The I Ching or Book of Changes (121 page)
Nine in the second place:
a
) There is food in the
ting
.
My comrades are envious,
But they cannot harm me.
Good fortune.
b
) “There is food in the
ting
.” Be cautious about where you go.
“My comrades are envious.” This brings no blame in the end.
This line is firm and central, hence it symbolizes the contents of the
ting
. It forms a unit with the third and fourth lines, but as it stands in the relationship of correspondence to the ruler of the hexagram, it must go its own ways as prescribed for it by these relationships. This leads on the other hand to envy from its comrades, the two lines from which it is separated by inner relationships. But being quite free of possible entanglements and shielded by the strong relationship to the ruler, it need fear nothing.
Nine in the third place:
a
) The handle of the
ting
is altered.
One is impeded in his way of life.
The fat of the pheasant is not eaten.
Once rain falls, remorse is spent.
Good fortune comes in the end.
b
) “The handle of the
ting
is altered.” He has missed the idea.
This line is the lowest in the upper nuclear trigram Tui, whose top line means mouth. It might therefore be assumed that the, contents, indicated by the upper trigram Li, which means pheasant, are eaten, but this is not the case. The vessel is not
portable, because the handle has been altered. This is suggested by the fact that the present line, which ordinarily would be related to the top line, representing the carrying rings, is itself firm [not hollow] and therefore cannot receive the carrying rings (cf. on the other hand the six in the fifth place). There is a promise for the future. As the line changes, K’an, meaning rain, takes shape as the lower primary trigram and upper nuclear trigram. The situation is made easier by this. The stoppage ceases, and the movement leads to the goal.
Nine in the fourth place:
a
) The legs of the
ting
are broken.
The prince’s meal is spilled
And his person is soiled.
Misfortune.
b
) “The prince’s meal is spilled.” How can one still trust him?
This line stands in the relationship of correspondence to the six at the beginning, the line suggesting the upturned legs of a
ting
. The latter situation is not of grave import, for the
ting
is still empty; here, however, the matter is serious, since the
ting
contains food. It is therefore not simply an overturning: the legs of the
ting
are broken, and the prince’s meal is spilled. In conformity with the place, there should be a relationship with the ruler of the hexagram, the six in the fifth place, either that of holding together or that of receiving. But the relationship with the six at the beginning interferes. This points to a disastrous split between character and position, between knowledge and aspirations, between strength and responsibility.
Six in the fifth place:
a
) The
ting
has yellow handles, golden carrying rings.
Perseverance furthers.
b
) The yellow handles of the
ting
are central, in order to receive what is real.
This line is centrally placed in the upper trigram Li; it is moreover the middle line of the trigram K’un, which is
associated with the color yellow. The carrying rings are of metal because the upper nuclear trigram Tui means metal. The carrying rings (which in ancient Chinese vessels are usually linked together) are no doubt represented by the strong line at the top. This line is in contrast with the nine in the third place: the handle is hollow and can therefore receive the “real” (i.e., firm) carrying rings, and the vessel can be carried.
In the language of symbols this means a great deal. The line is the ruler of the hexagram and has over it a sage (the nine at the top), with whom it is connected by position and complementary relationship. The ruler is “hollow” [receptive], hence capable of receiving the power, that is, the teachings of this sage (“handle,”
erh
, is represented by the same character as “ear”). Thereby he makes progress.
a
) The
ting
has rings of jade.
Great good fortune.
Nothing that would not act to further.
b
) The jade rings in the highest place show the firm and the yielding complementing each other properly.
This situation is the same as that of the six in the fifth place, except that here it is seen from the standpoint of the sage who bestows. What appears in the six in the fifth place as the firmness of metal manifests itself here as the soft sheen of jade. It is possible for the sage to impart his teaching because the six in the fifth place meets him halfway with the proper receptivity.
51. Chên / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder)
The rulers of the hexagram Chên are the two light lines. But since it is implicit in the idea of the hexagram of SHOCK that the light element is moving upward from below, the fourth line is not regarded as a ruler, and only the line at the beginning is so considered.
The Sequence
Among the custodians of the sacred vessels, the eldest son stands first. Hence there follows the hexagram of THE AROUSING. The Arousing means movement.
Miscellaneous Notes
THE AROUSING means beginning, arising.
This hexagram is one of the eight in which a primary trigram is doubled. It is formed by doubling of the trigram Chên, which symbolizes the eldest son, the beginning of things in the east—the spring. This is also suggested by the Image, which shows the upward movement of electricity, thunder, making itself heard again in the spring.
THE JUDGMENT
SHOCK brings success.
Shock comes—oh, oh!
Laughing words—ha, ha!
The shock terrifies for a hundred miles,
And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.
Commentary on the Decision
“SHOCK brings success. Shock comes—oh, oh!” Fear brings good fortune.
“Laughing words—ha, ha!” Afterward one has a rule.
“The shock terrifies for a hundred miles.” If one causes fear far and wide and has concern for what is near by, one may come forth and protect the temple of the ancestors and the altar of the earth, and be the leader of the sacrifice.
“Shock comes—oh, oh”: the exclamatory words mean first a frightened tiger, then a lizard running in fright hither and thither on the wall. Thus the meaning of fear became attached to the two onomatopoeic characters. The fear thus aroused makes one cautious, and caution brings good fortune. “Laughing words—ha, ha”: the words are suggested by the sound of thunder, which sounds like “ha, ha.” They are a symbol of inner calm in the midst of the storm of outer movement.
“The shock terrifies for a hundred miles”: this is the sound of thunder, which is at the same time the symbol of a mighty ruler (suggested by the idea of the eldest son) who knows how to make himself respected by all those about him, yet is careful and exact in the smallest detail. The concluding sentence also refers to this. The lord of the sacrifices is at the same time the lord of the house or of the realm. In this regard also the eldest son had his special task. The trigram Chên means the coming forth of God in the spring and also the reawakening of the life force, which stirs again from below.
THE IMAGE
Thunder repeated: the image of SHOCK.
Thus in fear and trembling
The superior man sets his life in order
And examines himself.
The phrase is “thunder repeated” because the trigram Chên is doubled. The first thunder denotes fear and trembling, the second denotes shaping and exploring.
THE LINES
a
) Shock comes—oh, oh!
