4. Childhood

Sequence of the Gua

Zhun denotes what has just been born.
What has just been born is in its childhood,
Thus, after Beginning, Childhood follows.

Decision:

Childhood.
Prosperous and smooth.
It is not I who seek the ignorant,
The ignorant seeks me.
On the first divination, I give light.
Repeating again is contemptuous.
Being contemptuous, I give no more instruction.
Favorable to be steadfast and upright.

Commentary on the Decision

Unenlightened ignorant.
At the foot of a mountain lies difficulty;
Difficulty makes him stand still.
It is ignorant behavior.

The ignorant can be prosperous and smooth
If he acts in accordance with the proper time
And follows the principle of the central way.
It is not I who seeks the ignorant.
The ignorant seeks me.
His will responds to mine.

On the first divination, I give light.
He was firm and in a central position

Repeating again is contemptuous.
Being contemptuous, no more instruction.
Showing contempt causes ignorance.
Uncovering the covered is to nourish the correct nature.
It is a holy task.

Commentary on the Symbol

A spring flows out of a mountain.
The symbol of an unenlightened ignorant.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person makes every effort
To cultivate virtue with resolute deeds.

Top Nine

Punishing the ignorant.
Not favorable to treat like a foe.
Favorable to prevent further mischief.

Preventing further mischief.
UIpper and lower go well.

Significance

The image of the gua is a spring flowing out of a mountain and becoming a murmuring stream. Afterward, the stream grows into a great river, nurturing myriad beings. However, as the river flows over the ground it becomes dirty. This gua takes this image to expound upon the importance of enlightening and educating the ignorant while in the infant stage.

The host of the gua is the yang element at the second place. It is central and firm, able to revere the teacher and therefore teach others. The yin element at the fifth place responds to this yang element. Two analogies are employed to expound upon the gua. One is about education; the other is about marriage. The yang element at the second place is a firm line at the central place of the lower gua. In the I Ching, the lower gua stands in a position inferior to the upper gua. Here, the yang element at the second place plays a major role. It represents a teacher who is enlightening and educating the ignorant. Because it is a firm line in the lower gua, it symbolizes the quality of magnanimity. There are four yielding lines surrounding it, one below and three above. Symbolically, these yielding lines are the ignorant who are to enlightened. the Chinese believed that every ignorant person is different. According to the ancient Chinese tradition, they should be taught in accordance with their aptitudes. The unenlightened should be humble and devout and take the initial step to seek enlightenment. In other words, they should be ready and willing to accept education. On the other hand, one acting as a source of enlightenment should also be patient and forgiving.

The image of this gua is Mountain above Water. In the I Ching, Mountain symbolizes a family, and Water represents the middle son. The four yin lines around a yang line can be viewed as four women approaching a man and intending to marry him. The solid line at the second place is a yang element, a man. The yielding line at the fifth place is a yin element, a woman. They respond to each other, and because both of them are in a central place and they yin and yang, a perfect match.

King Wen arranged this gua as a continuation of the preceding one. The preceding gua pertained to establishing feudal lords; it was a question of foreign affairs. This gua was meant to educate his own people; it had to do with internal affairs. King Wen realized the importance of education in abolishing the old system and establishing a new one. His policy was to start with those who were humble and devout and willing to accept education. In ancient China, divination was part of the social fabric bringing people together. Through divination the king promulgated decrees. In accepting an elder’s instruction, one should be as devout as when accepting the instruction of a divination.

In the Yao Text, the Duke of Zhou gives specific social advice; education, for example, should be used to lead the ignorant to the right path. Punishment should not be employed. A norm of proper behavior should be set up. It is important to be magnanimous to docile minority tribes and to educate them in the way to establish harmonious families and help their descendants sustain their families. It is better not to form alliances with half-hearted tribes, because they are not ready. And for isolated minority tribes, it is necessary to help them come into contact with other people.

Top Nine: Childhood alternates to Multitude (7)

The yang element at the top is at the uppermost place. In this place one reaches the extreme and becomes self-willed and opinionated. the ignorant one is too firm and fiery tempered. The upper gua is Mountain. In the I Ching, the character for Mountain also represents hands; thus the Duke of Zhou refers to punishing an unenlightened child. The ancient way of correcting a child rarely employed punishment. Only when there was no alternative was punishment employed. This gua gives warning that one should not treat the ignorant as a foe. The purpose of punishment is to prevent further mischief. This gua expounds upon a way of correcting mischief. The attitude should be firm, but the means should be gentle. Even punishment should contain gentleness within and express firmness without. The commentary says, “Preventing further mischief. Upper and lower go well.” The upper is the teacher, the lower is the student. The student should be humble and open-minded and the teacher should be patient and forgiving. Then, upper and lower, teacher and student, will do well.

27. Nourishing

Sequence of the Gua

When things are accumilated in great amount, nourishing becomes available. Thus, after Great Accumulation, Nourishing follows.

Decision:

Nourishing.
Being steadfact and upright: good fortune.
Watch your nourishment;
Pay attention to what is in your mouth.

Commentary on the Decision

Nourishing.
Steadfast and upright: good fortune.
When nourishing is right,
Good fortune comes.

Watching how you nourish others;
It is to watch what you provide nourishment for.
Paying attention to what is in your mouth.
It is to pay attention to how you nourish yourself.

Heaven and Earth nourish all beigns.
The holy sages nourish the virtuous,
And thus reqach all.
Great indeed is nourishing in its time!

Commentary on the Symbol

Thunder beneath Mountain.
An imager of Nourishing.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person is careful of his words
And moderate in eating and drinking.

Initial Nine

Putting aside your spiritual tortoise,
Staring at me with mouth drooling.
Misfortune

Significance

This gua outlines the principle of nourishing. In ancient times, the Chinese concept of nourishing included nurturing, especially nurturing one’s virtue. To the ancient Chinese, nourishing without nurturing was the way of animals, The revered sage Mencius says,

Filling with food,
Warming clothes,
Living leisurely without learning,
It is little short of animals.

The ancient sages proclaimed that nourishing and nurturing were not a matter reserved for the family but concerned society as a whole. Nourishing and nurturing family was selfish, nourishing and nurturing society was selfless. Compared with nourishing one’s virtue, nourishing one’s body was secondary. thus, the sages were cautious of words and moderate in diet and provided nourishment and nurturing to the people

Either the yielding line at the fifth place or the solid line at the top could be the host of the gua. However, the solid line at the top is the source of nourishment. Confucius’s Commentary on the Decision says, “Heaven and Earth nourish all beings. The holy sages nourish the virtuous, and thus reach all.”   The host of the gua refers to the person who is trying to follow in the steps of the sages. The first three lines of the gua refer to nourishing oneself. Either misfortune results or nothing will be favorable. The next three lines have to do with nourishing one’s self as as well as others. The results are beneficial.

The gua indicated that after King Wu overthrew the Tyrant of Shang there was a famine in the realm of the Shang dynasty. King Wen instructed the people to nourish the adherents of the Shang dynasty physically as well as spiritually. The Duke of Zhou tells how the adherents of the Shang dynasty put aside their spiritual tortoises and sought physical nourishment from the Zhou dynasty. Normally, the conquered provide sustenance to the conqueror, but here the conqueror nourishes the conquered. If the conqueror were to supply only physical nourishment to the conquered, it would lead to misfortune. Nourishing physical needs and spiritual needs brought good fortune.

Initial Nine: Nourishing alternates to Falling Away (23)

The sold line at the bottom represents a person of resolute character, responding to the yielding line at the fourth place. A tortoise is an animal able to survive without eating and drinking for a long period of time. In ancient China, the tortoise was regarded as a spiritual animal because of its longevity. The Yao Text, “Putting aside your spiritual toirtoise, staring at me with mouth drooling,” denotes that one at this place puts his spirituality aside and watches the person high above him eating. A drooling mouth suggests greed. there is a Chinese adage that says, “Mouth drooling with greed. It is not a noble manner.” The solid line at the bottom is firm and strong. He ought to rely on himself in seeking nourishment for his physical body as well as his spiritual nature. yet he puts adside his own resources and seeks profit from other people’s toil. This behavior ends in misfortune.

52. Keeping Still

Sequence of the Gua

Events cannot continue in motion without stopping; they must take a rest. Thus, after Taking Action, Keeping Still follows.

Decision:

Keeping Still, at his back.
Feels not his body.
Walking in his courtyard.
Sees not his people.
No fault.

Commentary on the Decision

Mountain.
It is keeping still.

Keep still when it is time to keep still.
Remain active when it is time to remain active
When action and resting do not miss their time.
Their way becomes promising and brilliant.

Keeping still in stillness
Is keeping still in the place where one should be still.

The corresponding lines above and below are repelling.
They do not respond to each other.
Thus he is no longer feeling his body.
Even walking in the courtyard
He is no longer seeing his people.
There is no fault.

Commentary on the Symbol

Mountains, one over the other.
An image of Keeping Still.
In correspondence with this,
Whatever the superior person thinks
Does not go beyond his duties in his position.

Top Nine

Honestly and sincerely keeping still.
He keeps these virtues to the end.

Significance

This is one of the eight among the sixty-four accomplished gua that is made by doubling one of the eight primary gua. Here, the accomplished gua is Gen, Keeping Still, and the primary gua is Mountain. Keeping Still expounds the truth of know when and where to stop before one’s action goes too far. According to the structure of the gua, when a solid line appears at the bottom of Earth, it becomes Thunder. Its attribute is taking action. The action builds. When the solid line advances to the central position, it becomes Water. Its attribute is flowing. The action continues; it flows onward. When the solid line advances to the top, it becomes Mountain. Its attribute is keeping still. In this situation, one must stop flowing forward and remain at rest. The key to success is to advance when it is time to advance and to stop when it is time to stop. Every action should accord with the time and situation. Never act subjectively and blindly. Keeping still means to be tranquil and stable. It is a phase of advancement. Advance and stillness complement each other. Keeping still is preparing oneself for a new advance. All the lines of this gua take images of different parts of the body to indicate particular times and situations.

When King Wen abolished slavery and reestablished the Jing land system, people were shocked, as if a thunderstorm had struck. Those who were liberated were happy, but not the slave owners—especially those who were close to the tyrant. Dangerous counterattacks were anticipated. King Wen retreated, sitting in stillness to contemplate the situation and foresee the future. The Duyke of Zhou describes King Wen’s different stages and moods of stillness. Eventually his honesty and sincerity brought good fortune. He remained virtuous to the end. In this gua, King Wen employed the word “his” four times in the Decision, and the Duke of Zhou used it eight times in the Yao Text. For this reason, it is believed that a specific person is being referred to, and this is thought to be King Wen himself.

Top Nine. Keeping Still alternates to Humbleness (15)

The topmost line represents the final stage of keeping still, and is thus the host. In his treatise The Great Learning, Confucius says,

The way of the Great Learning is to illustrate brilliant virtue.
to love people, and to rest in conduct that is perfectly good.
By knowing how to keep still,
one is able to determine what objects he should pursue.
By knowing what objects he should pursue,
one is able to attain calmness of mind.
By knowing how to attain calmness of mind,
one is able to succeed in tranquil repose.
By knowing how to succed in tranquil repose,
one is able to obtain careful deliberation.
By knowing how to obtain careful deliberation,
one is able to harvest what he really wants to pursue.

In the final stage of one’s life, if one can manifest one’s brilliant virtue,
love people, and maintain one’s goodness till the end, it is a true blessing,
and these will be good fortune.

59. Dispersing

Sequence of the Gua

After happiness and joyfulness, there comes dispersing.
Thus, after Joyful, Dispersing follows.

Decision:

Dispersing.
Prospersous and smooth.
The king arrives at the temple.
Favorable to cross great rivers.
Favorble to be steadfast and upright.

Commentary on the Decision

Dispersing.
Prosperity and smoothness.

The firm comes comes without hindrance.
The yielding is at the proper place.
It goes out to meet its similarity above.

The king arrives at the temple.
His is in the central place
Favorable to cross great rivers.
The merit comes from mounting on the wood.

Commentary on the Symbol

The wind mover over the water.
An image of dispersing.
In correspondence with this,
The ancient king offers sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven
And establishes temples.

Second Nine

Dispersing.
Hurrying to an opportune moment.
Regret vanishes.

Significance

The gua takes the image of the wind moving over the water to demonstrate the act of dispersing people’s resentment. During the time of dispersing, having a leader with wisdom and foresight is crucial. The king approaching his temple gives us an image of his connection with the spiritual world. Crossing great rivers signifies the hardship and difficulty of the work. Steadfastness and uprightness should be the virtue of a great leader. He has self-confidence, so his is able to live and work in peace. The host of the gua is the solid line at the fifth place. This line represents the king who approaches his temple to connect himself with the Lord of Heaven. During the time of dispersing he is the only one who, in the honored place, is able to establish order throughout his nation. The fourth line represents the king’s minister, while the second line is his officer. They faithfully assist the king to unite the people in the time of dispersing.

During King Wen’s sitting in stillness he meditated upon joyfulness and dispersion. After people had been joyful, their energy dispersed, and their focus was scattered. At such a time, a leader with wisdom and foresight was needed. Heed arrived at his temple and communicated with the deity. His sincerity and trustworthiness encouraged people to work in full cooperation and with unity of purpose. The Duke of Zhou narrates that to be of help at such a time, one should have the speed of a strong horse. Dispersing self-serving gbroups led to a union as solid as a mound.

60. Restricting

Sequence of the Gua

Things cannot disperse forever. Thus, after Dispersing, restricting follows.

Decision:

Restricting.
Prosperous and smooth.
Not appropriate to be steadfast.
In bitter restriction.

Commentary on the Decision

Restricting.
Prosperity and smoothness.
The firm and the yielding are equally divided,
And the firms obtain the central places.
Not appropriate to be steadfast in bitter restriction.
Its way leads to the end.

Passing the danger with joy,
Carry out restriction in the proper position.
From the central and correct place,
His advance is without limitation.

When Heaven and Earth regulate their restriction,
Then the four seasons complete their functions.
When restriction is put into regulation,
Then resources will not be exhausted
And people will not be hurt.

Commentary on the Symbol

Water over Lake.
An image of Restricting.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person creates numbers and measures fore restriction
And discusses a moral code for social conduct.

Fifth Nine

Sweet restriction.
Good fortune.
Going forward: esteem

Significance

The gua takes the image of water in a lake to illustrate that there is a need to regulate the excessiveness and insufficiency of water and applies the principle to adjusting right and wrong in human society. the nature of water is moving, When water is moving, it is fresh and clean, and when it stops, it becomes stagnant and stale. If the water moves without direction, it will be either wasted or exhausted. If it is dammed up without a plan, it will cause flood and calamity. The ancient Chinese accumilated experience in dealing with the Yellow River, which flooded once a year for thousands of years. Their experience was to dredge the riverbed and to guide the water, based upon the principle of adjusting its excessiveness and insufficiency, to control the rate of its flow. From this experience, they applied the principle of regulating rivers and watercourses to social affairs.

The lower gua is Lake. Water in the lake is rising. Beyond the third line, it will overflow. The upper gua is Water. The nature of water is to flow. When the water reaches the topmost line, it shoud stop. Otherwise flood and calamity will ensue. The message of the gua is that if there is there is too little water, one should be concerned about possible drought. In our daily lives, we should strike a balance between excess and insufficiency and walk in the central path.

The host of the gua is the solid line at the fifth place. Only a person supreme wisdom and one in an honorable place is able to adjust right and wrong and practice the Tao of restriction.

During King Wen’s sitting in stillness he realized that after overcoming dispersion, people came together to work in full cooperation and with unity of purpose. It was time to promote restriction—to set limits to one’s expenses and bounds on one’s behavior. Promoting restraint would bring people and the government sucess, but painful restriction should not become common practice. The Duke of Zhou narrates different consequences of restriction. If either government or the people do not observe restraint, it would create unhappiness. Peaceful restriction bring success and invites good fortune. Painful restriction results in misfortune.

48. Replenishing

Decision:

Replenishing.
The site of a village may be moved,
Not the well.
Neither loses nor gains.
Coming and going, drawing, drawing.
Nearly out of the well,
Break one’s bucket—misfortune.

Commentary on the Decision

Penetrating into the water and bringing the water up.
It indicates a well. The well supplies replenishment.
But is never exhausted.

The site of a village may be moved,
Not the well,
Because the solids are in the central positions

Nearly out of the well,
The achievement has not yet been fulfilled.
Break one’s bucket;
There is misfortune.

Commentary on the Symbol

Water over Wood.
An image of Replenishing.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person encourages the people at their work
And urges them to help one another.

Significance

The gua shows the wisdom of replenishing the people. In order to replenish people, the head of a household or the leader of a community must first have a source that is inexhaustible. According to the wisdom of the ancient sages, the only way to assure that the supply is inexhaustible is to make the best possible use of the people and resources, and let the commodities flow abundantly into the market. This gua also explores the wisdom of employing virtuous people. Water in a stream is a gift of nature. Water in a well results from the accomplishment of human beings. All the underground streams are there, but without digging the water is wasted. So it is with able and virtuous people. In ancient times, selecting the virtuous and the able was always an important task of a great king.

The host of the gua is unusual—it is the yin element at the topmost place. The yang element at the fifth place is the king—firm and strong, central and correct. Confucius’s Commentary on the Decision says, “The site of a village may be moved, not the well, because solids are in the central positions.” The firm is the king at the fifth place. He is the well, the source of replenishment. Things may change, but his desire to replenish the people never changes. This line has the correct attributes to be the host, but it is not the host.

There is another yang element that is firm and strong, central and correct—the yang element at the second place. This yang element could also act as the host, but it doesn’t. Since this gua is about drawing water from the well, or selecting the virtuous and the able from the multitude, which can only be accomplished by the person at the top. The topmost yin element symbolizes a well without a cover, indicating that the resource of the well is fully used. This line represents the ideal society—a society of great harmony in which the leader and the people work in full cooperation and with unity of purpose.

After the success of King Wen’s southern expedition, the Zhou population increased and the territory expanded. In order to replenish the people’s latent productive capacity, King Wen abolished the old slavery system, setting the slaves free. Likewise, the old personnel system was accordingly changed, and new talent and able officials were recruited. King Wen stated that the system could be changed, but not the principle. The old system could not function well, like an old bucket already broken. If the old system were to remain in place, there would be misfortune. The Duke of Zhou records the problems of the old system. The new social system and the new personnel system functioned better, as if the well have been tiled. The water pure and cold and could be used again. Supreme good fortune ensued.

Initial Six

The bottom line is a yin element at a yang place. it is at the bottom of the well where there is mud and no water. Nobady drinks, not even a bird. The lower gua is Xun, Wood, which represents a cock. Thus the Yao Text takes a bird as the symbol. The well is too old and not well maintained. The situation is bad. If one in this place is not able to live in accord with the time and make adjustments, one will be deserted.