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
Nine in the third place means:
The wanderers inn burns down. He loses the steadfastness of his young servant. Danger.
A truculent stranger does not know how to behave properly. He meddles in affairs and controversies that do not concern him, and thus he loses his resting place. He treats his servant with aloofness and arrogance, and thus he loses the man`s loyalty. When a stranger in a strange land has no one left on whom he can rely, the situation becomes very dangerous.
The wanderers inn burns down. He loses the steadfastness of his young servant. Danger.
A truculent stranger does not know how to behave properly. He meddles in affairs and controversies that do not concern him, and thus he loses his resting place. He treats his servant with aloofness and arrogance, and thus he loses the man`s loyalty. When a stranger in a strange land has no one left on whom he can rely, the situation becomes very dangerous.
Nine at the top means:
The birds nest burns up. The wanderer laughs at first, then must needs lament and weep. Through carelessness, he loses his cow. Misfortune.
The picture of a bird whose nest burns up indicates loss of ones resting place. This misfortune may overtake the bird if it is heedless and imprudent when building its nest. It is the same with a wanderer. If he lets himself go, laughing and jesting, and forgets that he is a wanderer, he will later have cause to weep and lament. For if through carelessness a man loses his cow, (modesty) and adaptability, evil will result.
The birds nest burns up. The wanderer laughs at first, then must needs lament and weep. Through carelessness, he loses his cow. Misfortune.
The picture of a bird whose nest burns up indicates loss of ones resting place. This misfortune may overtake the bird if it is heedless and imprudent when building its nest. It is the same with a wanderer. If he lets himself go, laughing and jesting, and forgets that he is a wanderer, he will later have cause to weep and lament. For if through carelessness a man loses his cow, (modesty) and adaptability, evil will result.
Transformed
56 - Lü / The Wanderer
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
Below: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
The mountain, Kên, stands still. Above it fire, Li, flames up and does not tarry. Therefore, the two trigrams do not stay together. Strange lands and separation are the wanderers lot.
When a man is a wanderer and stranger, he should be not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances, therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success. A wanderer has no fixed abode, and his home is the road. Therefore, he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested.
When grass on a mountain takes fire, there is bright light. However, the fire does not linger in one place, but travels on to new fuel. It is a phenomenon of short duration. This is what penalties and lawsuits should be like. They should be a quickly passing matter, and must not be dragged out indefinitely. Prisons ought to be places where people are lodged only temporarily, as guests are. They must not become dwelling places.
Above: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
Below: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
The mountain, Kên, stands still. Above it fire, Li, flames up and does not tarry. Therefore, the two trigrams do not stay together. Strange lands and separation are the wanderers lot.
The Judgement
THE WANDERER. Success through smallness. Perseverence brings good fortune, to the wanderer.When a man is a wanderer and stranger, he should be not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances, therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success. A wanderer has no fixed abode, and his home is the road. Therefore, he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested.
The Image
Fire on the mountain: The image of THE WANDERER. Thus, the superior man is clear-minded and cautious in imposing penalties, and protracts no lawsuits.When grass on a mountain takes fire, there is bright light. However, the fire does not linger in one place, but travels on to new fuel. It is a phenomenon of short duration. This is what penalties and lawsuits should be like. They should be a quickly passing matter, and must not be dragged out indefinitely. Prisons ought to be places where people are lodged only temporarily, as guests are. They must not become dwelling places.