Kt Hs? anticipates that symbolism in trying to account for the statement that the figure gives the promise of success and attain- ment; but the ground of this is generally made out by referring to the equal division of the undivided and divided lines and our having in 2 and 5, the central places, two undivided lines. An SECT. Il. THE KUNG FU HEXAGRAM. 199 LXI. Tue Kune FO HeExacram.
Kung Ft (moves even) pigs and fish, and leads to good fortune. There will be advantage in crossimportant point concerning ‘ regulations’ is brought out in the con- clusion of the Thwan,—that they must be adapted to circumstances, and not made too strict and severe.
Line 1 is strong, and in its correct place. Its subject therefore would not be wanting in power to make his way. But he is sup- posed to be kept in check by the strong 2, and the correlate 4 is the first line in the trigram of peril. The course of wisdom there- fore is to keep still. The character here rendered door is that belonging to the inner apartments, leading from the hall into which entrance is found by the outer gate, mentioned under line 2. The courtyard outside the door and that inside the gate is one and the same. The ‘Daily Lecture’ says that the paragraph tells an officer not to take office rashly, but to exercise a cautious judgment in his measures.
Line 2 is strong, in the wrong place; nor has it a proper correlate. Its subject keeps still, when he ought to be up and doing. There will be evil.
Line 3 should be strong, but it is weak. It is neither central nor correct. It has no proper correlate, and it is the topmost line in the trigram of complacent satisfaction. Its subject will not receive the yoke of regulations; and he will find out his mistake, when it is too late.
Line 4 is weak, as it ought to be, and its subject has respect to the authority of the strong ruler in 5. Hence its good symbolism and auspice. 7 Line 5 is strong, and in its correct place. Its subject regulates himself, having no correlate; but he is lord of the hexagram, and his influence is everywhere beneficially felt.
200 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
ing the great stream. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.
1. The first line, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune. If he sought to any other, he would not find rest.
2. The second line, undivided, shows its subject (like) the crane crying out in her hidden retirement, and her young ones responding to her. (It is as if it were said), ‘I have a cup of good spirits, (and the response were), ‘I will partake of it with you.’
3. The third line, divided, shows its subject having met with his mate. Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off. Now he weeps, and now he sings.
4. The fourth line, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.
5. The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject perfectly sincere, and linking (others) to him in closest union. There will be no error.
6. The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject in chanticleer (trying to) mount to heaven. Even with firm correctness there will be evil.
Line 6 is weak, in its proper place. The subject of the top- most line must be supposed to possess an exaggerated desire for enacting regulations. They will be too severe, and the effect will be evil. But as Confucius (Analects 3. 3) says, that is not so great a fault as to be easy and remiss. It may be remedied, and cause for repentance will disappear.
LXI. Kung F4, the name of this hexagram, may be represented in English by ‘Inmost Sincerity.’ It denotes the highest quality of man, and gives its possessor power so that he prevails with spiritual beings, with other men, and with the lower creatures. It is the SECT. II. THE HSIAO KWO HEXAGRAM. 201 LXII. Tur Hst&éo Kwo HeExacram.
Hsiao Kwo indicates that (in the circumstances which it implies) there will be progress and attainsubject of the ‘ Doctrine of the Mean’ from the 21st chapter onwards, where Remusat rendered it by ‘la perfection, ‘la perfection morale,’ and Intorcetta and his coadjutors by ‘vera solidaque perfectio.’ The lineal figure has suggested to the Chinese com- mentators, from the author of the first Appendix, two ideas in it which deserve to be pointed out. There are two divided lines in the centre and two undivided below them and above them. The divided lines in the centre are held to represent the heart or mind free from all pre-occupation, without any consciousness of self; and the undivided lines, on each side of it, in the centre of the con- stituent trigrams are held to denote the solidity of the virtue of one so free from selfishness. There is no unreality in it, not a single flaw.
The ‘ Daily Lecture’ at the conclusion of its paraphrase of the Thwan refers to the history of the ancient Shun, and the wonder- ful achievements of his virtue. The authors give no instance of the affecting of ‘pigs and fishes’ by sincerity, and say that these names are symbolical of men, the rudest and most unsusceptible of being acted on. The Text says that the man thus gifted with sin- cerity will succeed in the most difficult enterprises. Remarkable is the concluding sentence that he must be firm and correct. Here, as elsewhere throughout the Yi, there comes out the practical character which has distinguished the Chinese people and their best teaching all along the line of history.
The translation of paragraph 1 is according to the view approved by the Khang-hsi editors. The ordinary view makes the other to whom the subject of line 1 looks or might look to be the subject of 4; but they contend that, excepting in the case of 3 and 6, the force of correlation should be discarded from the study of this 202 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
ment. But it will be advantageous to be firm and correct. (What the name denotes) may be done in small affairs, but not in great affairs. (It is like) the notes that come down from a bird on the wing;—to descend is better than to ascend. There will (in this way) be great good fortune.
1. The first line, divided, suggests (the idea of) a bird flying, (and ascending) till the issue is evil.
2. The second line, divided, shows its subject passing by his grandfather, and meeting with his ee Ee Se hexagram; for the virtue of sincerity is all centred in itself, thence derived and thereby powerful.
For paragraph 2, see Appendix III, Section 1; 42 lteigein thyme, and I have there rendered it in rhyme. The ‘ young ones of the crane’ are represented by line x. In the third and fourth sentences we have the symbolism of two men brought together by their sympathy in virtue. The subject of the paragraph is the effect of sincerity.
The ‘mate’ of line 3 is 6. The principle of correlation comes in. Sincerity, not left to itself, is influenced from without, and hence come the changes and uncertainty in the state and moods of the subject of the line.
Line 4 is weak, and in its correct place. The subject of it has discarded the correlate in 1, and hastens on to the confidence of the ruler in 5, being symbolised as the moon nearly full. The other symbol of the horse whose fellow has disappeared has refer- ence to the discarding of the subject of 1. Anciently chariots and carriages were drawn by four horses, two outsides and two insides. Lines 1 and 4 were a pair of these; but 1 disappears here from the team, and 4 goes on and joins 5.
Line 5 is strong and central, in the ruler’s place. Its subject must be the sage on the throne, whose sincerity will go forth and bind all in union with himself.
Line 6 should be divided, but is undivided; and coming after 5, what can the subject of it do? His efforts will be ineffectual, and injurious to himself. He is symbolised by a cock—literally, ‘ the plumaged voice.’ But a cock is not fitted to fly high, and in attempting to do so will only suffer hurt.
SECT. II. THE HSIAO KWO HEXAGRAM. 203 grandmother; not attempting anything against his ruler, but meeting him as his minister. There will be no error.
3. The third line, undivided, shows its subject taking no extraordinary precautions against danger; and some in consequence finding opportunity to assail and injure him. There will be evil.
4. The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject falling into no error, but meeting (the exigency of his situation), without exceeding (in his natural course). If he go forward, there will be peril, and he must be cautious. There is no occasion to be using firmness perpetually.
5. The fifth line, divided, (suggests the idea) of dense clouds, but no rain, coming from our borders in the west. It also (shows) the prince shooting his arrow, and taking the bird in a cave.
6. The sixth line, divided, shows its subject not meeting (the exigency of his situation), and ex- ceeding (his proper course). (It suggests the idea of) a bird flying far aloft. There will be evil. The case is what is called one of calamity and self- produced injury.
LXII. The name Hsiao Kwo is explained both by reference to the lines of the hexagram, and to the meaning of the characters. The explanation from the lines appears immediately on comparing them with those of T4 Kwo, the 28th hexagram. There the first and sixth lines are divided, and between are four undivided lines; here the third and fourth lines are undivided, and outside each of them are two divided lines. The undivided or yang lines are great, the divided or yin lines are called small. In Hsiao Kwo the divided or small lines predodminate. But this peculiar structure of the figure could be of no interest to the student, if it were not for the meaning of the name, which is ‘ small excesses’ or ‘ exceed- ing in what is small.’ The author, accepted by us as king Wan, 204 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
LXI.. Tre Ai.-3t HEXAGRAM.
Ai 3i intimates progress and success in small matters. There will be advantage in being firm had in his mind our distinction of essentialsand non-essentials. Is it ever good to deviate from what is recognised as the established course of procedure? The reply is—never in the matter of right; but in what is conventional and ceremonial—in what is non- essential—the deviation may be made, and will be productive of good. The form may be given up, but not the substance. But the thing must be done very carefully,—humbly and reverently, and in small matters.
The symbolism of the bird is rather obscure. The whole of it is intended to teach humility. It is better for the bird to descend, keeping near to where it can perch and rest, than to hold on ascending into the homeless regions of the air.
Line 1 is weak, in an odd place, and possessed by the ‘idea of exceeding, which belongs to the hexagram. Its correlate is the strong 4, belonging to the trigram An, the attribute of which is movement. ‘There is nothing to repress the tendency of 1; rather it is stimulated; and hence the symbolism.
Line 2 is weak, but in its proper place, and in the centre. Its correlate is 5, which is also a weak line. The lines 3 and 4 between them are both strong; and are supposed to represent the father and grandfather of the subject of 2; but he or she goes past them, and meets with the grandmother in5. Again,5 is the ruler’s seat. The subject of 2 moves on to him, but not as an enemy; but humbly and loyally, as his minister according to the attributes of a weak line in the central place. It must be allowed that this view of the symbolism and its interpretation is obscure and strained.
The subject of line 3 is too confident in his own strength, and too defiant of the weak and small enemies that seek his hurt.
SECT. IL. THE Ki 38f HEXAGRAM. 205 and correct. There has been good fortune in the beginning; there may be disorder in the end.
1. The first line, undivided, (shows its subject as a driver) who drags back his wheel, (or as a fox) which has wet his tail. There will be no error.
2. The second line, divided, (shows its subject as) a wife who has lost her (carriage-)screen. There is no occasion to go in pursuit of it. In seven days she will find it.
3. The third line, undivided, (suggests the case of) Kao 3ung who attacked the Demon region, but was three years in subduing it. Small men should not be employed (in such enterprises).
Line 4 is also strong, but the exercise of his strength by its subject is tempered by the position in an even place. He is warned, however, to continue quiet and restrain himself.
Line 5, though in the ruler’s seat, is weak, and incapable of doing anything great. Its subject is called king or duke because of the ruler’s seat; and the one whom in the concluding sentence he is said to capture is supposed to be the subject of 2.
The first part of the symbolism is the same as that of the Thwan under hexagram 9, q. v. I said there that it probably gave a testimony of the merit of the house of Kau, as deserving the throne rather than the kings of Shang. ‘That was because the Thwan contained the sentiments of Wan, while he was yet only lord of Kau. But the symbolism here was the work of the duke of Kau, after his brother king Wa had obtained the throne. How did the symbolism then occur to him? May we not conclude that at least the hsiang of this hexagram was written during the troubled period of his regency, after the accession of W{’s son, king Khang?
The Khang-hs? editors find in the concluding symbolism an incentive to humility:—‘The duke, leaving birds on the wing, is content to use his arrows against those in a cave!’
Line 6 is weak, and is at the top of the trigram of movement. He is possessed by the idea of the hexagram in an extreme degree, and is incapable of keeping himself under restraint.
206 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
4. The fourth line, divided, shows its subject with rags provided against any leak (in his boat), and on his guard all day long.
5. The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject (as) the neighbour in the east who slaughters an ox (for his sacrifice); but this is not equal to the (small) spring sacrifice of the neighbour in the west, whose sincerity receives the blessing.
6. The topmost line, divided, shows its subject with (even) his head immersed. The position is perilous.
LXIII. The character called Xi is used as a symbol of being past or completed. 3 denotes primarily crossing a stream, and has the secondary meaning of helping and completing. The two characters, combined, will express the successful accom- plishment of whatever the writer has in his mind. In dealing with this lineal figure, king Wan was thinking of the condition of the kingdom, at length at rest and quiet. The vessel of the state has been brought safely across the great and dangerous stream. The distresses of the kingdom have been relieved, and its disorders have been repressed. Does anything remain to be done still? Yes, in small things. The new government has to be consolidated. Its ruler must, without noise or clamour, go on to perfect what has been wrought, with firmness and correctness, and ever keeping in mind the instability of all human affairs. That every line of the hexagram is in its correct place, and has its proper correlate is also supposed to harmonize with the intimation of progress and success.
Line 1, the first of the hexagram, represents the time im- mediately after the successful achievement of the enterprise it denotes;—the time for resting and being quiet. For a season, at least, all movement should be hushed. Hence we have the sym- bolism of a driver trying to stop his carriage, and a fox who has wet his tail, and will not tempt the stream again.
Line 2 is weak, and in its proper place. It also has the strong correlate 5; and might be expected to be forward to act. But it occupies its correct and central place, and suggests the symbol of a lady whose carriage has lost its screen. She will not advance SECT Il. THE WEI 81 HEXAGRAM. 207 LXIV. Tue We: 3t HeExacram.
Wei 3i intimates progress and success (in the circumstances which it implies). (We see) a young fox that has nearly crossed (the stream), when its tail gets immersed. There will be no advantage in any way.
further so soon after success has been achieved; but keep herself hidden and retired. Let her not try to find the screen. When it is said that she will find this ‘after seven days,’ the meaning seems to be simply this, that the period of Ai 8f will then have been exhausted, the six lines having been gone through, and a new period, when action will be proper, shall have commenced.
The strong line 3, at the top of the lower trigram, suggests for its subject one undertaking a vigorous enterprise. The writer thinks of Kao 3ung, the sacrificial title of Wa Ting, one of the ablest sovereigns of the Shang dynasty (B.c. 1364-1324), who undertook an expedition against the barbarous hordes of the cold and bleak regions north of the Middle States. He is mentioned again under the next hexagram. He appears also in the Shi, IV, ix, and in the Shih, IV, iii, ode 5. His enterprise may have been good, and successful, but it was tedious, and the paragraph con- cludes with a caution.
Line 4 is weak, and has advanced into the trigram for water. Its subject will be cautious, and prepare for evil, as in the sym- bolism, suggested probably by the nature of the trigram.
‘The neighbour in the East’ is the subject of line 5, and ‘the neighbour in the West’ is the subject of the correlate 2, the former quarter being yang and the latter yin. Line 5 is strong, and 2 is weak; but weakness is more likely to be patient and cautious than strength. They are compared to two men sacrificing. The one presents valuable offerings; the other very poor ones. But the 208 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
1. The first line, divided, shows its subject (like a fox) whose tail gets immersed. There will be occasion for regret.
2. The second line, undivided, shows its subject dragging back his (carriage-)wheel. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.
3. The third line, divided, shows its subject, with (the state of things) not yet remedied, advancing on; which will lead to evil. But there will be advantage in (trying to) cross the great stream.
4. The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject by firm correctness obtaining good fortune, so that all occasion for repentance disappears. Let him stir himself up, as if he were invading the Demon region, where for three years rewards will come to him (and his troops) from the great kingdom.
5- The fifth line, divided, shows its subject by firm correctness obtaining good fortune, and having no occasion for repentance. (We see in him) the brightness of a superior man, and the possession of sincerity. There will be good fortune.
6. The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject second excels in sincerity, and his small offering is the more acceptable.
The topmost line is weak, and on the outmost edge of Khan, the trigram of peril. His action is violent and perilous, like that one attempting to cross a ford, and being plunged overhead into the water.
LXIV. Wei 3? is the reverse of Xi 3%. The name tells us that the successful accomplishment of whatever the writer had in his mind had not yet been realised. The vessel of the state has not been brought across the great and dangerous stream. Some have wished that the Yf might have concluded with Xt 31, and the last hexagram have left us with the picture of human affairs all brought to good order. But this would not have been in harmony with the SECT. Il. THE WEI 8f HEXAGRAM. 209 full of confidence and therefore feasting (quietly). There will be no error. (If he) cherish this conidea of the Yf, as the book of change. Again and again it has been pointed out that we find in it no idea of a perfect and abiding state. Just as the seasons of the year change and pursue an ever- recurring round, so is it with the phases of society. The reign of order has been, and has terminated; and this hexagram calls us to see the struggle for its realisation recommenced. It treats of how those engaged in that struggle should conduct themselves with a view to secure the happy consummation.
How the figure sets forth the state of things by its constituent trigrams will appear in Appendix II. A similar indication is supposed to be given by the lines, not one of which is in the cor- rect place; the strong lines being all in even places, and the weak lines in odd. At the same time each of them has a proper corre- late; and so the figure gives an intimation of some successful progress. See also Appendix I.
The symbolism of the young fox suggests a want of caution on the part of those, in the time and condition denoted by the hexa- gram, who try to remedy prevailing disorders. ‘Their attempt is not successful, and they get themselves into trouble and danger. Whatever can be done must be undertaken in another way.
I suppose a fox to be intended by the symbolism of line 1, bringing that animal on from the Thwan. Some of the com- mentators understand it of any animal. The line is weak, at the bottom of the trigram of peril, and responds to the strong 4, which is not in its correct place. Its subject attempts to be doing, but finds cause to regret his course.
The subject of line 2, strong, and in the centre, is able to repress himself, and keep back his carriage from advancing; and there is good fortune.
The Khang-hsf editors say that it is very difficult to understand what is said under line 3; and many critics suppose that a negative has dropt out, and that we should really read that ‘it will not be advantageous to try and cross the great stream.’
Line 4, though strong, is in an even place; and this might vitiate the endeavours of its subject to bring about a better state of things. But he is firm and correct. He is in the fourth place more- over, and immediately above there is his ruler, represented by a weak line, humble therefore, and prepared to welcome his endeavours. Let him exert himself vigorously and long, as Kao 3ung did in his 210 THE Yi KING. TEXT.
fidence, till he (is like the fox who) gets his head immersed, it will fail of what is right.
famous expedition (see last hexagram, line 3), and he will make progress and have success. Expeditions beyond the frontiers in those days were not very remote. Intercourse was kept up between the army and the court. Rewards, distinctions, and whatever was necessary to encourage the army, were often sent to it.
Line 5 is weak, in an odd place. But its subject is the ruler, humble and supported by the subject of the strong 2; and hence the auspice is very good.
The subject of line 6, when the work of the hexagram has been done, appears disposed to remain quiet in the confidence of his own power, but enjoying himself; and thereby he will do right. If, on the contrary, he will go on to exert his powers, and play with the peril of the situation, the issue will be bad.
Serene bs beaN GD lees: PE Ee NOLES: APPENDIX I.
Treatise on the Thwan, or king W4n’s Explanations of the entire Hexagrams.
SecTIion I.
I. 1. Vast is the ‘great and originating (power)’ indicated by Khien! All things owe to it their beginning:—it contains all the meaning belonging to (the name) heaven.
>. The clouds move and the rain is distributed; the various things appear in their developed forms.
3. (The sages) grandly understand (the con- nexion between) the end and the beginning, and how (the indications of) the six lines (in the hexagram) are accomplished, (each) in its season. (Accord- ingly) they mount (the carriage) drawn by those six dragons at the proper times, and drive through the sky.
4. The method of Aien is to change and trans- form, so that everything obtains its correct nature as appointed (by the mind of Heaven); and (there- after the conditions of) great harmony are preserved in union. The result is ‘ what is advantageous, and correct and firm.’
5. (The sage) appears aloft, high above all things, and the myriad states all enjoy repose.
ee rn The name Thwan, and the meaning of the character so-called, are sufficiently established. The Thwan are king Wain’s expla- nations of the entire hexagrams. It seems impossible now to 214 THE APPENDIXES. SEGLs I: II. 1. Complete is the ‘great and_ originating (capacity)’ indicated by Khwan! All things owe to it their birth;—it receives obediently the influences of Heaven.
2. KhwdAn, in its largeness, supports and contains all things. Its excellent capacity matches the un- limited power (of Ahien). Its comprehension is wide, and its brightness great. The various things obtain (by it) their full development.
3. [he mare is a creature of earthly kind. Its (power of) moving on the earth is without limit; it is mild and docile, advantageous and firm:—such is the course of the superior man.
ascertain how the character arose, and how it was named Thwan. The treatise on the Thwan is ascribed to Confucius: and I have considered in the Introduction, p. 30, whether the tradition to this effect may to any extent be admitted.
I. The hexagram Ahien is made up of six undivided lines, or of the trigram A’hien, Fa-hsi’s symbol for heaven, repeated. The Thwan does not dwell upon this, but starts, in its exposition, from the word ‘heaven,’ supposing that the hexagram represented all the meaning which had ever been intended by that term. In para- graphs 1, 2, 4 the four attributes in Wan’s Text (2 being occupied with the second, though it is not expressly named) are illustrated by the phenomena taking place in the physical world.
In paragraphs 3 and 5, the subject is the sage. He is not named indeed; and Khung Ying-ta (a.p. 574-648) does not introduce him till paragraph 5, when the meaning necessitates the presence of a human agent, who rules in the world of men as heaven does in that of nature. The ‘connexion between the end and the beginning,’ which he sces, is that of cause and effect in the operations of nature and the course of human affairs. The various steps in that course are symbolised by the lines of the hexagram; and the ideal sage, conducting his ideal government, taking his measures accordingly, is represented as driving through the sky in a carriage drawn by six dragons. Ad Hsi extravagantly says that ‘the sage is Heaven, and Heaven is the sage;’ but there is nothing like this in the text.
HEX. 3. APPENDIX I. els nee EEUU UES EI Inn EnEINEENEEEEEEEE SSS 4. ‘If he take the initiative, he goes astray:'—he misses, that is, his proper course. ‘If he follow, he is docile, and gets into his regular (course). ‘In the south-west he will get friends:’—he will be walking with those of his own class. ‘In the north-east he will lose friends:’—but in the end there will be ground for congratulation.
5. ‘The good fortune arising from resting in firm- ness’ corresponds to the unlimited capacity of the earth.
III. 1. In Kun we have the strong (Kien) and the weak (KhwAn) commencing their intercourse, and difficulties arising.
2, Movement in the midst of peril gives rise to ‘great progress and success, (through) firm cor- rectness,’ 3. By the action of the thunder and rain, (which Se ee go Te ee ee Il. As the writer in expounding the Thwan of hexagram 1 starts from the word ‘heaven,’ so here he does so from the symbolic mean- ing attached to ‘earth. What I have said on the Text about the difference with which the same attributes are ascribed to Ahien and Khw&n, appears clearly in paragraph 1. Itis the difference ex- pressed by the words that I have supplied,—‘ power’ and ‘capacity.’ Khien originates; Khwan produces, or gives birth to what has been originated.
The ‘ penetrating,’ or developing ability of Khwan, as displayed in the processes of growth, is the subject of paragraph 2. ‘ ‘Ihe brightness’ refers to the beauty that shines forth in the vegetable and animal worlds.
Paragraph 3 treats of the symbol of the ‘mare, to lead the mind to the course of ‘the superior man,’ the good and faithful minister and servant.
See the note, corresponding to paragraph 4, on the Text. ‘ Rest- ing in firmness’ is the normal course of Khwin. Where it is pursued, the good effect will be great, great as the unlimited capacity of the earth.
216 THE APPENDIXES. SECT, I.
are symbols of Kanand K han), all (between Heaven and earth) is filled up. But the condition of the time is full of irregularity and obscurity. Feudal princes should be established, but the feeling that rest and peace have been secured should not be indulged (even then).
IV. 1. In Mang we have (the trigram for) a mountain, and below it that of a rugged defile with a stream in it. The conditions of peril and arrest III. Kun is made up of the trigrams Xin and Khan; but according to the views on king Wan’s arrangement of the trigrams, as set forth especially in Appendix V, chap. 14, the six others come from Ahien and KhwaAn, and are said to be their children. On the first application of Khwan to Khien, there results Kan, the first line of AAien taking the place of the last of Khw4n; and on the second application, there results Khan, the middle line of Khien taking the place of that of Khwan. McClatchie renders here:—‘ The Thun (Xun) diagram represents the hard and the soft (air) beginning to have sexual intercourse, and bringing forth with suffering!’ But there is nothing in the Y?, from the beginning to the end, to justify such an interpretation. Nor do I see how, from any account of the genesis by the component trigrams, the idea of the result as signifying a state of difficulty and distress can be readily made out.
In paragraph 2 there is an attempt from the virtues or attributes assigned to the trigrams to make out the result indicated in the Thwan. To move and excite is the quality of Kan; perilous- ness is the quality of Khan. The power to move is likely to produce great effects; to do this in perilous and difficult circum- stances requires firmness and correctness. But neither is this explanation very satisfactory.
The first part of paragraph 3 depicts a condition of trouble and disorder in the natural world occasioned by the phenomena that are symbols of the significance of Kin and Khan; but this is symbolical again of the disorder and distress, political and social, characteristic of the time. Good princes throughout the nation would help to remedy that; but the supreme authority should not resign itself to indifference, trusting to them.
of progress (suggested by these) give (the idea in) Mang.
2. ‘Mang indicates that there will be progress and success:’—for there is development at work in it, and its time of action is exactly what is right. ‘I do not seek the youthful and inexperienced; he seeks me:’—so does will respond to will. ‘When he shows (the sincerity that marks) the first recourse to divination, I instruct him:’—for possessing the qualities of the undivided line and being in the central place, (the subject of the second line thus speaks). ‘A second and third application create annoyance, and I do not instruct so as to create annoyance:'—annoyance (he means) to the ignorant.
(The method of dealing with) the young and igno- rant is to nourish the correct (nature belonging to them);—this accomplishes the service of the sage.
IV. The trigram K4n has for its symbol in the natural world a mountain, which stands up frowningly, and stops or arrests the progress of the traveller. Stoppage, understood sometimes actively, and sometimes passively, is called the virtue or attribute indicated by it. Khan, as I said on p. 32, has water for its symbol, and especially in the form of rain. Here, however, the water appears as a stream in a difficult defile, such as ordinarily appears on an approach to a mountain, and suggesting perilousness as the attri- bute of such a position. From the combination of these symbols and their attributes the writer thinks that he gets the idea of the character (not the entire hexagram) Mang, as symbolical of igno- rance and inexperience. See on ‘ the Great Symbolism’ below.
Down to the last sentence of paragraph 2, all that is said is intended to show how it is that the figure indicates progress and success. The whole representation is grounded on the undivided line’s being in the central place: It is the symbol of active effort for the teaching of the ignorant in the proper place and time; this being responded to by the divided fifth line, representing the ignorance to be taught as docile, ‘ will responds to will.’ But the 218 THE APPENDIXES. SECT. I.
Iasrneeeeeneeeeeneeer V. 1. Hsii denotes waiting. (The figure) shows peril in front; but notwithstanding the firmness and strength (indicated by the inner trigram), its subject does not allow himself to be involved (in the danger- ous defile):—it is right he should not be straitened or reduced to extremity.
2. When it is said that, ‘with the sincerity de- clared in Hsii, there will be brilliant success, and with firmness there will be good fortune, this is shown by the position (of the fifth line) in the place assigned by Heaven, and its being the correct posi- tion for it, and in the centre. ‘It will be advan- tageous to go through the great stream;’—that is, going forward will be followed by meritorious achievement.
re ee subject of line 2 requires sincerity in the applicant for instruction, and feels that he must make his own teaching acceptable and agreeable, All this serves to bring out the idea of progress and success, Then finally in the young and ignorant there is ‘a correct nature,’ a moral state made for goodness. The efficient teacher directing his efforts to bring out and nourish that, the progress and success will be ‘great;’ the service done will be worthy of ‘a sage.’
V. Hsii is composed of Khien, having the quality of strength, and of Khan, having the quality of perilousness. The strong one might readily dare the peril, but he restrains himself and waits. This is the lesson of the hexagram,—the benefit of action well considered, of plans well matured.
The fifth line, as we have observed more than once already, is the place of honour, that due to the ruler or king. It is here called ‘the Heavenly or Heaven-given seat,’ the meaning of which expres- sion is clear from its occurrence in the Shih, ILI, i, ode 2. 1. Five is an odd number, and the fifth is therefore the ‘correct’ place for an undivided line; it is also the central place of the trigram, indi- cating how its occupant is sure to walk in the due mean. See further the notes on the Text, p. 68.
VI. 1. The upper portion of Sung is (the tri- gram representing) strength, and the lower (that representing) peril. (The coming together of) strength and peril gives (the idea in) Sung.