Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 56 Huo Shan Lu (Volcano Traveling), Lu: Small progress/success. Perseverance in wandering brings good fortune.

Lu: Small success. Perseverance in wandering brings good fortune.

56 Huo Shan Lu (Volcano Traveling)

As a hexagram, it has Gen inside and Li outside. Gen is mountain; Li is fire. A mountain has a master and remains constant, while fire attaches itself and is unsettled. That which is constant symbolizes the dwelling place; that which is unsettled symbolizes the traveler staying there. "Li means attaching" and departing—leaving one's home and attaching oneself outside. This is why the hexagram is named Lu (Traveling).

Lu: Small success. Perseverance in wandering brings good fortune.




Lu means wandering and travel. When a person loses their original home and stays in a strange land, traveling far to foreign nations, it was a tragedy lamented by ancients. How could one expect great success and rectitude! One can only seek a place to rely upon, sufficient to sustain oneself; this is the "small success" of wandering. The "perseverance and good fortune" in Lu resides right here; hence it says "perseverance in wandering brings good fortune."

The Tuan Commentary says: Lu: Small success. The yielding line obtains the central place on the outside and accords with the firm; it stops and adheres to brightness. Therefore, there is small success, and perseverance in wandering brings good fortune. Great indeed is the timely meaning of Lu!

The Commentary on the Sequence of Hexagrams says: "Feng means greatness. Reaching the limit of greatness inevitably causes one to lose one's dwelling; hence it is followed by Lu. Lu means a crowd or traveler." A crowd being outside is called Lu. With three Yangs and three Yins, this hexagram derives from Qian and Kun. Line 3 of Kun moves up to line 5 of Qian, transforming into Li, acting as the ruler of the outer hexagram; line 5 of Qian moves down to line 3 of Kun, transforming into Gen, acting as the ruler of the inner hexagram. Gen's stillness serves as the substance, and Li's brightness serves as the function. Stopping allows one to find one's proper place; brightness allows one to know where to go. Thus one need not fear losing one's home from extreme greatness. The reasons for "small success" and "perseverance brings good fortune" lie in yielding and "according with the firm," meaning firmness does not conflict with things, and yielding does not harm oneself; "stopping and adhering to brightness" means stopping to attain composure and being bright enough to observe clearly. The correct Way of Lu lies right here; thus one achieves "small success" and obtains good fortune through perseverance. Ancient scholarship was mostly gained through travel and experience; what was heard by ear and seen by eye was all sufficient to broaden knowledge. Hence it is said: "Great indeed is the timely meaning of Lu."

Applying this hexagram to human affairs: A man's birth is like carrying a mulberry bow and mugwort arrows to shoot in four directions, representing ambition reaching everywhere. Thus scholars travel with books and merchants carry goods far away. Anyone with a skill or art travels to distant places to seek a living. Traveling is a common part of human affairs. Departing from parents and hometown, feeling lonely with no friends and filled with self-pity—it is not surprising if one encounters hardship and lack of success. If one desires success in a state of adversity, the only way is to navigate the world with gentleness and observe opportunities with bright discernment. Gentleness breeds pleasing affection without conflict; brightness fosters honest interaction without deceit. Even if one cannot gain greatly, one can achieve "small success"; the so-called "perseverance and good fortune" lies right here. Those who fail to achieve rectitude in traveling suffer from either excess firmness or lack of discernment. Excess firmness breeds arrogance, preventing harmony with the crowd; lack of discernment breeds ignorance, leaving one unable to protect oneself, bringing the Way of Lu to an end. The Tuan Commentary says "yielding and according with the firm, stopping and adhering to brightness"; what is valued is the balance of firmness and gentleness, and the mutual support of brightness and stillness. Achieving success through this is also obtaining good fortune through this. In life's interactions, coming and going are all the time of Lu; every motion and stillness carries the meaning of Lu. The Emperor has temporary residences, feudal lords attend court assemblies, scholar-officials travel across borders, and farmers cross field boundaries—all these are Lu. How could the time and meaning of Lu not be of great significance?

Applying this hexagram to the nation: The priority of a nation lies first in financial resources, and the means to circulate wealth relies solely on merchants and travelers. Duanmu Ci traveled with horses and carriages, and Guan Yiwu managed mountains and seas to enrich the state—both opened up sources of commerce and travel. Therefore, those good at planning national wealth and strength must consider the benefits of domestic and international transportation, expand sea and land routes, facilitate shipping and vehicles, and collect prosperous profits. Thus financial resources flow smoothly, while travelers labor accordingly. When host officials maintain guesthouses for travelers and workers suffer no grief of losing their way, travelers can find peace. The Commentary on the Great Image says "fire on the mountain": where firelight shines, those near receive its light and those far see its brightness. This metaphor for merchants implies that brightness can expose deceit, ensuring honesty near and far; hence "Lu brings small success; perseverance in wandering brings good fortune." Valuing wealth over separation is how merchants make a living; levying a ten-percent tax and trading goods is how the court enriches itself. In modern times, European and American nations base national revenue heavily on commerce; thus sea borders are widely opened, foreign ships converge, markets are established on isolated islands, and traders from all corners gather. The Way of commerce and travel reaches its peak here. The I Ching foresaw this, hence saying: "Great indeed is the timely meaning of Lu!"

Viewing the entire hexagram: Gen (mountain) stops within, and Li (fire) shines brightly outside. The lower trigram is the image of a traveler journeying far; the upper trigram is the image of temporary lodgings. The nuclear hexagram contains Daguo (Great Exceeding), symbolizing arduous travel across land and water. Among the six lines, "suo" (place), "ci" (inn), "chu" (dwelling), and "chao" (nest) each refer to a location; "zai" (disaster), "fen" (burning), "sang" (loss), and "wang" (demise) each represent a loss; "huai" (cherish/carry), "de" (gain), and "yu" (praise) each represent a gain. Generally, travelers should be gentle and harmonized with the crowd, rather than rigid and self-reliant. Thus, in the six lines, yielding brings good fortune while firmness brings misfortune. Line 1 is yielding at the bottom, representing a humble traveler; line 2 is yielding and central, gaining both; line 3 is overly firm, causing loss; line 4 is firm in a yielding position, gaining but unhappy; line 5 is yielding and central, spending little to gain much; line 6 is firm at the top, suffering severe loss and misfortune. This hexagram is the opposite of Feng: gathering forms Feng, while scattering forms Lu. Traveling and being able to stop represents lodging outside; traveling and meeting brightness represents choosing the right ground to tread upon. In short, brightness brings praise and darkness brings disaster; gain comes from yielding and loss comes from firmness; laughter and weeping are dictated by time; perseverance and danger depend on moral duty. The restless travels of sages are undertaken for the Dao; the bustling movements of ordinary people are pursued for profit. Are these not both traveling? The actions are similar, but their significance is entirely different.

The Commentary on the Great Image says: Fire on the mountain: Lu. The noble person, with clarity and caution, executes punishments and does not delay lawsuits.

"Fire on the mountain" forms a pair with "fire below the mountain" in Hexagram Bi (Grace). Gen is mountain, Li is fire; there is an image of fire burning the mountain. Wildfire burns across the mountain, passing through without lingering. The noble person adopts this image to hear lawsuits, deciding them swiftly with a few words, hence "does not delay lawsuits." Clarity takes after Li's illumination; caution models after Gen's stopping. Enforcing laws as immovably as a mountain and illuminating evil as unobstructedly as fire—executing punishments in this way ensures no unjust convictions. The upper nuclear trigram is Dui, and Dui represents penalizing people, hence "executes punishments." The reversed hexagram is Feng, whose image represents "deciding lawsuits," hence "does not delay lawsuits."

　　[Divination]
Divination on Fortune: Fortune is not yet at its peak; one should observe clearly and guard cautiously. Even if disaster occurs, it can be quickly resolved.


Divination on Business: Suitable for outward transport and trade, selling items as they arrive without hoarding them.

Divination on Career/Fame: Fire on the mountain has the image of brightness shining far; promotion is imminent.

Divination on Military Campaigns: Fire attacks must be used.

Divination on Household: Beware of fire hazards.

Divination on Marriage: Can be concluded within days.

Divination on Illness: It is an ailment of flaring liver fire; the condition is perilous, with life and death at stake. Exercise extreme caution.

Divination on Lawsuits: Can be settled immediately.

○ Asking about a traveler: The person will return at once.

Divination on Pregnancy: A girl will be born in the first half of the month; a boy in the second half.

Initial Six: The traveler is preoccupied with petty trifles, leaving their lodging and attracting disaster upon themselves.

The Commentary on the Image says: "The traveler is preoccupied with petty trifles": the ambition is exhausted, leading to disaster.

Initial Six resides at the lowest position of the hexagram, representing someone just starting as a traveler. "Suosuo" means petty or small. "Si" means depart, according to Erya. "Suo" means place of residence, as in the Classic of Poetry's "attaining my place"; together with line 2 and 3's "ci" (inn) and line 4's "chu" (dwelling), all refer to lodgings. "Leaving their lodging" means that while traveling, due to petty disputes, one ends up departing from one's lodging. The Commentary on the Sequence of Hexagrams says "traveling with nowhere to stay"; leaving one's place leaves no room to be accommodated, hence "attracting disaster," meaning disaster is self-inflicted. The Commentary attributes this to "exhaustion of ambition": because one haggles over petty matters and departs upon the slightest discontent, not only is the travel exhausted, but the ambition is also exhausted. Exhaustion invites disaster; hence it says "ambition is exhausted, leading to disaster."

　　[Divination]
Divination on Fortune: Humble origins and low fortune; traveling alone as a stranger makes it difficult to gain profit.


Divination on Business: Capital is meager and livelihood is humble; disaster is hard to avoid.

Divination on Career/Fame: Even if attained, it will be low/humble.

Divination on Military Campaigns: A "lu" traditionally numbers five hundred men; military strength is thin and weak, bound for defeat without victory.

Divination on Household: The location is cramped and dirty, clearly a humble household. Caution can avoid disaster.

Divination on Marriage: The Classic of Poetry says "petty in-laws bring no noble posts," indicating this is not a prominent or wealthy family.

Divination on Illness: There are minor regrets or mishaps; curable if caught early.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

[Case Study] A friend visited and asked for a divination on his fortune. He cast the Hexagram Lu (Traveling) changing to Li (Clinging).

Judgment says: Lu means traveling as a stranger in distant lands, alone without relatives. The line imagery considers yielding as good fortune and firmness as misfortune, because only gentleness and harmony with the crowd prevent isolation. Line 1 represents traveling for the first time; "suosuo" means petty, referring to a narrow-minded attitude haggling over tiny bits, thereby bringing disaster upon oneself. Now you divine your fortune and receive this line statement. Life is like a temporary stay, and heaven and earth are inherently a guest house. Distributing wealth to harmonize with the crowd makes everyone in the four seas your brother; hoarding wealth to incur hatred turns a smooth path into thorns. If a person is petty and narrow-minded, chasing only profit, they will eventually have nowhere to stay—the so-called "traveling with nowhere to be accommodated"—and disaster will be inevitable. You should be broad-minded and forgiving, not stingy with money, not incurring resentment, and dealing with the world pleasantly. As the saying goes: "If your words are loyal and faithful and your actions are sincere and respectful, you can travel even among barbarian lands."

Six at Second: The traveler arrives at the inn, carries money, and gains the loyalty of servants.

The Commentary on the Image says: "Gains the loyalty of servants": in the end, there will be no blame.

"Ji" means arriving or approaching; "ci" means lodging/inn; "zi" means money and goods. The young are servants (tong) and the strong are attendants (pu); Gen represents young servants/attendants, hence "tongpu." Li represents funds/assets, hence "carrying money." Line 2 is yielding, central, and correct, carrying the image of "arriving at the inn." Being empty and receiving reality gives the image of "carrying money." Being gentle and compliant enables servants to be faithful and loyal. All three aspects find convenience and advantage. Internally, one does not lose oneself, so one is at peace; externally, one does not alienate others, so everyone cooperates. All this stems from the virtue of gentle, central, and correct behavior. Hence it says: "The traveler arrives at the inn, carries money, and gains the loyalty of servants." Good fortune is not explicitly mentioned because avoiding disaster during travel is already a stroke of luck. The Commentary on the Image holds the same meaning.

　　[Divination]
Divination on Fortune: Possessing wealth and assistance, with fortune being central and correct; naturally there is no worry.


Divination on Business: Gaining wealth allows profit-seeking; gaining people allows cooperation. Traveling a thousand miles as a guest can be worry-free.

Divination on Career/Fame: Attained through financial donation or purchase.

Divination on Military Campaigns: Wealth means military provisions; "servants" mean soldiers. With abundant rations and strong soldiers, every attack will succeed.

Divination on Household: Must be a temporary residence. Joyfully, financial resources are abundant, servants are obedient and upright, and the household is peaceful; naturally free from harm or blame.

Divination on Marriage: Has the image of a son-in-law marrying into a wealthy household.

Divination on Illness: Falling ill while away; fortunately there are servants looking after one attentively, enabling recovery through care.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

[Case Study] In the 17th year of Meiji (1884), I was traveling in Kyushu. One day I went to inspect a limestone quarry. That night, an employee of the company visited my lodging and said: "You are well-versed in management affairs. Inspecting our quarry today, you must have valuable insights. Please enlighten us." I replied: "I am unfamiliar with the mining business. Since you honor me with a query, I dare perform a divination to resolve it." Divine and obtained Hexagram Lu (Traveling) changing to Ding (The Cauldron).

Judgment: The head office opened a branch in Tokyo, far removed from Kyushu, to engage in the mining business. You gentlemen are all travelers far from home; hence it is said, "The traveler rests at an inn, carries his funds, and gains steadfast servants." Knowing this mining enterprise possesses both funds and personnel, it can grow grand and endure long. Those who manage it and those employed above and below are all upright and unselfish, so there should originally be no worry. However, Line 3 shows the image of burning the inn and losing servants, so beware of a fire disaster next year. Line 4 says "obtains his money and axe," meaning profit can be gained the year after next to compensate for what was lost. Line 5 involves small losses and great gains, where the reputation of the mining business rises to higher authorities, marking the peak era of the mining operation. Regrettably, the Top Line says "a bird burns its nest; first he laughs, then he cries out in grief." This image is worrisome, likely coming to pass within five years, and careful precautions should be taken in advance.

Nine at the third line: The traveler's inn is burned down, and he loses his servants. Persevering brings danger.

The Commentary on the Image says: "The traveler's inn is burned down," which is indeed a severe injury. Treating subordinates merely as fellow travelers, it is natural in principle to lose them.

The third line occupies the extreme of the inner trigram, exiting Gen and entering Li. Li is fire, hence the image of burning. Gen is dwelling and lodging; "ci" means an inn, hence "burned down his inn." The servants were attending at the inn; when the inn burns, the servants are lost, meaning they abandon their master and leave. Gen represents servants, hence "loses his servants." When the inn burns, disaster strikes unexpectedly; some causes arise from servants' carelessness, while others do not. Although the third line mentions "gaining steadfast servants," perseverance is still perilous, hence "persevering brings danger." When the inn burns, one's life is endangered and resources are lost; the traveler indeed suffers injury. As for the servants who used to take orders, after the fire disaster, fearing the master's blame and interrogation, it is natural for them to leave, which is why the Commentary on the Image explains it in two parts.

　　[Divination]
Fortune: Fortunes are upside down with repeated failures and ruin; highly perilous.


Military action: Guard carefully against fire attacks, and worry especially about morale collapsing, causing soldiers to flee without fighting.

Business: Beware of unexpected disasters; perilous.

Official career / Reputation: Hopeless for now; wait at least two years until Line 5 says "enduring praise and appointment," then fame and status can be achieved.

Marriage: Cannot succeed for the moment, and difficult to grow old together.

Household: Beware of fire disasters.

Illness: The person himself can recover, but children or servants are difficult to save.

Lost property: Stolen by a servant without doubt.

○ Pregnancy: A boy will be born.

[Case Study] The eminent Shingon monk Master Unsho was profoundly knowledgeable in Buddhist customs and an enlightened leader of his sect. When I traveled to Koyasan and Saikyo in the past, I had the pleasure of meeting him. In early summer of the 18th year of the Meiji era, Master Unsho happened to visit my home and said to me: "This poor monk takes emptiness as my belief, so good fortune, bad fortune, regret, and humiliation are no longer on my mind. My only lingering concern is the prosperity and decline of religion. May I trouble you for a divination?" Divination yielded the Lu hexagram changing to Jin.

Judgment: Lu (The Traveler) is a hexagram of sparse kin and few companions. In Zen Buddhism, leaving the mundane world and entering the void means taking the four elements as one's meditation room and the six realms of rebirth as a temporary inn. All that one encounters in life—regret, humiliation, good fortune, and bad fortune—are nothing but illusions. Now, the Master divines the prosperity and decline of religion and gets Line 3 of Lu. For the Master who has departed his head monastery to wander beyond the worldly realm, anywhere under heaven is his home, so how could there be an inn? Carrying only his robe and bowl, how could there be servants? When the eight delusions are all empty, there is no so-called "perseverance"; when the nine roots are unhindered, there is no so-called "danger"; when the fire of samadhi is extinguished, there is nothing to burn; when the bonds of the four dhyanas are shed, there is nothing lost. The line image shown is not worth the Master's worry. Furthermore, Line 3 of Lu changes into Jin (Progress). The Tuan Commentary of Jin says, "Jin means advancing, brightness coming forth above the earth." Li represents the sun, symbolizing the Buddha's light shining eternally over the earth. The Zen religion shall advance and flourish day by day, which is indeed something to congratulate the Master upon.

Nine at the fourth line: The traveler rests in a temporary place, gains his funds and axe, but my heart is not pleased.

The Commentary on the Image says: "The traveler rests in a temporary place," because he has not yet attained his proper position. "Gains his funds and axe," yet his heart is not pleased.

The fourth line rests at the beginning of Li, and Li means seeing/appearing; the fourth line's journey is a trip to seek an advantageous audience. If he gets a position, he advances to court; if not, he lodges temporarily in a place, hence the Commentary says "has not yet attained position." Li represents funds and axe, hence "funds and axe," which corresponds to the Spring and Autumn Annals saying, "When residing, prepare a day's store; when traveling, prepare a night's defense." The funds here differ from the funds held in the second line: in the second line, funds are prepared by oneself, whereas in the fourth line, funds come from outside, hence "gains." Li represents weapons and armor, embodying the image of an axe, which is used for defense. The reason why the fourth line travels untiringly is only in hopes of attaining a position and taking advantage of the time. Yet what he gains is merely money and an axe, leaving his desires unfulfilled; thus "my heart is not pleased." Because the fourth line has just entered the Li trigram, its literary talent is not yet manifest and its reputation is not yet prominent, so official rank and position have not yet been attained.

　　[Divination]
Fortune: Prosperity has not arrived yet; gains are minimal.


Business: Traveling to trade yields minor profit, failing to fulfill expectations.

Official career / Reputation: Cannot be achieved at the moment; wait until next year and it will certainly succeed.

Military action: Enemy provisions can be captured, but a decisive victory cannot be won immediately.

Marriage: Dowry is quite rich, but it is a concubine or second wife, not the primary wife.

Household: Location or position is inappropriate.

Illness: Heart disease or mental affliction, caused by anxiety and melancholia due to unfulfilled desires.

○ Inquiry about a lost item: It can be recovered.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case Study] In a certain month of the 18th year of the Meiji era, a dignitary came to visit and said: "A close friend of mine, Mr. X, has recently been appointed as a foreign envoy. However, Mr. X has another personal ambition—I wonder if it will succeed? Please perform a divination for me." Divination yielded the Lu hexagram changing to Gen.

Judgment: Lu is a hexagram of leaving the interior and heading outward; serving as an envoy abroad fits the image of travel. When an envoy travels to a foreign country, receiving meals on the journey and lodging at stations is appropriate, hence "rests in a temporary place, gains his funds and axe." As for leaving the envoy position to seek another post, that is being greedy and overambitious, and he will likely fail to fulfill his wishes, making it natural that "his heart is not pleased." Once it reaches Line 5, which says "enduring praise and appointment," his ambitions can be realized.

Six at the fifth line: Shooting a pheasant; one arrow is lost, but in the end he receives praise and an appointment.

The Commentary on the Image says: "In the end he receives praise and an appointment," because it reaches the sovereign above.

The fifth line is gentle, yielding, cultured, and enlightened, serving as the ruler of Li. Li represents a pheasant, and also bow and arrow, hence the image of "shooting a pheasant." When the fifth line changes, the trigram becomes Qian; as the arrow flies, the pheasant takes flight, hence "one arrow is lost." The fifth line comes from the third line of Kun: Kun means "in the end," Li means "praise," and the nuclear trigram below is Xun, where Xun represents "appointment/command," hence "in the end receives praise and appointment." In ancient times, scholars presented pheasants as ceremonial gifts; shooting and capturing a pheasant symbolizes a scholar finding a stepping stone for advancement. Because the fifth line travels far to another land and shows talent through shooting the pheasant, he gains widespread praise and admiration at once; his fame reaches the top, bringing the blessing of royal appointments. Hence the Commentary explains it as "reaches the sovereign above."

　　[Divination]
Fortune: The fortune path is smooth and harmonious; small losses yield big gains, and in the end there will be celebration.


Business: Although there is a small loss, there will be a great gain, achieving both fame and fortune.

Official career / Reputation: Later fortune is smooth and prosperous; reputation reaches high positions.

Military action: Has the image of succeeding with a single strike/shot.

Household: Beautiful architecture and peaceful dwelling; highly commendable and exquisite.

Marriage: Line 2 and Line 5 correspond; praised by the world as an ideal match.

Illness: Likely facing arrows and stones on the battlefield, dying for loyalty, thus receiving the honor of a posthumous award/title.

Pregnancy: Sign of the mulberry bow and mugwort arrows; a joyful birth of a boy.

[Case Study] In the 24th year of the Meiji era, divining the fortune of a certain dignitary, I obtained the Lu hexagram changing to Dun.

Judgment: Line 5 occupies the position of culture and enlightenment. The pheasant is a bird of vibrant plumage, hence "Li represents the pheasant." Shooting and capturing the pheasant signifies taking culture/enlightenment as one's model. An arrow is launched from nearby and reaches afar, embodying the image of Lu (Travel). Although one arrow is lost, a pheasant is gained; spending little and receiving much, it is natural that his reputation reaches the top. Now your Excellency divines fortune and receives this line. Speaking from the hexagram image, I know your Excellency has the omen of being ordered to travel afar; speaking from the line text, I know your Excellency has the celebration of "small losses and great gains." Since the Restoration, national decrees have largely drawn upon Europe and America. Now your Excellency travels as a diplomatic envoy to distant foreign lands, both to deepen friendship between the two nations and to observe the customs of advanced nations. What they call daily advancing civilization can easily be attained in one move! Just like shooting a pheasant, one arrow can hit the target. Thus your Excellency's fame shall spread far into the four directions, and your Excellency's mission will surely be rewarded with grand royal honors. This is something to congratulate your Excellency on in advance.

Nine at the top line: A bird burns its nest. The traveler first laughs and then cries out in grief. Losing his ox at Yi; ominous.

The Commentary on the Image says: "Being a traveler at the top," its inherent meaning is burning. "Losing his ox at Yi," in the end no one inquires or hears of him.

Li is a bird, and Gen is stopping/dwelling, hence "nest." Li is fire, and the nuclear trigram Xun is wood, hence "burns its nest." A bird having a nest is like a traveler having an inn. The third line occupies the extreme of the inner trigram, being rigid and exceeding moderation, hence its inn burns. The top line occupies the extreme of the whole hexagram, being high and forgetting danger, hence its nest burns too; though the phrasing differs, the meaning is identical. From Line 3 to Line 5 there is the nuclear trigram Dui, and Dui means joy and mouth, possessing the image of laughter; Line 5 of Li says "tears flow in streams," possessing the image of crying out in grief. First encountering nuclear Dui and then entering Li, it says "first laughs and then cries out in grief." Li originally comes from the Kun body; Kun is an ox and also means loss, hence "loses his ox." The nature of an ox is most docile and compliant. In the entire Lu hexagram, gentleness and compliance bring good fortune, while rash rigidity brings misfortune. The top line occupies the extreme with rigidity, losing its compliance, which is called "losing his ox." "Yi" means easy or without difficulty; losing his ox will inevitably lead to misfortune. The Commentary on the Image considers Lu occupying the upper extreme to be like dried wood atop Li, hence saying "its inherent meaning is burning." "In the end no one hears of him" means "losing his ox at Yi" is like dying abroad, without home or family, where ultimately no one comes to inquire after him. Dazhuang says "loses his sheep," meaning losing ferocity/stubbornness; Lu says "loses his ox," meaning losing docility/compliance. Ferocity can be lost, but docility must not be lost.

　　[Divination]
Fortune: Fortune has reached its ultimate limit; standing high without support, extreme joy turns to sorrow, which is the path to misfortune.


Military action: Beware of the danger of camps being burned and raided.

Business: Small profit first, followed by major losses; disasters strike repeatedly, extremely perilous.

Official career / Reputation: Loss only, no gain.

Household: Danger of a broken nest and precariously stacked eggs (imminent destruction).

Marriage: Completed first but dissolved later; joy first then sorrow; ominous.

Illness: Those born in the Year of the Ox will surely face severe misfortune/danger.

○ Pregnancy: A girl will be born but will not be raised.

[Case Study] In May of the 24th year of the Meiji era, while I was traveling and staying in Dagu, several newspaper reporters visited my lodging at dawn one day and said: "A major incident has occurred this time, please perform a divination for us." I asked what matter it was, and they said it was the Otsu Incident. Divination yielded the Lu hexagram changing to Xiaoguo.

Judgment: The hexagram is named Lu (Travel). Whether for fame or profit, honorable or humble, anyone traveling by horse in the north or boat in the south across the ends of the earth is a traveler. A traveler braving wind and dust is like a bird soaring in the clouds; a bird roosting in a nest is like a traveler resting in a lodging—the inherent meaning is identical. The top line occupies a high position, having the image of a noble person; being high and perilous, there is the fear of burning the nest. Before the nest is burned, resting peacefully brings joy; once the nest is burned, losing one's abode brings sorrow, hence the phrase "first laughs and then cries out in grief." An ox is used to draw a carriage; "burns its nest" means losing one's resting place, while "loses his ox" means losing the means of travel, leaving him confused, helpless, and wandering. Divining the Otsu Incident and getting the top line of Lu: the top line occupies the extreme of Gen, and Gen inverted becomes Zhen; Zhen represents the primary heir, having the image of a Crown Prince. The top line is also outside the standard positions, having the image of the Crown Prince traveling abroad. Li represents fire, and fire flames upward; a nest built atop a tree yields the image "a bird burns its nest"—the burning of the nest takes misfortune from being high and at the top. The current Otsu Incident occurred because Russia is a powerful empire and the Crown Prince holds a high status, leading to this extraordinary calamity. Li also represents a sword, so the injury came from a sword strike; the injury being on the head corresponds to the top line. When the Russian Crown Prince first arrived in our country, hospitality was grand and both sides were joyful; suddenly experiencing this disaster, both sides were shocked and alarmed, which is "first laughs and then cries out in grief." On that day, the Russian Crown Prince traveled to Otsu with the intention of light, simplified travel without heavy guards or escorts, unaware that this attack came precisely because of his simplicity/unpreparedness, hence "loses his ox at Yi [simplicity/ease]." Li represents an ox, hence taking the image of an ox; Li also represents armor, and hearing that the Crown Prince's hat contained iron lining/armor, he suffered no fatal injury. The hexagram ends at the top line, and exiting the hexagram leads to Xun; Xun means returning, indicating that the Crown Prince will surely cut short his tour and return home. The Commentary on the Image says "in the end no one hears of him," from which it can be inferred that the Crown Prince will return home safely, and Russia will view the assailant as a madman and pay no further attention. As for the crime of the culprit Tsuda Sanzo, the Great Image Commentary of Lu says, "The noble person administers punishment with clarity and caution, without delaying incarcerations," meaning a swift judgment should be made without doubt.

I explained the judgment clearly, and the newspaper reporters were all amazed and impressed. As this divination concerned diplomatic relations between two nations, it was not permitted to be published in newspapers at the time, so I respectfully recorded it and submitted it to the attending ministers. Later, I saw an article published in the Osaka Asahi Shimbun discussing Count Soejima's view, stating that the criminal Tsuda should be executed swiftly, which precisely agreed with the principles of the I Ching.