Alto Ingredients ALTO under CEO Michael Kandris

Alto Ingredients ALTO under CEO Michael Kandris

 

HEXAGRAM 31 – Hsien – Influence (Wooing)

Above    TUI    THE JOYOUS, LAKE

Below    KEN    KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN

The name of the hexagram means

• “universal,”
  
• “general,”
  

and in a figurative sense

• “to influence,”
  
• “to stimulate.”
  

• The upper trigrams is Tui, the Joyous;
  
• the lower is Ken, Keeping Still.
  

By its persistent, quiet influence, the lower, rigid trigram

• stimulates the upper, weak trigram, which
  
• responds to this stimulation cheerfully and joyously.
  

• Ken, the lower trigram, is the youngest son;
  
• the upper, Tui, is the youngest daughter.
  

Thus the universal mutual attraction between the sexes is represented.

In courtship, the masculine principle must

• seize the initiative
  

and

• place itself below the feminine principle.
  

Just as

• the first part of book I begins with the hexagrams of
  
  • heaven
    

  and
  

  • earth,
    

the foundations of all that exists,

• the second part begins with the hexagrams of
  
  • courtship
    

  and
  

  • marriage,
    

the foundations of all social relationships.

 

THE JUDGMENT

Influence.

Success.

Perseverance furthers.

To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.

• The weak element is above,
  
• the strong below;
  

hence

• their powers attract each other,
  

so that

• they unite.
  

This brings about success, for

all success depends on the effect of mutual attraction.

By keeping still within while experiencing joy without,

one can

• prevent the joy from going to excess
  

and

• hold it within proper bounds.
  

This is the meaning of the added admonition, “Perseverance furthers,” for

it is perseverance that makes the difference between

• seduction
  

and

• courtship;
  

in the latter

the strong man

• takes a position inferior to that of the weak girl
  

and

• shows consideration for her.
  

This attraction between affinities is a general law of nature.

Heaven and earth

• attract each other
  

and thus

• all creatures come into being.
  

Through such attraction

• the sage influences men’s hearts,
  

and thus

• the world attains peace.
  

From the attractions they exert

we can learn the nature of all beings

• in heaven
  

and

• on earth.
  

 

THE IMAGE

A lake on the mountain: The image of influence.

Thus

the superior man encourages people to approach him

By his readiness to receive them.

A mountain with a lake on its summit is stimulated by the moisture from the lake.

It has this advantage because its summit

• does not jut out as a peak
  

but

• is sunken.
  

The image counsels that the mind should be kept

• humble
  

and

• free,
  

so that

it may remain receptive to good advice.

People soon give up counseling a man who thinks

that

he knows everything better than anyone else.

 

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