above Sun, the Gentle, wind · below Dui, the Joyous, lake
This is about reaching someone who is hard to reach. The Judgement names pigs and fishes, the hardest animals to influence. Even they can be reached by inner truth once you find the right way in: first you have to free yourself inwardly of your prejudices and take in the other person with an open mind. Put aside the verdict you have already reached about them and listen until you understand them; then it turns out well. Bonds that rest only on shared advantage hold only up to a certain point.
What judgement of the other person would you have to set aside to really understand them?
Above the lake the wind blows and stirs the surface of the water. Thus visible effects of the invisible appear. The sign consists of firm lines above and below, while it is open in the middle. This points to a heart free of prejudices, so that it is able to receive the truth. The two component signs, conversely, each have a firm line in the middle. This points to the power of inner truth in its effects.
The attributes of the component signs are: above, gentleness, yielding towards those below; below, joyousness in obedience towards those above. Such conditions create the foundation of a mutual trust that makes success possible.
The character Fu (truth) is really the picture of a bird’s foot over a fledgling. It contains the idea of brooding. The egg is hollow. The power of the light must act from outside to quicken it. But there must already be a germ of life inside for life to be awakened. Far-reaching speculations can be attached to these thoughts.
Some old words keep coming back in Wilhelm’s sayings:
Inner Truth. Pigs and fishes. Good fortune!It is favourable to cross the great water.Perseverance is favourable.
Pigs and fishes are the least spiritual of animals and therefore the hardest to influence. The power of inner truth must have reached a high degree before its influence extends even to such creatures. When one is faced with intractable people of this kind, who are hard to influence, the whole secret of success lies in finding the right way to gain access to them. One must first free oneself inwardly and entirely of one’s prejudices. One must, so to speak, let the psyche of the other act upon one quite without bias; then one comes close to him inwardly, understands him and gains power over him, so that the strength of one’s own person gains influence over the other through the gate that has opened. When in this way one finds no obstacle insurmountable, one may undertake even the most dangerous things (such as crossing the great water), and they will succeed. Only it is important to understand what the power of inner truth rests on. It is not the same as mere intimacy or secret collusion. Intimate collusion of that kind can exist among robbers too. Admittedly, even in that case it amounts to a power. But it does not lead to good fortune, because it is not invincible. All association founded on shared interests goes only up to a certain point. Where the shared interest ends, the holding together ends too, and the closest friendship often turns into hatred. Only where the foundation is what is right, that is, constancy, does the bond remain so firm that it overcomes everything.
Above the lake is the wind:the image of inner truth.Thus the noble one weighs criminal casesso as to stay executions.
The wind moves the water because it is able to penetrate its interstices. In the same way the noble one, when he has to pass judgement on people’s faults, seeks to penetrate their inner being with understanding and so to arrive at a kindly assessment of the circumstances. The whole of ancient Chinese jurisdiction was guided by this principle. The deepest understanding, the kind that knows how to forgive, was held to be the highest justice. Such a system of justice was not without success; for the moral impression was meant to be so strong that there was no need to fear that such leniency would be abused. For it sprang not from weakness but from superior clarity.
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 ○.
Being prepared brings good fortune.If there are ulterior motives, that is disquieting.
Inner truth rests on being steady in yourself and prepared; that turns out well. Rely on your own centre and do not forge secret side alliances to find support. Ties like that make you uneasy, because you keep worrying whether they will hold, and they cost you your inner peace.
The main thing for the power of inner truth is to be firm within oneself and prepared. From this inner attitude springs the right relation to the outside world. If, on the other hand, one wished to cultivate secret relationships of a special kind, this would rob one of one’s inner independence; and the more secure one felt in the knowledge of finding support in others, the more one would fall into unrest and worry over whether these secret ties will really hold. In this way one loses one’s inner peace and the power of inner truth.
A crane calls in the shadows.Its young one gives answer.I have a fine cup. I will share it with you.
This is the effect that comes from your own nature, even when it is completely hidden, like the call of a crane that its young one answers. Say and do what you really mean, and it will find an echo in people of like mind. If you try to make an impression on purpose, that alone destroys the effect.
This speaks of the involuntary influence of one’s inner nature on people of like mind. The crane need not show itself on a high hill. Even if it lets its call ring out from complete concealment, its young one hears its voice, knows it and answers it. Where there is a cheerful mood, a companion will come along to share a cup of wine with one.
This is how the echo shows itself that sympathy awakens in people. Where a mood expresses itself truly and purely, where a deed is the clear expression of one’s disposition, they work mysteriously into the distance, first upon those who are inwardly receptive. But these circles widen. The root of all influence lies within oneself. When this expresses itself wholly truly and strongly in word and deed, the influence is great. The influence is only the reflection of what comes forth from one’s own breast. Any intention of producing an effect would only destroy that effect.
Kungtse says of this: ‘The noble one abides in his room. If he utters his words well, he meets with assent from more than a thousand miles away. How much more from close at hand! If the noble one abides in his room and does not utter his words well, he meets with contradiction from more than a thousand miles away. How much more from close at hand! Words go out from one’s own person and act upon people. Deeds arise close at hand and become visible far away. Words and deeds are the door hinge and the crossbow spring of the noble one. As this hinge and this spring move, they bring honour or disgrace. Through words and deeds the noble one moves heaven and earth. Must one not, then, be careful?’
He finds a companion,now he beats the drum, now he stops.Now he sobs, now he sings.
Here a person’s footing depends entirely on others, perhaps with the people they love. If you depend on being in accord with them, you are tossed back and forth between joy and sorrow: ‘Exulting to high heaven, grieved unto death’. The line passes no judgement on this; whether you experience it as a burden or as the happiness of love is up to you.
Here the source of strength lies not in one’s own self but in one’s relationship to other people. However close one may stand to them, if our centre of gravity rests in them, it cannot be avoided that one is tossed to and fro between joy and sorrow. Exulting to high heaven, grieved unto death: that is the fate of those who depend on inner accord with other people whom they love. Here only the law is stated that this is so. Whether this condition is felt as a burden or as the highest happiness of love is left to the subjective judgement of the person concerned.
The moon that is nearly full.One horse of the team is lost.No blame.
The moon just before it is full receives its light and stays modest, because once full it starts to wane at once. Turn humbly towards what is higher, from which you can receive illumination, and keep out of factions. Go your way straight ahead without glancing sideways at the one beside you; that preserves your inner freedom and is not a mistake.
To heighten the power of inner truth, one must turn towards what is higher, from which one can receive illumination as the moon does from the sun. But this calls for a certain humility, such as the moon has when it is not quite full. When the moon, at the full, stands directly opposite the sun, it at once begins to wane again. Just as one must be humble and reverent towards the source of illumination, so on the other hand one must renounce human factions. Only by going one’s way like a horse that runs straight ahead without glancing sideways at its partner in harness does one keep the inner freedom that carries one forward.
He possesses truth that links together.No blame.
This line describes someone who holds together everyone who belongs to them through the strength of their nature. If you want to hold a group, a team or a family together, the bond has to come from your own inner truth; then it is no mistake. Unity that exists only on the outside breaks apart at the decisive moment.
Here the ruler is depicted who holds everything together by the power of his nature. Only when the strength of his character is so far-reaching that he can influence all who belong to his dominion is he as he ought to be. The power of suggestion must go out from the ruler. It will bind all his people firmly together and unite them. Without this central force all outward union is only a lie that breaks apart at the decisive moment.
Cockcrow that rises to heaven.Perseverance brings misfortune.
The cock crows reliably when morning comes, yet it cannot fly up to heaven. So it is with mere words meant to make others believe: now and then they succeed. Do not come to depend, in the long run, on persuading others with words alone; if you persist in it, it turns out badly.
The cock is dependable. It crows when morning comes. But it cannot fly up to heaven itself. It only crows. In the same way, faith is to be awakened by mere words. That may well succeed now and then. But if one keeps it up continually, it does harm.
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.