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HEXAGRAM 36 – Ming I – Darkening of the Light
Above K’UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH
Below LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
Here the sun
- has sunk under the earth and
- is therefore darkened.
The name of the hexagram means literally “wounding of the bright”; hence
the individual lines contain frequent references to wounding.
The situation is the exact opposite of that in the foregoing hexagram.
In the latter
-
a wise man at the head of affairs
- has able helpers, and in company with them
- makes progress;
- has able helpers, and in company with them
here
-
a man of dark nature
- is in a position of authority and
- brings harm to the wise and able man.
- is in a position of authority and
THE JUDGMENT
DARKENING OF THE LIGHT.
In adversity
It furthers one to be persevering.
One
-
must not unresistingly let himself be swept along
by unfavorable circumstances,
- nor permit his steadfastness to be shaken.
He can avoid this by
- maintaining his inner light, while
- remaining outwardly yielding and tractable.
With this attitude
he can overcome even the greatest adversities.
In some situations indeed a man
- must hide his light, in order to
- make his will prevail in spite of difficulties in his immediate environment.
Perseverance
- must dwell in inmost consciousness and
- should not be discernible from without.
Only thus is
a man able to maintain his will in the face of difficulties.
THE IMAGE
The light has sunk into the earth: The image of DARKENING OF THE LIGHT.
Thus does
- the superior man live with the great mass:
-
He
- veils his light,
- yet still shines.
- veils his light,
In a time of darkness it is essential to be
- cautious and
- reserved.
One should not needlessly awaken overwhelming enmity
by inconsiderate behavior.
In such times
- one ought not to fall in with the practices of others;
- neither should one drag them censoriously into the light.
In social intercourse
- one should not try to be all-knowing.
- One should let many things pass, without being duped.
THE LINES
0 Six in the second place means:
Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh.
He gives aid with the strength of a horse.
Good fortune.
Here the Lord of Light
- is in a subordinate place and
- is wounded by the Lord of Darkness.
But the injury is not fatal;
it is only a hindrance.
Rescue is still possible.
- The wounded man gives no thought to himself;
- he thinks only of saving the others who are also in danger.
Therefore
he tries with all his strength to save all that can be saved.
There is good fortune in thus acting according to duty.
Nine in the third place means:
Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south.
Their great leader is captured.
One must not expect perseverance too soon.
It seems as if chance were at work.
-
While the strong, loyal man
- is striving eagerly and in good faith to create order,
- is striving eagerly and in good faith to create order,
-
he
- meets the ringleader of the disorder, as if by accident, and
- seizes him.
- meets the ringleader of the disorder, as if by accident, and
Thus victory is achieved.
But in abolishing abuses one must not be too hasty.
This would turn out badly
because the abuses have been in existence so long.
Six in the fourth place means:
He penetrates the left side of the belly.
One
- gets at the very heart of the darkening of the light, And
- leaves gate and courtyard.
We
find ourselves close to the commander of darkness and so
discover his most secret thoughts.
In this way
- we realize that there is no longer any hope of improvement, and thus
- we are enabled to leave the scene of disaster before the storm breaks.
Six in the fifth place means:
Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi.
Perseverance furthers.
Prince Chi
lived at the court of the evil tyrant Chou Hsin, who,
although not mentioned by name,
furnishes the historical example on which this whole situation is based.
Prince Chi
was a relative of the tyrant and
could not withdraw from court;
therefore
he
- concealed his true sentiments and
- feigned insanity.
Although
- he was held a slave,
- he did not allow external misery to deflect him from his convictions.
This provides a teaching for those who cannot leave their posts in times of darkness.
In order to escape danger,
they need
- invincible perseverance of spirit and
- redoubled caution in their dealings with the world.
Six at the top means:
Not light but darkness.
- First he climbed up to heaven,
- Then he plunged into the depths of the earth.
Here the climax of the darkening is reached.
- The dark power at first held so high a place that
- it could wound all who were on the side of good and of the light.
But in the end
- it perishes of its own darkness,
-
for evil
- must itself fall at the very moment when
- must itself fall at the very moment when
-
it
- has wholly overcome the good, and thus
- consumed the energy to which it owed its duration.
- has wholly overcome the good, and thus
CHANGING HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 10 – Lu – Treading (Conduct)
Above CH’IEN THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN
Below TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE
- The name of the hexagram means on the one hand the right way of conducting oneself.
- Heaven, the father, is above,
and
- the lake, the youngest daughter, is below.
This shows the difference between high and low, upon which
composure, correct social conduct, depends.
-
On the other hand, the word for the name of the hexagram, TREADING, 1
means literally treading upon something.
The small and cheerful [Tui] treads upon the large and strong [Ch’ien].
The direction of movement of the two primary trigrams is upward.
The fact that the strong treads on the weak is not mentioned in the Book of Changes,
because it is taken for granted.
For the weak to take a stand against the strong is not dangerous here,
because it happens in good humor [Tui] and without presumption,
so that
the strong man is not irritated but takes it all in good part.
THE JUDGMENT
TREADING.
Treading upon the tail of the tiger.
It does not bite the man.
Success.
The situation is really difficult.
That which is strongest and that which is weakest are close together.
- The weak follows behind the strong and worries it.
- The strong, however, acquiesces and does not hurt the weak,
because the contact is in good humor and harmless.
In terms of a human situation, one is handling wild, intractable people. In such a case one’s purpose will be achieved if one behaves with decorum. Pleasant manners succeed even with irritable people.
THE IMAGE
Heaven above, the lake below: The image Of TREADING.
Thus the superior man
- discriminates between high and low,
And thereby
- fortifies the thinking of the people.
Heaven and the lake show a difference of elevation that inheres in the natures of the two,
hence
no envy arises.
Among mankind also there are necessarily differences of elevation;
it is impossible to bring about universal equality.
But it is important that differences in social rank should not be arbitrary and unjust,
for if this occurs, envy and class struggle are the inevitable consequences.
- If, on the other hand, external differences in rank correspond with differences in inner worth,
and
- if inner worth forms the criterion of external rank,
people acquiesce and order reigns in society.