19. Approaching

Decision:

Approaching.
Sublimely prosperous and smooth.
Favorable to be steadfast and upright.
Ends in the eighth month;
Misfortunes follows.

Commentary on the Decision

Approaching,
The firm is advancing and growing.

Joyous and obedient.
The firm is central and properly responded to.
Great success along with his correctness.
This is the Tao of Heaven.

At the end of the eighth month,
There will be misfortune.
Recession is not too long incoming.

Commentary on the Symbol

Earth above Lake.
An image of Approaching.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person is willing to teach inexhaustibly
And, in his tolerance, protect the people without limit.

Significance

This gua is very special. The four most auspicious virtues of yuan, hung, li, and then have been bestowed upon it. It expounds the principle of leadership. A leader should influence people with his noble character and conduct. The ancient Chinese believed that the king was the Son of Heaven. When the king arrived (Approaching) on Earth, he represented Heaven to protect and nurture his people. If the king acted in accordance with the will of Heaven, people from eight directions would come and follow him. The two solid lines at the bottom of the gua are qualified to be the host. they represent the advance of the firm. However, the firm element at the second position is central and properly responds to the yielding element at the fifth place; it is more suitable to be the host. Thus Confucius says, “Great success along with his correctness. This is the Tao of heaven.”

King Wen’s Decision says, “Ends in the eighth month; misfortune comes.” There several possible interpretations. The basic idea rests upon the growth and advance of the yang energy. In a yearly cycle, yang energy emerges in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. It is represented by the twenty-fourth gua, Turning Back.