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Takashima Ekidan · hexagram readings
Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 7 Earthly Water Army: The Army: Correctness. The great person is auspicious; no blame.
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Earthly Water Army: The Army: Correctness. The great person is auspicious; no blame.
07 Earthly Water Army
“Army [42]”: In seal script, the left component is a mound; the right component is a cloth. Adding one atop the cloth signifies one person being able to command many people. The Army follows Litigation; Litigation necessarily involves many people, and the army means the multitude, so the Army follows Litigation. The Army has two meanings: teaching and guiding younger members, and commanding troops. Both express the image of leading a multitude. With the second yang line as the ruler who forms the hexagram, it commands the five yin lines and gets through the danger of Water. Earth above Water: water exists within the earth; water depends on earth for a settled dwelling, while earth is moistened by water. Together they generate the myriad things and assist one another in accomplishing their work. The natures of water and earth are originally close. In this hexagram, water is beneath earth: extreme danger arises under extreme compliance, an image of gathering people, occupying dangerous ground, and causing unsettled disorder. The Army means that one person commands the multitude and pacifies it. Before disorder begins, people should be instructed through the way of the army and their wrongful intentions corrected, so disorder can be suppressed before it takes form. Once disorder has begun, troops are commanded to campaign against it and the chief criminals are executed, suppressing disorder as it is emerging. All this belongs to the Army. The first line is yielding and not in its proper position, making it the beginning of difficulty. The second line is amid danger and hardship, yet can lead the multitude to overcome them; therefore it is the ruler of the hexagram.
The Army: Correctness. The great person is auspicious; no blame.
▲ Bronze inscription: Army
▲ Seal script: Army
All the line statements are connected with the meaning of military affairs, so the Tuan Commentary follows the same theme; readers should infer by analogy. Military affairs involve mobilizing the masses, taking up arms, injuring lives, and exhausting the state treasury; a country uses them only when unavoidable. To raise troops when it is avoidable is called exhausting the army and indulging in force, the height of wantonness; therefore it warns: “The Army must be correct.” Correctness means uprightness: the way of the army must take righteousness as its foundation. To raise troops and mobilize crowds, inflicting harm on the realm, without uprightness, is to lose the people’s support. “The great person” was mistakenly printed as “the elder” in common editions; only the Zixia Commentary has “the great person,” matching the Tuan Commentary of the Exhaustion hexagram. Making a great person commander means appointing one capable of restoring order, eliminating violence, and bringing peace to the people; hence, “The great person is auspicious.” Weapons are instruments of misfortune and war is dangerous, inherently blameworthy. But the “great person” acts in accordance with Heaven and the people, eliminating violence for the realm; this is the ruler’s army. Even if there is killing and injury, it does not damage Heaven and Earth’s generative way; hence it is auspicious and without blame.
The Tuan Commentary says: The Army means the multitude; correctness means uprightness. To make the multitude upright, one can become king. Firm in the center and responsive, proceeding through danger while remaining compliant—using this to bring order to the realm, the people follow. Auspicious; what blame could there be?
“With”: The Commentary on the Spring and Autumn says, “To be able to direct it on either side is to use it”; thus “with” means to employ. A commander who can employ the multitude through strict uprightness may be called the ruler’s army. “Firm in the center” means one yang line occupies the center of the inner trigram and responds above to the ruler at the fifth yin line. The inner trigram Water is danger, and the outer trigram Earth is compliance, hence “proceeding through danger while remaining compliant.” “Poison” means “to govern” according to Ma Rong, and “to labor” according to Wang Bi. In ancient usage, the characters for poison and nurture were also interchangeable in sound and meaning, so it can likewise be understood as nurture. In all cases, the meaning is coherent: governing or laboring for the realm through this. Han Confucians interpreted it as harm: if this means harming the realm, the people would certainly not follow—how could one become king? To say that it means using the people to bring order to disorder, like using poison to attack an ulcer, is forced. When the multitude rises in correctness and the people follow in compliance, compliance brings auspiciousness, and with correctness what blame remains? “Auspicious” concerns the matter; “without blame” concerns the principle.
Applied to human affairs, this hexagram has Water, representing the middle son, in the inner position when it should be outside, and Earth, representing the old yin, outside when it should be inside. The positions of mother and son are reversed and violate proper order, an image of unrest; this will certainly initiate disorder in the family. Within the head of the household there must be someone firm and centered who governs with correctness and integrity; then the family way will be put in order.
Applied to the state, the upper trigram represents the government, possessing Earth’s compliance: weak yin with little authority, unable to restrain the people below. The lower trigram represents the people, possessing Water’s danger: secretive and prone to causing trouble, constantly wanting to resist the government above. It is like water beneath the earth, overflowing without a proper outlet—an image of people gathering, occupying dangerous ground, and causing disorder and noncompliance. All five lines are yin except the second yang line, which alone possesses yang strength. The second line should receive the ruler at the fifth line’s command, undertake the special appointment of commander, and lead the multitude in raising an army. “Using this to bring order to the realm” is what is meant by “firm in the center and responsive, proceeding through danger while remaining compliant”; “the people follow it—auspicious; what blame could there be?”
Viewed as a whole, the second yang line is the commander, and the five yin lines follow it. The first yin line is the troops; the second yang line is the supreme commander; the third and fourth yin lines are assistant commanders; the fifth yin line is the enemy confronting them; and the top yin line is the time for rewarding merit. Viewed through the inner and outer trigrams, the second line is the general and the fifth line is the ruler. The general receives the ruler’s command and goes out to campaign, as expressed by “rites and music, punitive expeditions and wars proceed from the Son of Heaven.” The general assists the ruler in making him king, and together they achieve success. Therefore, “being able to make the multitude upright” refers to the general in the second line; “one can become king” refers to the ruler in the fifth line.
The six hexagrams from Sprouting onward all concern the sages’ work of overcoming danger. In worldly affairs, nothing begins without difficulty. The Sequence of Hexagrams says: “Litigation necessarily involves many people; the Army means the multitude, therefore the Army follows it.” Earth represents the multitude and Walking represents Water’s danger, an image of the calamity of arms; one yang line at the second position leads five yin lines, an image of deploying an army. Some ask: The Army and Union hexagrams both involve Earth and Water meeting, yet their line images differ greatly—why? The answer: In Union, one yang line is above, like a ruler dwelling in honor and facing those below; in the Army, one yang line is below, like a minister receiving orders and going on campaign. The Earth hexagram speaks of battle, while this one is called the Army—why? The Army means the people, and a state takes the people as its foundation. The way of Heaven favors life and does not kill; the sage protects all as though nursing the injured. Yet when good and evil take shape and oppose one another, the five weapons arise and people harm one another. This is an irregular necessity of Heaven and Earth, used only when unavoidable. Therefore, when Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about battle formations, Confucius did not answer. When Zilu asked whom he would choose to command the three armies, Confucius said: “It must be one who fears when facing affairs, loves planning, and brings plans to completion.” How solemn are the words “fears” and “loves planning”! They show that the sage never spoke lightly of raising an army. In this hexagram, the second line is the worthy general who is firm in the center; the third greedily seeks merit and suffers defeat; the fourth accomplishes nothing and merely preserves routine; the fifth is the ruler who does not entrust command fully, interferes with authority, and ruins affairs. This hexagram provides a complete view of military circumstances. Generally, harmony among the three armies, worthy commanders, assistant generals obeying orders, single-minded delegation, returning troops and awarding merit, honoring virtue and rewarding achievement—these are the acts of emperors and kings. The central point is entirely “embracing the people and nurturing the multitude”; the fact that all six lines do not seek total victory makes its meaning clear.
The Great Image says: Water within the earth—this is the Army. Thus the superior person embraces the people and nurtures the multitude.
Water is inside Earth, hence “water within the earth.” Water is hidden within the earth; there is no land without water, just as soldiers are hidden among the people, and there are no soldiers apart from the people. Hiding soldiers among the people gives the advantages of soldiers without their harms, just as water hidden in the earth gives the benefits of water without its harms. “Water within the earth” clearly shows earth enclosing water, an image of embracing the people and nurturing the multitude. Earth represents the people, Water the multitude; “embrace” means protect, and “nurture” means raise, including the meanings of nourishing and educating. The commander at the second line has great virtue and capacity, able to encompass countless people and nurture the masses. Thus, in peaceful times, soldiers are dispersed to farm; in times of affairs, farmers are gathered as soldiers. It does not say “govern the people” but “embrace the people,” because governing emphasizes severity while embracing emphasizes breadth. It does not say “mobilize the multitude” but “nurture the multitude,” because mobilization brings toil while nurturing lets them remain at ease. As the saying goes, troops may go unused for a hundred years but must not be unprepared for a single day. “Embracing the people and nurturing the multitude” is the way of studying military preparedness in peacetime. Military campaigns are fundamentally matters that damage the people and harm the multitude, yet when the sage takes this image, he says “embrace the people and nurture the multitude.” The meaning that true martial strength does not kill can be understood from this alone.
[Divination]
○ War and campaigns: Since the hexagram is named the Army and the line meanings are very clear, each line can be examined individually; auspiciousness and inauspiciousness will naturally be verified.
○ Business: Earth represents wealth and gathering; Water represents people and receiving. It inherently possesses the capacity to protect and contain. Water beneath earth is enclosed by earth; the source of wealth is like water, flowing without end, showing that business will be prosperous. Auspicious.
○ Reputation and office: Water beneath the earth is like a scholar still living in seclusion, not yet prominent or successful. Yet his virtue and capacity can encompass the people and all things; once promoted, it will be like water flowing toward the sea, spreading its benefit widely. “The superior person” is a title for one who possesses virtue and position. Auspicious.
○ Marriage: Considering the mutual use of Earth and Water, earth and water are mutually close; this certainly indicates an old family connection leading to marriage. Greatly auspicious.
○ Illness: This is certainly a condition of water retention and abdominal distension. Water represents the heart and worry. One should quiet the heart, regulate the vital energy, dispel worry, and seek joy; recovery will occur naturally.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.
“Army [42]”: In seal script, the left component is a mound; the right component is a cloth. Adding one atop the cloth signifies one person being able to command many people. The Army follows Litigation; Litigation necessarily involves many people, and the army means the multitude, so the Army follows Litigation. The Army has two meanings: teaching and guiding younger members, and commanding troops. Both express the image of leading a multitude. With the second yang line as the ruler who forms the hexagram, it commands the five yin lines and gets through the danger of Water. Earth above Water: water exists within the earth; water depends on earth for a settled dwelling, while earth is moistened by water. Together they generate the myriad things and assist one another in accomplishing their work. The natures of water and earth are originally close. In this hexagram, water is beneath earth: extreme danger arises under extreme compliance, an image of gathering people, occupying dangerous ground, and causing unsettled disorder. The Army means that one person commands the multitude and pacifies it. Before disorder begins, people should be instructed through the way of the army and their wrongful intentions corrected, so disorder can be suppressed before it takes form. Once disorder has begun, troops are commanded to campaign against it and the chief criminals are executed, suppressing disorder as it is emerging. All this belongs to the Army. The first line is yielding and not in its proper position, making it the beginning of difficulty. The second line is amid danger and hardship, yet can lead the multitude to overcome them; therefore it is the ruler of the hexagram.
The Army: Correctness. The great person is auspicious; no blame.
▲ Bronze inscription: Army
▲ Seal script: Army
All the line statements are connected with the meaning of military affairs, so the Tuan Commentary follows the same theme; readers should infer by analogy. Military affairs involve mobilizing the masses, taking up arms, injuring lives, and exhausting the state treasury; a country uses them only when unavoidable. To raise troops when it is avoidable is called exhausting the army and indulging in force, the height of wantonness; therefore it warns: “The Army must be correct.” Correctness means uprightness: the way of the army must take righteousness as its foundation. To raise troops and mobilize crowds, inflicting harm on the realm, without uprightness, is to lose the people’s support. “The great person” was mistakenly printed as “the elder” in common editions; only the Zixia Commentary has “the great person,” matching the Tuan Commentary of the Exhaustion hexagram. Making a great person commander means appointing one capable of restoring order, eliminating violence, and bringing peace to the people; hence, “The great person is auspicious.” Weapons are instruments of misfortune and war is dangerous, inherently blameworthy. But the “great person” acts in accordance with Heaven and the people, eliminating violence for the realm; this is the ruler’s army. Even if there is killing and injury, it does not damage Heaven and Earth’s generative way; hence it is auspicious and without blame.
The Tuan Commentary says: The Army means the multitude; correctness means uprightness. To make the multitude upright, one can become king. Firm in the center and responsive, proceeding through danger while remaining compliant—using this to bring order to the realm, the people follow. Auspicious; what blame could there be?
“With”: The Commentary on the Spring and Autumn says, “To be able to direct it on either side is to use it”; thus “with” means to employ. A commander who can employ the multitude through strict uprightness may be called the ruler’s army. “Firm in the center” means one yang line occupies the center of the inner trigram and responds above to the ruler at the fifth yin line. The inner trigram Water is danger, and the outer trigram Earth is compliance, hence “proceeding through danger while remaining compliant.” “Poison” means “to govern” according to Ma Rong, and “to labor” according to Wang Bi. In ancient usage, the characters for poison and nurture were also interchangeable in sound and meaning, so it can likewise be understood as nurture. In all cases, the meaning is coherent: governing or laboring for the realm through this. Han Confucians interpreted it as harm: if this means harming the realm, the people would certainly not follow—how could one become king? To say that it means using the people to bring order to disorder, like using poison to attack an ulcer, is forced. When the multitude rises in correctness and the people follow in compliance, compliance brings auspiciousness, and with correctness what blame remains? “Auspicious” concerns the matter; “without blame” concerns the principle.
Applied to human affairs, this hexagram has Water, representing the middle son, in the inner position when it should be outside, and Earth, representing the old yin, outside when it should be inside. The positions of mother and son are reversed and violate proper order, an image of unrest; this will certainly initiate disorder in the family. Within the head of the household there must be someone firm and centered who governs with correctness and integrity; then the family way will be put in order.
Applied to the state, the upper trigram represents the government, possessing Earth’s compliance: weak yin with little authority, unable to restrain the people below. The lower trigram represents the people, possessing Water’s danger: secretive and prone to causing trouble, constantly wanting to resist the government above. It is like water beneath the earth, overflowing without a proper outlet—an image of people gathering, occupying dangerous ground, and causing disorder and noncompliance. All five lines are yin except the second yang line, which alone possesses yang strength. The second line should receive the ruler at the fifth line’s command, undertake the special appointment of commander, and lead the multitude in raising an army. “Using this to bring order to the realm” is what is meant by “firm in the center and responsive, proceeding through danger while remaining compliant”; “the people follow it—auspicious; what blame could there be?”
Viewed as a whole, the second yang line is the commander, and the five yin lines follow it. The first yin line is the troops; the second yang line is the supreme commander; the third and fourth yin lines are assistant commanders; the fifth yin line is the enemy confronting them; and the top yin line is the time for rewarding merit. Viewed through the inner and outer trigrams, the second line is the general and the fifth line is the ruler. The general receives the ruler’s command and goes out to campaign, as expressed by “rites and music, punitive expeditions and wars proceed from the Son of Heaven.” The general assists the ruler in making him king, and together they achieve success. Therefore, “being able to make the multitude upright” refers to the general in the second line; “one can become king” refers to the ruler in the fifth line.
The six hexagrams from Sprouting onward all concern the sages’ work of overcoming danger. In worldly affairs, nothing begins without difficulty. The Sequence of Hexagrams says: “Litigation necessarily involves many people; the Army means the multitude, therefore the Army follows it.” Earth represents the multitude and Walking represents Water’s danger, an image of the calamity of arms; one yang line at the second position leads five yin lines, an image of deploying an army. Some ask: The Army and Union hexagrams both involve Earth and Water meeting, yet their line images differ greatly—why? The answer: In Union, one yang line is above, like a ruler dwelling in honor and facing those below; in the Army, one yang line is below, like a minister receiving orders and going on campaign. The Earth hexagram speaks of battle, while this one is called the Army—why? The Army means the people, and a state takes the people as its foundation. The way of Heaven favors life and does not kill; the sage protects all as though nursing the injured. Yet when good and evil take shape and oppose one another, the five weapons arise and people harm one another. This is an irregular necessity of Heaven and Earth, used only when unavoidable. Therefore, when Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about battle formations, Confucius did not answer. When Zilu asked whom he would choose to command the three armies, Confucius said: “It must be one who fears when facing affairs, loves planning, and brings plans to completion.” How solemn are the words “fears” and “loves planning”! They show that the sage never spoke lightly of raising an army. In this hexagram, the second line is the worthy general who is firm in the center; the third greedily seeks merit and suffers defeat; the fourth accomplishes nothing and merely preserves routine; the fifth is the ruler who does not entrust command fully, interferes with authority, and ruins affairs. This hexagram provides a complete view of military circumstances. Generally, harmony among the three armies, worthy commanders, assistant generals obeying orders, single-minded delegation, returning troops and awarding merit, honoring virtue and rewarding achievement—these are the acts of emperors and kings. The central point is entirely “embracing the people and nurturing the multitude”; the fact that all six lines do not seek total victory makes its meaning clear.
The Great Image says: Water within the earth—this is the Army. Thus the superior person embraces the people and nurtures the multitude.
Water is inside Earth, hence “water within the earth.” Water is hidden within the earth; there is no land without water, just as soldiers are hidden among the people, and there are no soldiers apart from the people. Hiding soldiers among the people gives the advantages of soldiers without their harms, just as water hidden in the earth gives the benefits of water without its harms. “Water within the earth” clearly shows earth enclosing water, an image of embracing the people and nurturing the multitude. Earth represents the people, Water the multitude; “embrace” means protect, and “nurture” means raise, including the meanings of nourishing and educating. The commander at the second line has great virtue and capacity, able to encompass countless people and nurture the masses. Thus, in peaceful times, soldiers are dispersed to farm; in times of affairs, farmers are gathered as soldiers. It does not say “govern the people” but “embrace the people,” because governing emphasizes severity while embracing emphasizes breadth. It does not say “mobilize the multitude” but “nurture the multitude,” because mobilization brings toil while nurturing lets them remain at ease. As the saying goes, troops may go unused for a hundred years but must not be unprepared for a single day. “Embracing the people and nurturing the multitude” is the way of studying military preparedness in peacetime. Military campaigns are fundamentally matters that damage the people and harm the multitude, yet when the sage takes this image, he says “embrace the people and nurture the multitude.” The meaning that true martial strength does not kill can be understood from this alone.
[Divination]
○ War and campaigns: Since the hexagram is named the Army and the line meanings are very clear, each line can be examined individually; auspiciousness and inauspiciousness will naturally be verified.
○ Business: Earth represents wealth and gathering; Water represents people and receiving. It inherently possesses the capacity to protect and contain. Water beneath earth is enclosed by earth; the source of wealth is like water, flowing without end, showing that business will be prosperous. Auspicious.
○ Reputation and office: Water beneath the earth is like a scholar still living in seclusion, not yet prominent or successful. Yet his virtue and capacity can encompass the people and all things; once promoted, it will be like water flowing toward the sea, spreading its benefit widely. “The superior person” is a title for one who possesses virtue and position. Auspicious.
○ Marriage: Considering the mutual use of Earth and Water, earth and water are mutually close; this certainly indicates an old family connection leading to marriage. Greatly auspicious.
○ Illness: This is certainly a condition of water retention and abdominal distension. Water represents the heart and worry. One should quiet the heart, regulate the vital energy, dispel worry, and seek joy; recovery will occur naturally.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.
First yin: The army goes forth according to discipline; failure to be good is inauspicious.
First yin: The army goes forth according to discipline; failure to be good is inauspicious.
The Commentary on the Image says: The army goes forth according to discipline; losing discipline is inauspicious.
This hexagram has Water inside and Earth outside; moving from inside outward is called going forth. “With” still means “using.” Water represents regulations; regulations mean laws, commands, and restraint. The first line is the beginning of the lines and therefore the beginning of sending out the army. The saying “fearing when facing affairs” means one must be careful at the start. Military affairs lead the masses into danger; the survival or destruction of the state and the safety or peril of the people depend on them. If discipline is not strict and the people’s hearts are not united, the three armies will be defeated, and no disaster could be worse. “Not” means no; “good” means virtuous, as in the line from the Book of Songs: “Why should it not be good?” Since “the army goes forth according to discipline” does not yet determine victory or defeat, it does not say auspicious. But if discipline is not properly used, one falls into danger and the outcome must be inauspicious. The Commentary on the Image says “losing discipline is inauspicious”; “failure to be good” means precisely losing discipline. Another explanation says “not” means blocked: the army’s morale is obstructed and cannot harmonize; “good” is interchangeable with “hidden,” meaning deeply concealed and not put forth—fear of the enemy. Even with strict discipline, defeat would be inevitable. Moreover, one who fails to be good certainly cannot “use discipline,” so misfortune is assured. This interpretation is also coherent.
This line is at the beginning of Water’s danger, so it warns against losing discipline; this is what is meant by “plan the beginning when undertaking a task.” If the inner trigram changes, it becomes Joy: Water changes into a marsh, stopping rather than flowing, an image of discipline failing to function.
[Divination]
○ Reputation and office: The first line represents someone just setting out to seek a reputation. “The army goes forth according to discipline” means correctness, like a scholar who regards the Way as paramount. If he loses the Way, even honor ends in disgrace; inauspicious.
○ Business: The first line indicates a newly established enterprise. Water within earth indicates maritime transport and commerce. In general, seeking profit with righteousness is auspicious; losing righteousness is inauspicious.
○ Household: The Army hexagram has Water inside and Earth outside, so the residence must face south, sitting toward the northeast, with a southeast orientation as well. The household has the largest number of people. “The army goes forth according to discipline” likewise means that managing a family must be done by rules. “Not” means no; “good” means virtuous. If the family is not well managed, the family way will certainly be inauspicious.
○ Illness: With one yang line and five yin lines, this must be a condition of more cold than heat. Since it is at the initial onset, a good physician should be engaged for treatment; otherwise, it will be inauspicious.
【Case】 Someone wished to establish an organized industrial company, raise share capital, and draw up articles of association, and asked for a divination on whether the company would succeed. The casting produced the Army changing to Approach.
The judgment says: In this hexagram, the Nine in the Second place, one yang governing the many yin lines, represents a firm and vigorous person who must serve as head of the association and direct everyone. Now that the articles of association have been completed without omissions, order and discipline will be established. Yet according to this line statement, the rise and decline of the association depend entirely on discipline in conducting its affairs. At present, when people in our country pool capital to establish companies, they all take the countries of Europe and America as their model. The convenience of transportation by ship and carriage in those countries cannot compare with that in our own country; thus they are especially suited to trading and transporting all kinds of goods. When many people combine their capital to purchase equipment, labor is saved and manufacturing costs are reduced, bringing great success. As for small-capital businesses and independent industrialists, none can avoid defeat. Our country is now imitating them and wishes to establish companies, but pooling capital is certainly not easy, and it is likewise difficult to find suitable people to manage the business. Therefore, in establishing a company, the first priority is to find the right president. If the president is the right person, affairs can succeed and the enterprise can prosper; if not, even if it is established, it will fail. The First line is at the beginning of the undertaking, so its articles of association cannot yet determine good or ill fortune. One must wait until the election of the president has been settled before divining the rise or decline of the industry.
The Commentary on the Image says: The army goes forth according to discipline; losing discipline is inauspicious.
This hexagram has Water inside and Earth outside; moving from inside outward is called going forth. “With” still means “using.” Water represents regulations; regulations mean laws, commands, and restraint. The first line is the beginning of the lines and therefore the beginning of sending out the army. The saying “fearing when facing affairs” means one must be careful at the start. Military affairs lead the masses into danger; the survival or destruction of the state and the safety or peril of the people depend on them. If discipline is not strict and the people’s hearts are not united, the three armies will be defeated, and no disaster could be worse. “Not” means no; “good” means virtuous, as in the line from the Book of Songs: “Why should it not be good?” Since “the army goes forth according to discipline” does not yet determine victory or defeat, it does not say auspicious. But if discipline is not properly used, one falls into danger and the outcome must be inauspicious. The Commentary on the Image says “losing discipline is inauspicious”; “failure to be good” means precisely losing discipline. Another explanation says “not” means blocked: the army’s morale is obstructed and cannot harmonize; “good” is interchangeable with “hidden,” meaning deeply concealed and not put forth—fear of the enemy. Even with strict discipline, defeat would be inevitable. Moreover, one who fails to be good certainly cannot “use discipline,” so misfortune is assured. This interpretation is also coherent.
This line is at the beginning of Water’s danger, so it warns against losing discipline; this is what is meant by “plan the beginning when undertaking a task.” If the inner trigram changes, it becomes Joy: Water changes into a marsh, stopping rather than flowing, an image of discipline failing to function.
[Divination]
○ Reputation and office: The first line represents someone just setting out to seek a reputation. “The army goes forth according to discipline” means correctness, like a scholar who regards the Way as paramount. If he loses the Way, even honor ends in disgrace; inauspicious.
○ Business: The first line indicates a newly established enterprise. Water within earth indicates maritime transport and commerce. In general, seeking profit with righteousness is auspicious; losing righteousness is inauspicious.
○ Household: The Army hexagram has Water inside and Earth outside, so the residence must face south, sitting toward the northeast, with a southeast orientation as well. The household has the largest number of people. “The army goes forth according to discipline” likewise means that managing a family must be done by rules. “Not” means no; “good” means virtuous. If the family is not well managed, the family way will certainly be inauspicious.
○ Illness: With one yang line and five yin lines, this must be a condition of more cold than heat. Since it is at the initial onset, a good physician should be engaged for treatment; otherwise, it will be inauspicious.
【Case】 Someone wished to establish an organized industrial company, raise share capital, and draw up articles of association, and asked for a divination on whether the company would succeed. The casting produced the Army changing to Approach.
The judgment says: In this hexagram, the Nine in the Second place, one yang governing the many yin lines, represents a firm and vigorous person who must serve as head of the association and direct everyone. Now that the articles of association have been completed without omissions, order and discipline will be established. Yet according to this line statement, the rise and decline of the association depend entirely on discipline in conducting its affairs. At present, when people in our country pool capital to establish companies, they all take the countries of Europe and America as their model. The convenience of transportation by ship and carriage in those countries cannot compare with that in our own country; thus they are especially suited to trading and transporting all kinds of goods. When many people combine their capital to purchase equipment, labor is saved and manufacturing costs are reduced, bringing great success. As for small-capital businesses and independent industrialists, none can avoid defeat. Our country is now imitating them and wishes to establish companies, but pooling capital is certainly not easy, and it is likewise difficult to find suitable people to manage the business. Therefore, in establishing a company, the first priority is to find the right president. If the president is the right person, affairs can succeed and the enterprise can prosper; if not, even if it is established, it will fail. The First line is at the beginning of the undertaking, so its articles of association cannot yet determine good or ill fortune. One must wait until the election of the president has been settled before divining the rise or decline of the industry.
Nine in the Second place: In the midst of the army—good fortune, no blame. The king grants his commands three times.
Nine in the Second place: In the midst of the army—good fortune, no blame. The king grants his commands three times.
The Commentary on the Image says: “Being in the midst of the army is auspicious”—this means receiving Heaven’s favor. “The king grants his commands three times”—this means cherishing the myriad states.
In the Army hexagram, the Nine in the Second place is the proper correlate of the Fifth line. With one yang line to which all the yin lines turn, it is the commander-in-chief within the army, entrusted with exclusive authority over warfare. “In the midst of the army” means being stationed among the battle formations while also attaining the way of central correctness. “The king grants his commands three times”: a command is a gracious command, meaning that one receives repeated favor and recognition. “Three” indicates the frequency of these grants. This line is yang in a yin position; within the Army hexagram it is the ruling line of the mutual Thunder trigram, occupying the position of a general. Water is wisdom, Thunder is courage; possessing the virtue of a yang line while dwelling in the center, it combines wisdom and courage, and exercises authority together with trust. It truly suffices for the office of commander-in-chief—the “great man” praised in the Tuan Commentary. Receiving the ruler’s command from the Six in the Fifth place, it leads the army; moreover, the Six in the Third place is its close colleague, while the First yin is obediently allied with it. Above and below, all are mutually connected and responsive, serving as advisers. Thus it is this commander of the Nine in the Second place who ensures that every battle is won and every attack succeeds. The ruler represented by the Six in the Fifth place has entrusted it exclusively and bestowed abundant favor upon it. The Nine in the Second place therefore naturally exercises sole authority—the meaning of entrusting the affairs beyond the borders entirely to one minister. Since its responsibility is lofty, its orders must be carried out, and success consequently comes easily. Throughout history, even when a powerful minister was within the court, generals outside could fail to defeat the enemy because the ruler’s trust was not exclusive. This line says, “The king grants his commands three times,” showing the exclusiveness of the trust and the depth of the favor. The Image Commentary says, “receiving Heaven’s favor.” “Heaven” here means the king; calling the king Heaven shows how enlightened he is in employing the worthy. The Image Commentary also says, “cherishing the myriad states.” This means that the king’s commands are not based on the use of force but on winning people’s hearts—in other words, cherishing and protecting all the people.
When this line changes, the entire hexagram becomes Earth, leaving the danger of Water and entering Earth’s compliance. This indicates restoring order after chaos. Earth over Water suddenly changing into Earth represents expanding territory and opening new frontiers. Since this line is the ruler that forms the hexagram, the Tuan statement “auspicious, no blame” is assigned to it.
[Divination]
○ Regarding recognition and rank: The Nine in the Second place commands five yin lines with one yang line. The statement “in the midst of the army, auspicious” describes a crane among chickens—a person of outstanding talent. “The king grants his commands three times” means that ability earns rank and conspicuously receives the king’s mandate.
○ Regarding business: The Nine in the Second place is the ruler of the hexagram. The person must be an outstanding strategist, mature and experienced in commerce, and suitable to be appointed head of a trading company. Auspicious.
○ Regarding the household: “Auspicious in the midst of the army” means the family must be a prominent household in the community and the person must be a virtuous member of that community.
○ Regarding marriage: The Nine in the Second place changes into Earth. Earth represents the way of the earth and the way of the wife. The natures of Water and Earth are compatible, so this is auspicious.
○ Regarding illness: This indicates stagnant Water qi accumulating in the center. The Water qi must be set in motion so that the middle burner becomes spacious and comfortable; the illness will cause no harm. Auspicious.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.
[Case] In the twelfth month of the twenty-fifth year of the Meiji era, divining about the Fifth National Diet, the result was Army changing to Earth.
The judgment says: In this hexagram, the Nine in the Second place, one yang governing five yin lines, when compared to human affairs, represents a firm and vigorous teacher instructing yin-line pupils; hence the hexagram is named Army. In terms of the state, the Nine in the Second place is a strong minister: inside the court he is a chancellor, outside he is a general. When the state has affairs, he receives the king’s mandate to exercise exclusive authority over warfare; power does not fall elsewhere, and authority and trust operate together. This is what is meant by: “The army means the multitude; correctness means uprightness. If one can make the multitude upright, one can become king.” Among the 64 hexagrams and 384 lines of the I Ching, this is the only line that teaches the people, uses its authority, and preserves the state. When Heaven’s mandate rests upon one, it is appropriate to receive the ruler’s order above, follow the people’s hearts below, and devote oneself to the country in the upright and great moment. Now, in divining about the Diet, having obtained this line statement, one must likewise receive the ruler’s order above and follow the people’s hearts below; only then will the deliberations attain the proper mean. If the deliberations cannot win the ruler’s trust above or the people’s trust below, they certainly cannot be implemented.
In the twelfth month of the following twenty-sixth year, the Diet forced the Speaker to withdraw. This was the yang line of the Second place changing to yin, producing an order to suspend affairs again; after the third time, an order was issued to dissolve the Diet. It indeed corresponded to the divination: “The king grants his commands three times; cherishing the myriad states.” Ah! The severity and exactness of Heaven’s mandate are truly like this. How could one fail to be awed and reverent?
The Commentary on the Image says: “Being in the midst of the army is auspicious”—this means receiving Heaven’s favor. “The king grants his commands three times”—this means cherishing the myriad states.
In the Army hexagram, the Nine in the Second place is the proper correlate of the Fifth line. With one yang line to which all the yin lines turn, it is the commander-in-chief within the army, entrusted with exclusive authority over warfare. “In the midst of the army” means being stationed among the battle formations while also attaining the way of central correctness. “The king grants his commands three times”: a command is a gracious command, meaning that one receives repeated favor and recognition. “Three” indicates the frequency of these grants. This line is yang in a yin position; within the Army hexagram it is the ruling line of the mutual Thunder trigram, occupying the position of a general. Water is wisdom, Thunder is courage; possessing the virtue of a yang line while dwelling in the center, it combines wisdom and courage, and exercises authority together with trust. It truly suffices for the office of commander-in-chief—the “great man” praised in the Tuan Commentary. Receiving the ruler’s command from the Six in the Fifth place, it leads the army; moreover, the Six in the Third place is its close colleague, while the First yin is obediently allied with it. Above and below, all are mutually connected and responsive, serving as advisers. Thus it is this commander of the Nine in the Second place who ensures that every battle is won and every attack succeeds. The ruler represented by the Six in the Fifth place has entrusted it exclusively and bestowed abundant favor upon it. The Nine in the Second place therefore naturally exercises sole authority—the meaning of entrusting the affairs beyond the borders entirely to one minister. Since its responsibility is lofty, its orders must be carried out, and success consequently comes easily. Throughout history, even when a powerful minister was within the court, generals outside could fail to defeat the enemy because the ruler’s trust was not exclusive. This line says, “The king grants his commands three times,” showing the exclusiveness of the trust and the depth of the favor. The Image Commentary says, “receiving Heaven’s favor.” “Heaven” here means the king; calling the king Heaven shows how enlightened he is in employing the worthy. The Image Commentary also says, “cherishing the myriad states.” This means that the king’s commands are not based on the use of force but on winning people’s hearts—in other words, cherishing and protecting all the people.
When this line changes, the entire hexagram becomes Earth, leaving the danger of Water and entering Earth’s compliance. This indicates restoring order after chaos. Earth over Water suddenly changing into Earth represents expanding territory and opening new frontiers. Since this line is the ruler that forms the hexagram, the Tuan statement “auspicious, no blame” is assigned to it.
[Divination]
○ Regarding recognition and rank: The Nine in the Second place commands five yin lines with one yang line. The statement “in the midst of the army, auspicious” describes a crane among chickens—a person of outstanding talent. “The king grants his commands three times” means that ability earns rank and conspicuously receives the king’s mandate.
○ Regarding business: The Nine in the Second place is the ruler of the hexagram. The person must be an outstanding strategist, mature and experienced in commerce, and suitable to be appointed head of a trading company. Auspicious.
○ Regarding the household: “Auspicious in the midst of the army” means the family must be a prominent household in the community and the person must be a virtuous member of that community.
○ Regarding marriage: The Nine in the Second place changes into Earth. Earth represents the way of the earth and the way of the wife. The natures of Water and Earth are compatible, so this is auspicious.
○ Regarding illness: This indicates stagnant Water qi accumulating in the center. The Water qi must be set in motion so that the middle burner becomes spacious and comfortable; the illness will cause no harm. Auspicious.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.
[Case] In the twelfth month of the twenty-fifth year of the Meiji era, divining about the Fifth National Diet, the result was Army changing to Earth.
The judgment says: In this hexagram, the Nine in the Second place, one yang governing five yin lines, when compared to human affairs, represents a firm and vigorous teacher instructing yin-line pupils; hence the hexagram is named Army. In terms of the state, the Nine in the Second place is a strong minister: inside the court he is a chancellor, outside he is a general. When the state has affairs, he receives the king’s mandate to exercise exclusive authority over warfare; power does not fall elsewhere, and authority and trust operate together. This is what is meant by: “The army means the multitude; correctness means uprightness. If one can make the multitude upright, one can become king.” Among the 64 hexagrams and 384 lines of the I Ching, this is the only line that teaches the people, uses its authority, and preserves the state. When Heaven’s mandate rests upon one, it is appropriate to receive the ruler’s order above, follow the people’s hearts below, and devote oneself to the country in the upright and great moment. Now, in divining about the Diet, having obtained this line statement, one must likewise receive the ruler’s order above and follow the people’s hearts below; only then will the deliberations attain the proper mean. If the deliberations cannot win the ruler’s trust above or the people’s trust below, they certainly cannot be implemented.
In the twelfth month of the following twenty-sixth year, the Diet forced the Speaker to withdraw. This was the yang line of the Second place changing to yin, producing an order to suspend affairs again; after the third time, an order was issued to dissolve the Diet. It indeed corresponded to the divination: “The king grants his commands three times; cherishing the myriad states.” Ah! The severity and exactness of Heaven’s mandate are truly like this. How could one fail to be awed and reverent?
Six in the Third place: The army may carry corpses. Misfortune.
Six in the Third place: The army may carry corpses. Misfortune.
The Commentary on the Image says: “The army may carry corpses”—this means a great failure to achieve anything.
“Carrying corpses” means that the army has been defeated, many soldiers have died in battle, and their bodies are carried home in carts. When this line changes, the inner trigram becomes Wind. Wind represents advancing and retreating, hence an image of doubt and the word “may.” An ancient saying states, “The disasters of the three armies arise from fox-like hesitation”; doubt is the great prohibition in military movement. The Six in the Third place is yin in a yang position, neither central nor correct. Advancing, it has no response; retreating, it has no defense. It occupies the extreme of the inner trigram and faces the enemy of the outer trigram, precisely at the moment of crossing weapons and engaging the enemy. Yin occupying a hard yang position resembles a petty person whose ability is weak but whose ambition is obstinate. Usurping the authority of the Nine in the Second place, it relies on force and advances recklessly, thereby losing discipline, destroying the army, and returning with corpses in carts. Hence: “The army may carry corpses. Misfortune.” The Commentary on the Image says, “A great failure to achieve anything,” which is another way of saying a great defeat. In military affairs, authority and trust should be concentrated. The Second is the commander-in-chief and the Third a subordinate general. If the subordinate general exercises authority on his own and causes defeat, the commander-in-chief cannot escape blame either; hence “a great failure to achieve anything.” In the Battle of Chengpu, for example, the left and right wings were defeated while Ziyu himself was not; yet Ziyu was the commander, so he could not escape responsibility for the army’s defeat. Viewed in terms of the entire hexagram, all six lines represent the army and its soldiers. When specifically speaking of the Third, the inner trigram is the vanguard and the outer trigram the enemy; the outer Earth trigram represents the multitude, hence an enemy army of many soldiers. At the Fourth, the Fifth and Upper lines are again taken as the enemy. The Fifth occupies the ruler’s position and is not an enemy—this is an exceptional variation in interpreting the lines of a hexagram. The I Ching takes its images generally in this way; students must understand it.
[Divination]
○ Regarding business: Water represents a carriage, which is used to carry goods. Water also represents a pit and destruction. If a carriage encounters a narrow passage, it may break and the goods may spill. A dead person is called a corpse; this is likewise like a vehicle being wrecked and its contents lost. “May” indicates that the event has not yet occurred; “a great failure to achieve anything” means a major loss. A traveling merchant may not necessarily encounter this danger, but must nevertheless guard against it. The line image gives this warning.
○ Regarding recognition and rank: “The noble person obtains a carriage”; obtaining means possessing virtue, and a carriage is what carries virtue and puts it into action. “Noble person” is a designation for one who has virtue and status. Another interpretation says that “carrying corpses” refers to people without virtue who occupy positions without merit; hence the misfortune.
○ Regarding the household: Practitioners of yin-yang call geomancy “kan-yu”: kan means Heaven and yu means Earth. “Carrying corpses” means the land contains the qi of corpses; how could this not be inauspicious?
○ Regarding marriage: The Third line is at the end of Water and obtains the qi of Heaven. Heaven below and Wind above form Small Accumulation. The Third line of Small Accumulation says, “The carriage loses its spokes; husband and wife turn against each other.” The Image Commentary says, “Unable to put the household in order”; its misfortune is clear.
○ Regarding pregnancy: Even if a boy is born, it will be unfortunate.
[Case] In the third year of the Meiji era, three Yokohama merchants loaded imported goods onto a steamship and transported them to Hakodate for sale. Imported goods happened to be scarce, and they earned triple profits. They therefore bought another large quantity of goods and planned to go there for a great profit. One of them, Mr. So-and-so, came to ask for a divination concerning Loss and Increase, and the result was Army changing to Ascending.
The judgment says: This hexagram has the image of throwing earth into water. Applied to business, its objective is unsettled and confused beyond description. Moreover, now that you have obtained the Third line, you gentlemen bought cheaply goods that currently cannot sell smoothly in Tokyo and Yokohama, intending to sell them in remote regions and make a large profit. When other merchants hear of this, they too will plan to purchase various goods, all wishing to get ahead. Yet goods that are unsuitable for the season, once everyone competes to transport them, will necessarily rise in price. By the time they reach Hakodate and everyone competes to sell them, the merchants there will already have anticipated this. When the goods arrive later and cannot be sold, their prices will inevitably fall. Even when they become extremely cheap, they still may not sell, and they will necessarily have to be transported back. Repeated loading and transport will consume a great deal of money; when they are finally sold, not only will there be no profit, but the principal will be damaged. Returning with a carriage loaded with goods will be exactly like returning with a carriage loaded with corpses. It is therefore better to stop.
Mr. So-and-so was deeply impressed by this and therefore abandoned the journey north. Later, the outcome was exactly as divined. The other merchants who went to Hakodate all suffered considerable losses.
The Commentary on the Image says: “The army may carry corpses”—this means a great failure to achieve anything.
“Carrying corpses” means that the army has been defeated, many soldiers have died in battle, and their bodies are carried home in carts. When this line changes, the inner trigram becomes Wind. Wind represents advancing and retreating, hence an image of doubt and the word “may.” An ancient saying states, “The disasters of the three armies arise from fox-like hesitation”; doubt is the great prohibition in military movement. The Six in the Third place is yin in a yang position, neither central nor correct. Advancing, it has no response; retreating, it has no defense. It occupies the extreme of the inner trigram and faces the enemy of the outer trigram, precisely at the moment of crossing weapons and engaging the enemy. Yin occupying a hard yang position resembles a petty person whose ability is weak but whose ambition is obstinate. Usurping the authority of the Nine in the Second place, it relies on force and advances recklessly, thereby losing discipline, destroying the army, and returning with corpses in carts. Hence: “The army may carry corpses. Misfortune.” The Commentary on the Image says, “A great failure to achieve anything,” which is another way of saying a great defeat. In military affairs, authority and trust should be concentrated. The Second is the commander-in-chief and the Third a subordinate general. If the subordinate general exercises authority on his own and causes defeat, the commander-in-chief cannot escape blame either; hence “a great failure to achieve anything.” In the Battle of Chengpu, for example, the left and right wings were defeated while Ziyu himself was not; yet Ziyu was the commander, so he could not escape responsibility for the army’s defeat. Viewed in terms of the entire hexagram, all six lines represent the army and its soldiers. When specifically speaking of the Third, the inner trigram is the vanguard and the outer trigram the enemy; the outer Earth trigram represents the multitude, hence an enemy army of many soldiers. At the Fourth, the Fifth and Upper lines are again taken as the enemy. The Fifth occupies the ruler’s position and is not an enemy—this is an exceptional variation in interpreting the lines of a hexagram. The I Ching takes its images generally in this way; students must understand it.
[Divination]
○ Regarding business: Water represents a carriage, which is used to carry goods. Water also represents a pit and destruction. If a carriage encounters a narrow passage, it may break and the goods may spill. A dead person is called a corpse; this is likewise like a vehicle being wrecked and its contents lost. “May” indicates that the event has not yet occurred; “a great failure to achieve anything” means a major loss. A traveling merchant may not necessarily encounter this danger, but must nevertheless guard against it. The line image gives this warning.
○ Regarding recognition and rank: “The noble person obtains a carriage”; obtaining means possessing virtue, and a carriage is what carries virtue and puts it into action. “Noble person” is a designation for one who has virtue and status. Another interpretation says that “carrying corpses” refers to people without virtue who occupy positions without merit; hence the misfortune.
○ Regarding the household: Practitioners of yin-yang call geomancy “kan-yu”: kan means Heaven and yu means Earth. “Carrying corpses” means the land contains the qi of corpses; how could this not be inauspicious?
○ Regarding marriage: The Third line is at the end of Water and obtains the qi of Heaven. Heaven below and Wind above form Small Accumulation. The Third line of Small Accumulation says, “The carriage loses its spokes; husband and wife turn against each other.” The Image Commentary says, “Unable to put the household in order”; its misfortune is clear.
○ Regarding pregnancy: Even if a boy is born, it will be unfortunate.
[Case] In the third year of the Meiji era, three Yokohama merchants loaded imported goods onto a steamship and transported them to Hakodate for sale. Imported goods happened to be scarce, and they earned triple profits. They therefore bought another large quantity of goods and planned to go there for a great profit. One of them, Mr. So-and-so, came to ask for a divination concerning Loss and Increase, and the result was Army changing to Ascending.
The judgment says: This hexagram has the image of throwing earth into water. Applied to business, its objective is unsettled and confused beyond description. Moreover, now that you have obtained the Third line, you gentlemen bought cheaply goods that currently cannot sell smoothly in Tokyo and Yokohama, intending to sell them in remote regions and make a large profit. When other merchants hear of this, they too will plan to purchase various goods, all wishing to get ahead. Yet goods that are unsuitable for the season, once everyone competes to transport them, will necessarily rise in price. By the time they reach Hakodate and everyone competes to sell them, the merchants there will already have anticipated this. When the goods arrive later and cannot be sold, their prices will inevitably fall. Even when they become extremely cheap, they still may not sell, and they will necessarily have to be transported back. Repeated loading and transport will consume a great deal of money; when they are finally sold, not only will there be no profit, but the principal will be damaged. Returning with a carriage loaded with goods will be exactly like returning with a carriage loaded with corpses. It is therefore better to stop.
Mr. So-and-so was deeply impressed by this and therefore abandoned the journey north. Later, the outcome was exactly as divined. The other merchants who went to Hakodate all suffered considerable losses.
Six in the Fourth place: The army retreats to the left. No blame.
Six in the Fourth place: The army retreats to the left［43］. No blame.
The Commentary on the Image says: “Retreating to the left; no blame”—this means it has not lost the normal way.
Left is the opposite of right and denotes a place not used. The right hand is convenient, while the left is out of the way; hence improper methods are called the left way, demoted officials are said to be transferred leftward, and an unsuitable plan is called a left-handed stratagem. “Retreating to the left” means withdrawing and taking quarters. The Commentary of Zuo says, “Not advancing is called lodging,” and also, “In general, three nights of encampment constitute a stage.” The I Ching further considers yang to be right and yin to be left; since the Six in the Fourth place is yin in both line and position, it is called left. This line is yielding yin, not central, with a weak intention and unable to defeat the enemy. Knowing that it cannot win, it withdraws after judging what is appropriate and succeeds in preserving the whole army; it is far better than the Third line’s collapse, and therefore there is no blame. The Commentary on the Image says, “It has not lost the normal way,” meaning that it has not violated the customary principle of retreating to the left. The ancient saying “Advance when you see an opportunity; retreat when you know the difficulty” expresses good military administration. If it were possible to advance yet one retreated, how could there be no blame? The I Ching explains this principle to warn later generations against advancing recklessly without measuring their strength.
[Divination]
○ Regarding the household: The Fourth line emerges from Water and passes through Earth. Earth is the southwest, so the house must face southwest. Auspicious matters favor the left; this house is close to the east, where the Azure Dragon governs joy. It is auspicious and without blame.
○ Regarding recognition and rank: A decline in official position is called being moved to the left; demotion is known as leftward transfer. “Retreating to the left” is inauspicious.
○ Regarding business: “High” means the left is elevated, while “next” also means lower. From this line, one knows that the goods and wealth will certainly not be of high quality. Yet although the goods are second-rate, profit can still be obtained; hence it says, “It has not lost the normal way.”
○ Regarding marriage: The man still favors the right and the woman the left. The line says “retreating to the left”; could this mean entering the woman’s family as a son-in-law? Even becoming a resident son-in-law would bring no blame.
○ Regarding illness: In spring, life begins on the left; obtaining this life-giving qi means the illness will certainly cause no harm.
○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.
[Case] I was at Atami when a certain Army lieutenant general and a certain Army major general came to visit. Their warship returned to port late after passing by the Mabuya vessel. They asked me to divine its good or ill fortune, and the result was Army changing to Release.
The judgment says: Army means one yang governing five yin lines, a hexagram in which the multitude of yin follows one yang; hence it is called Army. The Six in the Fourth place, being in a yin position, retreats from the battlefield and rests. The line says “no blame,” and the Commentary on the Image says “it has not lost the normal way,” meaning that things are proceeding normally and without incident. Now, in divining about the Mabuya warship, obtaining this line means that Army represents a warship, while “retreating to the left” indicates temporarily leaving the sea route, anchoring, and resting. “No blame” carries the meaning of repairing a fault: the hull is presumably being repaired, and the ship is now anchored for repairs. One must promptly investigate and arrange assistance. Next month will be the time of the Fifth line, whose statement says, “The eldest son commands the army; the younger sons carry corpses.” The eldest son means the senior officers and ensures that nothing happens; the younger sons refer to the ship’s miscellaneous crew, who may suffer disaster. Moreover, when this line changes, the outer trigram becomes Thunder. Above the Water of Water, one sees the floating wood of Thunder; this also indicates that the ship’s hull is safe.
This divination circulated for a time. Later, because no trace of the warship could be found, the government determined that it had sunk and collected 1,300,000 yen in insurance compensation from a French insurance company, distributing it as relief payments to the families of naval officers, sailors, and others who had been aboard the same vessel.
My divinations often take several years to be verified; in a hundred divinations I have been right a hundred times and have never once been wrong. Yet among the living interpretations of the 384 lines of the I Ching, there is only the Upper line of Water Thunder Beginning that I once interpreted without using the line statement, relying instead on the change, and happened to make an error. Moreover, although this line has been criticized for not being central, could that be because the investigation was not thorough enough? Also, nothing happened for two months, while an incident occurred afterward; this too cannot be known. Therefore, this divination still lies between being correct and incorrect. With a line such as this, shallow scholars of the present day have no right to interfere. Only when later generations produce someone as devoted to I Ching studies as I am will its correctness or incorrectness be judged.
The Commentary on the Image says: “Retreating to the left; no blame”—this means it has not lost the normal way.
Left is the opposite of right and denotes a place not used. The right hand is convenient, while the left is out of the way; hence improper methods are called the left way, demoted officials are said to be transferred leftward, and an unsuitable plan is called a left-handed stratagem. “Retreating to the left” means withdrawing and taking quarters. The Commentary of Zuo says, “Not advancing is called lodging,” and also, “In general, three nights of encampment constitute a stage.” The I Ching further considers yang to be right and yin to be left; since the Six in the Fourth place is yin in both line and position, it is called left. This line is yielding yin, not central, with a weak intention and unable to defeat the enemy. Knowing that it cannot win, it withdraws after judging what is appropriate and succeeds in preserving the whole army; it is far better than the Third line’s collapse, and therefore there is no blame. The Commentary on the Image says, “It has not lost the normal way,” meaning that it has not violated the customary principle of retreating to the left. The ancient saying “Advance when you see an opportunity; retreat when you know the difficulty” expresses good military administration. If it were possible to advance yet one retreated, how could there be no blame? The I Ching explains this principle to warn later generations against advancing recklessly without measuring their strength.
[Divination]
○ Regarding the household: The Fourth line emerges from Water and passes through Earth. Earth is the southwest, so the house must face southwest. Auspicious matters favor the left; this house is close to the east, where the Azure Dragon governs joy. It is auspicious and without blame.
○ Regarding recognition and rank: A decline in official position is called being moved to the left; demotion is known as leftward transfer. “Retreating to the left” is inauspicious.
○ Regarding business: “High” means the left is elevated, while “next” also means lower. From this line, one knows that the goods and wealth will certainly not be of high quality. Yet although the goods are second-rate, profit can still be obtained; hence it says, “It has not lost the normal way.”
○ Regarding marriage: The man still favors the right and the woman the left. The line says “retreating to the left”; could this mean entering the woman’s family as a son-in-law? Even becoming a resident son-in-law would bring no blame.
○ Regarding illness: In spring, life begins on the left; obtaining this life-giving qi means the illness will certainly cause no harm.
○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.
[Case] I was at Atami when a certain Army lieutenant general and a certain Army major general came to visit. Their warship returned to port late after passing by the Mabuya vessel. They asked me to divine its good or ill fortune, and the result was Army changing to Release.
The judgment says: Army means one yang governing five yin lines, a hexagram in which the multitude of yin follows one yang; hence it is called Army. The Six in the Fourth place, being in a yin position, retreats from the battlefield and rests. The line says “no blame,” and the Commentary on the Image says “it has not lost the normal way,” meaning that things are proceeding normally and without incident. Now, in divining about the Mabuya warship, obtaining this line means that Army represents a warship, while “retreating to the left” indicates temporarily leaving the sea route, anchoring, and resting. “No blame” carries the meaning of repairing a fault: the hull is presumably being repaired, and the ship is now anchored for repairs. One must promptly investigate and arrange assistance. Next month will be the time of the Fifth line, whose statement says, “The eldest son commands the army; the younger sons carry corpses.” The eldest son means the senior officers and ensures that nothing happens; the younger sons refer to the ship’s miscellaneous crew, who may suffer disaster. Moreover, when this line changes, the outer trigram becomes Thunder. Above the Water of Water, one sees the floating wood of Thunder; this also indicates that the ship’s hull is safe.
This divination circulated for a time. Later, because no trace of the warship could be found, the government determined that it had sunk and collected 1,300,000 yen in insurance compensation from a French insurance company, distributing it as relief payments to the families of naval officers, sailors, and others who had been aboard the same vessel.
My divinations often take several years to be verified; in a hundred divinations I have been right a hundred times and have never once been wrong. Yet among the living interpretations of the 384 lines of the I Ching, there is only the Upper line of Water Thunder Beginning that I once interpreted without using the line statement, relying instead on the change, and happened to make an error. Moreover, although this line has been criticized for not being central, could that be because the investigation was not thorough enough? Also, nothing happened for two months, while an incident occurred afterward; this too cannot be known. Therefore, this divination still lies between being correct and incorrect. With a line such as this, shallow scholars of the present day have no right to interfere. Only when later generations produce someone as devoted to I Ching studies as I am will its correctness or incorrectness be judged.
Six in the Fifth place: There are birds in the fields; it is beneficial to declare one’s purpose; no blame. The eldest son commands the army; the younger sons carry corpses. Correctness is unfortunate.
Six in the Fifth place: There are birds in the fields; it is beneficial to declare one’s purpose; no blame. The eldest son commands the army; the younger sons carry corpses. Correctness is unfortunate.
The Commentary on the Image says: “The eldest son commands the army”—this means acting with central correctness. “The younger sons carry corpses”—this means appointing the wrong people.
“Fields” are land for cultivating grain; “birds and beasts” is a collective term for animals. “There are birds in the fields” means that birds and beasts have come to harm the crops, just as bandits have come to harm the people. Therefore they must be driven away and captured; defensive preparations must not be neglected. This line is the fifth line occupying the honored position. Its virtue is yielding and compliant. Seeing bandits invading, it issues an order below and appoints a commander to lead the campaign; hence, “It is favorable to make a declaration.” The nuclear hexagram of this line, when changed, becomes Gen. Gen signifies a hand and also holding, which is the image of holding a declaration. The second nine possesses the virtue of firmness and centrality, receives Heaven’s favor above, and carries out the mandate to punish the guilty; this is what is meant by “When the army goes forth, it must have discipline,” and it will surely achieve merit. Hence, “No blame.” Yet after appointing the eldest son to command the army, the ruler also appoints a younger son, thereby dividing the eldest son’s authority. Thus the ruler represented by the fifth six does not place undivided trust in one commander. The eldest son refers to the second nine; the younger son refers to the third six. The second nine is firm, centered, and capable; when he leads the army, discipline is strict, and therefore the result is auspicious. The third six is yielding and weak, not central, lacking wisdom and strategy; hence it suffers a crushing defeat and returns with corpses in the carts. Therefore it says, “The eldest son commands the army; the younger son carries corpses in carts.” This eldest son is the “great man” mentioned in the Tuan Commentary. The Tuan Commentary calls him “the great man”; the ruler’s order calls him “the eldest son.” The Compilation of Statements says: “All sons below the second son are younger brothers of the eldest son and are called younger sons.” In this hexagram, the second nine is the commander-in-chief, while the third and fourth sixes command separate divisions. The second nine and third six are mentioned, but not the fourth six, because the second nine is greatly auspicious, the third six greatly ominous, and the fourth six can maintain normal conduct and therefore is blameless. “Correctness brings misfortune” means that when appointing a commander and sending out an army, one must choose the worthy and entrust him with responsibility—that is correctness. If one does the opposite, even correctness brings misfortune. These two words, “correctness brings misfortune,” contain the essential point of the whole passage. This line concerns our attacking them because they came as invaders; the fault therefore lies with them, and so there is no blame. The Commentary on the Image’s phrase “because he acts with centrality” means that the eldest son, the second nine, has the talent and virtue to act with centrality and can achieve success in the punitive expedition. “The appointment is inappropriate” means that the younger son, the third six, is yielding, weak, and off-center, loses discipline, and ruins the army; he was entrusted with a task unsuited to his abilities.
[Divination]
○ Business: The line says, “There are birds in the fields,” which is like saying that farmers have grain and merchants have profit. “Making a declaration” refers to a contract or evidentiary document. In business, it is always best to place a mature and experienced person in charge; this brings benefit. Otherwise, there will be misfortune.
○ Household: This house is probably newly purchased under a contract. It benefits the eldest branch of the family but not the younger sons.
○ Recognition and career: It is known that this person’s abilities have long been outstanding, and he has the skill to obtain ten birds in one morning. Yet everything depends on virtue surpassing that of others; if his virtue is inferior to his possessions, even correctness brings misfortune.
○ Marriage: “Having birds” refers to the ceremonial presentation of the wild goose; “making a declaration” refers to the matchmaker’s document. The marriage under discussion will be auspicious if it is between the eldest son and eldest daughter.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born—the eldest son associated with Zhen.
【Example】 In January of Meiji 18, I traveled to Atami to bathe in its hot springs to escape the cold. At that time, there had been disturbances in the capital of Korea, and the government was preparing to make inquiries of the Qing court. The court and the public were in an uproar, and everyone was watching to see who would be appointed as envoy and how the negotiations would proceed. I cast a divination concerning the person to be entrusted with the mission and obtained the Army changing to the Abyss.
The judgment said: “There are birds in the fields” means that birds have come to damage our crops. As for “the eldest son commands the army,” could it mean that a man of Choshu would be chosen for the task? One passage says “eldest son,” another says “younger son”; both refer to the person appointed to the mission. Among the statesmen at court today, none is more seasoned in political affairs than Count Ito, who is a man of Choshu. Could the divination concerning the “eldest son” point to him? Considering this matter in light of “commanding the army,” its actual aim was originally peace, but preparations must nevertheless be made in advance. Unless we are prepared for both peace and war, it will ultimately be difficult to speak of peace. This issue is of the greatest importance. If we yield even one step, the relationship will certainly break down. To repair the situation and prevent both countries from falling into hardship depends entirely on sending the right envoy. If Count Ito undertakes this great responsibility, he will handle both urgency and delay appropriately and will surely bring about peace over the ceremonial vessels, leaving no further cause for doubt. Hence, “because he acts with centrality.” “Acting with centrality” is what the I Ching values: holding to what is central and correct and obtaining what is appropriate. It is a word of praise. If someone else were entrusted with the mission, there might be the danger of “an inappropriate appointment.” The single word “appointment” bears upon the life and death of the people and the security or danger of the nation. Depending on whether it is appropriate, the difference between success and failure is truly as vast as Heaven and earth. Since this is what the hexagram indicates, one can see how profound the admonition conveyed by the I Ching is. For now I cannot discuss it in detail; by examining the line statements, however, its auspiciousness or ominousness can be known.
Before long, Count Ito indeed received the order to be sent as ambassador to the Qing court.
The Commentary on the Image says: “The eldest son commands the army”—this means acting with central correctness. “The younger sons carry corpses”—this means appointing the wrong people.
“Fields” are land for cultivating grain; “birds and beasts” is a collective term for animals. “There are birds in the fields” means that birds and beasts have come to harm the crops, just as bandits have come to harm the people. Therefore they must be driven away and captured; defensive preparations must not be neglected. This line is the fifth line occupying the honored position. Its virtue is yielding and compliant. Seeing bandits invading, it issues an order below and appoints a commander to lead the campaign; hence, “It is favorable to make a declaration.” The nuclear hexagram of this line, when changed, becomes Gen. Gen signifies a hand and also holding, which is the image of holding a declaration. The second nine possesses the virtue of firmness and centrality, receives Heaven’s favor above, and carries out the mandate to punish the guilty; this is what is meant by “When the army goes forth, it must have discipline,” and it will surely achieve merit. Hence, “No blame.” Yet after appointing the eldest son to command the army, the ruler also appoints a younger son, thereby dividing the eldest son’s authority. Thus the ruler represented by the fifth six does not place undivided trust in one commander. The eldest son refers to the second nine; the younger son refers to the third six. The second nine is firm, centered, and capable; when he leads the army, discipline is strict, and therefore the result is auspicious. The third six is yielding and weak, not central, lacking wisdom and strategy; hence it suffers a crushing defeat and returns with corpses in the carts. Therefore it says, “The eldest son commands the army; the younger son carries corpses in carts.” This eldest son is the “great man” mentioned in the Tuan Commentary. The Tuan Commentary calls him “the great man”; the ruler’s order calls him “the eldest son.” The Compilation of Statements says: “All sons below the second son are younger brothers of the eldest son and are called younger sons.” In this hexagram, the second nine is the commander-in-chief, while the third and fourth sixes command separate divisions. The second nine and third six are mentioned, but not the fourth six, because the second nine is greatly auspicious, the third six greatly ominous, and the fourth six can maintain normal conduct and therefore is blameless. “Correctness brings misfortune” means that when appointing a commander and sending out an army, one must choose the worthy and entrust him with responsibility—that is correctness. If one does the opposite, even correctness brings misfortune. These two words, “correctness brings misfortune,” contain the essential point of the whole passage. This line concerns our attacking them because they came as invaders; the fault therefore lies with them, and so there is no blame. The Commentary on the Image’s phrase “because he acts with centrality” means that the eldest son, the second nine, has the talent and virtue to act with centrality and can achieve success in the punitive expedition. “The appointment is inappropriate” means that the younger son, the third six, is yielding, weak, and off-center, loses discipline, and ruins the army; he was entrusted with a task unsuited to his abilities.
[Divination]
○ Business: The line says, “There are birds in the fields,” which is like saying that farmers have grain and merchants have profit. “Making a declaration” refers to a contract or evidentiary document. In business, it is always best to place a mature and experienced person in charge; this brings benefit. Otherwise, there will be misfortune.
○ Household: This house is probably newly purchased under a contract. It benefits the eldest branch of the family but not the younger sons.
○ Recognition and career: It is known that this person’s abilities have long been outstanding, and he has the skill to obtain ten birds in one morning. Yet everything depends on virtue surpassing that of others; if his virtue is inferior to his possessions, even correctness brings misfortune.
○ Marriage: “Having birds” refers to the ceremonial presentation of the wild goose; “making a declaration” refers to the matchmaker’s document. The marriage under discussion will be auspicious if it is between the eldest son and eldest daughter.
○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born—the eldest son associated with Zhen.
【Example】 In January of Meiji 18, I traveled to Atami to bathe in its hot springs to escape the cold. At that time, there had been disturbances in the capital of Korea, and the government was preparing to make inquiries of the Qing court. The court and the public were in an uproar, and everyone was watching to see who would be appointed as envoy and how the negotiations would proceed. I cast a divination concerning the person to be entrusted with the mission and obtained the Army changing to the Abyss.
The judgment said: “There are birds in the fields” means that birds have come to damage our crops. As for “the eldest son commands the army,” could it mean that a man of Choshu would be chosen for the task? One passage says “eldest son,” another says “younger son”; both refer to the person appointed to the mission. Among the statesmen at court today, none is more seasoned in political affairs than Count Ito, who is a man of Choshu. Could the divination concerning the “eldest son” point to him? Considering this matter in light of “commanding the army,” its actual aim was originally peace, but preparations must nevertheless be made in advance. Unless we are prepared for both peace and war, it will ultimately be difficult to speak of peace. This issue is of the greatest importance. If we yield even one step, the relationship will certainly break down. To repair the situation and prevent both countries from falling into hardship depends entirely on sending the right envoy. If Count Ito undertakes this great responsibility, he will handle both urgency and delay appropriately and will surely bring about peace over the ceremonial vessels, leaving no further cause for doubt. Hence, “because he acts with centrality.” “Acting with centrality” is what the I Ching values: holding to what is central and correct and obtaining what is appropriate. It is a word of praise. If someone else were entrusted with the mission, there might be the danger of “an inappropriate appointment.” The single word “appointment” bears upon the life and death of the people and the security or danger of the nation. Depending on whether it is appropriate, the difference between success and failure is truly as vast as Heaven and earth. Since this is what the hexagram indicates, one can see how profound the admonition conveyed by the I Ching is. For now I cannot discuss it in detail; by examining the line statements, however, its auspiciousness or ominousness can be known.
Before long, Count Ito indeed received the order to be sent as ambassador to the Qing court.
Sixth place: The great ruler issues a mandate: establish a state and pass on the family line [44]; petty people must not be employed.
Sixth place: The great ruler issues a mandate: establish a state and pass on the family line [44]; petty people must not be employed.
The Commentary on the Image says: The great ruler issues a mandate in order to determine merit correctly. Do not employ petty people, for they will surely bring disorder to the state.
“The great ruler” refers to the ruler represented by the fifth six. “Issues a mandate” means discussing merit and carrying out rewards. “Establishing states” means newly enfeoffing feudal lords; “establishing families” means appointing them as high ministers or grandees. When this line changes, the outer hexagram becomes Gen, which signifies gates and towers, the image of a household; Kun signifies earth, the image of a state. The top line occupies the extreme of the upper component. It is the end of military achievement in the Army—the time when the war has been settled, merit has been completed, and the victorious army returns to receive rewards. The second nine is the commander-in-chief and has the foremost merit, so he is rewarded by “establishing a state.” The fourth six “takes a secondary position” and has merit, so he is rewarded by “establishing a family.” The third six, yielding and in a yin position, suffers defeat and returns with corpses; he is a petty person, and the warning is not to employ him again. The top six, being near the great ruler, has no military task, but participates within the court in assisting the royal commands and fulfills the way of commanding commanders; his merit is also great, so his reward is likewise included. Examining the size of merit and distinguishing the weight of offenses, rewarding impartially and punishing decisively—these are all mandates of the great ruler. Hence, “in order to determine merit correctly.” If people curry favor to claim merit or conceal matters to escape punishment, that is not the mandate of the fifth nine; it has lost its correctness. As for petty people in military service, they may render service by rushing about or win victories through bravery, and they may indeed have merit. But they should be rewarded with money, silk, stipends, or offices; they must not be allowed to “establish states and establish families,” lest future trouble arise. The Commentary on the Image says, “Do not employ petty people, for they will surely bring disorder to the state”—a profound warning. This line occupies the extreme of Kun in the upper component; the hidden hexagram is Qian, the image of the great ruler. The lower component is Kan, which signifies thieves; thieves are petty people, hence the warning “do not employ them.”
[Divination]
○ Household: The line says, “The great ruler issues a mandate, establish states and establish families,” so this must be a prominent, aristocratic family. “Do not employ petty people” is a warning concerning its descendants.
○ Business: The top six is associated with the earthly branch Si and receives the qi of Xun. Xun signifies commerce, and “near a profitable market, threefold gain”; this family must have risen through business. Xun also signifies a mandate. The line says, “The great ruler issues a mandate,” so wealth will bring rank and honor, and the family’s fortunes will grow daily. But wealth may breed arrogance and closeness to petty people; these are matters to guard against.
○ Recognition and career: The top six is at the end of the hexagram, indicating the time to discuss merit and distribute rewards; this clearly shows prominent achievement and recognition. As the eldest son represented by Zhen, one can naturally sustain the family. But the middle son represented by Kan cannot be employed. Hence: “Do not employ petty people.”
○ Marriage: Lines three through six of the Army form Kun, and Kun represents the way of the wife. The line says, “Establish states and establish families,” so both surnames are prominent families. It says, “The great ruler issues a mandate,” so the matchmaker must be a noble person. Auspicious.
○ Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born, destined for honor.
【Example】 A prominent nobleman was suffering from stomach cancer. When I visited him, three councillors of the Senate happened to be present. One councillor asked me: “This gentleman achieved great merit together with the elder statesmen during the Restoration. The others all received titles and imperial favors, but he alone did not obtain that honor. He is now seriously ill, and we fear an unforeseen outcome. As friends, we intend to make this request to you on his behalf; can you tell us whether our wish will be fulfilled? Please cast a divination.” I cast it and obtained the Army changing to Youthful Folly.
The judgment said: This gentleman has rendered service to the nation, as everyone knows. The court must certainly have a way to repay him, so there is no need to say more. The present hexagram says, “The great ruler issues a mandate”; therefore, the grant of a title must come within these few days.
Six days later, he indeed received the honor of a baronetcy.
(Additional note) Among the sixty-four hexagrams, the Army, Holding Together, Fellowship, Possession in Great Measure, Following, Decay, Development, and Marrying Maiden are called the returning-soul hexagrams. If a person casts one of these when asking about his lifespan, the top line indicates the time when his life ends. The Commentary on Appended Statements says, “Trace the beginning and return to the end; thus the teachings concerning life and death can be known.” Through these hexagrams one may know a person’s end. Human life and death have a distinction between a proper allotted destiny and an untimely death. The soul’s attachment to the body is like a person lodging in a house. When the spirit leaves the body, it is like the lease on the house reaching its end: the soul departs and the body dies—this is death according to the proper allotment. If the term has not ended, but the house is damaged and illness or some other extraordinary calamity follows, so that the body dies and the soul suddenly perishes, this is an untimely death. In trying to save someone from such an untimely death, even an excellent physician may be powerless. Among the three hundred eighty-four lines, only these eight lines indicate death according to the proper allotment. Alas! Human life and death are indeed pitiable.
The Commentary on the Image says: The great ruler issues a mandate in order to determine merit correctly. Do not employ petty people, for they will surely bring disorder to the state.
“The great ruler” refers to the ruler represented by the fifth six. “Issues a mandate” means discussing merit and carrying out rewards. “Establishing states” means newly enfeoffing feudal lords; “establishing families” means appointing them as high ministers or grandees. When this line changes, the outer hexagram becomes Gen, which signifies gates and towers, the image of a household; Kun signifies earth, the image of a state. The top line occupies the extreme of the upper component. It is the end of military achievement in the Army—the time when the war has been settled, merit has been completed, and the victorious army returns to receive rewards. The second nine is the commander-in-chief and has the foremost merit, so he is rewarded by “establishing a state.” The fourth six “takes a secondary position” and has merit, so he is rewarded by “establishing a family.” The third six, yielding and in a yin position, suffers defeat and returns with corpses; he is a petty person, and the warning is not to employ him again. The top six, being near the great ruler, has no military task, but participates within the court in assisting the royal commands and fulfills the way of commanding commanders; his merit is also great, so his reward is likewise included. Examining the size of merit and distinguishing the weight of offenses, rewarding impartially and punishing decisively—these are all mandates of the great ruler. Hence, “in order to determine merit correctly.” If people curry favor to claim merit or conceal matters to escape punishment, that is not the mandate of the fifth nine; it has lost its correctness. As for petty people in military service, they may render service by rushing about or win victories through bravery, and they may indeed have merit. But they should be rewarded with money, silk, stipends, or offices; they must not be allowed to “establish states and establish families,” lest future trouble arise. The Commentary on the Image says, “Do not employ petty people, for they will surely bring disorder to the state”—a profound warning. This line occupies the extreme of Kun in the upper component; the hidden hexagram is Qian, the image of the great ruler. The lower component is Kan, which signifies thieves; thieves are petty people, hence the warning “do not employ them.”
[Divination]
○ Household: The line says, “The great ruler issues a mandate, establish states and establish families,” so this must be a prominent, aristocratic family. “Do not employ petty people” is a warning concerning its descendants.
○ Business: The top six is associated with the earthly branch Si and receives the qi of Xun. Xun signifies commerce, and “near a profitable market, threefold gain”; this family must have risen through business. Xun also signifies a mandate. The line says, “The great ruler issues a mandate,” so wealth will bring rank and honor, and the family’s fortunes will grow daily. But wealth may breed arrogance and closeness to petty people; these are matters to guard against.
○ Recognition and career: The top six is at the end of the hexagram, indicating the time to discuss merit and distribute rewards; this clearly shows prominent achievement and recognition. As the eldest son represented by Zhen, one can naturally sustain the family. But the middle son represented by Kan cannot be employed. Hence: “Do not employ petty people.”
○ Marriage: Lines three through six of the Army form Kun, and Kun represents the way of the wife. The line says, “Establish states and establish families,” so both surnames are prominent families. It says, “The great ruler issues a mandate,” so the matchmaker must be a noble person. Auspicious.
○ Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born, destined for honor.
【Example】 A prominent nobleman was suffering from stomach cancer. When I visited him, three councillors of the Senate happened to be present. One councillor asked me: “This gentleman achieved great merit together with the elder statesmen during the Restoration. The others all received titles and imperial favors, but he alone did not obtain that honor. He is now seriously ill, and we fear an unforeseen outcome. As friends, we intend to make this request to you on his behalf; can you tell us whether our wish will be fulfilled? Please cast a divination.” I cast it and obtained the Army changing to Youthful Folly.
The judgment said: This gentleman has rendered service to the nation, as everyone knows. The court must certainly have a way to repay him, so there is no need to say more. The present hexagram says, “The great ruler issues a mandate”; therefore, the grant of a title must come within these few days.
Six days later, he indeed received the honor of a baronetcy.
(Additional note) Among the sixty-four hexagrams, the Army, Holding Together, Fellowship, Possession in Great Measure, Following, Decay, Development, and Marrying Maiden are called the returning-soul hexagrams. If a person casts one of these when asking about his lifespan, the top line indicates the time when his life ends. The Commentary on Appended Statements says, “Trace the beginning and return to the end; thus the teachings concerning life and death can be known.” Through these hexagrams one may know a person’s end. Human life and death have a distinction between a proper allotted destiny and an untimely death. The soul’s attachment to the body is like a person lodging in a house. When the spirit leaves the body, it is like the lease on the house reaching its end: the soul departs and the body dies—this is death according to the proper allotment. If the term has not ended, but the house is damaged and illness or some other extraordinary calamity follows, so that the body dies and the soul suddenly perishes, this is an untimely death. In trying to save someone from such an untimely death, even an excellent physician may be powerless. Among the three hundred eighty-four lines, only these eight lines indicate death according to the proper allotment. Alas! Human life and death are indeed pitiable.