I-Ching
Current
Changing
Transformed
Current
22 - Pi / Grace
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain and the heavenly heights. Grace and beauty of form is necessary in any union if it is to be well-ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.
Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing, it is only an ornament and therefore must be used sparingly and only for little things. In the lower trigram of fire, a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor.
In nature, we see in the sky the strong light of the sun which the life of the world depends on. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.
The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far. In the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain and the heavenly heights. Grace and beauty of form is necessary in any union if it is to be well-ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.
The Judgement
GRACE has success in small matters. It is favorable to undertake something.Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing, it is only an ornament and therefore must be used sparingly and only for little things. In the lower trigram of fire, a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor.
In nature, we see in the sky the strong light of the sun which the life of the world depends on. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.
The Image
Fire at the foot of the mountain: The image of GRACE. Thus, does the superior man proceed when clearing up current affairs, but he dare not decide controversial issues in this way.The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far. In the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.
Changing
Six in the third place means:
Bites on old dried meat and strikes on something poisonous. Slight humiliation. No blame.
Punishment is to be carried out by someone who lacks the power and authority to do so, and therefore, the culprits do not submit. The matter at issue is an old one as symbolized by salted game, and in dealing with it difficulties arise. This old meat is spoiled: By taking his problem to the punisher, it arouses poisonous hatred against himself, and in this way he is put in a somewhat humiliating position. But since punishment was required by the time, he remains free of blame.
Bites on old dried meat and strikes on something poisonous. Slight humiliation. No blame.
Punishment is to be carried out by someone who lacks the power and authority to do so, and therefore, the culprits do not submit. The matter at issue is an old one as symbolized by salted game, and in dealing with it difficulties arise. This old meat is spoiled: By taking his problem to the punisher, it arouses poisonous hatred against himself, and in this way he is put in a somewhat humiliating position. But since punishment was required by the time, he remains free of blame.
Nine in the fourth place means:
Bites on dried gristly meat. Receives metal arrows. It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties, and to be persevering. Good fortune.
There are great obstacles to be overcome, powerful opponents are to be punished. Though this is arduous, the effort succeeds. It is necessary to be hard as metal and straight as an arrow to surmount the difficulties. If one knows these difficulties and remains persevering, he attains good fortune, and the difficult task is achieved in the end.
Bites on dried gristly meat. Receives metal arrows. It furthers one to be mindful of difficulties, and to be persevering. Good fortune.
There are great obstacles to be overcome, powerful opponents are to be punished. Though this is arduous, the effort succeeds. It is necessary to be hard as metal and straight as an arrow to surmount the difficulties. If one knows these difficulties and remains persevering, he attains good fortune, and the difficult task is achieved in the end.
Transformed
21 - Shih Ho / Biting Through
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
Below: CHÊN THE AROUSING, THUNDER
This hexagram represents an open mouth (cf. hexagram 27) with an obstruction (in the fourth place) between the teeth. As a result the lips cannot meet. To bring them together one must bite energetically through the obstacle. Since this hexagram is made up of the trigrams for thunder and for lightning, it indicates how obstacles are forcibly removed in nature. Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle that prevents the joining of the lips, and the storm with its thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature. Recourse to law and penalties overcomes the disturbances of harmonious social life caused by criminals and slanderers. The theme of this hexagram is a criminal lawsuit, in contradistinction to that of Sung, CONFLICT (6), which refers to civil suits.
When an obstacle to union arises, energetic biting through brings success. This is true in all situations. Whenever unity cannot be established, the obstruction is due to a tale-bearer or traitor who is interfering and blocking the way. To prevent permanent injury, vigorous measures must be taken at once. Deliberate obstruction of this sort does not vanish of its own accord. Judgment and punishment are required to deter or obviate it.
However, it is important to proceed in the right way. The hexagram combines Li, clarity, and Chên, excitement. Li is yielding, Chên is hard. Unqualified hardness and excitement would be too violent in meting out punishment, but unqualified clarity and gentleness would be too weak. The two together create the just measure. It is momentous that the man who makes the decisions (represented by the fifth line) is gentle by nature, while he commands respect by his conduct in his position.
Penalties are the individual applications of the law. The laws specify the penalties. Clarity prevails when mild and severe penalties are differentiated, according to the nature of the crimes. This is symbolized by the clarity of lightning. The law is strengthened by a just application of penalties. This is symbolized by the terror of thunder. This clarity and severity have the effect of instilling respect. The penalties are not ends in themselves. The obstructions in the social life of man increase when there is a lack of clarity in the penal codes and slackness in executing them. The only way to strengthen the law is to make it clear and make penalties certain and swift.
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
Below: CHÊN THE AROUSING, THUNDER
This hexagram represents an open mouth (cf. hexagram 27) with an obstruction (in the fourth place) between the teeth. As a result the lips cannot meet. To bring them together one must bite energetically through the obstacle. Since this hexagram is made up of the trigrams for thunder and for lightning, it indicates how obstacles are forcibly removed in nature. Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle that prevents the joining of the lips, and the storm with its thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature. Recourse to law and penalties overcomes the disturbances of harmonious social life caused by criminals and slanderers. The theme of this hexagram is a criminal lawsuit, in contradistinction to that of Sung, CONFLICT (6), which refers to civil suits.
The Judgement
BITING THROUGH has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered.When an obstacle to union arises, energetic biting through brings success. This is true in all situations. Whenever unity cannot be established, the obstruction is due to a tale-bearer or traitor who is interfering and blocking the way. To prevent permanent injury, vigorous measures must be taken at once. Deliberate obstruction of this sort does not vanish of its own accord. Judgment and punishment are required to deter or obviate it.
However, it is important to proceed in the right way. The hexagram combines Li, clarity, and Chên, excitement. Li is yielding, Chên is hard. Unqualified hardness and excitement would be too violent in meting out punishment, but unqualified clarity and gentleness would be too weak. The two together create the just measure. It is momentous that the man who makes the decisions (represented by the fifth line) is gentle by nature, while he commands respect by his conduct in his position.
The Image
Thunder and lighting: The image of BITING THROUGH. Thus, the kings of former times made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.Penalties are the individual applications of the law. The laws specify the penalties. Clarity prevails when mild and severe penalties are differentiated, according to the nature of the crimes. This is symbolized by the clarity of lightning. The law is strengthened by a just application of penalties. This is symbolized by the terror of thunder. This clarity and severity have the effect of instilling respect. The penalties are not ends in themselves. The obstructions in the social life of man increase when there is a lack of clarity in the penal codes and slackness in executing them. The only way to strengthen the law is to make it clear and make penalties certain and swift.