Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 25 Sky Thunder: Innocence. Innocence: Sublime success; favorable for perseverance. If one is not upright, there will be calamity; it is not favorable to have somewhere to go.

25　Sky Thunder: Innocence

“Without falsehood” [117] means sincerity. This is precisely what the Doctrine of the Mean calls “utmost sincerity without cessation.” The Sequence of the Hexagrams says: “After returning, there is no falsehood; therefore it is followed by Without Falsehood.” The sincerity of Without Falsehood is the way of Heaven; returning and then attaining Without Falsehood is the way of human beings who make themselves sincere. The hexagram has Qian above and Zhen below. Qian is strength, and Zhen is movement. Strength joined with movement means movement that accords with Heaven; what accords with Heaven is sincerity. All the ancient sages’ classics and commentaries speak of sincerity, but the two words “without blame” appear uniquely in the I Ching. Zhu Xi, explaining the word “sincerity” in the Doctrine of the Mean, said it means “what is real, without falsehood”; explaining “Without Falsehood” in the I Ching, he said it means “the actual principle that arises naturally.” In essence, what arises naturally from principle is Heaven; Heaven is sincerity, sincerity is Without Falsehood, and their meaning is one and the same.

Innocence: Sublime success; favorable for perseverance. If one is not upright, there will be calamity; it is not favorable to have somewhere to go.

“Sublime success, favorable for perseverance” refers to the four virtues being fully possessed only by Qian. When other hexagrams say “sublime success, favorable for perseverance,” it is because they derive from Qian. Taken as a whole, these four words simply mean correctness. With correctness there is no falseness; therefore Innocence says “sublime success, favorable for perseverance.” This is the natural reality of principle, received from Heaven, into which not the slightest private intention may intrude. Once private intention intrudes, it is no longer upright; what is not upright is false, and falseness inevitably brings many faults, hence “there will be calamity.” Once one is without falseness, one should not falsely undertake a course of action; therefore it says, “It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.”

The Tuan Commentary says: “Innocence: the firm comes from outside and becomes the master within. Movement is strong; firmness is centered and responsive; great success through correctness is the command of Heaven. If one is not upright, there will be calamity; it is not favorable to have somewhere to go. If one proceeds in Innocence, where can one go? When Heaven’s command does not fail, can one act?”

This hexagram has Zhen below and Qian above. “The firm” means Qian. “The firm comes from outside and becomes the ruler within”: in the Wu Wang hexagram, the first nine is the ruling line; the firmness of the first nine of Zhen comes from Qian, hence “the firm comes from outside,” speaking in terms of the inner and outer trigrams. Movement is below and strength is above; “moving yet strong” means that movement has acquired strength. “The firm in the center responding” refers to the second and fifth lines. The ninth at the fifth place is firm, central, and correct—this is the Heaven of Wu Wang—and the sixth at the second place, being central and correct, responds to it; thus the response is properly aligned. Whenever the Tuan Commentary says “great success,” it means “supreme success”; “with correctness” means “beneficial perseverance.” The four virtues of Qian are Heaven’s mandate. What Heaven mandates is sincerity and correctness—that is, Wu Wang. When one receives a mandate from Heaven, Heaven will surely trust and protect one; wherever one goes is suitable, and there is no matter that is not auspicious or beneficial. “If it is not correct” means turning one’s back on Heaven’s mandate. Heaven cannot protect such a person; where could one go? To go anywhere further would be to enter into delusion. Delusion opposes Heaven; Heaven does not assist one who opposes it, so how could such action succeed? Cheng’s Commentary explains the two words “not correct” by saying that even without an evil intention, if one does not accord with right principle, it is delusion. Thus “not correct” and “incorrect” are entirely different; the distinction between correctness and “not correctness” is extremely subtle. The word “it” refers to the third and top lines: the “disaster” of the third and the “misfortune” of the top are very slight deviations. The words “not correct” deserve especially careful reflection.

Applied to human affairs, this hexagram’s sincerity without delusion is innate, naturally complete and wholly selfless—what is called the nature endowed by Heaven. The hexagram comes from Fu, which holds one yang line of Qian as “the heart of Heaven and Earth.” The “heart of Heaven and Earth” is the true primal source of Wu Wang; the four terms “supreme success, benefit, perseverance” all arise from this single mind. Since ancient times, sages who held to the center like Yao and Shun, applied the center like Tang, and acted according to the mean appropriate to the time like Confucius, could be called those who “achieve great success through correctness,” completely fulfilling Heaven’s mandate. Even Yan Hui, who restrained himself and awaited conquering the self, restored propriety and awaited its recovery, still relied on human effort; in relation to Wu Wang, he remained a step short. Apart from openly violating principle, even a slight deviation from it—moving with excessive movement, being overly vigorous, being excessively firm, or going forward while losing correctness—brings misfortune. Heaven will not aid us, and there will be nowhere to go. At this point human affairs are exhausted. The hexagram has Zhen within and Qian without: Zhen is movement, teaching people to move in accord with Heaven. Movement according to Heaven is Wu Wang; movement according to human desire is delusion. The admonitions of the I Ching are clear: the words of all six lines concern entrusting oneself to Heaven; violation brings blame. The first line embodies the hexagram’s complete virtue: action is auspicious and intentions are fulfilled. The second follows the naturally appropriate principle, not calculating gain; it goes forward without self-interest. The fourth is firm yet selfless; guarding it brings perseverance and no blame. The fifth is central and correct; if illness occurs, one may “not use medicine.” Only the third and top lines cannot avoid coming close to delusion. The third’s “disaster” comes from being entangled in gain; the fifth’s “misfortune” comes from being exhausted by action. This is what the Tuan Commentary calls “misfortune through being not correct.” Observe the first, second, fourth, and fifth lines: when people accord with Heaven, nothing is not auspicious or beneficial. Observe the third and top lines: the slightest carelessness brings excess in its wake. Whether one becomes a sage or a madman turns on this single narrow interval. Can people fail to know what they should strive for?

Applied to the state, Wu Wang means the true transmission of the governing tradition through the ages: the succession from Tang and Yu, the subtle and the obvious, the pure and the single-minded. If it is attained, the state is ordered; if lost, disorder follows. Everything depends on the great ruler’s one genuine, delusion-free mind. The hexagram has Zhen within and Qian without. Qian is the ruler and Heaven; Zhen is movement and action. Qian unites the ruler with Heaven, hence strength and firmness; Zhen moves and is able to act, hence going forward brings auspiciousness. The ancient emperors faced south with reverent self-possession and governed through non-action; they merely excelled at receiving and carrying out Heaven’s mandate. Thus, by responding abundantly to Heaven’s seasons, they made the seasons invariably harmonious; by nourishing all things, they made all things invariably grow. Time itself is without delusion, and things themselves are without delusion; they responded to time without delusion and nurtured things without delusion. The former kings modeled administration on Heaven: just as thunder travels throughout the world, they moved according to the times—nothing more than dwelling within Wu Wang. Viewed across all six lines, the admonitions are clear. The first line is reverent humility filling everything; with sincerity complete, things transform of themselves, hence “Wu Wang; going forward is auspicious.” The second is trust without words and respect without movement: without deliberately seeking order, order arises by itself, hence “beneficial to have somewhere to go.” The third deliberately seeks good government, gaining one thing while losing another, hence disaster. The fourth harmonizes firmness and yielding, enabling one to endure in the Way, hence “no blame.” The fifth governs itself through the Way, not waiting to use disorder to govern disorder, hence “do not use medicine; there is joy.” The top line delights in grand achievements and meritorious action, but its conduct goes too far, hence “nothing is beneficial.” Those who govern a state should preserve its Wu Wang, remove what is “not correct,” be vigorous and able to act, firm yet centered; then perhaps the four seasons will proceed, the myriad things will grow, Heaven and people will be answered and obeyed, virtue and beneficial transformation will prevail, “great success through correctness,” and the world will be governed.

Viewed as a whole, this hexagram has Qian above and Zhen below. Movement accords with Heaven, and firmness attains the center; hence it is called Wu Wang. Wu Wang means the complete reality of principle, with absolutely no unexpected or self-serving expectation. Following the natural course of real principle, one goes forward and nothing is not beneficial; departing from what real principle rejects, every movement brings blame. Even the arrival of fortune and misfortune may be unpredictable. Fortune descending from Heaven is Heaven’s protection; misfortune descending from Heaven, such as the disaster of the sixth at the third place or the illness of the ninth at the fifth place, is also of this kind. Misfortune brought about by oneself is the “misfortune” of being “not correct.” Among the six lines, the words auspicious, beneficial, disaster, illness, joy, and misfortune all refer to fortune and misfortune. The first line is the hexagram’s ruler, completely endowed with original goodness, hence auspicious. The second follows nature and does not rely on contrivance, hence beneficial. The fourth stops where it should stop and holds firm with constancy, hence no blame. The top line is at the end of the hexagram; having reached the extreme, it moves again, hence misfortune. In line images generally, what first moves must finally become still, and what first becomes still must finally move. In this hexagram, the first line says going forward is auspicious and the second says going forward is beneficial, both taking movement as their basis. The third speaks of disaster, the fourth of perseverance, and the fifth of illness, all urging one to hold firm and not move; the top line’s misfortune warns that movement has reached its limit. The hexagram’s body is Qian’s strength and Zhen’s movement. Thus the initial images mostly concern movement; when movement reaches its extreme, it turns back to stillness, so the end must be still. Knowing this, one can speak of the Wu Wang hexagram.

The Commentary on the Image says: Thunder moves throughout the world below Heaven; all things join in being free from delusion. The former kings therefore responded vigorously to the seasons and nourished all things.

“Thunder moves throughout the world below Heaven”: yang energy bursts forth vigorously, stirring all things. All things move together with it: hibernating creatures shake themselves awake, plants sprout, winged creatures fly, and those with feet walk. Everything flourishes and develops vigorously, each correctly fulfilling its nature and allotted life, without deviation or error; this is called “all things joining in being free from delusion.” Following Heaven’s image and responding abundantly to Heaven’s seasons means spreading the transformation that accords with the seasons. Nourishing all things means assisting the creative work of life, so that the seasons proceed and things grow, each thing fully receiving what has been given to it. Spring brings birth, nourishment, and growth, and everything obtains what is appropriate. Thus all things within my heart are complete, and all things under Heaven grow together. This is what is meant by exhausting one’s nature and exhausting the nature of things.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about current fortune: The present luck is in season; everything is suitable. Auspicious.


○　Asked about business: It is like a great drought looking for rain; when thunder sounds once, everyone looks up expectantly. Once the goods arrive, they will all sell briskly, bringing profit in every way. Greatly auspicious.

○　Asked about the home: There are occasional noises in this house, but they are harmless. The household’s fortune is very prosperous, and the family will flourish. Auspicious.

○　Asked about warfare: There is a momentum like wind and thunder sweeping everything away. One must use upright banners and an imposing formation; if one seeks victory through deception, disaster may instead result.

○　Asked about illness: There is an accumulation in the chest that has been stirred but not transformed. One should exercise according to the season; the accumulation will digest and disappear by itself. “Do not use medicine; there is joy.”

○　Asked about a traveler: The person has already set out and can return today.

○　Asked about marriage: The two families have long maintained relations, and their gates face each other. Greatly auspicious.

○　Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born; the delivery will be safe and easy. Auspicious.

○　Asked about a lost object: It may be beside a drum, beneath a millstone, or alongside a mortar. Search there and it can be found.

○　Asked about the weather: Rain once, then clear.

First nine: No delusion; going forward is auspicious.

The Commentary on the Image says: Going forward in Wu Wang, one fulfills one’s aspirations.

The First Line is the ruler of the Inner Trigram. The firmness at the beginning of Zhen comes from Qian; therefore the Tuan Commentary says, “The firm comes from outside.” Yang has just begun to arise; sincerity is undivided, impurities have not yet arisen, and it moves according to its natural character. Its movement is never without good; this is because its movement accords with Heaven. From this point onward, going forward brings nothing but auspiciousness; hence it says, “Going forward is auspicious.” The Commentary on the Image says, “Going forward, one attains one’s aim.” Since sincerity encounters no obstruction and the will is nowhere frustrated, going forward brings the fulfillment of one’s aims.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about current fortune: The present outlook is auspicious, but one should go out and act rather than remain shut up at home.


○　Regarding business: Favorable for traveling commerce, unfavorable for a shopkeeper who remains seated at home.

○　Asked about the home: Moving house is advisable. Auspicious.

○　Asked about warfare: Attack is advisable. Auspicious.

○ Regarding illness: It is advisable to go elsewhere for medical treatment; auspicious.

○　Asked about a traveler: The person may have gone elsewhere on business. Auspicious.

○　Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born; delivery can take place next month. Auspicious.

○　Asked about marriage: A marriage with a man who joins the wife’s household is auspicious.

○　Asked about a lost object: Go outside to look for it.

【Example】 The sumo wrestler Mōgimura Rokusuke was a man from Tosa, with a large build and a weight of more than thirty kan. In a certain month of Meiji 17, a friend and I watched a wrestling match at Ekō-in in Ryōgoku. My friend especially admired Mōgimura, so he asked me to divine his prospects. The resulting hexagrams were Wu Wang changing to Pi.

My judgment was: This hexagram has Qian above and Zhen below. Qian represents the father, and Zhen the eldest son, giving the image of a large and strong upper body and a small, weak lower body. Zhen also represents the feet. When the first line changes, the form of Zhen is damaged, so it must indicate an ailment of the feet. I feared that this person would injure his foot. The lower line, the sixth at the second place, says, “Do not plow for the harvest; do not break new ground for a field to cultivate”—a farmer abandoning his profession. From this, I observed that the wrestler would probably give up wrestling next year and turn to another occupation. In the following year, the eighteenth year, Rokusuke indeed broke his foot and changed occupations.

Six at the second place: Do not plow for the harvest; do not break new ground for a field to cultivate. Then it is beneficial to have somewhere to go.

The Commentary on the Image says: Not plowing for the harvest means not yet being wealthy.

Qian represents the outskirts and open countryside; Zhen represents grain crops, so the line takes its image from farming. Plowing and harvesting, breaking new ground and obtaining cultivated fields, are not unexpected hopes. Yet to plow while expecting a harvest, or to break new ground while expecting a field, is to harbor expectation; expectation within Wu Wang is itself delusion. The line says, “Do not plow for the harvest; do not break new ground for a field,” meaning that when it is time to plow, plow, without ever having the harvest in mind; when it is appropriate to break new ground, do so, without ever intending to obtain a field. Entrust yourself to what precedes conscious planning, without relying on later contrivance. It is like one who studies the Way not for salary, or cultivates virtue not to seek fame: do everything that lies within oneself and do not calculate what comes from outside. This is Wu Wang. With Wu Wang, “it is beneficial to have somewhere to go.” With no deluded mind, one naturally takes no deluded action, and wherever one goes is beneficial. The Commentary on the Image says, “Not yet wealthy,” meaning that the second line is yielding yet in its proper place, centered and inwardly empty, with no desire; it has never set its heart on becoming wealthy. To be not yet wealthy without deludedly aiming at wealth is precisely what Wu Wang means.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about current fortune: The present luck is rightly aligned, and unexpected financial gain will come. Greatly beneficial.


○　Asked about business: One gains without having planned it, yet obtains great profit. Auspicious.

○　Asked about the home: This house is probably inherited property, or a residence managed on someone else’s behalf.

○　Asked about warfare: There is an image of the enemy turning sides ahead, so victory will be achieved even without an apparent victory.

○　Asked about illness: “Do not use medicine; there is joy.”

○　Asked about marriage: This is a marriage in which the husband joins the wife’s household.

○　Asked about a traveler: The person is gaining benefit abroad and will not return for a while.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

【Example】 In January of Meiji 14, I was bathing at Atami. Among those bathing with me were the nobleman Lord Shimazu and Narushima Ryūhoku, and we chatted in our spare time. Later, Ōkuma, Itō, and other gentlemen arrived to bathe. At that time Lord Ōkuma turned to everyone and said: “At present, Russia and Qing China are disputing their border. Both countries have sent commissioners, but their discussions have reached no conclusion. Peace or war remains undecided, and every country is watching. Takashima, please make a divination.” I accepted the request and cast the hexagram Wu Wang changing to Lü.

My judgment was: Qing China is our neighbor, so I assigned it to the inner trigram and Russia to the outer trigram. In Wu Wang, the inner trigram is Zhen, which represents wood—like a wooden mallet. The outer trigram is Qian, which represents metal—like a huge bell. Looking at the Qing government now, its strength is still insufficient. For Qing to resist Russia is like striking a huge bell with a wooden mallet: the huge bell remains intact, while the wooden mallet is shattered first. Thus it is clear that Qing will certainly not resist Russia; the matter will definitely end through peace negotiations. The line text says, “Do not plow for the harvest; do not break new ground for a field”: Russia’s gain is Qing’s disaster.

At the time, some guests applauded and praised the interpretation, while others remained doubtful and unconvinced. When events later turned out exactly as divined, even those who had doubted were persuaded.

【Example】 In Aoyama, Tokyo, there was a wealthy merchant family that, since the second or third generation, had divided into a main branch and a collateral branch. The collateral branch always maintained diligence and frugality, and its family business grew increasingly prosperous. The main branch was poor at managing its property; idleness was passed down from generation to generation, and its business declined. Although the collateral branch repeatedly divided its money to help them, it was like carrying snow to fill a well: it melted away immediately. With the main branch’s plans exhausted, they secretly wished to swallow the collateral branch’s property. They summoned the head of the collateral branch and said: “What your family possesses does not truly belong to your family. In the past, it was divided from our main family’s property and given to you. Now that the main family is in such poverty, why not return it? Do you understand what I mean?” The head of the collateral branch was shocked and tried every way to explain the matter, but they would not listen. Since the main-branch head’s efforts were failing, he was about to sue the matter before the authorities. The head of the collateral branch came to me and asked for a divination of good or bad fortune. The resulting hexagrams were Wu Wang changing to Lü.

Judgment: This hexagram is Qian above and Zhen below. Qian represents metal, and Zhen represents wood. Metal is the primary household, while wood is the branch household. The branch household, holding wood, strikes the metal of the primary household; the branch household is certain to lose. The principle is perfectly clear. The line text says, “Do not plow and expect a harvest; do not reclaim wasteland and expect a field,” for plowing necessarily leads to harvest, and reclaiming land necessarily produces a field—this is the normal order. Yet sometimes one plows without harvesting and reclaims land without obtaining a field: although such things have no place in reason, they do occasionally occur in practice. After your family worked diligently and lived frugally for several generations, accumulating wealth and property, to hand it all over at once to the primary household is naturally something your heart cannot accept. Hence the text says, “An unexpected calamity.” Since you have received this divination, you should act accordingly and yield it to them, retaining only your funds and establishing another household. The line says, “Then it will be favorable to undertake something.” If you now work diligently and encourage yourself, you will certainly prosper again.

The head of the branch household followed my advice, handed over the property, opened a separate household, and devoted himself to the family business. Before long, the household prospered again.

Six in the third place: An unexpected calamity. Someone has perhaps tied up an ox; a traveler takes it, and the townspeople suffer the calamity.

The Commentary on the Image says: The traveler gets the ox; the townspeople suffer the calamity.

“An unexpected calamity” means suffering a disaster not caused by oneself—a calamity decreed by Heaven that may be impossible to avoid. The third line is neither central nor correct in position, so events arise unexpectedly, like “someone perhaps tied up an ox.” The word “tied” is qualified by “perhaps” because no one originally knows whose ox it is. “The traveler” means a person on the road. Seeing the ox, he assumes it has no owner and takes it away. The people in the town do not know this, but the authorities will certainly question the townspeople, so they suffer calamity for no reason. This is what is meant by “an unexpected calamity.” Lines three through five form Li; Li represents an ox. The lower nuclear trigram is Gen, which represents restraint; the upper nuclear trigram is Xun, which represents a rope. Together they show an ox being tied. Qian is vigorous movement, symbolizing the traveler; Zhen represents guarding, symbolizing the townspeople. The movement of Qian reaches the top and stops there. The top line represents the traveler, so it says, “In movement there is misfortune”: he gets the ox and encounters misfortune. The guarding of Zhen belongs to the third line; the third line represents the townspeople, hence “the townspeople’s calamity.” The top line gets the ox, while the third line suffers the calamity; thus the third line is “the unexpected calamity.” The Image for the top line says, “The calamity of exhaustion.” The top line’s calamity is self-inflicted—what is called the consequence of one’s own deeds. The Commentary on the Image says, “The townspeople suffer the calamity.” This is an unforeseen calamity; one can only accept it and comply.

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about general fortune: The current situation is awkward; beware of unexpected events and act cautiously.


○ Asked about business: Beware of others taking the profit while you suffer the financial loss.

○ Asked about the home: This residence may be occupied or seized by outsiders.

○ Asked about warfare: The advancing army wins; the defending army should beware of damage and defeat.

○ Asked about illness: This illness may have been transmitted by someone from outside; it is cause for concern.

○ Asked about a traveler: He will return, but the family may suffer a calamity.

○ Asked about marriage: It is favorable to marry into a distant family. Auspicious.

○ Asked about a lost item: A traveler has already picked it up.

【Case】 One day, a certain friend suddenly visited and said: “Recently, a certain friend and I planned a business venture. He wrote inviting me to meet today, but suddenly declined, saying family matters had become complicated. Might he have changed his plans? Please perform a divination.” The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Fellowship with Others.

Judgment: The line text says, “Someone has perhaps tied up an ox; a traveler takes it, and the townspeople suffer the calamity.” Since Li represents an ox and also a woman, we can infer that a distant relative or friend has come to his household and entrusted a woman to him. The image of this woman is taken from Li, which necessarily indicates a matter of separation; and Li also represents pregnancy, so perhaps the woman is pregnant. “The traveler’s gain” means that she ran away together with the traveler. Your friend’s residence is not a place for raising cattle, so we know the “ox” must be a woman. “Tying” means entrusting someone to another’s care; “the townspeople” means your friend. Yet because this friend has accepted the woman into his care, he may be unable to avoid the “townspeople’s calamity.” Is this not what he meant by saying that family matters had become complicated?

My friend was amazed at the strangeness of my words and left. Several days later he returned to thank me, saying: “The divination from that day was not wrong in a single word; everything matched the facts.”

Nine in the fourth place: Perseverance is possible; no blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: Perseverance brings no blame because it is firmly possessed within.

The fourth line is firm yang and occupies the body of Qian: firm yet selfless, it is free of delusion. However, it stands at the junction of above and below. The initial yang of Qian is still somewhat yielding, so perhaps steadfast observance is not yet secure, and one may occasionally become involved in delusion. Therefore it is admonished: “Perseverance is possible.” With Qian’s vigor riding upon the substance of the Unexpected hexagram, one must further use Qian’s constancy to preserve the sincerity of freedom from delusion. Then the principle of freedom from delusion is maintained in stillness and guarded firmly, and there will naturally be no fault. Hence, “no blame.” The Commentary on the Image says, “It is firmly possessed within.” The mind free from delusion is the mind of Heaven. It is received at birth, not produced by external influence; therefore it is called “firmly possessed.”

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about general fortune: The current fortune is smooth. Following one’s proper duties brings gain; reckless action brings blame.


○ Asked about business: Hold firmly to the old enterprise, and prosperity will come naturally.

○ Asked about the home: This residence is the ancestral foundation; preserve it forever and do not let it decline.

○ Asked about warfare: You have already entered the outer trigram’s territory; hold the city and do not advance recklessly.

○ Asked about illness: For now, rest quietly and recuperate; next month it will heal without medicine.

○ Asked about a traveler: He will not return for a while, but he is safe away from home.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

○ Asked about a lost item: It can certainly be recovered.

【Case】 A prominent person came and asked for a divination concerning his fortune. The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Increase.

Judgment: The fourth line is near the honored position and possesses the firm virtue of Qian, exactly matching the status of a prominent person. Since the fourth line was obtained, saying “Perseverance is possible; no blame,” and since this eminent person is excellent in both virtue and position, with an established record of achievement and no trace of deluded thought, the concern is that the people below may act recklessly to seek advancement. Everything depends on the eminent person remaining steadfast and composed; then there will be “no blame.”

Nine in the fifth place: An unexpected illness; do not use medicine, and there will be joy.

The Commentary on the Image says: Medicine for an unexpected illness must not be tried.

“Illness” here is akin to calamity. Illness may arise from causes one brings upon oneself, or from seasonal conditions without self-causation. Illness not caused by oneself is what is called “an unexpected illness.” In Heaven, such an illness is like a solar eclipse, a violent wind, excessive rain, or sudden thunder: each comes from a temporary imbalance of yin and yang, passes when the time passes, and cannot be cured with medicine. In human beings, an “unexpected illness” is likewise not to be treated with medicine; hence, “Do not use medicine, and there will be joy.” “Joy” means that the illness departs and becomes a cause for happiness. When illness strikes, one naturally treats it with medicine. Yet the fifth line is firm, central, and correctly placed; Heaven’s virtue is complete, and it is the utmost expression of the Unexpected hexagram—what regret could remain? The line’s image of illness may allude to King Tang’s confinement at Xia Terrace and King Wen’s imprisonment at Youli, situations in which even great virtue may be burdened. This is an unexpected illness; by accepting it and maintaining one’s position, the calamity will naturally dissolve. That is the meaning of “do not use medicine.” The Commentary on the Image says, “Medicine for an unexpected illness must not be tried.” An “unexpected illness” is not a genuine illness; medicine would instead turn it into illness. Hence “must not be tried”—a warning of the utmost caution.

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about general fortune: Fortune is currently properly aligned. Do not worry about unexpected events; everything depends on oneself.


○ Asked about business: Temporary, inexplicable rises and falls in prices do not harm business; they will level out when the time passes. Do not disturb matters.

○ Asked about the home: Beware of damage from wind, snow, collapse, or ruin, but there will be no great harm and it may even bring an auspicious sign.

○ Asked about warfare: Beware of an epidemic spreading through the troops. Keep the camps clean and do not use medicine recklessly. No blame.

○ Asked about a traveler: He may encounter something unexpected on the way, but will return soon.

○ Asked about a lawsuit: There will be unexpected involvement, but the matter will clear up without argument.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

○ Inquiring about a lost object: It will be found without searching.

【Case】 In the twenty-second year of Meiji, a divination was made concerning the fortune of a certain prominent person. The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Biting Through.

Judgment: The fifth line is firm, central, and correct, responding below to the second line; it may be called the utmost expression of the Unexpected hexagram. Since this line was obtained, we know that the eminent person is highly virtuous and greatly respected—what illness could he have? Yet lofty virtue attracts slander, and he may suffer suspicion arising from an unexpected circumstance. This is the “unexpected illness.” He should not argue with it; with time it will clear up naturally. If he insists on taking it seriously, he will only create more trouble. Hence, “An unexpected illness; do not use medicine, and there will be joy.”

The eminent person ignored this divination, and confusion consequently grew. The following year he was dismissed from office and lived in retirement.

【Case】 In the eighth month of the fifteenth year of Meiji, my younger brother Tokuemon suffered from an intestinal obstruction in the large intestine. We engaged Physician M., Morinaga, to examine him and prescribe medicine, but he did not improve after several days. The physician said: “Unless an incision and dissection procedure is performed, it cannot be treated.” We consulted the renowned physician Sato, and I made another divination to determine whether the procedure was appropriate. The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Biting Through.

Judgment: “An unexpected illness” is not self-caused. My brother’s illness likewise arose naturally and was not self-inflicted. The line says, “Do not use medicine, and there will be joy,” indicating that no human treatment should be forced. He should rest and allow nature to take its course; after three weeks—the number of Zhen is three and eight—he would certainly recover quickly. He later took restorative medicine, underwent no operation, and after three weeks he was indeed completely cured.

【Case】 A divination was made concerning the fortune of the navy in the thirtieth year of Meiji. The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Biting Through.

Judgment: The virtue of the entire Unexpected hexagram is truthfulness without delusion; in brief, it means correctness. The Tuan text says, “If one is not correct, there is misfortune.” Misfortune means calamity and harm, so the Discussion of the Trigrams says, “The Unexpected means calamity.” Since the fifth line was obtained, it says, “An unexpected illness; do not use medicine, and there will be joy.” “Unexpected illness” means an unforeseen calamity. I fear that during the ninth and tenth months the navy will certainly encounter an extraordinary and startling event. This will not be caused by human action, but by Heaven’s intent, and cannot be forcibly prevented.

Later, Lieutenant General Akiura, commander of the Yokosuka Naval District, inspected the coal mines of Hokkaido. I met him in a car and told him of this divination; the lieutenant general seemed unconcerned. Yet in September, news came that the battleship Fusō had sunk in the Yūhai, and the omen was fulfilled.

Nine at the top: Freedom from delusion. In movement there is misfortune; nothing is beneficial.

The Commentary on the Image says: Movement in the Unexpected hexagram is the calamity of exhaustion.

The top line is a yang line at the end of the hexagram, the extreme point of the Unexpected hexagram. If it moves again after reaching the extreme, movement must bring misfortune; what benefit could there be? The Tuan text’s statement, “If one is not correct, there is misfortune,” refers essentially to this line. The top line corresponds with the third; the third represents the townspeople and the top represents the traveler. The third line’s calamity is caused by the top line, so how could the top line avoid misfortune? The Image says, “The calamity of exhaustion”: its position has already reached the upper limit, yet it still wishes to advance. This is exhaustion carried to the point of causing harm.

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about general fortune: Good fortune has ended. Remain calm and do not act; action will bring a bad ending.


○ Asked about business: Trade has long been profitable, but now, at year’s end or around the seasonal transition in commerce, remain still for a while. Do not advance further, lest there be losses.

○ Asked about the home: Though this is an old residence, living here is auspicious. Be careful not to move elsewhere; moving will bring misfortune.

○ Asked about warfare: The position has reached its limit; do not advance any farther. Advancing will cause harm.

○ Asked about illness: It is certainly an illness of old age; nourish yourself and live at ease.

○ Asked about a traveler: He can return today; after returning, he must not travel again.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

○ Asked about a lost item: It may be impossible to recover even by pursuing it to the end.

【Case】 Every January I would escape the cold by staying in Atami. In January of the twenty-second year of Meiji, Governor Sekiguchi Ryūkichi of Shizuoka happened to tour the prefecture and lodged at the home of a certain Yuto family. The governor was an old retainer of the shogunate and had studied at the Shōheikō. He possessed outstanding talent and learning from an early age and was one of the generals of the Goryōkaku during the Restoration. He asked me to divine his fortune for that year. The casting yielded the Unexpected hexagram changing to Following.

Judgment: How strange—the line image is so ominous! The Discussion of the Trigrams says, “The Unexpected means calamity.” “Calamity” means a disaster from Heaven, one sent down by Heaven. The line text says, “In movement there is misfortune; nothing is beneficial.” Judging from this line image, I feared that he would suddenly encounter disaster while traveling. “Misfortune” means injury; he would certainly suffer serious bodily harm. The Image says, “The calamity of exhaustion,” meaning disaster at its utmost extreme. I spoke frankly according to the omen, but added, “A virtuous person has Heaven’s protection; do not worry excessively, but be cautious.” Hearing this, Governor Sekiguchi’s face lost its color.

Later I saw a newspaper report about a collision between automobiles at the Echima crossing of the Abekawa River. Governor Sekiguchi was injured, and the government sent the court physician Dr. Hashimoto to treat him. When I read the report, I exclaimed in astonishment: “So it was true—Governor Sekiguchi actually suffered an ‘unexpected calamity’!” My awe at the divinatory insight of the I Ching deepened, and I remained shaken for a long time.

One day I received a letter from Aihara Yasujirō, chief of the Shizuoka police, saying: “The governor’s disaster has indeed fulfilled the Atami divination; I cannot express how deeply impressed I am. I now wish to divine again regarding the governor’s life. Please perform a casting and send me the result.” The casting yielded Peace changing to Great Accumulation.

The line text says: “Six at the top: The city wall collapses back into the moat.” The Commentary on the Image says: “The wall returns to the moat; its mandate is in disorder.”

Judgment: Peace is the hexagram of the intercourse of Heaven and Earth. Obtaining the top line now means that Peace is nearing its end and turning into the time of Obstruction. “The city wall collapses back into the moat” is an image of overturning and ruin; “its mandate is in disorder” means that life will not remain whole. I replied according to this meaning.

Many people present at the time were startled by the ominousness of my judgment and said: “According to the physician’s diagnosis, there are signs of recovery; that is what the newspapers report. Surely your judgment is too severe?” I replied: “If you have doubts, please wait and see.” Before long, Governor Sekiguchi’s death notice arrived, and everyone present was convinced of the marvelous efficacy of I Ching divination.

Later I met Aihara again. He said, “At the time, when I received your reply, I already knew that the matter would not end well.” Taking the letter with me, I went to visit him. The governor told me: “When I went to Atami for a hot-spring bath this spring, Takashima Donsho cast a divination and warned me beforehand that I would meet with disaster. It turned out exactly so; perhaps it was simply my fate. I have recently received medical treatment and was told that I might recover, which is already fortunate.” I sighed and could not bear to show him the divination. We then spoke of the vehicle accident. On that day, the governor arrived at Shizunami Station and happened to be about to depart on a mixed freight train carrying iron and stone. He hurriedly signaled it, and the station official ordered it to stop, allowing the governor to board. After it had traveled a little over two miles, it reached a bend in the railway. Suddenly an automobile came speeding toward it from ahead and collided with it. With a tremendous crash, all the loaded goods were hurled into the air. Among the passengers, one died immediately and two were injured; the governor was one of them. I had originally been traveling with him, but because he was in such a hurry, he boarded alone without my knowing. Thus I escaped the disaster—how fortunate!

The following spring, at Atami, I met a certain adopted son of Mr. Sekiguchi. He said: “My late father often spoke to you about the I Ching. After returning from Atami last year, whenever he had leisure, he would read your Takashima Ekidan. When he reached the Hexagram of Innocence, he would always read it over and over.”