-neglect
encourages neglect from others. This is to invite calamity.

You humble yourself, intending to avoid calamity,

But in fact bring the trouble upon yourself !

If you belittle yourself, others will neglect you. This is not the way to bring
about blessings.
The Mountain trigram signifies a small stone, showing humility. Yet here it
responds to the Fire above bringing calamity.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
travelling, reach an inn
holding your wealth close to your chest
you gain a young servant’s devotion

The Mountain provides somewhere to stay, like a room at an inn. This second
line is at the centre of the trigram so it has reached the inn. You come upon a
place to stay; you have money for expenses and also the services of a young
fellow. Now with these three, the Path for the traveller is found.
But reaching an inn is not a chance matter. It comes about because you are
able to act humbly and concern yourself with small things, nothing large. You
hold your wealth close to your chest.

Halt during your journey in the proper manner,

Then you also manifest devotion.
Concern about small things, like retaining devotion,
Means you attain both blessings and good fortune.

The changeable Wind stands for trading and profit. It also means something
hidden – so the wealth is held close to your chest. The Mountain is the youngest
son. The first line submits to this line for it is both gentle and restrained. It is a
young servant.
 NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
travelling, the inn burns down
lose the young servant’s devotion, hardship

This third line is doubly hard and not centred. It comes close to the Fire, so the
inn burns down. Also distant from the first line it loses the young servant. It
suffers misfortune both above and below.
Being self-assuming, you do not want to yield to those who are in authority,
but the result is that they burn down the place you are staying in. Then you
become violent with those beneath you. Their hearts are estranged and you lose
their loyalty and trust.

Being too harsh creates hardship.

Is this the path for the traveller?
Being over-severe you lose their devotion
And the chance for the blessings as well!

The contrast with the gentle second line could not be greater.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
travelling and staying, gain wealth and an axe
mine heart is unhappy

If this fourth line changes it forms into Thunder which moves. But it also forms
the Mountain which is still and stays. This is to travel to a place where you hope
to stay and are able to gain both wealth and protection. Yet although warm and
content, you do not cherish the comforts you find. The changing line brings the
anxieties of Water and your heart remains unhappy.

To be honoured with food and lodging,

Is this the way to find the Path?

The Marsh, the last of the Yin, means energy entering form, like a cast knife or
axe. The Wind means energy coming out of form, like things growing, so it
forms the handle made out of wood. This is a hard line in a soft position. It
yields and supports respectfully the fifth above. Thus it may remain in position
for some time.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
shooting at a pheasant, one arrow is lost
end up with both reputation and title
The brightly coloured Fire trigram suggests a pheasant. It also has a solid central
line like an arrow. Travelling has evolved from Decline (12), as this line and the
third have exchanged places to form the trigram Fire. This is like shooting at a
pheasant. One line climbs and one falls down, which means one arrow is lost.
Entering another’s estate and wishing to fit in with their differing ways and
customs, is like shooting at a pheasant – you will not immediately succeed and
lose at least one arrow. Yet acting in a gentle manner and being centred, you are
soon seen as trustworthy and gain a reputation. Then you win over your
superiors and also receive a title. The Marsh, the last of the children, suggests
achievement and fame, and the penetrating Wind stands for the influence of a
title.

That which one lost was quite small,

That which one gains is surely great!

The fifth line yields to the fourth beneath. It completes the Marsh trigram and
also responds to the second which forms the Wind. Thus it ends up with both
reputation and title. However, the line is not honoured as ruler, because the one
who is travelling cannot be King. When the hexagram text speaks about
devotion bringing good fortune, it refers to this fifth line.
NINE AT THE TOP
The bird burns down its nest
The traveller first laughs, then cries and wails!
The ox lost in the frontier, misfortune

In the hexagram Travelling as a whole, the soft lines mostly find good fortune
while the hard lines only get into trouble. How true it is that the virtue in
travelling lies in a concern for small things, nothing large! This top line is hard
and arrogant just like the third. Both are involved in calamity. This is why the
bird burns down its nest!
First you laugh as you are pleased to have found a place to stay and to have
gained position. Then you cry and wail as it all burns down! This is brought on
through self-assuming arrogance. You have become resentful and closed to
others. When the heart becomes unyielding it is the image of losing an ox. It
escapes and you are no longer receptive to people.

The heart is closed and yielding.

It can only bring misfortune.
The Fire trigram is brightly coloured like a bird. The Wind means a growing tree
and this top line is like a nest above. The nest meets the fire and wind, and burns
down. Laughing, crying and wailing all come from the open mouth at the top of
the Marsh trigram. Fire suggests a cow or an ox, as in the hexagram Adhering
(30). The ox becomes lost in the frontier of the Marsh. In Great Strength (34),
losing a sheep meant losing one’s belligerence. Now losing an ox means losing
an open heart. These two are in no way similar! You must make a choice which
to follow.
 57
Xun / The Yielding

The Yielding
nothing large, blessings
favourable to take action
favourable to see the great man In the transformations of heaven and earth, their children appear first as Yin
and Yang. At the beginning the Yin is extremely weak, soft and yielding. But this is how the course of
Heaven proceeds, by operating through using smallness, nothing large, to attain blessings.

…the traveller has no place to call his own; hence there

follows the yielding…

When this happens within the human heart, it occurs in a similar manner. As the
mind is kept open and concentrated on mundane matters, nothing large, the
principle of Heaven emerges – to resolve differences.

In mundane matters:
This is how the human heart operates
In order to bring about blessings.

As you yield, there can be no obstacles between you and people and things, and
nothing is unfavourable. Yet as it is also favourable to take action, you must rely
on strength. The passage of the Yin always involves the Yang. It is favourable to
see the great man and use his power to match your position. In this fashion you
obtain the balance which is the poise of one acting in a gentle manner.

With nothing large, everything falls into place.

And as you yield all matters are overcome.
The Yin hides under Yang, yielding. As the Yin lines rise they follow the Yang
– which means it is favourable to take action. The second and fifth are hard,
centred and proper like great people. The first Yin is born in the Wind, the eldest
daughter, while the first Yang emerges with Thunder, the eldest son. Wherever
there is birth, there is blessing. This is how the Path of Heaven operates, using
smallness to attain blessings. In all the hexagrams Travelling (56), The
Yielding, A Little Excess (62) and Already Over (63) you are counselled
against retaining ideas of greatness.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
advancing, retreating
favour a warrior’s devotion This first line is weak in a strong position and it cannot make up its mind what
to do. Doubtful and indecisive, it advances and then retreats without conclusion. It must gain the courage of
a warrior and only advance, not retreat.

In this position, matters are still small and undeveloped. Even with a
warrior’s devotion, there is no danger of you becoming too forceful.

A warrior’s devotion!
Only to advance, not retreat.

The first line at the bottom of the hexagram is overly small.

NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
yielding, beneath the bed
using astrologers and shamans in profusion!
good fortune, no blame This second line is hard and centred, but it yields to both the fifth above and the first
below. Both these actions give the idea of subtle action, as if secretly hidden beneath a wooden bed used in
the sleeping quarters. The correctly centred fifth is thus enabled to reach all under heaven.

Because you yield, you act as if hidden – using astrologers and shamans in
profusion to access the spirits and extend the ruler’s decree. With these powers,
there is a great deal of interaction, and toing and froing. In such a way are subtle
problems resolved and the virtuous mandate of the ruler extended over the whole
people.

As you enable the correctness of the Kingly rule

His mandate reaches out through all heaven,
Then comes the good fortune without blame.

Wind suggests the action of plants and trees. These can be fashioned into pieces
of wood. In each Wind trigram the long pieces are above and the short pieces
below, giving the shape of a bed. The open third line of the Marsh is the mouth
and tongue, suggesting the chatter of magicians and shamans.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
yielding repeatedly, regret This third line is doubly hard and not centred. It forces itself to yield and so
cannot keep it up for long. As you yield repeatedly, there are frequent mishaps and interruptions. You act
responsibly, but are over-exerting yourself which will prove unfavourable. You are unable to sustain it.

Uncertainty in attitude will find regret!

This line displays the unsureness and impulsiveness of the Wind. These are the
worst aspects of character.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
remorse gone
in the field, capture three prizes A fourth line which is doubly soft should surely feel remorse. But this line
is proper in position and, responding to the other lines, can capture them all. Being over-gentle should again
bring remorse. Yet Fire shows a creative ability and being over-demonstrative it will integrate all hearts as
its own. Depreciating your own talent, you manage to bring others’ plans and thoughts together and present
them before the ruler.

To use the talented in government,

This is the mark of a dutiful minister.
Not only is remorse gone, but merit gained.

Fire can spread over everything, like a net, suggesting hunting and capture. The
Wind means a triple profit in the market, so you capture three prizes. They come
from the three lines of the lower trigram.
Proper in position this fourth line can yield to the first which has the same
virtue and also open to the firm second and third. Thus it captures them all and
yields with them to the ruling fifth above.
When three foxes are caught in Release (40), it implies getting rid of petty
people. When three prizes are captured in The Yielding it is using talented
people in government.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune, remorse gone
nothing unfavourable, nothing beginning, but ending
before the start, three days, after the start, three days
good fortune A fifth Yang line is centred and proper in position and it displays the utmost goodness. All its
virtues are those mentioned in the hexagram text. But its strength comes from yielding to the other lines.
You display the utmost worth in your position. Dwelling in ultimate goodness, devotion will show good
 fortune. Remorse disappears and nothing is unfavourable.

Now the yielding naturally comes to a close.

This is nothing beginning, but ending.

The first Yin line in The Yielding is the source of its gentle behaviour; it yields
and this ruling Yang line finally brings its behaviour to a close. The Path
revealed in The Book of Change shows nothing more than the transformation of
the Yin and the return of the Yang.
What occurs before the start and after the start is the unceasing movement of
Heaven. The constant vigour of Heaven is needed to prevent any decline into
weakness. It all depends on the strength and timeliness of your devotion.
In both hexagrams Corruption (18) and The Yielding describe the
movement of the Yang. Before the start and after the start refer to the Outer
World diagram. Thunder is in the east and the Marsh in the west. As this line
changes it forms Thunder. Thunder implies a start, when the Yang is renewed.
The third trigram before Thunder is Heaven, whilst the third trigram after
Thunder is Earth. With the Mountain the Yang is ending, while in Thunder the
Yang is beginning. This is the circulation of Heaven. Also Earth relies on the
Marsh, the last and youngest, to return to Heaven. Again this is the circulation of
Heaven.
In Corruption the Wind begins the decadence and Thunder is used to open
up the way for change. This is how Yang governs Yin. But an excessively
yielding manner also implies corruption. In this line Thunder is again used to
control the hesitancy of Wind and return to Heaven. This is how Yin reverts to
Yang. The prevention of corruption in yielding depends solely on the strength of
this fifth line.

The Outer World diagram

 NINE AT THE TOP
yielding, beneath the bed
losing one’s wealth and an axe
devotion, misfortune The top line at the end of the hexagram is exhausted through yielding and has nowhere
to go. It is hidden as if crouched beneath a bed and must return to the others. Formerly it acted openly, but
now its actions are merely ingratiating and have lost all control. You lose your wealth and cannot travel and
you lose your axe so you cannot take decisions. This is why you end up beneath the bed.

Yielding properly resembles devotion,

But destroy your integrity in order to appease another, And it inevitably
brings misfortune.
With yielding, practise careful discernment.

The top line must return to accompany the fourth and yield to the fifth. The
second yields to the first, using gentleness to temper its severity, while the top
line yields to the fifth, using gentleness merely to be ingratiating and so loses
strength. The profit attached to the Wind implies wealth. The wood of the eldest
daughter joins with the metal of the youngest, the Marsh, to form an axe.

The Yielding: enabling, softening

 58
Dui / The Joyful

The Joyful
blessings, favour devotion The two Marsh trigrams linked together show the arrival of joy. The Yin lines
are attached to the Yang, with the Yang placed beneath the Yin. In such a position both Yin and Yang share
in virtue and give joy to one another.

…yielding means entering in – entering in and then

afterwards taking pleasure in; hence there follows the
joyful…

When hearts are filled with joy there is no need for words. Wherever there is a
joyful heart, this is an indication of the true Path. It must be so. It will surely lead
to blessings.
However, there must also be devotion. In everyday life joy flows away and
you must discover how easily this happens. Joy in oneself comes from
correctness in principle, not from following desire. While a joy shared with
others is always based upon openness, not self-seeking.

Believe in sincerity and behave in a respectful manner Then the blessings

remain, with a joy long-lasting!

It is proper for Yang to yield to Yin. In this position Yin and Yang give joy to
one another and as Yin and Yang interpenetrate each other they can correct each
other’s deficiencies. This is a harmony based both upon nature and position.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
harmony in joy, good fortune Man is born with his nature rooted deep in harmony – but as the heart
 becomes attracted to material things, it is too easily distracted and lost. This first line is Yang and solid,
occupying a humble position in the hexagram. It does not associate with the weak Yin lines, nor become
attached to the world outside.

Preserve your self-nature and nurture it,

Without creating the burden of attachment.
Follow what comes naturally and attain harmony,
Without the deviation of self-seeking.
Harmony in joy brings good fortune.

In the Outer World diagram, the Marsh stands for the season of mid-autumn. It is
the time of harvest – which signifies the harmonious relationship between the
profitable and the right.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
faith in joy
good fortune, remorse gone This second line associates with the third Yin and becomes outwardly tempted
by things. Yet luckily it is strong and centred. It finds faith and joy within, and is able to remain detached.

Tempted by the outside world it is fitting to feel remorse. But you are strong
within and are able to detach. You remain wholehearted in sincerity.

When faith is strong, principle makes the heart fill with joy.
Others believe in you, they follow and rejoice.
Faith in joy means good fortune, while remorse is gone.

The first line walks the Path and follows its nature. The second line finds
knowledge and returns to its nature.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
joy comes, misfortune

The third line is within the inner Marsh trigram. It is Yin, weak and improper.
Furthermore, it responds to the top line which is also Yin and weak. This is
unfavourable.
When outer things are found desirable, it is because you have allowed them
to enter and confront you. Open up just a crack and they enter in. They do not
act of their own accord. They come because you let them in!

With desire, our true nature is lost.

With false joy, the true Path is lost.
This is a great misfortune.
 This is a great misfortune.

But once your self-nature is settled and calm, good fortune will follow. If your
feelings become attached to outer things, you lose devotion. Then misfortune is
certain. Do not neglect your innermost feelings.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
deliberating about joy, not yet at peace
bordering on sickness, there is health This fourth line lies between the two Marsh trigrams. It supports the
fifth line above which is centred and proper, but also associates with the weak and improper third. It is torn
between the two.

You are seeking the Path of inner virtue and rejoicing yet also the glittering
world and rejoicing. This is to be torn between inner virtue and the outer world.
It is to dally with life. These two are locked in combat and who knows which
will win?
Where there is deliberation, indecision and danger, you are not at peace.

Realise that the heart is tearing apart and seek within.

This is to accept the inner sanctity of the heart.

Bordering on sickness, there is health. The sickness will heal by itself and there
will be no need for medicine.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
faith in those tearing apart
there is hardship This fifth line is Yang and hard, centred and proper. It behaves with the utmost
correctness. You have the capacity to tolerate others and treat them with the utmost respect and faith. Even
though they would tear apart, you still remain in contact – displaying the utmost trust.

Yet close association may lead to exploitation and you must beware of any
danger. Intimacy involves hardship. Be cautious and retain faith. Then you will
succeed in securing the proper people, without being torn apart.

Have faith in those tearing apart

This will correct their faith in joy.

Be intimate with proper people and hear proper speech and day by day, without
expecting any benefit, virtue will be attained. It is like the gradual growth of a
small tree, which goes unnoticed. But with the small-minded if you hear
beguiling speech, day after day, virtue is lost and you do not notice it.
 Day by day, virtue is lost:
It is like the imperceptible burning up of oil in a lamp, Which proceeds
unseen.
Then there is hardship and darkness.

The Marsh, the last of the Yin, begins the season of autumn. It is the time of the
ninth moon when the Yin force is ascending and tearing apart the Yang.
SIX AT THE TOP
led by joy

This top line on the outside of the hexagram creates a temptation for the heart.
Both this line and the third are Yin, and full of joy for the people. But the third is
within, like the joy of the inner heart.
In such a situation, misfortune would seem to be indicated as joy beckons
and leads you without, so why is there no judgement? Because when people are
led astray, there is truly no wrong done. If they lose they way, they can only
blame themselves. It is not the fault of those leading, but the fault of those led.
This serves a due warning!

The joy of the inner heart beckons you in,

Whilst the joy of the world tempts you out.

The joy of the most beautiful things in the world can motivate people but so can
the most artful flattery! You must decide which is which.

The Joyful: attractive

 59
Huan / Dispersion

Dispersion
blessings
the King approaches the ancestral temple
favourable to cross the Great River, favour devotion

The Wind moving over the Water suggests dispersion. At a time of dispersion,
the people’s hearts are broken and authority scattered and fallen. The situation
would not seem to be favourable. Yet there is still a means whereby you can
attain blessings. You must have the power to gather together those things which
are scattered and push to gain control over that which has been dispersed.

...the joyous is pleasurable, but joys cannot last for ever,

hence there follows dispersion…

When hearts are scattered, the King approaches the ancestral temple with the
utmost reverence. Thereby his ancestors will arrive and bind their hearts to his.
Then he can gather and bind together the hearts of the spirits and people, as one.
As authority scatters, you must find the means to bring it together again –
like coming across a boat and oars ready to cross a river. The people’s talents are
employed in bringing order, like finding a boat and oars useful to cross the Great
River.

Be sincere in gathering their hearts

And bringing their talents into government,

This is one method which can be constantly preserved and practised. Indeed
those who are dispersed will gather again and the gathered never disperse. It is
favourable to cross the Great River, so practise devotion.
Dispersion has evolved from Decline (12) as the firm fourth abandons the
Yang lines and flees to the Yin, where it becomes engulfed in danger of Water.
The ruling fifth stands for the King. The still Mountain represents the ancestral
temple and Water is the Great River. The gentle Wind suggests growing things
and wood, which builds a boat to cross the Great River. Thunder acts.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
choose to rescue them
with the vigour of a horse! good fortune

If you can choose to rescue the people, they will be saved. But how to do it?
With the vigour of a horse! If there is no vigour there is no way!

You must only be generous to those beneath you

And confident of your own strength.
Then their hearts are rescued, bringing good fortune.

Water suggests a vigorous horse with a beautiful mane. This first line has not yet
been dispersed but it is about to be. How to save it? With the vigour of a horse.
The second line rides down to save it. The people are as horses to the ruler.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
dispersed, flee to a stool
remorse gone

The second line forms the seat while the first line provides the feet of a stool.
Dispersion has evolved from Decline (12) as the firm fourth breaks away from
its people and flees to this position. It is trapped in the danger of Water and it is
appropriate for it to feel remorse. But it is a Yang line and it soothes the people’s
hearts and put them into service. This is like obtaining a stool to sit on and feel
secure.
The people are like water to the ruler – water can either float a boat or sink it.
Although in danger, if you can win the people’s hearts, every doubt will be
overcome. This is like obtaining a stool to sit on and feel secure.

The approach to the temple is used in order to bind people’s hearts.

This is the foundation in any major task such as crossing the Great River.
The first line is Yin and it acts as the multitude with respect to the second. The
second line is a Yang line – it soothes the multitude and makes them feel secure.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
dispersing the self, no remorse

This is the top line of the Water trigram. It is a Yin line in a Yang position. Its
talent is weak although its will is strong. It acts to sacrifice itself in order to save
the state.
If the King’s minister is obstructed, it is not his fault. He works selflessly for
the good of the state, without conditions. It is simply what he has to do, so what
sadness can there be? Neither can there be any remorse.

You have no regard for success or failure,

This kind of will is exemplary!

Thunder comes from inside and moves without stopping. It means taking action.
You disperse the self in order to save the state.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
disperse the clique, the source of the good fortune
dispersed to reach something higher
not something ordinary people are able to understand

As Dispersion evolved from Decline (12) the second Yin line came up to
occupy this place. It has broken away from its friends to follow the Yang lines of
Heaven. To break away from your friends in order to follow Heaven is to be
loyal and impartial in character. This is the highest good of all. It is to reach the
source of the good fortune.
Yet you should not simply disperse from the clique. You should also forget
any lingering selfishness which clings to the heart.

Seek unity in all things, in spite of their differences.

Then scattering a small group, you merge with one larger.
This is not something ordinary people are able to understand.

The junzi disperses the clique in order to reach something higher. This means to
blend with and unify the whole world. The Earth brings friends or a clique. The
Wind enters in, suggesting a lofty motive.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
 NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
dispersion, sweating with a great cry!
dispersion, the King dwells, no blame

The fifth line is centred like the King. During the dispersion he alone dwells in
peace, without a change of heart.
Now in command, you establish your mandate. Announce your rule
throughout all four quarters of the world, with the aim of gathering together the
people’s hearts. This is to act as sweat pouring out from every pore of the body,
opening up any stifling resistances or blockages.
At a time of dispersion, the King alone dwells in peace, without changing his
determination. He establishes his centre and manifests propriety, providing the
perfect example for his people. Their hearts turn towards him and surrender.
There is no blame incurred, as sweating and shouting are the first sounds made
when crossing the Great River.

To dwell in peace reveals the essential nature of the heart,

Cleansed through an approach to the ancestral temple.

Water suggests sweat and the Wind acts to disperse it, travelling the whole
country like the ruler’s mandate. The Wind gusts and the Thunder rages, giving
the idea of a great cry.
NINE AT THE TOP
disperse the blood, all gone
move out of danger, no blame

Water suggests blood, or an injury. This line dwells on the top, lofty and apart.
Pure in motive, it forms the body of the penetrating Wind. It responds correctly
to the third so that the Wind scatters the blood – which is all gone.
As any injury or difficulty has been removed, you are greatly relieved and
move out of danger. You may dwell in peace quietly, and re-establish your inner
lord.

When danger arises, you must know how to escape.

Once out of danger, beware of falling in again!

The task done, you leave – transcending the world and fleeing far from all harm.
You move out of danger. There can be no blame.

Dispersion: falling apart
 60
Jie / Restraint

Restraint
blessings
do not be devoted to bitter restraint When Water gathers together it forms into a pool as in the Marsh. This
is the image of limitation and restraint. At a time of greatness, restraint provides the way onto the middle
path. A restraint which is able to be preserved is always the spontaneity of Heavenly principle. It is the
evidence of a well-tempered heart and will surely bring blessings.

...dispersing and then adhering…but things cannot for ever

adhere; hence there follows restraint…

But this is not being devoted to bitter restraint. If your restraint is excessive or
bitter-tasting, it means the heart is insecure. Bitter restraint injures the heart’s
inner nature and it will never be able to be maintained. If you treat others in this
way, their thoughts are violated and nothing will ever be accomplished.

Bitter restraint violates true nature.

Return to the middle path, that is all!

It is always best to esteem a balanced restraint and to warn against a bitter

restraint. Return to the middle path. This brings the matter to a close.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
not going out the courtyard door
no blame The firm line at the bottom of the hexagram has no position. It responds to the fourth Yin ahead
and moves on to meet it, but the hard second is in the way and it halts. Thunder moves but the Mountain
obstructs, so it does not go out.

You halt when halting is necessary. You halt just when you should, awaiting
the right time to act.

Not going out the courtyard door.

Stop when stopping is necessary and there is little blame.

The third line is in two parts like a pair of gates, while the second is single-
sectioned like a door. Gates are used in pairs whilst a door is used singly. The
still Mountain stands ahead also like a courtyard gate.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
not going out the courtyard gate
misfortune The second responds to the ruling fifth ahead and gains its support. They share the same virtue
and this line should go ahead and overcome whatever danger occurs. The third line is ahead like an open
gate and it lies on the great highway of Thunder. However, it halts and does not move, stopped by the
Mountain.

There are no obstructions ahead and yet you halt and do not go out. There
can be no assistance nor help from others. It is a great loss.

Not going out the courtyard gate.

The misfortune serves a deep warning!

This line stands in Thunder which stirs. Thunder signifies a time to open doors
and go out. Yet the Mountain obstructs ahead and this line does not move.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
as if unrestrained, as if lamenting
no blame This line is the last in the Marsh trigram. It is doubly weak and its heart full of joy, so its feelings
may become dispersed and unrestrained. As the heart becomes full to overflowing, the situation gets out of
hand. Yet the presence of the Thunder means it knows to be afraid.

You know to fear, as if lamenting –

This shows concern and foresight.

With care and foresight there can be no blame. This line is Yin and at the end of
the Marsh. The Water fills the Marsh to overflowing. But Thunder brings awe
and it laments the situation. There is no blame as the line finds remorse.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
peaceful restraint, blessings The fourth is doubly yielding, faithfully supporting the ruling fifth line, centred
and proper above. It willingly yields and supports its ruler, reverently executing his will. Restrained and
attentive to every detail, you act in a quiet and peaceful manner.
 Through your own restraint, transform the world!
The path of regulation prevails, bringing blessings.

Responding to the Marsh, this line is full of joy but at peace. It has come to a
standstill in the Mountain, closely restrained.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
sweet restraint
good fortune, going esteemed This fifth line is firm and honoured. In a proper position it shows restraint,
centred and full of ease. As feelings come freely and easily, thoughts are unviolated, and you remain at your
centre, well-tempered in your restraint. The taste of the restraint is sweet. It is fitting to find good fortune.

Restrain others in this way and their going is esteemed.

Restrained without bitterness, many will trust and follow.

The Marsh simply implies being joyful. Its top line is an open mouth, meaning
the restraint tastes sweet.
SIX AT THE TOP
bitter restraint
devotion, misfortune, remorse gone This top line occupies the last position in Restraint. The restraint has
reached its limit and cannot go on, so it turns bitter. Through over-restraint, you have brought bitterness
upon yourself and the whole position is untenable.

When water is flowing it tastes sweet and nourishing, but as it settles it turns
stagnant and bitter. Bitterness does not allow of devotion. If you persist, it brings
exhaustion and misfortune.

Yet there are still those who would reject gain

And turn their backs upon the world.
Though exhausted, they follow the will alone.
For them, remorse is gone.

Confucius has said ‘better be firm than lax’. Now there is none of the good
fortune of a sweet restraint, but neither the loss which comes from having no
restraint. The remorse is gone.
 61
Zhongfu / Inner Faith

Inner Faith
pigs and fishes, good fortune
favourable to cross the Great River
favour devotion

Inner faith means inner truth. The whole hexagram is hollow within, without its
own desire, facing up to the truth. An inner sincerity which can move things is
known as inner faith. Pigs and fishes are both associated with inner faith as both
resemble people who are impetuous, or even evasive and fickle – they are like
those in whom it is difficult to place trust. Yet a true sincerity can cause even
people such as these to be trusting and find good fortune. There is nothing that
cannot be overcome with wholeheartedness, even crossing the Great River.

…restraint brings proper belief; hence there comes inner

faith…

A sincerity which can move things,

This is not the work of a single day!

You should be genuine at all times and constant, until faith is manifest. Then
faith achieves transcendence through encouraging clear action. Favour devotion
for through unceasing wholeheartedness the foundation for the Path under
heaven is laid.
The graceful hexagram Inner Faith signifies both inner truth and harmony.
It symbolises the faith of the open heart. Fish lie hidden and act furtively, like
the Wind. Pigs prefer the mud of the Marsh. The Wind trigram suggests growing
things and wood, which floats over the still waters of the Marsh so that the Great
River may be crossed.
The devotion is of a heart empty of its own desires, for the whole hexagram
is hollow within, facing up to the truth. This is the way to gain sincerity. Yet
each of the two main trigrams is also full within, which suggests an inner lord –
in other words, the guide of sincerity. Both the path and the goal are represented.
They are not distant from one another.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
contentment, good fortune
with distractions, no peace

The first line embodies the joy of the Marsh and it is content. Yet it also
responds to the fourth line above and becomes distracted. Inner truth values a
purity which is similar to that of a beginner’s mind, so rely on responding to
Heaven and act from a pure heart.

Peace of mind is attained through principle.

Its contentment brings good fortune.

If the mind is impure and calculating what might be gained or lost – then selfish
desires arise. The heart is distracted and it is never at peace.

Yielding to pattern you find peace.

Following desire only brings trouble.

Be careful at the very beginning to watch for the seeds of change. This is the
way to build wholeheartedness.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
a calling crane in the shade
her young answer her
we have a good cup, let you and I share it!

The crane is a bird which lives hidden in the Marsh. This second line is in a Yin
position, shaded by the Mountain and living by the Marsh. The first line lies
beneath it like a young one. When a mother calls and her young answer, it is an
example of the utmost faith. We shall speak these words to each other, ‘we have
a good cup, let us unite together in admiration!’ The good cup means holding on
to innate goodness within – while the sharing comes through a common virtue
and faith.

Within sharing lies the greatest achievement of inner faith!

A crane also calls during the autumn. In the Outer World diagram the Marsh
stands for mid-Autumn and Thunder makes a calling sound. Thunder calls in the
second line and the first line in the Marsh with an open mouth, calls back. Both
lines are attached, sharing the same virtue and faith. Both wish to trust the fifth.
The good cup is represented by the fifth.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
you find your match
now drumming, now stopping
now weeping, now singing

The second line harmonises with the fifth and ruler. The third leaps over the fifth
to responds to the top. It finds its match but not its lord. In this situation it is
happy, but not truly content. Thunder sounds like drumming. Whilst drumming,
you stop suddenly and look around, weeping and then singing, half-happy and
half-sad, and not knowing why.

If you left your friends to follow your lord,

The new path of faithfulness would be clear.

Thunder sounds like drumming, while the still Mountain halts it. The Marsh, the
last daughter, brings weeping and grief, yet her open mouth is singing. The third
is restless and indecisive, and close to the Wind. If it could act like the fourth,
which leaves its team to follow the ruler, it would find an inner lord and faith as
well.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
the moon almost full
the horse breaks from its team
no blame

The fourth Yin is lying close to the ruling fifth and cannot be too full of herself.
Truth values moderation, so she breaks from the team. When the moon is full it
represents a cause for concern. Before you encounter fullness, detach from your
friends and concentrate on serving the ruler – like a horse breaking from its
team. Faith accumulates and you are removed from all danger and doubt.
 You gain a ruler’s trust and faithfully follow the lord.
No blame will be incurred.

The moon is full during the time of Heaven. Both the trigrams Marsh and Wind
form part of Heaven, but have a line missing. Thunder rumbles like a horse’s
hooves. This line associates with the third and responds to the first, like a team
of horses.
In The Receptive (2) one loses friends to follow The Creative (1). The
second line in Flourishing (11) leaves its friends to join those above and form
Adornment (22). All are the same.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
as if bound in faith, no blame

The fifth line is centred and solid, accumulating faith. You have found the faith
among the people needed to transform a state. The people are numerous indeed
and their true and false feelings vary. While it is not difficult to find faith with
some, with others it is difficult.

Accumulate faith and sincerity among the people,

As if you were binding a knot, never to be undone.
Thus you manage to bring all hearts to Heaven.

In this way the ultimate path of faith is fulfilled and there is no blame. The firm
Mountain stands strong beneath, like a hand to bind. A Yang line, firm, centred
and proper, lies in an honoured position.
NINE AT THE TOP
the cock ruffles its feathers
devotion, misfortune, its cry reaching the skies!

The cock is only a small creature, but its crow can be heard afar. It is like
someone without solid virtue who only spouts empty talk. Once in a while, you
may use your reputation to receive an invitation from above, or gain favour with
the ruler. But do not depend on this happening. If you are devoted to the pursuit
of fame, there comes also misfortune.

Faith values inner accumulation, not an outward show.

When the sound heard exceeds the feeling within
It is your duty to feel ashamed.
The Wind calls like a cock. This top line is in the position of heaven, like the
skies.
 62
Xiaoguo / A Little Excess

A Little Excess
blessings, favour devotion
one may act in a small way, not a great way
the flying bird’s lingering cry!
not fitting to ascend, fitting to descend
great good fortune

The true Path for all under heaven is none other than following the middle
course. But there is also the situation when Yin exceeds Yang. You may be a
little excessive in your generosity and goodwill. As when straightening a bent
piece of wood, one has to over-bend it to correct the straightness. Then you
arrive at the middle path and it provides blessings.

…those who believe in themselves must surely carry their

beliefs into practice; hence follows a little excess…

But this is only favourable if you preserve the proper timing. One must act
appropriately, in a small way, not a great way. This is the message of the flying
bird’s lingering cry – if she flies too high, she wears out her strength. Her cry
descends to the earth. She should also descend and come down to where she may
be heard; to conserve her strength and find food and water.
It is the same in human affairs: it is not fitting to be excessive in superiority,
only excessive in humility. It is not fitting to ascend, but to descend.

Be slow to advance and quick to retreat

In order to avoid an overbearing manner.
This is to delight in modesty for its own sake.
 This is to delight in modesty for its own sake.
The excess is small, yet it brings great good fortune!

When Yin exceeds Yang, as in the hexagram A Little Excess, Yin can only be a
little in excess. It is not easy to achieve blessings, and one must act in a small
way. The second and fifth Yin lines are both small and gain the centre, while the
Yang third and fourth are both great but neither of them centred. The hexagram
A Little Excess shows the shape of a bird in flight – the solid middle lines its
body, and the outer open lines its wings.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
the bird flies on, thereby misfortune

The whole hexagram depicts a bird. The outer four Yin lines form its wings,
while the first and top lines are the wing-tips. If the strength in the wing-tips
exceeds the strength in the body, the bird wants to fly down, but it cannot. There
is misfortune.
This line flies on and ascends, relying on the firm fourth to advance. Because
you rely on the strength of another you may become ensnared in problems.

In this situation misfortune is always at hand.

Ascending or descending, can you not be careful!

This first line in the Mountain should stop and descend. But instead it responds
to the fourth and flies on.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
exceeding your grandfather, meet with your grandmother
not reaching the ruler, meet with the minister
no blame

In A Little Excess, Yin exceeds Yang. But this Yin line is gentle and centred, so
it may proceed cautiously – adapting its position to those it meets with above.
This describes the path taken by those who encounter one in a senior rank or
position. They wisely adapt to circumstance.
You face a time when your behaviour appears a little excessive – as your
position is close to another in authority. But you may make a slight break with
convention.

But what can you do?

Meet them only as you are able.
 Meet them only as you are able.
Make a slight break with convention.

Pass over your grandfather to meet your grandmother. If you cannot reach the
ruler, then do not aim for him. Remain below and only meet with the minister.
Whether you act excessively or not, simply occupy the middle path. Just do what
is fitting, then in both cases you have someone to meet.
The third, fourth and fifth lines ahead stand for the grandfather, grandmother,
ruler and minister. In terms of Yin and Yang, the fourth is grandfather and the
fifth grandmother, but in terms of position, the fifth is ruler and the third is
minister. A fourth line can be exceeded, so the second passes it over to meet
with the fifth – exceeding the grandfather to meet with the grandmother. But a
fifth cannot be exceeded as it is ruler, so the second does not aim for the fifth but
meets with the third below, who is minister. This illustrates the art of being
flexible.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
do not exceed him, be on guard
follow him on, perhaps to stab him!
misfortune

At a time of A Little Excess the Yang should not exceed itself – and to keep the
Yang under control this line must be on guard. If instead it follows the Yin, the
top Yin line will fly off with this Yang line under its arm. Then you must
perhaps stab him!
In order not to exceed another, halt and be on guard. This ensures that you
keep control of your dealings with him. If you do not stop, but follow him on, it
only brings catastrophe. Then it may become necessary to stab him!

Be a little excessive in generosity and goodwill.

It is truly better to descend than to ascend.

The Mountain stops on guard, while the Wind enters in and follows on. But the
Marsh trigram, the last of the children, can destroy them all. This third Yang line
also responds to the top Yin which brings about catastrophe and injury. It
illustrates what the text means when it says it is not fitting to ascend but to
descend.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
no blame, not exceeding him, but meeting him
going, hardship, take precautions
do not use everlasting devotion
 do not use everlasting devotion

This fourth Yang occupies a yielding position and it responds to the first. It does
not climb up but climbs down, calmly descends without blame. This is to
understand the essence of the situation.
However, it associates with and also supports the fifth and ruling line, so it
may also ascend. It must beware not to exceed the fifth, but to meet him. Think
carefully on how to go on. You cannot act excessively, so bend in open humility
whilst going, in order to achieve union with the one above you. Thunder is firm
and moving, creating hardship and the need for care. Hardship is mentioned to
warn you to take precautions.

Be skilful in strength to accord with the middle path.

But you must not use everlasting devotion.

In Small Cultivation (9), Yin is cultivated by Yang and if one becomes unduly
occupied with this, there comes hardship. Yin follows the Yang to become
transformed, and one cannot be stubbornly devoted. In A Little Excess, Yin
exceeds Yang and again one should not be over-devoted. Do not use everlasting
devotion. The task is simple – to transform the Yin.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
gathering clouds, no rain from our western countryside
the Duke’s dart hits those in the cave

As with Yin and Yang, when dark and light find each other, the rain begins to
fall. This is an image of resolution and harmony. The text is partly the same as
that in Small Cultivation (9). In both cases there is concern over the power of
the Yin. Gathering clouds are caused through the Yin line of the Marsh. In Small
Cultivation there is no rain because the Yang lines favour moving and cannot
harmonise with the Yin. In A Little Excess there will be no rain if this Yin line
ascends and does not meet with the Yang below. The Duke’s dart must aim at
those in the cave, not at those in the sky. As there are people beneath you, you
would benefit from turning your attention towards them.
When there are gathering clouds, you are not allowed to act in a great way. It
is better to descend and join those in the cave. Then you may eventually
overcome, and also rise above. Whether it rains or not, depends upon you!

Whether it rains or not, depends upon you.

Sometimes you ascend through descending!
 Sometimes you ascend through descending!
Will Yin and Yang join? It depends on your aim.

The fifth line lies in the Marsh, the direction of the west in the Outer World
diagram. It is also within an outer trigram, like the countryside. Thunder, the
eldest son, stands for a Duke or feudal-lord. The first and second lines lie under
the Mountain, in the cave. The whole hexagram is in the shape of the Water
trigram, meaning an arrow or dart. The flexible Wind is a cord, which shoots.
The fourth line should harmonise with the Yin line beneath to meet with the Yin
above. If the Duke at the fifth shoots and hits those below in the cave, not those
in the sky, it may still meet with those above. Both lines may eventually ascend
through descending.
SIX AT THE TOP
not meeting him, but exceeding him
the flying bird, its wings paired up, misfortune
this means catastrophe and injury!

With the wings paired up and working together, the bird ascends and does not
descend. Now the misfortune is complete, bringing catastrophe and injury. This
is to speak out to caution you, as well as acting in admonishment. Excess always
meets with misfortune. But though the catastrophe comes from Heaven, it is also
an injury caused by man!

Rather than being helpless and remorseful at the end,

It is better to be careful and avoid excess at the beginning.

A Little Excess takes the fifth as its ruler. The fourth is not exceeding him, but
meeting him. But this top line is not meeting him, but exceeding him. Now the
Yin goes to an extreme, the first and top lines are the wing-tips of the flying bird
and they pair up, working together. The first line brings the misfortune but now
there is catastrophe and injury, which is worse.

A Little Excess: self-exertion, on the middle path
 63
Jiji / Already Over

Already Over
blessings in small things, favour devotion
at the beginning good fortune, in the end confusion The trigram Water is above and the trigram Fire below;
they have shifted so as to overcome the deficiencies of their situation. The running water has been taken up
above while the blazing fire moved on down below. Yin and Yang have joined together, and their meeting
resolved and the time already over, this brings blessings.

…when all excesses are overcome, there is completion; it is

already over…

Firm and yielding complement each other;

The resultant virtue begins to grow.
High and low intermingle and order and pattern prevail.

The strong lines place themselves beneath the weak. Therefore one may only
accomplish small things. There may be blessings, but it is favourable to remain
in devotion.

Once proper in your position,

You find peace and harmony with your own lot.
There are blessings which must be preserved.

The junzi are concerned with this time of greatness as the danger of decline is
now obvious. Some may eventually take advantage of the situation and it is
necessary to find devotion. At the beginning, rules and regulations are newly set.
People accord with them and maintain propriety and there is good fortune. But in
the end they relax and neglect their work. Through carelessness, minute errors
creep in; this can lead to calamities and confusion.
In the cycle of riding high to falling below, there is not a hair’s-breadth of
separation. Think on problems in advance and anticipate them.
Now the trigrams Heaven and Earth hide in interpenetration; Flourishing
(11) and Decline (12) interconnect, and Water and Fire are able to conserve their
essence. Yang is great and Yin is small, and their natures and feelings differ. Just
as when the powers of the heart and kidneys reside in the body the result is
health, when Yin and Yang conjoin transformation proceeds. Yet the blessings
are only small as in the hexagram Already Over, the soft and yielding lines ride
over the hard.
NINE AT THE BEGINNING
dragging the wheels
wetting the tail, no blame The Water trigram revolves like a wheel. This first line is towards the rear, and
dragging. The wheels of the carriage have just crossed through the water. They slip in the mud, the carriage
drags and then jerks forward, soaking those who follow behind. This is just like a young fox wetting its tail
as it jumps the stream.

Once out of danger and difficulty, fear advancing lightly.

Where others see a smooth path, you observe traps and pitfalls.

This is to reflect on problems in advance and anticipate them, to escape harm or

blame. You gain the merit of dragging the wheels.
The trigram Water implies the furtive fox and the bottom line is its tail. The
clarity of the Fire helps us observe the pitfalls inherit in this hexagram. Wetting
the tail also occurs in the first line of Not Yet Over (64). You are not yet over
river and there is regret – but here you are actively over and escape blame.
SIX AT THE SECOND PLACE
the woman loses her screen
do not chase after it, in seven days it is found This second line is doubly yielding and in the middle daughter
Fire. Both point to the virtue of obedience characteristic of a woman.

When people find themselves out of danger, it is then the quarrelsome heart
is born. This soft line responds to the firm line ahead as its woman. One stronger
lies ahead and you follow dutifully, reflecting the best in feminine virtue. This
means you do not drag behind with the others, but go on ahead, advancing. They
are jealous and destructive. They steal the screen off your carriage to stop you
going and to compete in being recognised.
 Do not chase after them but wait quietly. In seven days the screen is found.

Impatience and contention bring problems.

Be still and before long the dust settles.
Not chasing after what you need
Is perhaps the best means of securing it!

The Fire trigram is brightly coloured like a pheasant whose feathers make up a
carriage-screen. The perils of Water bring trouble and robbers. Water moves
vigorously like a horse chasing after a thief. Yet the Fire trigram is close by,
adhering to it, so do not move. Each line in the hexagram corresponds to a single
day. There are six lines which follow on to the end – in seven days they have
returned to their original positions and the screen is found.
NINE AT THE THIRD PLACE
high ancestor attacks ghost region
in three years, he conquers them
small people are not chosen Once the situation has prevailed for some time, and there is order, a desire for
ambitious schemes is born. This is how High Ancestor1 was led to attack the barbaric Ghost Region. By the
third line Already Over has prevailed for some time. Yet, even with his military supremacy, it still took
High Ancestor three years to conquer the small states of Ghost Region. This shows the difficulty in using
weapons.

All wars are initiated because of small people.

You are warned not to employ them,
To prevent further conflict arising.

Fire is the trigram of the extreme south. The southern states have a great love of
ghosts and barbaric practices. Fire shines like weapons and armour. Its number is
three. This line both supports and rides on Yin lines which lurk dangerously
around like small people.
This situation is similar to that in the top line of The Army (7), where a sage
is depicted who brings benevolence to all under heaven. Again small people are
not chosen.
SIX AT THE FOURTH PLACE
leaks! have rags prepared
spend a whole day in taking precautions The hollow Fire trigram forms a boat but it enters the Water and
springs a leak. This line changes to form the Heaven trigram, which covers all like clothing. The destructive
Marsh, the last of the Yin, tears the clothes to rags.
 The danger is that you may lose grip of the situation. Cracks spring open,
leaks appear and your boat is about to sink! Have scraps of clothing and rags
prepared in order to plug the gaps. Spend a whole day in taking precautions.
This fourth line is above the Fire trigram, standing for the sun, suggesting a
whole day. Being a fourth line close to the ruler, it has much to fear, as it is also
past the centre of the hexagram. Every minute of the day it must take
precautions.

Be sure you have the tools to prevent conflict,

As well as the heart to anticipate it.
Be fearful of the result!

This is the way to protect what you already possess and also to prevent
confusion in the end.
NINE AT THE FIFTH PLACE
Eastern Neighbour kills an ox
not as good as Western Neighbour’s Summer Sacrifice
be solid to receive the bliss Killing an ox is a generous offering but the happiness received is not as great as
the bliss bestowed at the Summer Sacrifice. The situation here is one of varying devotion. Eastern
Neighbour Fire has too little faith.

In the Inner World diagram, Fire is in the east and Water to the west. Fire
stands for an ox, while Water suggests the blood flowing freely when it is killed.
Eastern Neighbour is Fire and Fire depends on something to burn. It is bright but
hollow within. Thus he has too little commitment to the cause, although he
appears to have a great deal. Water’s trigram has a solid centre although without
it appears dark. Therefore Western Neighbour has sincerity in abundance,
although he appears to have very little.

The Inner World diagram

In making a sacrifice, the felt emotion is more important than the ritual and
performance.

Having more heart and less ritual

Is better than committing yourself
To more ritual with less heart.

One must have both a solid heart and good government in order to hold on to the
value of faith.

Be strong within to perpetuate the blessings.

This is the root of Heavenly prayer
And the way to securing an everlasting mandate.

The perils of Water demand faith. For this reason it is favourable to offer the
Summer Sacrifice – much more so than to make a sacrifice of an ox, with its
blood flowing freely, like Eastern Neighbour.
SIX AT THE TOP
soaking your head, hardship

This last line is the head while the first line is the tail. It also occurs at the end of
the Water trigram. The water has overrun its mark and this line nearly gets
drowned.
Through not reflecting on problems in advance, they reappear and are now
impossible to overcome. Your head goes under! If you play with water, you may
drown. But this is not to confront misfortune, but hardship, for it encourages one
to learn.

Be aware of the danger and repent.

Hardship means you may yet be saved!

This top line is somewhat similar to the top line in Great Excess (28). The
images are similar, but the significance is different. In Great Excess
overstepping brings misfortune but no blame, whilst here you nearly get
drowned.

Already Over: already done and across

1 One of the last Shang rulers.
 64
Weiji / Not Yet Over

Not Yet Over

blessings
the young fox, almost over, wets its tail
nothing favourable

The Fire trigram is above and the Water trigram below. Neither has yet
overcome the deficiencies of their situations and the time is not yet over. But
when your involvement in a situation is not yet complete it does not mean it will
never be complete.

…but events will ever arise, hence The Book of Change

ends, but events are not yet over…

Not yet over does not mean never over.

Simply bide your time and be careful.
Be still and concentrate your strength.
The deficiencies of the time are overcome.

In the presence of danger, concentrate your strength. Then you eventually

overcome and there are blessings.
There are no matters under heaven which cannot be overcome, there are just
not the right people. They must be gifted in talent and possess great vision in
order to be careful in their work at the beginning – and yet able to see it through
to the end.
If your strength is insufficient you plunge in energetically at the start, but
sink in failure before the end. This is the young fox – almost over the water,
when he wets its tail. What benefit is there in this? Nothing is favourable.

Those who are good at success,

Are attentive to the very small.

The Water moves furtively like a fox and being a lower trigram is still young.
The Water trigrams extend to the fifth line so the fox is almost over. However,
the first line lies trapped within the Water so the young fox wets its tail. Water
and Fire are unable to join together well in this arrangement. The firm and
yielding lines lose their proper positions and their situation deteriorates. But if
the fifth line, yielding and centred, can respond to the firm and centred second,
they can overcome their deficiencies. Eventually they can combine strengths and
get out of the danger.
Not Yet Over follows on from Already Over (63). The Water and Fire are
still the same, but they have altered their positions. This illustrates the teaching
of The Book of Change.
SIX AT THE BEGINNING
wetting the tail, regret

Just as it is almost over the river, the little fox falters and dips his tail in the
water. In the end wetting the tail means nothing is achieved. As this line is the
very first in the hexagram it should aim to succeed. Yet its talent is weak and it
will never succeed.

If you are unable to overcome the situation,

How will you ever help others succeed?
No regret can be deeper.

In Already Over (63) dragging the wheels meant wetting the tail but there was
no blame. Now the same thing happens through carelessness and there is deep
regret.
NINE AT THE SECOND PLACE
dragging the wheels
devotion, good fortune

This firm second line responds to the fifth, which is yielding, centred and
devoted. It is fitting for it to succeed.

Time your moves carefully.

 Time your moves carefully.
Measure your strength accordingly.

Dragging the wheels means you do not further advance until an advance is
possible – then you move forward. This is the proper attitude to hold when
taking action and good fortune will surely prevail. Being centred this line judges
well, for it has learnt a lesson from the first line.

Be still and peaceful, and you reach far.

Orderly and relaxed you may confront change.

The devotion of dragging the wheels is the way to overcome the world! In
Already Over (63) dragging the wheels meant wetting the tail but no blame;
now in Not Yet Over it brings good fortune.
SIX AT THE THIRD PLACE
not yet over, going forward, misfortune
favourable to cross the Great River

You do not yet possess enough strength to overcome the faults of the situation. If
you still try to go forward to confront them, there will come misfortune.
However, this does not mean you should not move at all. If you have little
talent, it is best to depend on someone else to succeed in the matter. Seek a wise
friend and cross over the river together. This is like finding a boat so that the
river may still be crossed.

You are warned not to be arrogant and to make use of others.

The hollow Fire suggests a boat. It floats on the Water, as on a Great River. This
third line is at the centre of the hexagram and it is best for it to carry on over the
river. Yet its talent is weak. Not that the time does not permit the crossing, it is
simply that the line has not enough strength.
In Already Over (63), the third line supports and rides on Yin lines and
there is a warning against using small people. Here the third line supports and
rides on Yang lines and is therefore encouraged to find a friend.
NINE AT THE FOURTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune, remorse gone
roused to attack ghost region
in three years, you are awarded a great nation
This fourth line associates with, and responds to yielding lines so it may feel
remorse. However, it supports the fifth above, remaining beneath. It is the fifth
which leads the yielding lines, while the fourth preserves devotion. All this is
favourable. As the line changes to form into Thunder, it is roused to move.
If you associate with weak people, it is fitting to feel remorse. However,
preserve devotion and wait quietly until you can overcome the deficiencies of
the situation. In this way there will surely be good fortune and any remorse
resulting from former times will be gone.

Not to succeed is not to do nothing!

Rouse yourself while waiting.

After a few years you are awarded the prize of a great nation. Use devotion to
remain constant and rouse yourself to confront change. This is all that is
necessary in order to find the true Path through the troubles.
The hexagrams Not Yet Over and Already Over (63) are linked together.
This fourth line in Not Yet Over corresponds to the third line in Already Over.
The image of attacking Ghost Region is in both.
The attack on Ghost Region is mentioned in both hexagrams. The third line
in Already Over is worried when it succeeds, but here the fourth is happy about
its award. In Already Over the third line is high in the Fire trigram, and lord of
the military. But in Not Yet Over the fourth is the lowest in the Fire trigram,
like the second-in-command who leads the army into battle. A ruler may pursue
ambitious projects, while a minister must not become careless. Their roles and
positions differ. When a ruler has resolved the situation, it is best to take care
and protect against change. When a minister is associated with weakness and the
situation is less than perfect, it is best to rouse oneself to action. The times and
positions are different, and so are their meanings. This illustrates the whole
teaching of The Book of Change.
SIX AT THE FIFTH PLACE
devotion, good fortune, no remorse
the light of the junzi, have faith, good fortune

The brilliance of Fire gains the central position. This fifth line is yielding,
centred and devoted. It is the lord of the whole hexagram. Fire stands for clarity
and light. Water is solid as faith.
The situation is thus: that which was not yet over has now come to a place
where it is nearly over.

Remain still and be at peace.

Await the completion of orderly reform.
Your inner virtue shines forth, brightly dawning without.
In all matters, there is good fortune.
How can there be any remorse!

The light of the junzi is none other than the manifestation of faith and sincerity.
If you possess the same heart as others, the task and the accomplishment are
nearly complete. This is a wholeheartedness that can change things.
This fifth line responds to his firm minister below, centred in the second
place. He assists his lord’s virtue with loyalty.
Now Water supports the elegance of Fire while Fire relies on the substance
of Water. Both deficiencies are overcome. The dangers of water lie in flooding
out, while the problems of fire lie in its ferocity. Water is drawn above and the
fire kept below. Within the centre of Not Yet Over lies Already Over. By their
means, accomplishments are complete.
NINE AT THE TOP
have faith in drinking wine, no blame
soaking your head, faith loses its meaning

Because there is faith, now we make merry. The sounds of music and drinking
wine are heard. This is all that is necessary on the true Path. There is never any
need for blame.
But wine should be used to complete the propriety of a situation and not
taken to the point of indulgence. This last line is the head, just as the first line is
the tail. This line responds to the Water trigram below and soaks its head.
Soaking your head means to abandon yourself to gaiety and dissipation so
that the path of faith loses its meaning. If you are sincere yet remain unclear,
though there is little selfishness you remain beyond the principle of right and
wrong. You might as well have no faith at all!

Only faith combined with rightness

Can attain the ultimate in enlightenment.

To be committed and enlightened is the root practice in confronting change. It is

best performed in a dutiful manner. The Book of Change ends with this statement
and its import is far-reaching indeed.
Water suggests wine. This line soaks its head in the faith and sincerity of the
fifth line. All three Yang lines have the same virtue and the fifth shares in the
faith of them all. Now there is music and wine as there is also in the hexagram
Waiting (5). The faith of the Water must not lose the clarity of the Fire. In
encompassing an Age of Great Peace, The Book of Change ends with this
message to us all.

Not Yet Over: not yet done or across
 A Yijing Phrases Glossary

Remember The Book of Change always speaks to you as one in authority, and
addresses you as one of rank, a junzi or shaman. It is concerned with taking
charge of the situation – perhaps acting, perhaps not, all to turn aside the tide of
destiny. The Shuogua states: ‘Counting the past is sailing with the wind;
knowing the future is sailing against the wind; therefore the Yijing is counting
against the wind.’

source (yuan) original, fundamental, self-confirming, even mandatory, a source

hexagram

blessings (heng) a good outcome, happy, well balanced, ‘in the bubble’ and firmly
optimistic, even prosperous

devotion (zhen) wholehearted commitment, openness to a situation, person, work, ideal,

great dedication

benevolence human-heartedness, kindness, love

propriety correctness in behaviour, more than manners or etiquette, a feeling of

rightness, appropriateness, clarity

rightness the right thing to do, not the wrong thing, it’s simple and obvious

dragon inner vitality, virtue or strength, inner power

Tao the way or path for an individual, or thing, perhaps the greater guiding
whole

Yang predominantly male, firm, creative, hard, moving upwards

Yin predominantly female, yielding, soft, dark, moving downwards

principle heavenly principle, the unspoken guide, pattern, pattern of nature,

seasonal rhythm, felt perception

in the field any sphere of activity

the great man any man, woman, to whom you have given authority

no blame no guilt, no shame, cause and effect do not apply

blame to be guilt-ridden, shamed, or even resentful

in the southwest being warmer, a more open and yielding place (strictly more feminine)

in the northeast being colder, more restrictive, less open (strictly more male)

the junzi the individuated person, the adept, the virtuous one, the true-hearted, the
honourable and wise (strictly a Confucian ideal)

stepping does not have to be walking, travelling in any way

possess completion finish your task, to work to a goal, satisfy your desire, to close the Gestalt

see the seeds the seeds are the first indications of change, watching the seeds equals
clairvoyance

ten years, ten days a longer period of time, a complete cycle

Inner World the ‘earlier heaven’ (xiantian), constitutional, or Fu Xi arrangement,

heaven above, the earth beneath, water and fire between, more spatial

Outer World the ‘later heaven’ (houtian), sequential, or King Wen arrangement, fire
above, water beneath, more temporal

three years, three days a shorter period of time

seven days a complete cycle

taking a wife/girl strictly speaking marriage, but can also mean to commit, to involve
yourself in a situation

bandits any disruptive, violent people, or factors

the Great River the Great River is to be crossed, or not crossed as the case may be, any
great undertaking, boundary issues, ‘sea-changes’

Emperor, Son of Heaven authorities of various kinds, male or female

Duke, King authorities of various kinds, to greater or lesser degree, male or female

ruler can refer to yourself, or one you have given authority, they should be
honoured and responded to

superior man can also be a superior woman, of course

the people any people in your concern, humanity

the army, take up arms along with march an army, an invasion, etc., all these images refer to the
use of force

issue the mandate the mandate or decree can refer to any command, statement,
announcement or decision, verbal, written or even non-spoken

small people those who are the concern of the junzi, the petty-minded and less virtuous
rain the coming of the rain signifies the fall of blessings which were thought
of as descending from Heaven, the release of tension, harmony

rich/wealthy not necessary financial wealth, perhaps moral, wise, talented or virtuous

wilderness/frontier any isolated or barren area, an island, a mountain, a moor, a beach

hill/high hill any comparatively inaccessible place

three days before/three days indications that you must choose the time to act extremely carefully and
after cautiously

jails/punishment any kind of restraint, restriction, even over-organisation and pigeon-

holing

suitor/courtship someone approaching openly and truthfully

the vigour of a horse very strong and active

no fame no public recognition, in any form whatsoever

remorse stronger and more enduring than regret, to have no remorse (and even no
blame) is to correct negative thought-patterns and feelings

ministers/feudal- close friends, helpers, work-associates, family, of either sex

lords/concubines

sacrifice, offerings not only religious, anything that needs greater commitment, devotion or
dedication, this phrase can also mean giving something or somebody up

town/state/region can refer to one’s own home, town, city, house, region, place of work, or
activity

neighbours relatives, friends, close associates, not necessarily those living close by

food and drink can refer to spiritual and mental sustenance, not just food and drink

crippled/one-eyed you or anyone else handicapped in any way, not making full use of their
abilities, mental, physical, spiritual

the moon, almost full not going all the way, not over-full, or over-concerned with matters

your head goes under losing control, gone too far

This is not a final guide, nor should it be taken as such. If the imagery of the
lines and hexagram texts are used and understood in the spirit of the above, the
Yijing will yield its secrets and provide a firm friend and master. The text at
times may seem confusing and obscure, but the world is often mysterious,
intangible, and difficult to understand. Be encouraged to persevere! Meditation,
stillness and removing ourselves from people will give birth to light (Waiting
hexagram 5). Have faith – and understanding follows. Go with the mind alone
and you are sure of trouble. The Yijing should be seen as a friend or teacher,
waiting, watching over you and guiding you.
 Resources

I have made much use of the Confucian appendices, laying the oracle out in the
traditional fashion – text and commentary – but left aside the usual debate over
whether Confucius (551–479 BCE) ever read the book. I doubt it. Of the ‘Ten
Wings’ to the Book proper I have first laid aside the Da Xiang, or ‘Greater
Imagery’, obviously from a later school – infused as it is with ministerial,
Confucian authority. I hope to publish this separately later. I have listed the
Xugua (‘Sequence of Trigrams’) in boxed form after the King Wen hexagram
text. Along with the Shuogua (‘Essay on the Trigrams’) it has provided valuable
material. However, the pairing off of the hexagrams in the Zagua has been of
less use – along with the Xiao Xiang (‘Lesser Imagery’) – they seem no more
than mnemonics, although the latter has some technical interest. The Xi Ci or
Great Commentary (Dazhuan), though, has been fundamental to my
understanding. How could it not have been? It contains the earliest records of
Yin/Yang science. Also, the ‘Boar’s Head’ (Tuanzhuan) as McNaughton
translates it in The Confucian Vision (1974) has always been at my elbow. A list
of separate essays on each hexagram, almost teaching records, this text has the
flavour of direct transmission: the guts of the Book, trigramic and line position,
relation, association, etc. Along with the Wenyan, it deserves further study.
These ‘Wings’ will appear in a later publication.
Richard Lynn’s edition has produced a useful translation, The Classic of
Changes (1994), containing the complete Wang Bi canon on the Yijing. But
mostly I have used the Qianlong edition (the Zhouyi Shuyi) based upon the
comprehensive Kangxi commentary (the Zhouyi Zhezhong, used also by
Wilhelm) printed in 1715, in the 54th year of the Imperial reign. The Kangxi
edition is the original of the Qing commentaries, containing much earlier
material, notably that of the Cheng Brothers (Cheng Yi 1033–1107 and Cheng
Hao 1032–1085). I was introduced to the Zhouyi Shuyi by Gia-fu Feng to whom
I owe an inestimable debt. Of present scholarship, much is of interest – the
Mawangdui tomb excavation, Shaughnessy reconstruction, and Whincup Theory
(see Introduction). I have also consulted the Zhou Yi Gu Jing Jin Zhu (‘A
Modern Commentary on the Ancient Classic the Zhouyi’) by Gao Heng (1984).
All these reveal a broad and deep tradition. I only hope my thimbleful does not
muddy the waters of a vast warm sea. Many thanks!
Lastly, gratitude is due to friends and family for their support, at times
challenging! And also to Jessica Kingsley at Singing Dragon – who identified
me in the first place.
 Selected Bibliography

My main text has been the Imperial Zhouyi shuyi 周易述義 (‘Telling of the
Sense of the Zhouyi’) published during the 60 year reign of Emperor Qianlong
This was based upon his grandfather Kangxi’s own Zhouyi Zhezhong 周易折中
(‘Cutting to the Core of the Zhouyi’), which was printed by the Imperial Qing
court in 1715. I first read this text with Gia-fu Feng. These editions also include
the commentaries: the Da Xiang, the Xiao Xiang, the Xugua and Zhagua, and
Shuogua, the Xici, Tuanzhuan and Wenyan.

Bertschinger, R. (2010) The Secret of Everlasting Life. London: Singing Dragon.

Feng, G. and Kirk, J. (1970) Tai Chi, A Way of Centering and I Ching. London: Collier.
Fung, Y. (1952–3) A History of Chinese Philosophy (2 vols). D. Bodde (trans.). Princeton: Princeton
University Press.
Fung, Y. (1960) A Short History of Chinese Philosophy. D. Bodde (ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Gao, H. (1984) Zhou Yi Gu Jing Jin Zhu 周易古經今注 (‘A Modern Commentary on the Ancient Classic
the Zhouyi’) reprinted in Beijing by Zhoghua shuju in 1984, originally Shanghai 1947.
Gribbin, J. (2005) Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and Complexity. London: Penguin.
James, W. (1890) The Principles of Psychology. New York: Holt.
Lynn, R.J. (1994) The Classic of Changes. New York: Columbia University Press.
McNaughton, W. (1974) The Confucian Vision. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Needham, J. (1956) Science and Civilisation in China Volume II. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Radin, D. (2011) Scientific Research on Intention. Available at www.intentionalchocolate.com/images/
intention_wp.pdf, accessed on 18 July 2011.
Shaughnessy, E.L. (1983) ‘The Composition of the Zhouyi.’ A Ph.D. dissertation completed at Stanford in
1983. He has done much more work since.
Shchutskii, I.K. (1980) Researches on the I Ching. W.M. MacDonald, T. Hasegawa and H. Wilhelm
(trans.). London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Smith, Jr, K. and Bol, P.K. (1990) Sung Dynasty Uses of the I Ching. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Sung, Z.D (1969) The Text of the Yi King (and its Appendices) Chinese Oracle with English Translation.
(The James Legge text, originally Shanghai 1935) New York: Paragon Book Reprint Corp.
Whincup, G. (1986) Rediscovering the I Ching. New York: Doubleday; (1987) Wellingborough, UK: The
Aquarian Press (Thorsons).
Wilhelm, R. (1951) The I Ching or Book of Changes. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.