Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 31 Lake over Mountain, Xian: Success; beneficial to be steadfast. Taking a wife brings good fortune.

31　Lake over Mountain, Xian

The “Upper Classic” begins with Qian and Kun, taking Heaven and Earth as the origin of all transformations. The “Lower Classic” begins with Xian and Heng, taking husband and wife as the beginning of the five human relationships. Heaven and Earth cannot form the two primary forms without separation; men and women cannot produce offspring without union. Thus Qian and Kun face one another as the two elders, while Xian represents the union of the two younger ones. The substance of Xian also comes from Qian and Kun: Qian makes three successive requests to Kun and obtains Gen, the younger man; Kun makes three successive requests to Qian and obtains Dui, the younger woman. The mutual attraction of man and woman arises from their nature and feelings; when the two younger ones unite, the man submits to the woman, which is especially the proper form of attraction. When there is intention, it is called attraction; without intention, it is called Xian, meaning all. The hexagram’s structure is expressed by “mountain and lake exchanging vital breath”; all six lines correspond, and Xian is harmonious and unobstructed, with self and other flourishing together. That is why this hexagram is named Xian.

Xian［1］: Success; beneficial to be steadfast. Taking a wife brings good fortune.



▲　The oracle-bone form of Xian

Xian means success and free passage. Seven hexagrams concern the union of man and woman. Heng concerns a man and woman who are both mature; Ji Ji and Wei Ji, a mature man and woman; Jian and Gui Mei, a younger person meeting an older one; and although Sun concerns two young people, the woman is below the man. None is as successful and proper as Xian. “Taking a wife brings good fortune”: from accepting the proposal through personally welcoming the bride, the man lowers himself before the woman. Without all six rites, a virtuous woman will not proceed. The poem “Guan Ju” says, “The graceful and virtuous maiden is the gentleman’s fine match”; the good fortune of taking a wife can be seen here. The commentary on the Book of Poetry says that the virtuous woman possesses secluded, gentle, steadfast, and tranquil virtue; this is precisely the meaning of “beneficial to be steadfast.” Xian consists of Dui, the lake, above Gen, the mountain; their two vital energies respond to each other, and through response they communicate. Yet a young man and young woman are easily moved by emotion: if they attain correctness, it is fortunate; if they lose correctness, it is disastrous. Hence it says, “beneficial to be steadfast.” The good fortune of taking a wife lies solely in her steadfast virtue.

The Tuan Commentary says: Xian means feeling and mutual influence. The yielding line rises and the firm line descends; the two energies respond to each other and unite. Restraint and joy, with the man below the woman—therefore success, beneficial steadfastness, and good fortune in taking a wife. Heaven and Earth respond to each other, and all things transform and come to life. The sages respond to the hearts of the people, and the world becomes peaceful. By observing what they respond to, one can see the dispositions of Heaven, Earth, and all things.



▲　The bronze-inscription form of Xian

This hexagram places the young man of Gen below the young woman of Dui, taking the beginning of husband and wife as its image—the way of marriage. “The yielding rises and the firm descends” means that yielding represents the way of the wife and firmness the way of the husband: the two energies respond above and below. “Restraint and joy” refers to relations within the bedchamber: joy without restraint becomes lust, while restraint without joy may lose its happiness. Gen provides restraint and Dui adds joy; when this feeling is correct, husband and wife have distinct roles, intimacy follows its proper timing, and feeling reaches communication, so there is success. The hexagram’s meaning is feeling; its image regards success as good; its position regards “the man below the woman” as auspicious. “Taking” means marrying. The Rites say: “The man personally welcomes the bride; the man precedes the woman—this is the meaning of firmness and yielding.” Thus “the man below the woman” means lowering the man’s dignity to honor the rite of personally welcoming the bride; it is certainly not comparable to those who creep through holes and climb walls. Hence “beneficial to be steadfast.” The woman being below the man is the ordinary way of husband and wife, so Heng takes its image from this; the man being below the woman is the rite at the beginning of welcoming a bride, so Xian takes its image from this. Xian means feeling: firmness and yielding operate by mutual influence of vital energy; marriage operates by mutual influence of emotion; and young men and women are especially susceptible to emotion. Because their feelings are easily moved, they delight in one another; precisely because they are easily delighted, it is especially important that they know how to stop. This is Gen mountain’s stillness restraining the movement of Dui lake. Xian benefits from steadfastness; steadfastness brings success, and success brings good fortune. Extending this principle, the bedchamber opens the source of civilized governance, while self-cultivation and family order encompass the essentials of governing the state and bringing peace to the world. Heaven and Earth use Xian-like responsiveness to influence all things, and all things are born; sages use it to influence human hearts, and hearts become peaceful. The work of transformation and the blessing of peace are thereby accomplished and spread. Gen’s stopping has no form, and Dui’s joy has no words; without form or words, their transforming influence becomes mysterious. A gentleman observes this and can recognize the marvelous responsiveness between Heaven, Earth, people, and things.

Applied to human affairs, this hexagram has Gen as the man and Dui as the woman; the Tuan statement says “taking a wife brings good fortune,” which concerns the beginning of human relationships. The Sequence Commentary says: “After there are men and women, there are husbands and wives; after husbands and wives, fathers and sons; after fathers and sons, rulers and ministers; after rulers and ministers, high and low.” This way truly comes from Qian and Kun taking their positions. Qian is old yang and Kun old yin; when Qian changes into Gen it becomes young yang, and when Kun changes into Dui it becomes young yin. Their yin-yang substance is one; yin and yang are precisely man and woman. Gen has one yang and two yin lines, while Dui has two yang and one yin; joined, their substances become one, symbolizing the union of man and woman. Gen signifies seeking, with the meaning of “a fine match”; Dui signifies the younger sister, with the image of Gui Mei. This is the beginning of marriage. Dui signifies joy and Gen restraint: joy without excess is why the wife’s duty values steadfastness. The six line statements often take images from the human body. “Great toe,” “calf,” and “thigh” belong to the lower body; “heart,” “back flesh,” and “cheek and tongue” belong to the upper body. One bows and one raises, one moves and one is still; yin and yang support each other, firmness and yielding interact, and the virtue of Xian is complete. Husband and wife are a small Heaven and Earth. All things have yin and yang and therefore each has its counterpart; the generation of all things and peace in the human heart follow this same way. That is why the sages regard it as the highest of human relationships, and why Xian heads the Lower Classic. Its image makes this clear.

Applied to the state, the upper trigram represents the government, with the image of Dui’s lake spreading nourishment everywhere; the lower trigram represents the people, with the meaning of each safely abiding in Gen’s restraint. The firm ruler of the fifth position is close to the top line and responds to the second line; the other lines likewise all respond to him. Thus the entire Xian hexagram takes its images from the “great toe,” “calf,” “thigh,” “heart,” “back flesh,” and “cheek and tongue,” like the human body’s limbs and nine openings, where pain and itch are mutually related and all are linked by one vital energy. The Image Commentary says, “The gentleman receives people with emptiness”; this gentleman refers to the ruler in the fifth position. Emptiness means having no self. With no self, the world is one family and the ten thousand people are one body; with one thought he reaches all categories of beings, and with one heart he nurtures all living things. When above and below communicate and ruler and people share one will, it is said: “Heaven and Earth respond to each other, and all things transform and come to life; the sages respond to the hearts of the people, and the world becomes peaceful. By observing what they respond to, one can see the dispositions of Heaven, Earth, and all things.” This is the way of the sage emperor who reverently governs while facing south, ruling through non-action.

Viewed as a whole, the hexagram distinguishes intentional attraction from Xian, which is without intention. Xian means all; all six lines respond, harmony and communication prevail, and self and other flourish naturally as vital energy blends—this is why the hexagram formed by Dui’s joy and Gen’s restraint is called Xian. Xian governs feeling, and feeling necessarily moves; yet for the six lines, stillness is auspicious and movement inauspicious. The first line is at the bottom and says, “Feeling in the great toe.” The feeling is still shallow and the movement slight, so no good or bad is stated. The second says, “Feeling in the calf.” The calf follows the foot: movement is inauspicious, but the calf itself still remains in an auspicious position. The third says, “Feeling in the thigh.” The thigh is above the lower body, symbolizing the third line; it has advanced further than the toe and calf. Its “will is to follow others,” and what it grasps is low, so it says, “Going forward brings shame.” The fourth lies among the three yang lines and is the position of the heart. Every sensation arises from the heart; if it gains steadfastness, it is auspicious, otherwise inauspicious. The fifth is the ruler of the hexagram, in the middle of Dui. The back flesh lies above the heart and is a place that does not move. It feels yet does not feel, moves yet does not move; therefore it says, “No regret.” The top line is at the summit of the hexagram. “Cheek and tongue” are at the top of the body, so this image is used: feeling in the heart is expressed as speech, as talking with the mouth. Yet it cannot reach others through sincerity and merely uses fine words to please; the way of Xian has become shallow. Thus among the six lines, the depth of feeling differs, and regret, shame, good fortune, and misfortune each appear according to their images. Only a gentleman can “receive people with emptiness.” Empty, the heart is impartial; impartial, it admits without rejection, responds and immediately communicates, so what it receives is vast. The way of receiving broadly takes from Dui; the meaning of being single-minded and upright takes from Gen. Be vigorous yet able to stop, compliant yet able to rejoice; use joy to respond to yin and restraint to answer yang. Heaven and Earth transform without intention, and sages achieve without deliberate action. That is all.

The Great Image says: A lake is on the mountain; this is Xian. Thus the gentleman receives people with emptiness.

The hexagram’s image is “a lake on the mountain”: the mountain’s energy descends and the lake’s energy rises, allowing above and below to complete one another. Nothing is as still and empty under Heaven as a mountain; precisely because it is empty, the mountain receives the lake’s energy. The gentleman embodies this image by accommodating the goodness of others. Thus he can keep his heart deeply tranquil when utterly still and unmoving, and settle his nature in a place of vast impartiality. Since ancient times, examples such as Shun accepting others’ good qualities, Yu bowing to worthy counsel, and the Duke of Zhou spitting out food and grasping his hair to receive visitors all show people emptying themselves and receiving others.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about warfare: When the army advances, beware of pits and traps; in the mountains and valleys, beware of ambushes. When holding a city, beware of enemy soldiers secretly connecting underground passages. Caution is essential in all these matters.


○　Asked about commerce: Mountains and lakes are places where wealth is generated, that is, sources of wealth. “Receive people with emptiness” means that buying local products, transporting and reselling them will certainly bring great profit.

○　Asked about achievement and reputation: “On the mountain” is an image of being in a high position. “A lake on the mountain” is a lake, a low place where water accumulates. It suggests the danger of being high and needing to think of danger. One should remain humble and await others; then achievement and reputation can be preserved for long.

○　Asked about the home: This residence must be beside a mountain and facing water. Knowing where to stop brings good fortune.

○　Asked about illness: This is a condition of weakness; nourishing and restorative medicine should be taken.

○　Asked about marriage: The hexagram is mountain and lake exchanging vital breath, indicating harmony between the two families. Great good fortune.

○　Asked about litigation: The two parties are surely young people quarrelling out of youthful pride. Reconciliation and stopping the lawsuit would be best.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

○　Asked about a lost object: It must have fallen into a hollow place containing water and cannot be recovered.

Six at the beginning: Feeling in the great toe.

The Commentary on the Image says: Feeling in the great toe; the will is directed outward.

The “great toe” is the big toe. The first line is at the head of the lines and represents the beginning of feeling; its feeling is still faint. It is like a toe on a foot: the toe makes a small movement but has not yet taken a step. This symbolizes a person whose heart has just been moved but has not yet acted—there is only an initial intention. The Image Commentary says, “The will is directed outward.” “Outward” refers to the ninth line in the fourth position, because the first line corresponds to the fourth; hence it says “outward.” The will is where the heart is directed: there is only intention, without rash movement. Therefore neither good nor bad is stated.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about warfare: This is the moment when weapons first clash; the response comes on the fourth day, and victory can be achieved.


○　Asked about commerce: This must be the first trade. The goods have been prepared but have not yet been dispatched.

○　Asked about achievement and reputation: One can certainly become famous at a single stroke; there is an omen of being first to reach the goal.

○　Asked about the home: There is an intention to move to another region.

○　Asked about illness: A toxin has just begun in the toe; external application of medicine is appropriate.

○　Asked about marriage: Six at the beginning responds to nine in the fourth position; the man of Gen seeks marriage with the woman of Dui. This is auspicious for joining the marriage bond.

○　Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born; this is the first pregnancy.

【Case】 In the twenty-third year of the Meiji era, divining the fortunes of a certain eminent person, the result was Xian changing to Ge.

Judgment: This is the first line of Xian. The great toe is the smallest part of the human body; whether it moves or not is not, in itself, of much importance. The first line responds to the ninth line in the fourth position, and the fourth is close to the honored position. In this divination, the responding line should represent the eminent person, while the first line represents the person who sought the divination. Now the first line begins Xian: from the shogunate to the present, this eminent person has endured every hardship. Though now old, his aspirations remain extravagant; whenever he makes plans, everyone responds with pleasure and follows. The Image Commentary says, “The will is directed outward.” This refers to the eminent person’s intention: at present, the nation’s important affairs place particular emphasis on foreign relations. Thus we know that the eminent person’s fortunes in old age are not yet exhausted.

Six in the second position: Feeling in the calf; misfortune. Remaining still brings good fortune.

The Commentary on the Image says: Although movement is inauspicious, remaining still is auspicious; following one’s nature causes no harm.

The “calf” is the shin or, as some say, the flesh of the lower leg—the boneless part between the great toe and the thigh. The calf cannot move by itself; it moves with the foot. If the foot moves and this is inauspicious, the calf too loses its good fortune. Yet movement is inauspicious while remaining still is auspicious, so the Commentary on the Image says, “Although movement is inauspicious, remaining still is auspicious; following one’s nature causes no harm.” Six in the second position is yin in a yin position, and its nature is inherently still. If it follows its nature and does not move, it can avoid harm and obtain good fortune.

　　[Divination]
○　Asked about warfare: It is advisable to hold firm and not move; thus harm can be avoided.


○　Asked about commerce: Traveling trade is unfavorable; shop-based trade is favorable.

○　Asked about achievement and reputation: One can accomplish matters only by relying on others; one cannot yet go far.

○　Asked about illness: In terms of the calf, this must be a condition of paralysis or numbness in the limbs. One can only sit or lie down and cannot walk.

○ Marriage: The marriage is already arranged, but changes may occur. If one can remain steadfast by following circumstances, what seems ominous will ultimately turn auspicious.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

【Example】 A gentleman of the Chinese community came to me and said: “Recently, an acquaintance of mine, after several years of painstaking effort, invented a new technology and obtained an exclusive license to sell it. I therefore lent him capital, but I do not know whether this new technology will really gain widespread use, nor whether the funds I lent will yield a profit or a loss. Please cast the oracle for me.” The casting produced Influence changing to Excess.

The judgment says: Influence is the hexagram in which the qi of the Mountain and the Lake communicate. These two things depend on each other and serve one another. Your friend invented an object and, relying on your capital, was able to establish his enterprise. Thus your friend and you truly depend on each other and serve one another, and it may be expected that his business will spread widely. The calf is the flesh of the lower leg; it does not move on its own, but moves with the foot, symbolizing the circulation of capital, which entirely depends on the transport and sale of goods, while the capital likewise moves along with them. Since this enterprise is newly launched, sales will inevitably encounter some temporary obstacles. It is best to accumulate stock and wait; profit will come of itself. Though the beginning is ominous, the end will be auspicious.

Nine in the third place: Influence in the thigh; grasping what follows one. Going forward brings humiliation.

The Commentary on the Image says: “Influence in the thigh”—it likewise does not remain still. Its intent lies in following others; what it grasps is of a lower order.

This line occupies the top of the lower body and the bottom of the upper body, giving the image of the thigh. The thigh moves with the upper and lower parts and cannot act independently. Nine in the third place is yang in a yang position and corresponds with the yin of the top line. Instead of following the top line, it associates with the first and second lines and lets them determine movement and rest; if it proceeds this way, its humiliation is obvious. The third line is the governing line of the Mountain hexagram; Mountain represents the thigh, hence “thigh.” Mountain also represents grasping, hence “grasping.” Mountain fundamentally means stopping, but the third line, stirred by influence, wishes to move and also leads the first and second lines so that all move; hence “grasping what follows one.” The Commentary on the Image says “it likewise does not remain still,” meaning that it leads the toe and calf to move together. “Its intent lies in following others; what it grasps is of a lower order”: “following others” means following the upper line; “grasping what is below” means grasping the first and second lines.

　　[Divination]
○ War: Retreat and defend; do not advance to attack.


○ Business: In commerce, pooled capital is called shares. One person must be appointed to manage the enterprise, yet if the manager cannot act independently and merely follows others in determining its direction, the business will surely find it difficult to make a profit.

○ Career and reputation: Following reputations and attaching oneself to famous names shows an inferior character; victory will certainly be difficult.

○ Residence: The house is near a Mountain; it could originally be a safe place to live, but the diviner is unwilling to remain there and probably wants to move elsewhere following someone. The destination may bring humiliation.

○ Marriage: The fault lies in listening too readily to the words of the matchmaker; the intended spouse may not be a suitable match.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

【Example】 A certain friend came and asked for a divination about his fortunes. The casting produced Influence changing to Gathering.

The judgment says: The hexagram consists of Mountain above and Lake below. The Mountain gains moisture from the Lake and the Lake receives its source from the Mountain; this is the communication of qi between Mountain and Lake, the mutual influence of yin and yang, precisely an image of flourishing fortune. You have obtained the third line. The third line is the ruler of the inner hexagram and corresponds with the top line. Nine in the third place is yang, while the top line is yin; being influenced, it wants to move, hence “Influence in the thigh.” The thigh belongs to the lower body and is also a yin image. The hexagram originally depicts a young man and a young woman loving and delighting in each other. The third line says “its intent lies in following others”: it leads those below it onward, and thus its infatuation is especially deep. What excuse could there be for the humiliation? As for your fortunes in the present year, they are not bad, but because you are immersed in sensual desire, yang is burdened by yin; beware of illness and calamity. Be cautious and take warning! My friend listened. At first he seemed moved, but afterward he remained sunk in passion and failed to awaken, until he ended his life destitute and unsuccessful. Alas!

Nine in the fourth place: Constancy brings good fortune; remorse disappears. Coming and going in restless agitation, friends follow your thoughts.

The Commentary on the Image says: “Constancy brings good fortune; remorse disappears”—it has not yet been harmed by influence. “Coming and going in restless agitation”—it has not yet become bright and great.

The fourth line lies among the three yang lines and occupies the position of the heart; it is the ruler of Influence. The first line’s toe, the second line’s calf, the third line’s thigh, and the back, tongue, cheeks, and jaw of the fifth and sixth lines all arise from the heart. Therefore the heart itself is not said to be influenced, because all influences arise from the heart. The heart’s original substance is naturally lucid and unobscured, silent and unmoving; only when something is encountered does the heart move. Movement brings remorse; if one wishes remorse to disappear, only constancy will do. Constancy means correctness: correctness brings good fortune and makes remorse disappear. Yet the human heart cannot be without influence, and influence cannot always be correct. When it is not correct, the heart suffers harm, and remorse arises along with the influence—how can good fortune be obtained? “Restless agitation” describes haste; “coming and going” describes hurried movement. “Coming and going in restless agitation” emphatically depicts thoughts arriving in disorder and private intentions becoming confused, with harm and trouble accumulating. The toe, calf, and thigh below, and the back, tongue, jaw, and cheeks above, all move in a disorderly way; one sees only that their “friends follow,” so how could this heart still possess even a moment of calm stability? The Commentary on the Image says “Constancy brings good fortune; remorse disappears—it has not yet been harmed by influence,” meaning that with constancy the heart is free of selfishness. Before being influenced, the heart is originally clear and open; hence “it has not yet been harmed by influence.” “Coming and going in restless agitation—it has not yet become bright and great” means that things arrive one after another as influences, making it impossible to be without thoughts and desires; hence “it has not yet become bright and great.”

　　[Divination]
○ War: In an army, everything depends on the commander as its heart. When the masses of troops gather chaotically, one commander must stabilize them; then orders are carried out and prohibitions obeyed, with everything becoming still. Otherwise, disorder and confusion will arise, bringing disaster.


○ Business: Although commerce seeks profit, good fortune also depends on maintaining integrity. If one forgets righteousness upon seeing profit, people will compete to seize everything; never satisfied, they will cause harm beyond measure.

○ Career and reputation: The fourth line is yang in a yang position and is near the supreme position, so it signifies prominent success and renown. Its image is constancy and good fortune; yet if it is not obtained through the proper way, harm will immediately follow. Extreme caution is essential.

○ Residence: The house must stand beside a busy thoroughfare where people come and go. Since the upright and the unscrupulous mix together, social dealings require the utmost care in choosing companions.

○ Illness: This is surely an ailment of mental disorientation and absent-mindedness; quiet recuperation is advisable.

○ Marriage: Beware that the woman’s family may not maintain proper standards of conduct.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

【Example】 In the twenty-second year of the Meiji era, a certain eminent gentleman came and asked for a divination concerning the fortunes of a prominent nobleman. The casting produced Influence changing to Obstruction.

The judgment says: The fourth line is yang in a yin position and is adjacent to Nine in the fifth place, an image of a prominent nobleman. Asked about this nobleman’s fortunes, you obtained the fourth line. The fourth line lies among the three yang lines, in the position of the heart. The heart is the ruler of the whole body: when the heart is upright, all parts of the body are upright. This is like saying that when a minister corrects himself and leads by example, all officials follow his commands. Hence: “Constancy brings good fortune; remorse disappears.” This was indeed the ability of that prominent nobleman. If the heart is even slightly crooked, all affairs become confused and careless, factions arise in disorder; at first the harm lies in one person, and in the end it extends to the whole nation. All this comes from the crookedness of one heart, the first step toward calamity. That nobleman possessed an upright and honest heart, forgetting his household for the state and personal interest for the public good. He could take the whole world as his responsibility. As the ancients said, he corrected himself in order to correct the world; this nobleman possessed that quality. The people’s hopes in him are still far from exhausted.

Nine in the fifth place: Influence in the flesh of the back; no remorse.

The Commentary on the Image says: “Influence in the flesh of the back”—the intent is at the end.

According to the Commentary, “the back flesh lies above the heart and below the mouth”; Ma says, “the back flesh is the back.” The Broad Dictionary says, “the shoulder blade is called back flesh,” that is, the flesh of the back. The heart is in front and the back behind; it is a place that does not move. The Image of Mountain says, “Mountain in the back,” showing that the back is where Mountain stops things. The line text says, “Influence in the back flesh,” which is probably what Mencius meant: “The nature of the noble person is rooted in the heart, fills the back, and extends to the four limbs; the four limbs do not speak, yet make themselves understood.” The fifth line, with the virtue of firm, centered, correct yang, occupies the ruler’s position and responds below to Six in the second place. Six in the second says, “Influence in the calf”: the calf, being the flesh of the lower leg, cannot move by itself. The fifth says, “Influence in the back flesh”: the back, being the spine, likewise cannot move by itself. Thus its influence is like being influenced without consciously feeling influence, and its movement is like moving without consciously moving. When the back moves without moving by itself, it does not even know that it is moving; where could remorse arise? The Commentary on the Image says “the intent is at the end,” meaning that this is influence without conscious feeling, the utmost degree of influence. The first line’s “intent lies outside” and the third line’s “intent lies in following others” both involve deliberate, conscious influence, and are therefore inferior. Another interpretation says: “The intent is at the end” means that, occupying the exalted fifth place, one should cherish the hearts of countless millions; that aspiration would be great. If one is content merely to seek personal safety and avoid immediate remorse, is that not a petty and insignificant aspiration?

　　[Divination]
○ War: It is advisable to make a covert attack on the enemy’s rear and strike its back; victory is assured and defeat is unlikely.


○ Business: The Image says “the intent is at the end”; the end is small and slight. This shows that the business is not large, and its profits are likewise meager.

○ Career and reputation: The back signifies defeat and retreat; the desired fame will probably not be achieved.

○ Illness: A raised, hump-like back is a sign of longevity. The illness will soon be cured; there will be no remorse, and a long life may follow.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

【Example】 In the twenty-first year of the Meiji era, a certain eminent gentleman came and asked for a divination concerning the fortunes of a prominent nobleman. The casting produced Influence changing to Lesser Exceeding.

The usual hexagram convention takes Nine in the fifth place as the ruler’s position. Yet Heaven represents ruler and father, and ministers and sons may also draw it; Earth represents minister and people, and ruler and father may also draw it. The Way of the Changes is not restricted to one fixed pattern. In Influence, Mountain and Lake have their qi mutually respond. Thus “Heaven and Earth respond, and the myriad things are transformed and born; sages respond to people’s hearts, and the world is at peace”—from this we know that when a great minister governs the state, everything depends on sincerely winning the confidence of those above and below. Now, in divining this nobleman’s fortunes, the fifth line was obtained. Its text says, “Influence in the back flesh.” The back flesh means the place of the spine: the front is yang and the back yin. Between heart and back, yin and yang respond to each other, just as pain and tenderness are connected. This nobleman is deeply concerned by the people’s hardships and naturally carries their suffering in his heart; he cannot regard them with emotional distance. He will surely have no remorse. In his later years, he is destined to reach the longevity of a venerable elder; his blessings will be beyond measure. The Commentary on the Image says “the intent is at the end,” meaning that for now his aspirations have not yet become bright and great.

Six at the top: Influence in the jaw, cheeks, and tongue.

The Commentary on the Image says: “Influence in the jaw, cheeks, and tongue”—giving free rein to empty talk.

The “jaw” is the inside of the cheek, while the “cheek” is its outer surface. The tongue lies within the mouth; when the tongue moves, the jaw and cheeks follow it. This line is yielding and not centered, occupies the extreme end of the hexagram, and lies close to the honored position. It represents one who uses slanderous speech solely to mislead the ruler. Such a clever, flattering petty person is deeply hated by the sages. Therefore no explicit statement of misfortune is attached to the line; its misfortune is evident by itself. The Commentary on the Image says “giving free rein to empty talk.” “Giving free rein” means opening the mouth and displaying one’s eloquence; some say it means emptiness, signifying a lack of sincerity, merely boasting and exaggerating with hollow words to deceive the world. The Way of Influence has become shallow.

　　[Divination]
○ War: Beware of spies conducting surveillance.


○ Business: Beware of trouble caused by disputes and slander.

○ Career and reputation: You may present plans and proposals, and should be summoned for employment.

○ Residence: The members of the household are not harmonious, and quarrels will arise.

○ Illness: Muttering and delirious speech indicate that the mind and spirit are unsettled; prayers are advisable.

○ Marriage: The words of the intermediary cannot yet be trusted completely.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

【Example】 In the twenty-fifth year of the Meiji era, Sato Shozo, a member of the House of Representatives from Iwaki County, came and said: “A proposal to revise the land tax has now arisen, and the prefectures of Oshu and Uetsu have already compiled the sections concerning land-tax increases. However, in our county the soil is poor, and increasing the land tax seems very inappropriate. Please divine the result of the House’s deliberations.” The casting produced Influence changing to Retreat.

The judgment says: Lake represents the mouth; the jaw, cheeks, and tongue are all used for speech, providing confirmation of the parliamentary debate. You asked about an increase in the land tax and obtained the top line of Influence. Influence means mutual response: whenever a proposal is made, it must be communicated sincerely and directly between those above and below for the matter to proceed without obstruction. Here, however, they merely compete with empty talk and offer no real benefit. How could this possibly make the people comply? Later Mr. Sato came to thank me, saying: “The I Ching’s judgment was truly not in vain!”