I-Ching
Current
Changing
Transformed
Current
38 - K`uei / Opposition
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FLAME
Below: TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE
This hexagram is composed of the trigram Li above, i.e., flame, which burns upward, and Tui below, i.e., the lake, which seeps downward. These two movements are in direct contrast. Furthermore, Li is the second daughter and Tui the youngest daughter, and although they live in the same house they belong to different men, hence their wills are not the same but are divergently directed.
When people live in opposition and estrangement they cannot carry out a great undertaking in common, as their points of view diverge too widely. In such circumstances one should above all not proceed brusquely, for that would only increase the existing opposition. Instead, one should limit oneself to producing gradual effects in small matters. Here success can still be expected, because the situation is such that the opposition does not preclude all agreements.
In general, opposition appears as an obstruction, but when it represents polarity within a comprehensive whole, it has also its useful and important functions. The oppositions of heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and woman, when reconciled, bring about the creation and reproduction of life. In the world of visible things, the principle of opposites makes possible the differentiation by categories through which order is brought into the world.
The two elements, fire and water, never mingle but even when in contact retain their own natures. So too, the cultured man is never led into baseness or vulgarity through intercourse or community of interests with persons of any other sort, regardless of all commingling, he will always preserve his individuality.
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FLAME
Below: TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE
This hexagram is composed of the trigram Li above, i.e., flame, which burns upward, and Tui below, i.e., the lake, which seeps downward. These two movements are in direct contrast. Furthermore, Li is the second daughter and Tui the youngest daughter, and although they live in the same house they belong to different men, hence their wills are not the same but are divergently directed.
The Judgement
OPPOSITION. In small matters, good fortune.When people live in opposition and estrangement they cannot carry out a great undertaking in common, as their points of view diverge too widely. In such circumstances one should above all not proceed brusquely, for that would only increase the existing opposition. Instead, one should limit oneself to producing gradual effects in small matters. Here success can still be expected, because the situation is such that the opposition does not preclude all agreements.
In general, opposition appears as an obstruction, but when it represents polarity within a comprehensive whole, it has also its useful and important functions. The oppositions of heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and woman, when reconciled, bring about the creation and reproduction of life. In the world of visible things, the principle of opposites makes possible the differentiation by categories through which order is brought into the world.
The Image
Above, fire. Below, The lake: The image of OPPOSITION. Thus, amid all fellowship, the superior man retains his individuality.The two elements, fire and water, never mingle but even when in contact retain their own natures. So too, the cultured man is never led into baseness or vulgarity through intercourse or community of interests with persons of any other sort, regardless of all commingling, he will always preserve his individuality.
Changing
Nine at the top means:
There is drinking of wine in genuine confidence. No blame, but if one wets his head, in truth he will lose it.
Before completion, at the dawning of the new time, friends gather in an atmosphere of mutual trust, and the time of waiting is passed in conviviality. Since the new era is hard on the threshold, there is no blame in this. But one must be careful in all this to keep within proper bounds. If in his exuberance a man gets drunk, he forfeits the favorableness of the situation through his intemperance. NOTE. The hexagram AFTER COMPLETION represents a gradual transition from a time of ascent past a peak of culture to a time of standstill. The hexagram BEFORE COMPLETION represents a transition from chaos to order. This hexagram comes at the end of the Book of Changes. It points to the fact that every end contains a new beginning. Thus, it gives hope to men. The Book of Changes is a book of the future.
There is drinking of wine in genuine confidence. No blame, but if one wets his head, in truth he will lose it.
Before completion, at the dawning of the new time, friends gather in an atmosphere of mutual trust, and the time of waiting is passed in conviviality. Since the new era is hard on the threshold, there is no blame in this. But one must be careful in all this to keep within proper bounds. If in his exuberance a man gets drunk, he forfeits the favorableness of the situation through his intemperance. NOTE. The hexagram AFTER COMPLETION represents a gradual transition from a time of ascent past a peak of culture to a time of standstill. The hexagram BEFORE COMPLETION represents a transition from chaos to order. This hexagram comes at the end of the Book of Changes. It points to the fact that every end contains a new beginning. Thus, it gives hope to men. The Book of Changes is a book of the future.
Transformed
64 - Wei Chi / Before Completion
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FLAME
Below: K`AN THE ABYSMAL, WATER
This hexagram indicates a time when the transition from disorder to order is not yet completed. The change is indeed prepared for, since all the lines in the upper trigram are in relation to those in the lower. However, they are not yet in their places. While the preceding hexagram offers an analogy to autumn, which forms the transition from summer to winter, this hexagram presents a parallel to spring, which leads out of winters stagnation into the fruitful time of summer. With this hopeful outlook the Book of Changes come to its close.
The conditions are difficult. The task is great and full of responsibility. It is nothing less than that of leading the world out of confusion back to order. However, it is a task that promises success, because there is a goal that can unite the forces now tending in different directions. At first, however, one must move warily, like an old fox walking over ice. The caution of a fox walking over ice is proverbial in China. His ears are constantly alert to the cracking of the ice, as he carefully and circumspectly searches out the safest spots. A young fox who as yet has not acquired this caution goes ahead boldly, and it may happen that he falls in and gets his tail wet when he is almost across the water. Then of course his effort has been all in vain. Accordingly, in times "before completion", deliberation and caution are the prerequisites of success.
When fire, which by nature flames upward, is above, and water, which flows downward, is below, their effects take opposite directions and remain unrelated. If we wish to achieve an effect, we must first investigate the nature of the forces in question and ascertain their proper place. If we can bring these forces to bear in the right place, they will have the desired effect and completion will be achieved. But in order to handle external forces properly, we must above all arrive at the correct standpoint ourselves, for only from this vantage can we work correctly.
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FLAME
Below: K`AN THE ABYSMAL, WATER
This hexagram indicates a time when the transition from disorder to order is not yet completed. The change is indeed prepared for, since all the lines in the upper trigram are in relation to those in the lower. However, they are not yet in their places. While the preceding hexagram offers an analogy to autumn, which forms the transition from summer to winter, this hexagram presents a parallel to spring, which leads out of winters stagnation into the fruitful time of summer. With this hopeful outlook the Book of Changes come to its close.
The Judgement
BEFORE COMPLETION. Success. But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail in the water. There is nothing that would further.The conditions are difficult. The task is great and full of responsibility. It is nothing less than that of leading the world out of confusion back to order. However, it is a task that promises success, because there is a goal that can unite the forces now tending in different directions. At first, however, one must move warily, like an old fox walking over ice. The caution of a fox walking over ice is proverbial in China. His ears are constantly alert to the cracking of the ice, as he carefully and circumspectly searches out the safest spots. A young fox who as yet has not acquired this caution goes ahead boldly, and it may happen that he falls in and gets his tail wet when he is almost across the water. Then of course his effort has been all in vain. Accordingly, in times "before completion", deliberation and caution are the prerequisites of success.
The Image
Fire over water: The image of the condition before transition. Thus, the superior man is careful in the differentiation of things, so that each finds its place.When fire, which by nature flames upward, is above, and water, which flows downward, is below, their effects take opposite directions and remain unrelated. If we wish to achieve an effect, we must first investigate the nature of the forces in question and ascertain their proper place. If we can bring these forces to bear in the right place, they will have the desired effect and completion will be achieved. But in order to handle external forces properly, we must above all arrive at the correct standpoint ourselves, for only from this vantage can we work correctly.