Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 46 Earth over Wind, Rising: Great success. It is beneficial to meet the great person; do not worry. Campaigning southward is auspicious.

Rising: Great success. It is beneficial to meet the great person; do not worry. Campaigning southward is auspicious.

46 Earth over Wind, Rising

The structure of the hexagram is Kun above and Xun below. According to the calendrical positions, Kun is at Wei, which belongs to earth, hence Kun represents earth. Xun is at Si, above which lies Zhen, and Zhen governs wind, hence Xun represents wind. Lu Ji said, “Wind is the qi of earth.” Xun is generated by Kun, so wind rises from the earth—precisely what Zhuangzi meant by “The Great Clod exhales its qi; its name is wind.” With wind below the earth and earth above, wind apparently rises from beneath the ground and in an instant travels through the heavens; this is the image of Rising. Rising is the hexagram of the twelfth month: yin qi condenses below and yang qi ascends above. This is its season. That is why this hexagram is called Earth over Wind, Rising.

Rising［47］: Great success. It is beneficial to meet the great person; do not worry［48］. Campaigning southward is auspicious.



▲ Bronze inscription: Rising



▲ Seal script: Rising

The hexagram image consists of Xun rising into Kun, hence it is called Rising. Xun originally means “small success”; “great” comes from Kun’s “greatness.” Having obtained the qi of Kun’s greatness, it is therefore called “great success.” “The great person” refers to the second line. The Commentary on Xun says “beneficial to meet,” whereas this says “usefully meet”: without rising, one cannot meet; only by rising can one be seen. Therefore it says “usefully meet.” Once one meets the great person, the great person will surely rise together with him, so there is naturally no worry. “Campaigning southward” means emerging from darkness and entering brightness. Xun’s movement toward Kun and Kun’s movement toward Xun must both pass through the south. Just as the sun and moon rise by moving southward, while when they descend they travel northward; hence “campaigning southward is auspicious.”

The Tuan Commentary says: The yielding rises at the proper time; compliant and harmonious, with firmness centered and responsive. Therefore there is great success. It is beneficial to meet the great person; do not worry—there will be celebration. Campaigning southward is auspicious—the aspiration is carried out.

Xun occupies Si and Kun occupies Shen. Its ascent takes time and advances gradually; hence “the yielding rises at the proper time.” Yin begins in Xun and ends in Kun; nothing is softer than Xun. The Tuan Commentary of Xun says “the yielding follows the firm,” and that of Kun says “the yielding follows, benefiting constancy”; this is what is meant by “compliant and harmonious.” The second line is the ruler of Rising. It is firm and centered, and lines two and five correspond; this is “firmness centered and responsive,” so its success is great. According to the royal regulations, people were promoted through the Ministers of Education and War, both offices belonging to great persons; thus one could “usefully meet” them and “not worry.” The yielding relies on the firm and stands upon it. At the beginning, gaining the second line makes the foundation of Rising more secure, and the way of Rising then becomes successful; hence “there will be celebration.” Yang is called celebration, and the celebration is at the first line. Xun belongs to the southeast and Kun to the southwest. Rising from below to above must pass through Li in the south before reaching Kun. The south is the direction of yang brightness, hence “campaigning southward is auspicious.” Rising after obtaining this auspiciousness fulfills the aspiration; hence “the aspiration is carried out.”

Applied to human affairs, this hexagram represents the constrained seeking extension and the impoverished seeking advancement. Yet constriction and release, poverty and attainment each have their proper time. Firmness governs movement, yielding governs stillness; “the yielding rises at the proper time” means one should remain still and wait for the time. Xun is yielding, and Kun is also yielding. Without firmness to generate its energy, the yielding and weak cannot establish itself; how could it rise? Therefore it must respond to centered firmness. Only then can the yielding rely on firmness in order to stand—this is what the Tuan Commentary of Xun means by “the firm is compliant with the centered and correct, and the aspiration is carried out.” Its success may truly be called great. Anyone seeking advancement must rely on a great person to guide him first, lead him forward, elevate him, and employ him; all of this depends on the great person’s power. Yet one must first meet him, and only afterward gain his recognition. “Usefully meet” means advancing to present oneself; whether one will be promoted is not yet known, so it does not say “beneficial to meet.” Yet meeting at the proper time must lead to rising at the proper time, and there should be celebration; thus there is no need for worry. In the past, Lü Wang met King Wen south of the Wei River, and Zhuge Liang met the First Ruler at Nanyang. The auspiciousness of campaigning southward is proven by these examples. The heroes of the Three Dynasties attained their aspirations, and the operation of the Great Way was the success of human affairs. Xun is wind and Kun is function; this is precisely the time when wind and clouds meet, and when what is employed can be put into action.

Applied to the state, Rising means peace and prosperity: the Way and virtue are both flourishing, and the nation is at the height of its prosperity. This hexagram comes from Gathering Together. Gathering Together means gaining the people; gaining the people means governing the country well; governing the country well leads to peace throughout the realm. This is the great success of the Way of governance, and therefore Rising says “great success.” Yet periods of order and disorder alternate, determined by the times. If the time is not yet ripe for rising, one should remain still and wait, not advance rashly. “Compliant and harmonious” means Kun complying and supporting Heaven; “firmness centered and responsive” means Xun’s firmness responding to the time. When the time is gained, the worthy and capable rise to office, outstanding talents are promoted beyond their station, and they ascend the steps to the Son of Heaven, spreading an enduring transformation of peace and purity. Ruler and ministers share one virtue; good customs spread like the wind. This depends on setting the time right. “The great person” is the great person who reverently governs facing south. When he rules under the sun, the scholars of the realm all cherish their talents and hope that merely meeting him will be an honor. Then scholars have no fear of rejection, and the court has the celebration of having found worthy people. The Commentary on the Trigrams says, “The sovereign emerges from Zhen, is brought into order by Xun, and meets in Li.” Li is the southern direction, hence “campaigning southward is auspicious.” The hexagram has lines two and five as centered firmness in mutual response. The second says “there is joy,” and the fifth says “greatly fulfilling the aspiration”; from this one can see the image of a peaceful age governed by the Way for ten thousand years.

Viewed as a whole, this hexagram takes its name from earth and wind, while its image is drawn from earth and wood: wind rises from the earth, and wood emerges from the earth; Xun is wind and also wood, and wood and wind are alike in constituting Sheng. Sheng is the inverse of Cui. In Cui, Kun lies below, representing the masses; in Sheng, one is raised from among the masses and ascends above the people. This is the ancient system of selecting the outstanding and promoting them, so the inverse of Cui is Sheng. The Tuan Commentary says “to present oneself” and “to set forth, auspicious,” meaning that a worthy scholar, cherishing the Way and virtue, gladly offers himself for the world’s use; it says “great success” and “there will be celebration,” meaning that when the court appoints eminent talents, harmony can be achieved in the age. The one who goes to present himself is the scholar; the one who raises and employs him is the great person. Thus the scholar’s auspiciousness is the great person’s auspiciousness, and the great person’s “celebration” is likewise the scholar’s celebration. The yielding relies on the firm and can stand; with the will receiving Kun, it proceeds. The Commentary on the Image says, “Accumulate the small to make the high and great.” It is like climbing high: one must begin from low ground and ascend; it is like climbing steps: one must advance from below. Thus, the further one rises, the higher one goes. Its central principle lies solely in “the yielding rising at the proper time.” To act before the time is rash; to act after the time brings regret. Both miss the way of advancing through Sheng. When a scholar emerges to serve the world, discerning the time is of utmost importance. The Zhouyi was composed largely around the transition from Yin to Zhou. The Zhou house’s transformation through kingship began with the two southern odes; the reference to setting forth southward is clear evidence of this. The three inner lines form Xun: the first “unites in purpose,” the second “has joy,” and the third has no doubt. This means that Sheng has found the right person and the right way. The three outer lines form Kun: the fourth says “the mountain,” the fifth “the steps,” and the sixth “the darkness.” This means that Sheng has its proper place and proper time. In summary, the second is the great person, and the fifth responds to it, so one ascends the steps to present oneself; the first receives approval and auspiciousness, and the fourth responds to it, so one serves with reverence and obedience; the third can still rise, while the sixth responds to it, showing that its ascent has reached its limit. The structure of the hexagram is yielding in both Kun and Xun. Like a tree just emerging, its branches are soft; once its trunk shoots straight into the sky, it naturally becomes firm and vigorous, refusing to bend. This is what is meant by “yielding and compliant, firm within and responsive.”

The Great Image says: Wood grows within the earth: Sheng. Thus the junzi accords with virtue, accumulating the small to make the high and great.

A tree growing within the earth is tiny when its sprout first appears. By the time it blocks the sun and reaches the sky, its height and size are beyond measure; it must have accumulated through countless years to reach that point. Following virtue reaches its utmost in Kun. Xun’s yielding is below and Kun’s compliance is above; rising from Xun to Kun cannot happen without accumulation. The junzi models this: following virtue, accumulating the small to make the high and great, so virtue must renew and flourish day by day. What ordinary people use to grow trees is what the junzi uses to establish virtue.

　　[Divination]
○ Asking about timing and fortune: You have the vital energy of spring growth; your fortunes should advance and prosper day by day.


○ Asking about recognition and office: There is an image of rising high in the near future.

○ Asking about business: By accumulating even tiny amounts, you can gradually become a wealthy and substantial household.

○ Asking about military campaigns: Arrange wooden ladders across level ground so that you can climb high and attack the city.

○ Asking about marriage: Obedience is a wife’s virtue; there is an image of making a concubine the principal wife.

○ Asking about the household: This residence was small and low at first, but it will soon be rebuilt into a large mansion.

○ Asking about illness: This is a liver-wood condition flourishing in spring. If the qi is not harmonized and the body is not given spacious rest, it will grow heavier day by day and may become quite dangerous.

○ Asking about commodity prices: There is an image of prices steadily rising.

○ Asking about the autumn harvest: The wind and rain will be well balanced, and the grain harvest will be abundant.

○ Asking about a traveler: The journey will have favorable winds, and savings will also be quite substantial.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

Six at the beginning: Approved for rising; greatly auspicious.

The Commentary on the Image says: “Approved for rising; greatly auspicious”—those above unite in purpose.

The first line occupies the beginning of Sheng and is the ruling line of Xun. Sheng means rising from below, while the one who approves that rising is above. When those above approve the ascent, the purpose of Sheng is fulfilled. The upper nuclear trigram is Zhen; Zhen is thunder emerging from the earth, whose sound is heard for a hundred miles, an image of rising. Rising from below and receiving approval above means shared purpose and accord in the Way—nothing could be more auspicious. In Jin, the third line says “the multitude approves,” trusted by the two yielding lines below; in Sheng, the first line says “approved for rising,” trusted by the two firm lines above. When yielding trusts yielding, regret merely disappears; when yielding trusts firmness, great auspiciousness is obtained.

　　[Divination]
○ Asking about timing and fortune: Your fortunes are greatly favorable; in seeking fame or profit, everything will accord with your wishes. Greatly auspicious.


○ Asking about recognition and office: You will achieve fame at a single stroke. Greatly auspicious.

○ Asking about business: Commodity prices will rise sharply, bringing substantial profit.

○ Asking about military campaigns: Climb high to observe and learn the enemy’s situation; victory can be gained in one battle. Greatly auspicious.

○ Asking about marriage: The two families consent and unite. Greatly auspicious.

○ Asking about the household: There is an omen of leaving the valley and moving to a lofty place. Auspicious.

○ Asking about illness: The line image is fundamentally auspicious, but for illness it alone is not a good omen; only disorders such as diarrhea and sinking collapse are favorable.

○ Asking about litigation: Appeal to a higher authority. Auspicious.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Example] A certain gentleman came to ask about his fortunes and received Sheng changing to Tai.

The judgment says: The hexagram image takes “wood growing within the earth.” Receiving the qi of spring, the wood’s branches and leaves grow vigorously, gradually increasing and enlarging. This is like a person whose fortunes meet the right time and who gradually enters favorable circumstances. You have obtained the first line, so this is the beginning of the cycle. Sheng means rising from below to above; approval means that what I seek is granted. When Sheng receives approval, its purpose is fulfilled and its way can be carried out. With this for one’s fortunes, whatever is sought or planned, in fame or profit, will all “accord with one’s purpose.” This is a greatly auspicious divination.

Nine in the second place: With sincerity, it is advantageous to make a modest offering. No blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: The sincerity of Nine in the second place brings joy.

The second line is in the center of Xun and fully possesses the virtue of firmness in the center; it is the “great person” who is “used to present oneself.” The first line wishes to rise to the fifth, but must first pass through the second and seek its trust. In ancient times, when seeking worthy people and examining officials, once the right person was found, the matter was reported to the ancestral temple. Since the second line already trusted the first line’s ascent, it especially undertook purification and presented the candidate. The upper nuclear trigram is Zhen, and Zhen represents sacrifice, hence “make a modest offering.” Xun corresponds to the first month of summer, and the modest offering is the summer sacrifice. “Make a modest offering” takes the meaning of “the yielding rising at the proper time.” It is a light form of sacrifice, but when one sincerely seeks advancement, even a small offering inspires trust; sincerity matters, not the object. Hence “no blame.” The Commentary on the Image says “there is joy,” exactly what the Tuan Commentary calls “there will be celebration.” In Cui, Six in the second place, yielding, responds to the firm fifth; in Sheng, Nine in the second place, firm, responds to the yielding fifth. Their sincere mutual responsiveness is the same, so both line images say “make a modest offering,” and both say “no blame.”

　　[Divination]
○ Asking about timing and fortune: Your fortunes are balanced and favorable; a joyful event is sure to arrive at your door.


○ Asking about business: Commerce depends entirely on trustworthiness. With trust in buying, selling, imports, and exports, without fraud or anxiety, it can naturally endure and also bring profit.

○ Asking about recognition and office: There will certainly be an official notice of good news.

○ Asking about military campaigns: Before sending out troops one must sacrifice; trust is essential in military affairs. Once trust is secured, the three armies are of one mind, and no battle will be lost.

○ Asking about marriage: The second and fifth lines trust one another; yin and yang unite in virtue. Great joy.

○ Asking about the household: It is chiefly an omen of joy.

○ Asked about illness: Prayers are advisable.

○ Asked about pregnancy: A boy will be born in an odd-numbered month; a girl in an even-numbered month.

[Example] A friend came to ask about his fortunes and received Sheng changing to Qian.

The judgment says: Sheng means rising from below to above, with an image of accumulating the small to make the high and great. You have asked about your fortunes and obtained the second line. The second line is firm and centered, the great person within the hexagram. “Sincerity” means trust; with trust, not only do those above and below communicate, even spirits can be moved to respond. From this line image, I know that you have long been known for trust and loyalty. Among friends and between those above and below, you form bonds of trust with everyone. Thus you obtain “no blame,” and in addition there is soon an auspicious sign of rising and flourishing.

[Example] In 1896, a certain eminent person came to ask whether establishing an agricultural and industrial bank would succeed, and received Sheng changing to Qian.

The judgment says: The hexagram has Kun above and Xun below. Kun represents wealth and riches; Xun represents commerce and profit. In the Five Phases, what I overcome is wealth. Xun wood overcomes Kun earth, and earth is wealth. Sheng means accumulating the small to make the high and great, an image of gradual progress and growth. The eminent gentleman now asks about establishing a bank business and has obtained the second line. Its statement says “sincerity”; sincerity means trust, and trust is most important in trading gold and silver. “Advantageous to use” means beneficial for use. The “Six Storehouses” chapter of the Great Plan says, “The heart is called advantageous use”; this is precisely the meaning. According to this line statement, the bank will certainly be established, and there is also an auspicious sign.

Nine in the third place: Rising into an empty city.

The Commentary on the Image says: Rising into an empty city—there is nothing to doubt.

The third line of Sheng is the end of Xun and the beginning of Kun. Kun represents emptiness and also a city, hence “rising into an empty city.” The Shuowen says: “Xu means a great mound. Nine households make a well, four wells make a settlement, and four settlements make a mound.” A mound is called xu. The Poetry says, “I ascend that mound”; xu means an abandoned site. An abandoned site is an open elevated place. From well one rises to settlement, and from settlement one rises to mound, clearly showing “accumulating the small to make the high and great.” Having passed repeated trials and hardships, one handles responsibilities with ease; the territory expands and grows daily, while one’s position advances and rises daily. The Commentary on the Image says “there is nothing to doubt”; indeed, the third line’s rise shows that Sheng has found the task it can undertake. This is borne out by the Great King’s residence at Qi: in one year a settlement was formed, in two years a capital, and in three years it was five times its original size. The line’s references to rising to the mound and rising to the settlement presumably point to this. The images of the third, fourth, and fifth lines of Sheng all covertly refer to the affairs of the Zhou house.

　　[Divination]
○ Asking about timing and fortune: Your fortunes are currently just right, advancing and flourishing gradually.


○ Asking about business: In the marketplace, “taking advantage of the empty space” means gathering goods on vacant land and forming a market town; this shows commerce growing daily.

○ Asking about recognition and office: Sheng is inherently an image of development. At first there is “approval,” then “sincerity,” and by the third line one has already risen and is above; there is nothing to doubt.

○ Asking about military campaigns: After the ravages of war, the city is empty; “rising into an empty city” means capturing an abandoned city.

○ Asking about the household: There is an image of emptiness at first and material abundance later.

○ Asking about marriage: “An empty city” is like an empty room; not auspicious.

○ Asking about illness: It is certainly a condition of weakness.

○ Asked about a lost object: It will not be recovered.

○ Asking about pregnancy: Nine in the third place is a yang line; a boy will be born.

[Example] In 1883, a certain gentleman appointed county magistrate was about to take up his post and asked about the auspiciousness or danger of his administration. He received Sheng changing to Shi.

The judgment says: “An empty city” is a desolate place with sparse inhabitants, exceedingly difficult to govern. Without talent capable of handling deeply rooted complications, it would not be easy to bear the responsibility. You have just been appointed administrator of a certain district and are about to take office. With your practiced and capable talent governing this long-declining district, you will certainly be able to manage complicated affairs and accomplish what others find difficult. You will handle matters with ease, beyond doubt. You may trust this.

[Example] In the fifth month of 1895, a divination was conducted on whether the reclamation of the Libie wilderness in the Tokachi province of Hokkaido would succeed. The result was Sheng changing to Shi.

The judgment says: The line statement and divination image correspond perfectly and may be called profoundly apt and clear. “An empty city” means uncultivated land; “rising into an empty city” means opening up wasteland and turning it into a settlement. At first, the ascent is approved, meaning that those undertaking the reclamation share the same purpose. Next, the ascent is trusted, meaning that those undertaking the reclamation will certainly “have joy.” By the third line, the ascent has already been accomplished. Although the undertaking is difficult, there is no reason to doubt; its success is certain.

[Example] In 1898, a divination was conducted on the fortunes of the Ministry of Justice. The result was Sheng changing to Shi.

The judgment says: The Image says to accumulate the small to make the high and great. Whenever moral transformation rises day by day, and government and education advance and strengthen day by day, all this is Sheng. The divination now concerns the Ministry of Justice, which wishes to revise and establish fair and enlightened laws in preparation for mixed residence in the interior, and it has obtained the third line of Sheng. To possess a city but not govern it is called “an empty city”; to possess laws but not implement them is likewise to have empty laws. Now the Ministry of Justice has newly promulgated laws and will implement them in the interior. This is making the empty mound substantial. Once this order is put into effect, there will certainly be no obstruction or cause for doubt.

Six in the fourth place: The king makes an offering at Mount Qi. Auspicious; no blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: The king makes an offering at Mount Qi—this is conducting affairs with compliance.

Mount Qi was the birthplace of Zhou’s prosperity. The Great King moved there, and King Wen brought it peace. At that time, sacrifices were reported to the lofty mountains; Mount Qi must certainly have been among them. The Son of Heaven sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, while the feudal lords sacrifice to the mountains and rivers within their domains. “Making an offering at Mount Qi” means that Mount Qi lay within Zhou territory and that the early kings of Zhou personally presided over its sacrifice. Calling him king refers to the posthumous elevation of his title. At the beginning, the move to Mount Qi was made to escape the Di. From there, through accumulating the small to make the high and great, it became the foundation of the royal enterprise. What could be more auspicious! The Commentary on the Image explains it as “conducting affairs with compliance,” covertly indicating King Wen’s sincere service: he followed virtue and had no second thought. This is the unspoken meaning of the Duke of Zhou; it becomes clear when the preceding and following line images are considered together.

　　[Divination]
○ Asking about timing and fortune: Matters proceed smoothly; auspicious and without blame.


○ Asking about military campaigns: In ancient times, before battle people prayed for victory to the Supreme God and then engaged the enemy; this is the meaning of making an offering. After offering and then fighting, victory is certain. Auspicious.

○ Asking about business: Goods are produced mostly from mountains, forests, rivers, and valleys. According to sacrificial regulations, the people must sacrifice to whatever provides them with wealth and means. This means that sacrifice brings profit. Auspicious.

○ Asking about recognition and office: “Making an offering at Mount Qi” means changing from a marquis to a king—an omen of great auspiciousness.

○ Asking about the household: It is appropriate to sacrifice and report to the household deity. Auspicious.

○ Asked about illness: Prayers are advisable.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Example] A merchant came to ask about his fortunes and received Sheng changing to Heng.

The judgment says: All the lines of Sheng speak of rising, except the second and fourth, which do not mention rising; their meaning is instead drawn from sacrificial offerings, indicating that when people wish to rise and prosper, they must first seek the protection of the spirits. The fourth line says, “The king makes an offering at Mount Qi.” Mount Qi was where the Great King escaped the Di; prosperity and flourishing gradually increased, greatly opening the realm, and it became the beginning of the Zhou house’s royal fortune. You have obtained this line, so I know your fortunes are unobstructed and favorable, like the morning sun rising in the east and growing higher step by step. Your financial fortunes will prosper. Although this is due to the precision of your plans, it also owes something to divine assistance. You should purify yourself and pray for it. Auspicious.

Six in the fifth place: Constancy is auspicious; rising by the steps.

The Commentary on the Image says: Constancy is auspicious; rising by the steps—one’s purpose is greatly fulfilled.

The fifth line, embodying Kun’s virtue and occupying the center, holds a position of utmost honor. It alone fulfills what the Commentary on the Image says: “The noble person follows virtue, accumulating the small to make the high and great.” “Steps” means the stairway of the Son of Heaven; ascending the steps signifies the highest honor. Yet if one is not upright, one becomes Xin Mang or Cao Cao—how could that be auspicious? Throughout antiquity, only someone like the great Shun, with the worthy Yao living humbly below and being brought to public notice from obscurity until he was commanded to ascend the imperial throne, could fit the line “Uprightness brings good fortune” and the Image’s “greatly attaining one’s aspirations.” The intent of the I Ching, however, covertly points to the matter of the Earl of Zhou, who began with a fief of a hundred li and ultimately received the Mandate of Zhou.

　　[Divination]
○ Query about current fortune: Your lifelong aspirations will all be fulfilled; this is a sign of great good fortune.


○ Query about fame and office: You are ascending step by step; honor and favor have reached their height.

○ Query about commerce: Five is the number of the center. In all ways of managing wealth, one should not overfill; attaining the middle is auspicious, hence “uprightness brings good fortune.”

○ Query about warfare: In attacking a city, ladders are necessarily used to climb high. The city can certainly be conquered, so it is auspicious.

○ Query about marriage: The fifth and second lines correspond. The line says “ascending the steps,” suggesting a marriage alliance with an eminent family; therefore the second line says “there is joy.”

○ Query about illness: Sheng means increase; illness should not increase. The steps of disorder and the steps of danger are both unfavorable signs.

○ Query about litigation: Litigation is inherently an ominous matter, a step toward disaster. If one ascends that step, the lawsuit becomes even more ominous; how could it bring good fortune?

○ Query about a lost object: Look for it among the steps or on the landing.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] A certain person came and asked for a divination about his daughter’s fortune; the cast yielded Sheng changing to Jing.

The judgment said: Sheng means “the yielding rises in accordance with the time”; Sheng obtains its proper time, and therefore is auspicious. A person’s fortune likewise moves according to the time: with the right time things proceed smoothly, without it they go contrary. It is called the right time when the moment is suitable. You have now asked about your child’s course of fortune; I suppose it must concern marriage. The Book of Odes praises “waiting until the auspicious time,” referring to timely marriage. Steps mean advancement; “ascending the steps” means rising ever higher. This certainly indicates an engagement with a noble family and marriage upward, an extremely auspicious sign. I later heard that this girl indeed married into the family of an eminent gentleman.

Top six: Rising in darkness. It is beneficial to maintain unceasing perseverance.

The Commentary on the Image says: Rising in darkness at the top means depletion, not abundance.

The top line occupies the extreme of Kun; Sheng has risen to the top, and there is nowhere further to rise. It is like the sun’s ascent: it rises at dawn, reaches midday at noon, and sets in the evening. “Darkness” means dusk; Kun represents darkness, hence “rising in darkness.” “Unceasing” refers to the cycle of day and night: today the sun and moon set, tomorrow they rise again. Hence it says, “It is beneficial to maintain unceasing perseverance.” Kun says “perpetual perseverance,” which is precisely “unceasing perseverance.” In a person’s ascent, once the top is reached, rank and emolument are exhausted; the hun rises and the po disperses, returning to the realm of darkness. All the wealth, honor, advantage, and success enjoyed in life vanish into nothing. Only moral virtue, meritorious achievements, and an honored name can be handed down without end. Thus the Commentary on the Image explains it as “depletion, not abundance”—that is what this means.

　　[Divination]
○ Query about current fortune: Your good luck has passed; await a later cycle of fortune to return, and benefit may then be gained.


○ Query about warfare: This shows an army advancing at night and mistakenly entering a secluded valley. It is beneficial to rest; one can leave the danger after daybreak.

○ Query about commerce: Guard against the danger of losing both people and property.

○ Query about fame and office: Sheng has reached the top; fame and office are already manifest. Guard against decline after death.

○ Query about marriage: You may not grow old together.

○ Query about the household: The household’s fortune has passed its peak and must decline.

○ Query about illness: The overall image is unfavorable. “Rising in darkness” means the hun rises to Heaven.

○ Query about pregnancy: A girl will be born, but she may not survive.

[Case] In the twenty-fourth year of Meiji, the nation’s fortune was divined, and Sheng changing to Gu was obtained.

The judgment said: In terms of the hexagram’s structure, Kun is above and Xun below. Rising from Xun to Kun, Sheng has reached the sixth line, and Kun’s position has ended; there is nowhere further to rise. This divination concerns the nation’s fortune. Obtaining Sheng’s top line indicates that since the Restoration, our country has completely reformed its old political system and followed European and American methods, hoping to take their strengths, remedy our weaknesses, and advance daily toward wealth and power. At that time, young men were sent to study in Europe and America to learn their literature, languages, education, government, and customs. After completing three years of study and returning home, they were immediately promoted to positions such as master and doctor, and made to teach the young people at home. The method was not without merit, and the intention was not bad. Yet these students, who had not been well versed in our country’s former political and educational traditions, had only seen the superficial aspects of foreign education. They instead strutted about in self-satisfaction and looked down on experienced elders. Among what were called progressive fields, the navy and army advanced rapidly and certainly had points worth adopting; but when taken to the ultimate foundations of education and of the body and mind, the benefits ultimately seemed outweighed by the harms, which is lamentable. More than twenty years have passed since the Restoration. The progress of Sheng may be reckoned to have reached the top line. “Rising in darkness” means that the sun is already near setting and cannot rise again; its benefit lies in “unceasing perseverance.” “Unceasing” means departing and returning, revolving without end. This says that, in matters concerning our country’s political fortune, whatever is bad in the new system should be turned back toward our former policies. Returning is again Sheng—like the sun setting and rising again, darkness giving way to brightness. This is what is meant by “unceasing perseverance.” This is “benefit”; this is “perseverance.”