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Peace: The small depart and the great arrive; auspicious and successful.","Takashima Ekidan Hexagram 11: Earth over Heaven, Peace — Original Hexagram Text and Hexagram Interpretation | Oriental Metaphysics Library","Takashima Ekidan interpretation of Hexagram 11, Earth over Heaven, Peace: The hexagram text says, “Peace: The small depart and the great arrive; auspicious and successful,” with detailed explanations of the judgment and actual divination cases.","䷊",11,"11 Earth over Heaven—Peace \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The character “Tai” 56 is formed from “great” and “water.” Its form depicts two hands dividing water, suggesting water separating in the middle and flowing freely without obstruction, so that after the water recedes, the people can live in peace. Since ancient times in the Central States, Yu the Great controlled the floods and dredged the nine rivers; then the soil became fertile, farming was taught, the people’s settlements were established, Heaven and Earth were brought into harmony, and the myriad people could live among them and forever enjoy the blessings of peace and prosperity. This is the meaning of Tai. In this hexagram, Kun is above and Qian below. Kun is yin and Qian is yang: the qi of Heaven and Earth joins, yin and yang harmonize, nourishing life and initiating creation, so that people and things all prosper. Therefore this hexagram is named Tai. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Peace: The small depart and the great arrive; auspicious and successful. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Seal script for “Peace” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Tuan Commentary says: “Peace: The small depart and the great arrive; auspicious and successful”—this means Heaven and Earth commune and all things become accessible; those above and below commune and their aims become one. Yang is inside and yin outside; strength is inside and obedience outside; noble persons are inside and petty persons outside. The Way of noble persons grows, and the Way of petty persons diminishes. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n In this hexagram, Heaven is below and Earth above. Judging by the physical forms of Heaven and Earth, they are upside down, as though the meaning were lost. Yet what this hexagram takes as its subject is not form but qi. Qian is the qi of Heaven, and Kun is the essence of Earth. The forms of Heaven and Earth are high and low, separated from each other, but through qi they commune: Qian qi rises upward, Kun qi descends, and the two energies come and go, forming rain. Once rain is formed, all things grow and reproduce; therefore this hexagram is named Peace. Peace means communication, and also security and completion, as the Tuan Commentary says. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Applying this hexagram to human affairs, Qian represents the husband and Kun the wife; when yin and yang commune harmoniously, the household will surely be peaceful and happy. Qian yang and Kun yin encompass an extremely broad range: in everything in Heaven and Earth, each matter and thing has yin and yang. In the human body, qi is yang and blood is yin; when yin and yang are balanced, blood and qi naturally become even. In daily life, stillness is yin and movement is yang; when yin and yang commune, movement and stillness settle naturally. This hexagram has Qian below Kun, seeming to invert yin and yang, yet the Tuan Commentary says, “Yang is inside and yin outside,” meaning that yin retreats and yang advances, honoring noble persons and restraining petty persons. The principles of the I Ching are extremely strict in guarding against the waxing and waning of yin and yang. In living among the world, one should exalt yang and firmness and restrain yin and softness. Then the two energies each attain their proper state, and all affairs become peaceful. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Applying this hexagram to the state, the government follows the principle of Heaven and Earth’s creative transformation: it is public-minded, clear, upright, and great, spreading policies that nurture and educate the people. Qian is the ruler; Kun is the minister. The ruler honors his ministers and entrusts them with sincerity; the ministers are loyal to their ruler and serve him with complete sincerity. A sage ruler obtains worthy ministers and expands his achievements; worthy officials obtain an enlightened ruler and display their talents and plans. Then the myriad people are moved by his virtuous transformation, living in harmony, kinship, health, and happiness, with the same customs throughout the realm. Truly this is an age in which Heaven and Earth commune in Peace, called “those above and below commune and their aims become one.” In terms of the upper and lower trigrams, yang represents noble persons and yin petty persons. Noble persons are inside, spreading policies and issuing commands; petty persons are outside, keeping to their station and obeying instruction. This is called “noble persons are inside and petty persons outside.” Between Heaven and Earth, wherever there is yang there is yin, and wherever there are noble persons there are petty persons. In an age of supreme peace and harmony, petty persons cannot be absent. Yet noble persons can transform petty persons well, and petty persons gladly follow noble persons; neither harms the other, and their feelings communicate. The small yin that departs from us, and the great yang that comes in from them: the petty persons depart and each peacefully maintains his livelihood, while the great persons arrive and gladly practice their Way. This is the fulfillment of the Way of Peace. The Way waxes and wanes; time has its obstruction and peace. Taken together, the interaction of Heaven and Earth, yin and yang, reveals the periods when worldly fortune rises and falls. “The Way of noble persons grows; the Way of petty persons diminishes”—the extremes of waxing and waning are precisely the great safeguard against order and disorder in the state. The lower three lines of this hexagram represent the time when the world is well governed and peaceful; the upper three represent the time when Peace moves toward Obstruction. Noble persons should savor the line statements, deeply observe changes in the movement of qi, and preserve the fortune of Peace so that it does not decline. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n In arranging the sequence of the I Ching, the sages began with Qian and Kun. After Qian came eleven hexagrams, and only then did Peace appear. First, they taught with Gathering, instructed with Youthful Folly, nourished with Waiting, governed with Conflict, corrected with the Army, harmonized with Fellowship, restrained with Small Accumulation, and gave ritual propriety with Treading; only after this did Peace appear. Thus, from Qian through the following ten hexagrams, the odd-numbered lines total thirty; from Kun through the following nine hexagrams, the even-numbered lines also total thirty. Only then could Qian and Kun commune. The difficulty of opening the era of Peace was such; how profound was the warning the sages left for later generations! \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Viewing this hexagram as a whole, the heavenly qi descends and the earth’s vital essence rises; the qi of Heaven and Earth interact, beginning the work of creation and transformation. The initial nine represents a noble person attaining office, recommending worthy people of the same kind, establishing the court together, and diligently serving the affairs of the state. This is expressed as “Pulling up thatch by the roots together with its kindred; advancing brings good fortune.” “Kindred” means those of the same class, for people of the same kind advance together. The second nine possesses the firm, centered, and upright virtue needed in a minister who brings about Peace. “Embracing the wasteland” means being able to accommodate talented people of every sort, as in “honoring the worthy and accommodating the multitude.” Yet embracing the wasteland must also be complemented by decisive action. “Wading the river” signifies courage sufficient to undertake responsibilities. “Not neglecting the distant” means sincere and comprehensive deliberation: not merely attending to what is immediately before one, but reaching far into remote and secluded regions; not merely considering the present, but also planning far ahead for lasting affairs. In selecting talent for the state, one must not be influenced by private feelings: those fit to advance are not abandoned even if they are enemies, while those unfit for use are not promoted even if they are close associates. This is called “friends disappearing.” The conduct of the second nine is impartial, bright, and upright; centered and correct, it responds to the honored position, and thus deserves the unquestioning trust of the fifth six. This is called “receiving esteem through the central course.” The third nine occupies the extreme of Yang; its position is neither centered nor correct, and it is also at the time when prosperity reaches its height and begins to decline. Seen from the structure of the hexagram, heavenly qi cannot remain below forever, nor earthly qi above forever; each is about to return to its proper position. This is expressed as “No level ground without a slope, no going forth without returning.” The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, like the coming and going of cold and heat, is determined by the times and cannot be helped. Yet Heaven’s decree may overcome human effort, and human effort can also overcome Heaven: anticipate the slope before it comes, foresee the return before it occurs, steel one’s heart against hardship, hold firmly to one’s principles, and exhaust all human measures to turn the course of Heaven. This is the way to preserve Peace. In this way, one may enjoy its blessings forever. The fourth six occupies a Yin place with a Yang line and is close to the honored position. The three upper lines receive those below with humility, while the three lower lines serve those above with firm integrity. The fourth line stands at the junction of above and below; therefore they follow one another lightly and gladly advance together. Thus it neither merely grows rich nor follows its neighbors, and it neither clings to prohibitions nor fails to trust others. Their aims and way are shared—exactly what the Tuan Commentary means by “above and below interact, and their aims are one.” The fifth six is a gentle and compliant ruler who empties himself and entrusts matters to the second nine, lowering his dignity to follow his minister. It has the image of “Di Yi giving his younger sister in marriage.” Following this way and thereby obtaining blessing brings the greatest good and complete perfection. The top six marks the end of Peace. When Peace reaches its extreme, it changes, presenting the image of “the city wall falling back into its moat.” In the time of the second and third nines, sincere human effort could maintain the course of Peace; yet neglecting that course until matters reach this point, though it follows the natural cycle of Heaven’s movement, is also something brought about by human conduct.At the time of the top six, the way of Peace has been lost. The upper and lower levels are estranged, popular feeling is scattered, and the matter is fought out with arms. It is a time of disorder; therefore it says, “Do not employ the army; announce the command from your own town.” One should guard one’s city, clarify one’s governance and teachings, turn the heart of Heaven around, dispel disorder, and restore what is right. This is still enough to preserve Peace at its end. “Level,” “slope,” “city,” and “moat” all turn with extreme speed, and their images are perilous. The warning hangs before us profoundly. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n In the line statements, the first mentions “thatch,” an image of the earth; the second mentions “wasteland” and “river,” also images of the earth. The third mentions a “slope,” the shape of the earth, because the inner trigram is entirely Yin, with Kun as the principal and Qian as the guest. The fourth mentions “wealth” and “fullness,” the fifth “Di Yi,” and the top “city”—all images of Yang. The outer trigram is entirely Yang, with Qian as the principal and Kun as the guest. The guest returns while the principal remains constantly in place; the meaning can thus be seen. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: Heaven and Earth interact in Peace. Thus the ruler completes the way of Heaven and Earth through resources, assists the appropriateness of Heaven and Earth, and supports the people. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n This hexagram vividly depicts the qi of Heaven and Earth communicating; all things thereby receive the transforming nourishment of Heaven and Earth. The sages, seeing this image, assisted the transforming nourishment of Heaven and Earth by doing what Heaven and Earth themselves could not do. Heaven and Earth produce all things without distinction or differentiation, whereas sages observed the sun, moon, and stars, distinguished the divisions and solstices, the openings and closings, and completed the work of the year; surveyed mountains, rivers, roads, and routes in all directions to establish cities; observed Heaven’s seasons and discerned the advantages of the land; plowed and cultivated in spring and summer and harvested and stored in autumn and winter. All this was nothing other than exhausting the way of bringing about Peace, expressed as “completing the way of Heaven and Earth through resources, assisting the appropriateness of Heaven and Earth, and supporting the people.” Human life necessarily relies on rulers above in order to fulfill its growth and development. “Completing through resources” is therefore to restrain excesses, while “assisting” is to supply what is lacking. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n (Additional note) In recent years, public health has become widespread, medical research has advanced day by day, and vaccination has flourished. The people have been spared the danger of premature death; all this is enough to harmonize Yin and Yang and assist the transforming nourishment. In the countries of Europe, because of the barrenness of the land, the proliferation of people and livestock, and the difficulty of the population’s livelihood, plans for emigration were initiated, sending people to settle in North and South America, Africa, Australia, and the islands of Asia, yet the days remain insufficient. Take our own country: comparing land with population, statistics over several years show an annual increase of four hundred thousand people. That livelihoods do not fall into insufficiency must also have its reason. Our country’s soil is fertile, and warm regions capable of producing two crops of rice and wheat a year comprise nearly half the nation. Before the Restoration, land producing two crops amounted to less than three-tenths; it has now gradually increased to seven-tenths. Thus, although the population has visibly increased, the means of livelihood have increased as well, and there is no concern about insufficiency. Yet from now onward, only three-tenths of the land suitable for two crops remains. As the population increases by another year, should it not be worrying that worthy officials at court and in the countryside still sit calmly without knowing how to plan ahead? Railways are now being opened in Hokkaido, with gradual migration of ten million people. This could reduce by half the number added to the population of the home islands, and the nation’s peace could still be secured for fifty years. During that time, colonies should be established overseas in various countries as part of a long-term national policy. This is what it means to “support the people.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about the nation’s fortunes: This is precisely a time when the ruler is enlightened, ministers are capable, and the common people live in peace and security—the height of prosperity. Yet the extreme of prosperity is already the beginning of decline. Whether there is adversity or Peace depends on Heaven; turning it around depends on people. This calls for deep consideration, and the same applies to the family household. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about plans and undertakings: The matter can certainly succeed, but precautions must be taken against failure afterward. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about marriage: The union of Yin and Yang; an image of great good fortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about commerce: Both buying and selling are auspicious, but the profit from selling is slight, while the profit from buying is large; this is seen in “the small going, the great coming.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about the harvest: Rainfall will be well balanced; an image of abundant crops. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about pregnancy: An image of twins, a boy and a girl. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: Search in nearby places to the left and right; it will be found.","Initial nine: Pulling up thatch by the roots together with its kindred; advancing brings good fortune.［57］","Initial nine: Pulling up thatch by the roots together with its kindred; advancing brings good fortune.［57］ \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: Pulling up thatch and advancing brings good fortune; the aim lies in the outer realm. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n “Ru” describes the appearance of grass roots pulling and connecting with one another. “Pulling up thatch by the roots” means that when one root of thatch is pulled, all the roots connected to it are pulled up as well. This line possesses firm and discerning talent and virtue while occupying a lower position. It corresponds in Yin and Yang with the great minister at the fourth position; it is the worthy talent outside office whom the great minister recommends. Since the three Yang lines form one body, when one Yang advances, all the Yang advance together—like pulling up one stalk of thatch and having its connected roots rise with it. Thus the image is established as “pulling up thatch by the roots.” Since ancient times, when junzi attain office, worthy scholars gather at court, work with one heart and one strength, and bring Peace to the world. When petty people hold office, the unworthy quickly take positions, opening the way to disorder throughout the world. Each follows its own kind. The “thatch” of the initial nine can recommend the worthy scholars of the second and third nines, advancing together with them; hence “together with its kindred.” “Kindred” means one’s class. The initial nine begins Peace, occupies its proper position, and can practice the way of cherishing virtue; therefore it is auspicious, hence “advancing brings good fortune.” The Tuan Commentary’s “coming” refers to heavenly qi descending; the line statement’s “advancing” refers to the upward progress of the junzi. The hexagram concerns qi interacting from above downward; the lines concern positions rising from below upward. When a junzi studies the Way, he cultivates it within himself while awaiting the proper time. To dwell in the broad world, stand in the correct position, and practice the great way of the world; to wish that his ruler be a ruler like Yao and Shun and his people be a people like those of Yao and Shun—this is the long-held wish of a student. Yet if Heaven’s mandate does not support him and he cannot realize his aspirations, he may bend his arm as a pillow, drink water, and live alone in a humble lane; this is cultivating his own virtue alone. Even so, his heart has never for a single day forgotten the world. “The aim lies in the outer realm” in the Commentary on the Image means that although the worthy person of the initial nine is physically below, his aim is to benefit the people. “Outer” refers to the world and the state. When this line changes, the whole hexagram becomes Rising. The text of the initial six of Rising says, “Trustfully rising; great good fortune,” which can be used to divine the worthy person’s rise and advancement. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about current fortunes: There is an image of accomplishing matters through another person. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about the household: An auspicious sign of family reunion and the safety of everyone in the household. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about business operations: An image of finding a partner whose aims agree and of goods and wealth gathering together. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about reputation and office: There is the joy of gradual promotion. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about warfare: Victory will be gained through attacking. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: Search among thick grass and it should be found. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about pregnancy: With the first pregnancy, a girl; with the third or fourth pregnancy, a boy. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 【Example】 In the second year of the Meiji era, a certain former feudal retainer came and asked for a divination on whether he should engage in commerce. The resulting hexagrams were Peace changing to Rising. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment said: The image of this hexagram is heavenly qi penetrating subtly below while earthly qi rises into the sky. In human affairs, it is a meeting in which I and the other harmonize and above and below communicate; therefore it is called Peace. You have now obtained the initial line, whose text says, “Pulling up thatch by the roots.” Though the stalks of thatch grow separately, their roots are connected. I imagine that among your old acquaintances there must be someone serving in an official career. Seek counsel from that person about entering official service, and the matter is certain to succeed. From your appearance, I judge that you are suited to official service and unsuited to commerce. Based on the principles of the I Ching, I conclude that your character and abilities are best suited to advancing yourself through the help of a friend. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Afterward, this person indeed entered government service and gradually received promotions.","Nine in the second place: Embracing the wasteland, wading the river, not neglecting the distant, friends disappearing; receiving esteem through the central course.","Nine in the second place: Embracing the wasteland, wading the［58］river, not neglecting the distant［59］, friends disappearing; receiving esteem through the central course［60］. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: Embracing the wasteland and receiving esteem through the central course means making one’s virtue bright and great. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n “Wasteland” has the meaning of primordial wilderness and also that of wild country. “Embracing” means accommodating; “wading the river” means crossing on foot; “not neglecting the distant” means not forgetting what is far away; “friends disappearing” is like Kun’s “loss of companions”; “the central course” is the same as the middle way. This line possesses firm and discerning talent, holds the virtue of central correctness, and has a proper Yin-Yang correspondence with the ruler at the fifth position. It is therefore a loyal minister with plans and achievements, capable of assisting the ruler and establishing his dominance. Broad-minded and composed, he can embrace humble people in remote wilderness, nurture and educate them so that not one person fails to find his proper place. He also has the decisiveness of wading the river and does not drift into weakness through excessive concern for forms; hence “embracing the wasteland” and “wading the river.” The hearts of sages and worthies have never discarded anything. Without embracing the wasteland, one cannot display Heaven and Earth’s benevolence; without wading the river, one cannot manifest Heaven and Earth’s might and wrath. Rain and dew, thunder and lightning—leniency and severity must complement each other, while one must neither abandon the obscure and distant nor show favoritism toward the familiar and near. The second nine embodies this firm-centered virtue, bright, upright, and in accord with the central way; hence “not neglecting the distant, friends disappearing, receiving esteem through the central course.” In governing Peace, these four qualities are required: generosity wins the multitude, trust wins the people’s reliance, diligence produces achievement, and impartiality pleases the multitude. Truly, this does not lose the virtue of the central course. Its essential point begins with generosity, so the Commentary on the Image summarizes all four with the two words “embracing the wasteland,” saying that attaining correspondence with the central course makes one’s virtue bright and great. How profound is its purport! \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n For practical divination, let us speak for the moment in terms of pioneering and development. “Embracing the wasteland” means wilderness. “Wading the river” means opening up uncultivated land, guiding the jobless poor, building roads and bridges, and having them participate in public labor. “Not neglecting the distant” means reaching the deepest mountains and most secluded places, crossing dangers and overcoming obstacles to develop them. “Friends disappearing, receiving esteem through the central course” means undertaking affairs with the masses without private favoritism toward friends, thereby gaining the love and respect of the world. “Embracing the wasteland” is benevolence; “wading the river” is courage; “not neglecting the distant” is wisdom; “friends disappearing” is impartiality. With these four virtues, one could govern the world with strength to spare. If one has tolerance without the ability to decide and regulate, one lacks the talent to balance firmness and gentleness. If one does not abandon the distant but shows partiality toward parties and associates, one is biased and loses the substance of impartiality. Therefore one must both embrace the filthy and desolate and act with decisive firmness; one must neither neglect the distant nor show private affection for friends and factions. Then one does not forget the distant or become accustomed to the near, and conforms to the central way. “Making virtue bright and great” in the Commentary on the Image means having a broad mind and the capacity to accommodate others. “Bright” means one’s clarity is sufficient to illuminate; “great” means one’s capacity is sufficient to contain. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about current fortunes: At present, this is precisely a time when achievement and reputation can become prominent. One may travel far overseas and initiate a new enterprise. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about official service: There is a sign of undertaking a distant mission, or engaging in military expeditions; either way, the outcome is auspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about commerce: Profit lies in traveling as a merchant and transporting goods from abroad. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: It certainly fell into water; it may be difficult to find. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about illness: Inauspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about the household: Be generous in employing people and decisive in handling affairs. Do not place exclusive trust in servants, lest the family property suffer loss. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about warfare: There is a trend of conciliating distant peoples, punishing those who refuse proper allegiance, and expanding the borders day by day. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 【Example】 A friend in Tokyo, now in Hitachi, wished to reclaim marshland and asked for a divination of good or ill fortune. The resulting hexagrams were Peace changing to the Darkening of the Light. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment says: “The ancient form of ‘Tai’ depicts a person using both hands to divert a great flood. In places of continents and marshes, torrential rain often causes sand and soil from mountains to rush down, collapse, and accumulate with the current. Low-lying areas thereby become lakes or marshes. You now wish to reclaim marshland. Its benefit to society and contribution to the national economy are evident. The line text ‘pulling up the cogon grass with its roots’ means clearing weeds and sowing the five grains—the good result of reclamation. ‘Enclosing the waste’ signifies the image of purchasing wasteland; ‘using [one’s strength to] cross the river’ signifies doing one’s utmost in digging and maintaining ditches and canals. People who possess enormous wealth often make it their aim to pass their lives in ease and pleasure, so that their descendants may enjoy unearned sustenance forever, considering this the best policy, without realizing that it is actually the greatest of misjudgments. Why? When the wealthy in the world disregard the public good, the poor have no means of obtaining food and clothing. Without food and clothing, the poor inevitably cease to care about propriety and righteousness, ruin their sense of honor and shame, and eventually violate prohibitions and fall into the net of the law. They are called disorderly people of the state. The rise of such people always comes from idlers living off others. You can embrace such people, expend your wealth with determination, and reclaim marshland for the multitude, thereby relieving hunger and cold. Your aspiration and conduct are upright and radiant, truly surpassing those of your peers; hence the phrase ‘friends disappear.’ Since this undertaking benefits both yourself and others, it is called ‘exalting the middle course,’ and it must prosper greatly. My friend said: ‘I respectfully accept your instruction. Yet I am old and cannot personally go there to supervise the work. For the urgent affairs at hand, I wish to appoint a certain person whom I trust as my agent and entrust him with this matter. I request a divination to decide it.’ The divination yielded Kun changing to Yu. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The line text says: “Six in the fourth place: A tied-up sack; no blame, no praise.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment says: This hexagram is entirely yin, with not a single yang line. In the Way of the I Ching, yang is honored and yin is lowly. Now that this hexagram has been obtained, I fear the person in question is a low and petty man. The superficial people of the world distinguish nobility and baseness solely by a person’s social rank; I, however, discuss only the workings of the heart. First-rate is the person who does not plan for himself but plans for others, rejoicing in what the multitude rejoices in and disliking what the multitude dislikes; when his nature expresses itself, it is public-spirited and entirely free of selfishness. Second-rate is the person who hopes that others may possess what he himself desires, harmonizing with them in all matters and not simply acting as he pleases. Lowest of all is the person who cares only for profit and desire, disregards relatives and friends, and, so long as he gains, knows nothing of honor or shame. This is the view I have always maintained. From ancient times, people of superior wisdom have been endowed with perfect natures; they do not change their minds at the sight of something different, and are called noble people. The foolish and inferior have cruel, base hearts, inclined toward evil, and are called low people. The first line of Kun says, ‘Treading on frost, solid ice will come,’ meaning that contending for profit leads to offending superiors and causing disorder. The top line says, ‘Dragons fight in the wilderness,’ meaning that scheming for profit leads to mutual conflict and battle, leaving both sides wounded. To entrust this person with responsibility would be like selling a thief the key; one should instead bind the mouth of the money pouch and be vigilant in one’s heart. This is what is meant by ‘binding the sack, no blame, no praise.’ You must take responsibility for this matter yourself; it cannot yet be entrusted to another. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n My friend followed my advice.","Nine in the third place: Nothing level remains without a slope; nothing going forth remains without returning. Persevere through hardship and there is no blame. Do not be distressed by its sincerity; in eating there will be blessing.","Nine in the third place: Nothing level remains without a slope [61]; nothing going forth remains without returning. Persevere through hardship and there is no blame. Do not be distressed [62] by its sincerity; in eating there will be blessing. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: “Nothing going forth remains without returning”—this is the meeting place of Heaven and Earth. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n “Nothing level remains without a slope; nothing going forth remains without returning” describes the constant changes of fortune, like the moon waning when full and flowers falling after they bloom. Viewed through the whole hexagram, this line appears at the height of the Tai period; yet examining its position, yang has reached exhaustion and yin presses upon it. The Tai period is about to end and the Pi period is about to arrive. Everything is level at the midpoint; once it passes the midpoint, it must incline. So it is with the laws of Heaven and human affairs. At Nine in the third place of Tai, the way of Heaven returns above and the way of Earth returns below. When a noble person is at the summit of the Tai fortune, he must do everything humanly possible to turn back Heaven’s course. Therefore he anticipates trouble, prepares against it, and remains constantly alert to hardship and danger; in this way he can avoid blame. This line is doubly firm but not central, and its nuclear hexagram contains Zhen. It occupies a body of vigorous movement that does not stop; one further step in vigor becomes the image of a slope and return. Qian is originally above and Kun below; when the lower meets the upper, Qian is inside and Kun outside. If Qian is not content below, it must rise and press against Kun; if Kun is not at ease above, it must descend and seize Qian. Hence: ‘Nothing level remains without a slope.’ When returning, do not allow the return simply to take its course: preserve the level, guard the going forth, prevent subtle faults from growing, and protect the final outcome. When petty people seek to exploit negligence and enter, the noble person thinks even more deeply about the difficulty; when petty people watch for an opening and attack, the noble person must preserve his steadfastness. If he exercises such care, his every action and arrangement will be free from fault. Hence: ‘Persevere through hardship and there is no blame.’ In the affairs of the world, no one has ever preserved the outcome without vigilance and fear. The admonitions conveyed by the I Ching regarding the mechanisms of beginning and ending, waxing and waning, are especially profound and urgent. The rise and fall of worldly fortune is like an eclipse of the sun or moon: during the brief eclipse darkness prevails, but after it passes, the light returns. Hence: ‘Do not be distressed by its sincerity; in eating there will be blessing.’ ‘Eating’ means ‘eclipsing.’ The eclipse of the sun and moon is used as a metaphor for calamity, while the return of light after the eclipse is used as a metaphor for blessing. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Note: Among the sixty-four hexagrams, four hexagrams divide the changes of fortune according specifically to the inner and outer trigrams, regardless of the rank of the lines: Tai, Pi, Ji Ji, and Wei Ji. In this hexagram, the three yang lines of the inner trigram make it the Tai within Tai, while the three yin lines of the outer trigram make it the Pi within Tai. Yang signifies abundance, substance, and wealth; yin signifies insufficiency, emptiness, and poverty. Nine in the third place occupies the extreme of the inner trigram. Meeting Six in the fourth place, it stands at the junction of the two bodies, Qian and Kun. It is the end of the Tai within Tai, while Six in the fourth place, at the beginning of the outer trigram, signifies the approaching Tai within Pi. Thus the third and fourth lines show the turning of fortune. The Commentary on the Image says, ‘the meeting place of Heaven and Earth.’ ‘Meeting’ means intercourse and connection: the two forces, yin and yang, are joining. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about fortune: The cautious prosper; the indulgent and pleasure-seeking fail. Pay the utmost attention. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about business: Though disappointed now, there will certainly be great profit later. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about warfare: Beware of enemy ambushes. It is suitable to hold firm, not to attack. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: It will be found soon. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about childbirth: Though there may be danger, there will be no blame; a blessed child will certainly be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about family property: It is suitable to guard the inherited enterprise carefully; wealth can thereby be preserved forever. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about illness: The young will have no blame; for the old, the final limit of life faces an obstacle. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 【Example】 In the eighteenth year of Meiji, at the request of the late Minister Sanjo, a divination was performed at the Hamari Detached Palace concerning the fortunes of the government. The result was Tai changing to Da Zhuang. Those accompanying him at the time were Lord Musha-no-koji and Lord Fukuzawa Shigeka. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment says: This hexagram is like the fire-energy of the sun descending through the earth, causing the earth’s essence to evaporate; the vital essences of Heaven and Earth meet, and all things develop. It is the image of a country at peace and prosperity. Applied to a state, the government’s benevolence penetrates to the common people, whose feelings and aspirations reach the government; the ruler can trust the ministers, and the ministers can obey the ruler. Hence it is called Tai. Yet at Tai’s extreme, it changes into Pi. This is the natural movement of the waxing and waning of yin and yang. Thus there are times when Tai moves toward Pi and times when Pi moves toward Tai. Here the inner trigram has three yang lines, representing Tai at its height, while the outer trigram has three yin lines, moving from Tai toward Pi. The third line is the extreme of the inner trigram. With the Tai within Tai already passing away, it is about to shift into the yin of the outer trigram and turn into Pi within Tai. Hence the line text says that nothing level remains without a slope, and nothing going forth remains without returning—an image of changing fortune. Although this is caused by the movement of time and cannot originally be resisted by human strength, one may preserve what is established, prevent what has not yet occurred, remain alert to hardship and danger, and resolve to be upright and sincere. Human determination can then overcome Heaven, which is why it says, ‘Persevere through hardship and there is no blame; do not be distressed by its sincerity; in eating there will be blessing.’ Your Excellency’s reputation is illustrious and achievements lofty, comparable to Yin and the Duke of Zhou. By proceeding with utmost care and preserving fullness and peace, you will naturally receive the silent protection of spirits and deities. Hence the Commentary on the Image says, ‘the meeting place of Heaven and Earth.’ \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Later, the minister resigned from his prominent office and took the less demanding position of Minister of the Interior, pledging forever to devote himself sincerely and successfully completing the work of brilliant assistance.","Six in the fourth place: Fluttering, not rich, together with its neighbors; without warning, they trust one another.","Six in the fourth place: Fluttering, not rich, together with its neighbors; without warning, they trust one another. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: “Fluttering, not rich”—all have lost substance. “Without warning, they trust one another”—this is the wish in their hearts. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n “Fluttering” is the appearance of a bird brushing its wings. “Neighbors” refers to Six in the fifth place and Six at the top. This line occurs during Tai; above it are the two yin lines in the outer trigram, and all respond to the lower lines. By nature soft and yielding, yin should occupy a lower place, but now it occupies the upper body. Its will is therefore not at ease, and the three upper lines are joined in the same desire to descend. Those above receive those below with humility; without waiting for admonition, they spontaneously trust and are sincere. This is what is meant by “fluttering, not rich, together with its neighbors; without warning, they trust one another.” “Not rich” is the image of yin’s emptiness. This line shows that fortune has passed its midpoint and Tai is about to turn into Pi. It is a time when petty people unite their intentions to harm the right Way, and it is a warning for noble people. The fifth and top lines are both yin and lack discernment and capacity; hence the Commentary on the Image says, “fluttering, not rich—they have all lost substance.” “All” refers to the three yin lines of Kun; “substance” refers to the yang lines. Yin follows yang as poverty relies on wealth. Now the three yin lines are outside and have lost what they depended on. Yet during Tai, yin energy rises and yang energy descends; above and below do not suspect each other. This promotes the country and establishes blessings for the people, which is meant by “without warning, they trust one another; this is the wish in their hearts.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about fortune: It is fortunate to have friends who share your heart and trust one another; all matters can be planned. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about business: Outwardly the situation looks very good, but inwardly it is empty; success depends entirely on help from fellow traders. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about warfare: Provisions are scarce; seize the enemy’s grain to supply military needs. With morale united and firm, victory is certain and defeat unlikely. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about family property: It was originally a wealthy household, but now it is strong outwardly and weak inwardly. Fortunately, relatives and neighbors all share what they have, so there is no fear of shortage. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: It was probably left at a neighbor’s house; ask there and it will be found. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 【Example】 A certain wealthy merchant from Tokyo, Mr. A, came and said: “Since the Restoration, commercial conditions have changed greatly, and our principal house has consequently entered a period of decline. We wish to devise a plan to maintain it but cannot find the direction. What should we do? Please cast a hexagram.” The divination yielded Tai changing to Da Zhuang. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment says: This hexagram is the image of the heavenly qi descending and the earth’s essence rising, with upper and lower in peace, jointly guarding old rules and indulging in comfort—a time without troubles. In the matter you now ask about, whether the proprietor, managers, or fellow employees, all know only how to cling to old methods and follow past rules; they do not know how to change with the times. Today the countries of the world conduct commerce with one another, and business is likewise being renewed. That house trusts only old hands, who do not understand new methods, and does not employ capable talent. Its business therefore falls further behind day by day, and the accumulated property of several generations becomes difficult to continue. The fourth line of Tai means that Tai has passed its midpoint and is gradually entering decline, exactly matching that house’s fortune. To devise a plan of preservation now, the old associates are probably not rich in experience; they should be replaced by suitable people and given authority over affairs, with the staff recommending candidates by vote to determine the right person, after which all should follow that person’s direction. The former associates should not cling sentimentally to their old ways either; they should work diligently in the new enterprise. This is what is meant by ‘fluttering, not rich, together with its neighbors; without warning, they trust one another.’ In this way, that house’s declining fortune can still be maintained. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n Mr. A followed my advice and resolutely reformed his household’s customs. Even positions such as warehouse supervisor were filled by having the staff vote and recommend candidates, and a suitable person was indeed found. His household has continued to prosper greatly to this day.","Six in the fifth place: The younger sister of King Yi gives herself in marriage; thereby comes blessing and great good fortune.","Six in the fifth place: The younger sister of King Yi gives herself in marriage; thereby comes blessing and great good fortune. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: “Thereby comes blessing and great good fortune”—acting on the wishes of the heart through the middle way. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n “King Yi” was the father of the tyrant Zhou of Yin. This line is yielding while occupying the honored position; below, it has a proper yin-yang correspondence with the firm Nine in the second place. By humbling himself and acting without forcing matters, while opening his heart to worthy ministers, he is a ruler in the proper position who establishes a reign of peace. Nine in the second place is the hexagram’s governing line, assisting the ruler Six in the fifth place and enabling him to establish his governance. Hence it cites “King Yi gives his younger sister in marriage”: she marries down and follows her husband, an analogy for a sage ruler emptying himself, honoring worthy ministers, founding the state and carrying on the family, and preserving blessings forever. Therefore it says, “King Yi gives his younger sister in marriage; thereby comes blessing and great good fortune.” “Great good fortune” means the greatest auspiciousness and complete excellence—the means by which the work of bringing about Tai’s peace is accomplished. When the emperor’s daughter marries, she does not seek to prevail over her husband but to bring him blessing. When Kun returns below, it does not seek to invade Qian but to assist it. This is what the Tuan Commentary means by “above and below meet, and their aims are one.” The nuclear hexagram contains Gui Mei, so the line text is the same as that of Six in the fifth place of Gui Mei. The Commentary on the Image says, “acting on the wishes of the heart through the middle way.” In the time of Tai, the ruler fears that Tai at its extreme will change into Pi. With caution and awe, his wish is to preserve the state to the end and enjoy forever the blessing of perfect governance. This is what is meant by “acting on the wishes of the heart through the middle way.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about fortune: Things are currently prosperous. Be humble and yielding; everything will be auspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about business: It is suitable to trade with overseas markets. Auspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about the household: You will gain a capable spouse. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about marriage: A marriage from or into a distant place is suitable and auspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about pregnancy: It indicates the birth of a noble daughter. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about illness: Divine protection will certainly be received. Auspicious. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Asked about a lost object: The finder will certainly come and return it. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 【Example】 An acquaintance who was very wealthy came and requested a divination concerning the fortune of his household management. The divination yielded Tai changing to Xu. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The judgment says: This hexagram shows the upper and lower parts communicating in harmony, with ruler and subordinate responding to each other; it is a time when household affairs are peaceful and secure. You have now cast the fifth line. The wealth and property of your honorable household are an inherited family business. Your nature is kind and good, and your family education is sound, but under present circumstances you cannot avoid being hindered from advancing smoothly. Now the second line is obtained to manage matters for you. It can shoulder every responsibility and is loyal and dependable; therefore household affairs will be put in order and commercial fortunes will flourish further. Nevertheless, former partners and associates may secretly harbor jealousy and covertly spread slander. Fortunately, the manager represented by the second line can, like a newly married wife, comply with gentleness and submission. The slander will then disappear of itself, allowing her to devote herself fully and successfully preserve the household. This is what is meant by: “The ruler Yi gives his younger sister in marriage: happiness and supreme good fortune.”","Top six: The city wall collapses back into the moat. Do not employ the army; from your own town proclaim the command. Perseverance brings shame.","Top six: The city wall collapses back into the moat. Do not employ the army; from your own town proclaim the command. Perseverance brings shame. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n The Commentary on the Image says: “The city wall collapses back into the moat”—its mandate is in disorder. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n A moat without water is called a moat, while one with water is called a pond. A city wall is built by piling up earth; a moat is made by removing earth. “The city wall collapses back into the moat” means that the high wall has fallen and returned to the old moat. “From your own town proclaim the command” means issuing an order from a lower town and announcing it to the upper state. This line marks the end of Peace, which is about to turn into Stagnation. Its image takes a weak yin ruler who cannot control strong yang ministers, using the changes of fortune as its statement to show the mechanism by which prosperity and decline wax and wane, saying, “The city wall collapses back into the moat.” Once the fortunes of the time have declined and Heaven’s mandate is about to change, the ruler grows weary of government, ministers become skilled in slander, the people are exploited without restraint, and bribery becomes openly practiced; at the extreme, rebellion and disorder must arise. Moreover, the key to military affairs is harmony among the people. At the time of the top-six line, the world’s fortune is entering Stagnation and people’s hearts are not united, like ice and charcoal unable to coexist. If one engages in warfare, success or failure is impossible to know. Besides, when the city is already ruined and unrepaired, how can one use it as a base for battle? Therefore it warns: “Do not employ the army.” By this point the ruler’s virtue has declined, authority and power have been completely abolished, and military achievement cannot be used. One can only withdraw and cultivate civil culture; grand strategic plans cannot be pursued, so one can only withdraw and govern nearby affairs. Hence: “From your own town proclaim the command.” This means firmly defending the city and clearly displaying government and instruction, like Mencius’s saying, “I would rather die than leave,” hoping to win the people’s hearts and thereby restore Heaven’s fortune. “Perseverance brings shame” means that the sages considered it regrettable that the command was not proclaimed before Stagnation arrived, but only when Stagnation was imminent. It is already too late; even what is correct remains shameful. Thus it says, “Perseverance brings shame.” The Commentary on the Image says, “Its mandate is in disorder,” meaning that both above and below are in disorder. A ruler who merely preserves inherited institutions grows up deep within the palace, associating with women and eunuchs. Though he may have teachers, many are not upright men. The ruler becomes arrogant, extravagant, licentious, and idle, while ministers flatter and curry favor without limit. Thus the people’s feelings below are suppressed and cannot reach above; the ruler’s grace dries up and stagnates, failing to flow downward; treacherous criminals and sinister forces sow confusion between them. In the end, people’s hearts disperse and the state collapses. This is what is meant by “its mandate is in disorder.” \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n 　　[Divination] \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding current fortune: Fortune is presently turned upside down. Be cautious and guard yourself; beware of petty people stirring up trouble. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding commerce: Keep operations small for now and wait for the right time. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding warfare: In attacking and seizing the city and territory, victory is certain. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding the household: Beware of overturning and ruin; firmly and steadily preserve the family business. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding childbirth: A girl will be born. \u003Cbr> \n  \u003Cbr> \n ○ Regarding a lost item: It will probably be difficult to recover.",null,"Zhouyi, I Ching, Takashima Ekidan, Hexagram 11, Earth over Heaven, the sixty-four hexagrams, hexagram texts, line texts, divination judgments",1787044935722]