above Kiën, the Creative, heaven · below Sun, the Gentle, wind
This is about something that comes to meet you looking harmless and small. ‘What is base looks so harmless and flattering that one takes pleasure in it.’ It only rises because people take it to be harmless; stand up to it from the very beginning and it never gains influence. Take it seriously when you feel uneasy about someone or something new, and stay reserved until you know more. Don’t play lightly with what only seems small. Where people come to meet each other free of impure ulterior motives, on the other hand, it is good.
What seems harmless in your situation that you might be underestimating?
The sign points to a situation in which the dark principle, after having been eliminated, secretly and unexpectedly forces its way back in from within and below. The feminine comes of its own accord to meet the men. This is a dangerous and unfavourable situation because of the possible consequences, which must be recognised in good time and so prevented.
The sign is assigned to the fifth month (June to July), since with the summer solstice the dark principle gradually begins to rise again.
Some old words keep coming back in Wilhelm’s sayings:
Coming to meet. The maiden is powerful.One should not marry such a maiden.
The rise of what is base is pictured under the image of a brazen maiden who gives herself lightly and so takes power into her own hands. That would not be possible if the strong and the light did not for their part come to meet her. What is base looks so harmless and flattering that one takes pleasure in it. It looks so small and weak that one thinks one can trifle with it without a care.
Thus the base man rises only because the noble one takes him to be harmless and lends him power. If one were to stand up to him from the very beginning, he could never gain influence.
But the time of coming to meet also has another side, which deserves attention. Even if the weak coming to meet the strong must not be the rule, it has great significance at certain times. When heaven and earth come to meet each other, all creatures thrive. When prince and helper come to meet each other, the world is set in order. The principles that are meant for each other and depend on each other need to come to meet one another. Only this must be free of impure ulterior motives; otherwise it is an evil.
Beneath heaven is the wind:the image of coming to meet.So does the prince when he spreads his commandsand proclaims them to the four quarters of heaven.
The situation is similar to that in the sign ‘View’ (No. 20). There the wind blows over the earth; here it blows beneath heaven. In both cases it reaches everywhere. But there, with the wind down on the earth, this gave the image of the ruler taking note of conditions. Here the wind blows from above; that points to the influence the ruler exerts through his commands. Heaven is far from the things on earth, but it sets them in motion through the wind. The ruler is far from the people, but he sets them in motion through his commands and the expressions of his will.
Wilhelm placed the signs ○ and □ after certain lines (p. 334 f.). They mark the rulers of the hexagram. □ stands by the constituting ruler: the line that gives the hexagram its meaning, however high it stands and whatever its character. ○ stands by the governing ruler. It is always of good character and becomes ruler through the meaning of the time and its position, usually in the fifth place. Where a line is both, it carries ○.
It must be held back with a bronze drag-shoe.Perseverance brings good fortune.If one lets it go its way, one meets with misfortune.Even a lean pig has it in its nature to rampage.
If something harmful has crept in, it has to be checked firmly and at once. Don’t let its apparent smallness fool you: what still looks small and weak now shows its true nature once it has grown strong. If you keep it within bounds consistently, it turns out well; if you let it run its course, it turns out badly.
When an inferior element has crept in, one must check it energetically at once. By checking it consistently, one can avoid evil effects. If one lets it run its course, misfortune is sure to arise from it. One must not let the smallness of what is creeping in tempt one to take it too lightly. As long as a pig is still young and lean, it cannot romp about much; but once it has eaten its fill and grown strong, its true nature comes out, unless one has restrained it beforehand.
There is a fish in the vessel. No blame!Not favourable for guests.
This is a difficult element kept under gentle control, without force. That is not a mistake. Make sure it does not come into contact with outsiders, because once let loose it would show its bad sides unchecked. Keep the matter within your own sphere and don’t draw strangers into it.
The lower element is not treated with violence, but kept under gentle control. Then nothing bad is to be feared. Only one must take care that it does not come together with outsiders, because, once let loose, it would unfold its bad sides unchecked.
There is no skin on the thighs,and walking is hard going.If one is mindful of the danger,one makes no great mistake.
You are tempted to get involved with something bad that is on offer, yet circumstances hold you back: you would like to, but you can’t. Being held back is a stroke of luck, even if it torments you. Be clear about how dangerous the situation is; then at least you avoid the bigger mistakes.
One is inwardly tempted to become involved with the bad element that is offering itself. This is a very dangerous situation. Fortunately, circumstances prevent one from doing so. One would like to, but cannot. This makes for a painful indecision in one’s actions. But if one becomes clear about how dangerous the situation is, one will at least avoid greater mistakes.
There is no fish in the vessel.From this misfortune arises.
Whoever grows distant from people with little influence and doesn’t meet them halfway will find them gone when they are needed. That turns out badly, and you have only yourself to thank for it. Give those who carry less weight than you their due as well, and go towards them so that they stay well disposed to you.
One must bear with the little people so that they remain well disposed towards one. Then one can also make use of them when one needs them. If one becomes estranged from them and does not meet them halfway, they turn away from one, and one does not have them at one’s disposal when the need arises. But then one has brought this on oneself.
A melon covered with willow leaves:hidden lines.Then it falls to one from heaven.
The image of the covered melon shows a steady person who protects the weaker ones in their care and lets them be. They carry order and beauty within themselves and do not assert them. Do without admonitions and outward show, and trust in the quiet effect of a settled attitude; then people fall to you like ripe fruit.
Like the fish, the melon is a symbol of the dark principle. It is sweet but spoils easily, which is why it is covered with willow leaves for protection. The situation is that a strong, high-placed man, firm in himself, bears with and protects the lowly who are in his hands. He carries the firm lines of order and beauty within himself. But he does not assert them. He does not burden the others with outward display or tiresome admonitions, but leaves them quite free, in firm trust in the inwardly transforming power that dwells in a strong and pure personality. And behold! Fate is favourable. The lowly are influenced and fall to him like ripe fruit.
He comes to meet with his horns.Humiliation. No blame.
This describes someone who has withdrawn and brusquely rebuffs the ordinary wherever it comes to meet them. It earns them a reputation for being proud and unapproachable. That is humiliating, yet since no duties bind them to the world any more, it is not a mistake. If you have chosen this path, bear the dislike of others with composure.
When one has withdrawn from the world, its bustle often becomes unbearable. There are often people who in noble pride keep aloof from everything base and rebuff it brusquely where it comes to meet them. Such people are reproached as proud and unapproachable, but since they are no longer bound to the world by any duty to act, this does no great harm. They know how to bear the dislike of the crowd with composure.
Would you like to put your own question to the I Ching? Six throws of three coins, and the answer appears straight away.
Consult the I ChingTexts by Richard Wilhelm: I Ging. Das Buch der Wandlungen (first edition Jena 1924), translated into English by NUMEN COMPASS from the Diederichs edition, Munich 1996. Wilhelm’s German text is in the public domain. The section ‘What the hexagram says today’, the question for you and the short notes under the lines are our own reading. The I Ching is no substitute for medical, legal or psychological advice.