The I Ching or Book of Changes (107 page)

Later on—quite in keeping with the meaning—historical personages came to be linked with each of the lines. The evil ruler was Chou Hsin,
¹
the last king of the Yin dynasty. He is symbolized by the six at the top. Under him the most able princes of the realm were all made to suffer severely, and their fates are mirrored in the individual lines. The highminded Po I withdrew into hiding with his brother, Shu Ch’i. He is represented by the nine at the beginning. The six in the second place pictures King Wên, who, as the foremost of the feudal princes, was long held prisoner by the tyrant, with constant danger to his life. The nine in the third place represents his son, afterward King Wu of Chou, who overthrew the tyrant. The six in the fourth place depicts the situation of Prince Wei Tzu who was able to save himself by timely flight abroad. Finally, the six in the fifth place depicts the situation of Prince Chi, who could save his life only by dissembling.

This hexagram is the inverse of the preceding one.

THE JUDGMENT

DARKENING OF THE LIGHT. In adversity

It furthers one to be persevering.

Commentary on the Decision

The light has sunk into the earth: DARKENING OF THE LIGHT. Beautiful and clear within, gentle and devoted without, hence exposed to great adversity—thus was King Wên.

“In adversity it furthers one to be persevering”: this means veiling one’s light. Surrounded by difficulties in the midst of his closest kin, nonetheless keeping his will fixed on the right—thus was Prince Chi.

The inner trigram is Li, light, whose attributes are beauty and clarity; the outer trigram is K’un, the Receptive, whose attributes are yieldingness and devotion. King Wên, in whom
these attributes are seen united, is depicted in one of the rulers of the hexagram, the six in the second place.

Prince Chi is depicted by the six in the fifth place. He too is in difficulties; these are represented by the nuclear trigram K’an, the Abysmal, danger. King Wên is as it were hidden by this nuclear trigram over him. For the six in the fifth place the difficulties lie within, that is, below. It is not overcome by them because it is at the top of the upper nuclear trigram Chên, movement. By movement it gets clear of the difficulties, and the light, although jeopardized, cannot be extinguished.

THE IMAGE

The light has sunk into the earth:

The image of DARKENING OF THE LIGHT.

Thus does the superior man live with the great mass:

He veils his light, yet still shines.

The upper trigram K’un means the mass. Amid the multitude are the two dominating rulers of the hexagram, as the superior men. Their behavior is explained on the basis of the relative positions of the two trigrams: Earth stands over light, and this suggests a veiling of the light. But the lower trigram Li is not injured in its character by this combination. Its light is only veiled, not extinguished.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning:

a
) Darkening of the light during flight.

He lowers his wings.

The superior man does not eat for three days

On his wanderings.

But he has somewhere to go.

The host has occasion to gossip about him.

b
) It is the obligation of the superior man to refrain from eating during his wanderings.

The animal symbol belonging to the trigram Li is the pheasant, hence the idea of flying. The line, being strong, is about to advance. But the nuclear trigram over it is K’an, danger; hence
it is hindered in its flight. It renounces the idea of sacrificing its principles in order to secure a livelihood; it prefers going hungry to eating without honor.

Six in the second place:

a
) Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh.

He gives aid with the strength of a horse.

Good fortune.

b
) The good fortune of the six in the second place comes from its devotion to the rule.

One might expect misfortune from the situation, yet the oracle is, “Good fortune.” This is because the line, being yielding, correct, and in the proper place, is equal to the demands of its position. The first half of the Commentary on the Decision, which uses the example of King Wên, has reference to this line.

Nine in the third place:

a
) Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south.

Their great leader is captured.

One must not expect perseverance too soon.

b
) The purpose of the hunt in the south has great success.

The aim is centered on the hunt. That success comes, that the great leader of the darkening is captured, is not something premeditated, hence the success is all the greater. King Wu had no intention of acquiring personal power and seizing empire for himself; it fell to him because of his character. The line is a strong one in a strong place, hence it carries out its intention. The upper nuclear trigram Chên is linked with the horse, the lower, K’an, with the chariot, hence the idea of a hunt. Li, in which this is the top line, is the south.

Six in the fourth place:

a
) He penetrates the left side of the belly.

One gets at the very heart of the darkening of the light,

And leaves gate and courtyard.

b
) “He penetrates the left side of the belly,” that is, he finds out the inmost sentiment of the heart.

K’un, the upper primary trigram, means the belly, and Chên, the upper nuclear trigram, means the left side—hence the left side of the belly. The line stands near the lord of darkness; thus it finds out his inmost sentiment and can take itself out of danger in good time. Staying on would mean sacrificing oneself to no purpose.

Six in the fifth place:

a
) Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi.

Perseverance furthers.

b
) The perseverance of Prince Chi shows that the light cannot be extinguished.

The second half of the Commentary on the Decision refers to this line, which is central and yielding. Prince Chi concealed his perseverance but maintained it inwardly. Similarly, the light of the sun is veiled from time to time, but it cannot be extinguished. The upper nuclear trigram Chên, in which this is the top line, means being aroused, pressing forward. Thus the light cannot be permanently held below but presses forward powerfully when the time has come.

Six at the top:

a
) Not light but darkness.

First he climbed up to heaven,

Then he plunged into the depths of the earth.

b
) “First he climbed up to heaven.” Thus he might have been able to illumine the lands of all the four quarters of the earth.

“Then he plunged into the depths of the earth,” because he had lost the rule.

First he held a position through which he might have been able to enlighten all the people of the realm. Instead, however, he made it his business to injure men, and thus transgressed
the rule that binds one who governs; as a result, he prepared his own downfall.

The line stands at the top, where the earth veils the sun most heavily; but it is also the first to be unmasked in its sinister character when the sun reappears.

37. Chia Jên / The Family [The Clan]

The rulers of the hexagram are the nine in the fifth place and the six in the second, hence it is said in the Commentary on the Decision: “The correct place of the woman is within; the correct place of the man is without.”

The Sequence

He who is injured without, of a certainty draws back into his family. Hence there follows the hexagram of THE FAMILY.

Miscellaneous Notes

THE FAMILY is inside.

The upper trigram Sun means influence, the lower, Li, means clarity; accordingly the hexagram points to the outgoing influence that emanates from inner clarity.
¹

THE JUDGMENT

THE FAMILY. The perseverance of the woman furthers.