HEXAGRAM 02: ORIGINAL, INTERPRETATION AND CASES

HEXAGRAM 02 - K'un – The Receptive

Above K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH

Below K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH

This hexagram is made up of broken lines only.

The broken line represents the dark, yielding, receptive primal power of yin.

The attribute of the hexagram is devotion;

its image is the earth.

It is the perfect complement of THE CREATIVE - the complement, not the opposite, 1

for the Receptive does not combat the Creative but complements it.

It represents

· nature in contrast to spirit,

· earth in contrast to heaven,

· space as against time,

· the female-maternal as against the male-paternal.

However, as applied to human affairs,

the principle of this complementary relationship is found

· not only in the relation between man and woman,

· but also in that between prince and minister and

· between father and son.

Indeed, even in the individual this duality appears in the coexistence of

· the spiritual world and

· the world of the senses.

But strictly speaking there is no real dualism here,

because there is a clearly defined hierarchic relationship between the two principles.

In itself of course the Receptive is just as important as the Creative,

but the attribute of devotion defines the place occupied by this primal power in relation to the Creative.

For the Receptive must be activated and led by the Creative;

then it is productive of good.

Only when it abandons this position and tries to stand as an equal side by side with the Creative,

does it become evil.

The result then is opposition to and struggle against the Creative,

which is productive of evil to both.

THE JUDGMENT

THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,

Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.

If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,

He goes astray;

But if he follows, he finds guidance

It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,

To forego friends in the east and north.

Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

The four fundamental aspects of the Creative –

"sublime success, furthering through perseverance"- are also attributed to the Receptive.

Here, however, the perseverance is more closely defined: it is that of a mare.

The Receptive connotes spatial reality in contrast to the spiritual potentiality of the Creative.

The potential becomes real and the spiritual becomes spatial through a specifically qualifying definition.

Thus the qualification, "of a mare," is here added to the idea of perseverance.

The horse belongs to earth just as the dragon belongs to heaven.

Its tireless roaming over the plains is taken as a symbol of the vast expanse of the earth.

This is the symbol chosen because the mare combines

· the strength and swiftness of the horse with

· the gentleness and devotion of the cow.

Only because nature in its myriad forms corresponds with the myriad impulses of the Creative

can it make these impulses real.

Nature's richness lies in its power to nourish all living things;

its greatness lies in its power to give them beauty and splendor.

Thus it prospers all that lives.

It is the Creative that begets things, but they are brought to birth by the Receptive.

Applied to human affairs, therefore,

what the hexagram indicates is action in conformity with the situation.

The person in question is not in an independent position, but is acting as an assistant.

This means that he must achieve something.

It is not his task to try to lead - that would only make him lose the way –

but to let him be led.

If he knows how to meet fate with an attitude of acceptance, he is sure to find the right guidance.

The superior man

· lets himself be guided;

· he does not go ahead blindly,

· but learns from the situation what is demanded of him and

· then follows this intimation from fate.

Since there is something to be accomplished,

we need friends and helpers in the hour of toil and effort,

once the ideas to be realized are firmly set.

The time of toil and effort is indicated by the west and the south,

for west and south symbolize the place where the Receptive works for the Creative,

as nature does in summer and autumn.

If in that situation one does not mobilize all one's powers,

the work to be accomplished will not be done.

Hence to find friends there means to find guidance.

But in addition to the time of toil and effort, there is also a time of planning, and for this we need solitude.

The east symbolizes the place where a man receives orders from his master and

the north the place where he reports on what he has done.

At that time he must be alone and objective.

In this sacred hour

· he must do without companions so that

· the purity of the moment may not be spoiled by factional hates and favoritism.

THE IMAGE

The earth's condition is receptive devotion.

Thus the superior man who has breadth of character

Carries the outer world.

Just as there is only one heaven, so too there is only one earth.

In the hexagram of the heaven the (doubling, of the trigram implies duration in time,

but in the hexagram of earth the doubling connotes the solidity and extension in space by virtue of which

the earth is able to carry and preserve all things that live and move upon it.

The earth in its devotion carries all things, good and evil, without exception.

In the same way the superior man gives to his character breadth, purity, and sustaining power,

so that he is able both

· to support and

· to bear with people and things.

THE LINES

Six at the beginning means:

When there is hoarfrost underfoot,

Solid ice is not far off.

· Just as the light-giving power represents life,

· so the dark power, the shadowy, represents death.

When the first hoarfrost comes in the autumn,

the power of darkness and cold is just at its beginning.

After these first warnings, signs of death will gradually multiply,

until, in obedience to immutable laws, stark winter, with its ice is here.

In life it is the same.

After certain scarcely noticeable signs of decay have appeared,

they go on increasing until final dissolution comes.

But in life precautions can be taken by

heeding the first signs of decay and checking them in time.

0 Six in the second place means:

Straight, square, great.

Without purpose,

Yet nothing remains unfurthered.

· The symbol of heaven is the circle, and

· that of earth is the square.

Thus

· squareness is a primary quality of the earth.

On the other hand,

· movement in a straight line, as well as in magnitude, is a primary quality of the Creative.

But all square things have their origin in a straight line and in turn form solid bodies.

In mathematics, when we discriminate between lines, planes, and solids, we find that

· rectangular planes result from straight lines, and

· cubic magnitudes from rectangular planes.

The Receptive accommodates itself to the qualities of the Creative and makes them its own.

Thus

· a square develops out of a straight line and

· a cube out of a square.

This is compliance with the laws of the Creative;

· nothing is taken away,

· nothing added.

Therefore the Receptive has

· no need of a special purpose of its own,

· nor of any effort;

yet everything turns out as it should.

· Nature creates all beings without erring: this is its straightness.

· It is calm and still: this is its foursquareness.

· It tolerates all creatures equally: this is its greatness.

Therefore it attains what is right for all without artifice or special intentions.

Man achieves the height of wisdom when all that he does is as self-evident as what nature does.

Six in the third place means:

Hidden lines.

One is able to remain persevering.

If by chance you are in the service of a king,

Seek not works, but bring to completion.

If a man is free of vanity

he is able to

· conceal his abilities and

· keep them from attracting attention too soon;

thus he can mature undisturbed.

· If conditions demand it, he can also enter public life,

· but that too he does with restraint.

The wise man gladly leaves fame to others.

He does not seek to have credited to himself things that stand accomplished, but

hopes to release active forces;

that is,

he completes his works in such a manner that they may bear fruit for the future.

Six in the fourth place means:

A tied-up sack. No blame, no praise.

The dark element

· opens when it moves and

· closes when at rest. 2

The strictest reticence is indicated here.

The time is dangerous, because any degree of prominence leads either

· to the enmity of irresistible antagonists if one challenges them or

· to misconceived recognition if one is complaisant.

Therefore a man ought to maintain reserve,

be it in solitude or in the turmoil of the world,

for there too he can hide himself so well that no one knows him.

Six in the fifth place means:

A yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune.

Yellow is the color

· of the earth and

· of the middle;

it is the symbol of that which is reliable and genuine.

The lower garment is inconspicuously decorated - the symbol of aristocratic reserve.

When anyone is called upon to work in a prominent but not independent position,

true success depends on the utmost discretion.

A man’s genuineness and refinement should not reveal themselves directly;

they should express themselves only indirectly as an effect from within.

Six at the top means:

Dragons fight in the meadow.

Their blood is black and yellow.

In the top place the dark element should yield to the light.

If it attempts to maintain a position to which it is not entitled and to rule instead of serving,

it draws down upon itself the anger of the strong.

A struggle ensues in which it is overthrown, with injury, however, to both sides.

The dragon, symbol of heaven, comes to fight

the false dragon that symbolizes the inflation of the earth principle.

Midnight blue is the color of heaven;

yellow is the color of the earth.

Therefore, when black and yellow blood flow,

it is a sign that in this unnatural contest both primal powers suffer injury.

When all the lines are sixes, it means:

Lasting perseverance furthers.

When nothing but sixes appears,

the Hexagram THE RECEPTIVE changes into the hexagram of THE CREATIVE.

By holding fast to what is right, it gains the power of enduring.

There is indeed no advance, but neither is there retrogression.

(Hexagrams that are opposites in structure are not necessarily opposites in meaning.)

3. While the top line of THE CREATIVE indicates titanic pride and forms a parallel to the Greek legend of Icarus, the top line Of THE RECEPTIVE presents a parallel to the myth of Lucifer's rebellion against God, or to the battle between the powers of darkness and the gods of Valhalla, which ended with the Twilight of the Gods.

02 - THE RECEPTIVE

MANAGERIAL ISSUE:

The CEO – managing the Receptive corporation - a corporation, which has the most perfect capacity to manufacture (produce), but lacks the capacity to design (create).

There are corporations that only design (Hexagram 1), there are corporations that only manufacture what others design (Hexagram 2) and there are corporations that both design and manufacture. In the case of Apple, for instance, it used to design and manufacture. As it matured and developed, Apple realized that it was best at designing and marketing rather than manufacturing. The proper conclusion was to outsource the manufacturing process, to look for a Receptive corporation.

Hexagram 2 practically describes an EMS corporation (electronic manufacturer services). If it were a country, it could be describing China now that it is receiving capital, ideas, management and raw materials. Or Japan after WW II. It describes a CEO whose corporation has the appropriate culture to carry out brilliant ideas, even though it might not necessarily have the adequate persons to generate those brilliant ideas. He will also find that this corporation has the necessary elements like financial strength, capacity for a quick project execution, and a very receptive corporate culture, which is open to any new idea and always willing to follow a good leader. This is a corporation, which easily molds itself to any changes in the market. Unfortunately, it is excellent when it molds itself to any external idea, but will fall into grave errors whenever it acts out of its own initiative.

Hexagram 2 might also represent the classic examples of those corporations which tried to imitate IBM or Intel. The more these corporations copy, the more successful they are, but the more they try to create their own products, the more errors they fall into. There are some corporations, which like to copy Mercedes Benz instead of trying to create their own designs. Even though there will always be a market for their products, they are smart enough to realize that their success lies in the fact that they are imitators, not creators.

MANAGERIAL LESSON:

The Superior CEO:

1) Recognizes that:

• There is a time to be Creative and there is a time to Receptive.
• During the Time Space of the Receptive, his role is to look for a Creative corporation and complement it rather than to compete with it.
• Both types of corporations (Creative as well as Receptive) are equally important.

2) Looks for guidance from the other corporations before making any move on his own. To move on his own would mean making grave mistakes such as turning tolerant competitors into enemies. Ironically, only then will he realize that his original competitors were willing to accept him as an imitator but not as a creator. This corporation needs a company to generate the ideas like in Hexagram 1 – the Creative. If the CEO could make a joint venture with a corporation that generates brilliant ideas, there would be no limits to its abilities to execute the projects. Or it could become an EMS or electronic manufacturer services and manufacture someone else’s products.

• The I Ching says: It is the perfect complement of THE CREATIVE - the complement, not the opposite, for the Receptive does not combat the Creative but complements it. It represents nature in contrast to spirit, earth in contrast to heaven, space as against time, the female-maternal as against the male-paternal. However, as applied to human affairs, the principle of this complementary relationship is found not only in the relation between man and woman, but also in that between prince and minister and between father and son. Indeed, even in the individual this duality appears in the coexistence of the spiritual world and the world of the senses.

3) Looks for guidance from his subordinates. This is a time for the CEO to be led rather than to lead, and to learn from both his subordinates as well as from the actual business conditions. Those same business conditions will point the way for him to follow. It is quite difficult for a CEO not to lead, after all that is what they are trained to do; however, he must be strong enough to allow others to lead him, and to allow the circumstances to lead him on the right path. Obviously, the CEO must rely only on his most trusted advisors and closest assistants to lead him, not just on anyone.

4) Finds a place where he can be alone to search and find the way the corporation should follow and to prepare his strategy carefully. Even though the CEO can let his closest advisors as well as the business circumstances show him the strategy, the decision must be his and his alone. No CEO can ever escape the loneliness of the decision making process. By taking the decision by himself and in a place where he can be alone, he makes sure none of his advisors influence him on the final decision making process. Because he allows his trusted advisors to show him the various strategies, every advisor will want to influence him on accepting their own personal advice. By retiring to be alone, the CEO can choose without the least emotions, lest he become biased towards a particular advisor on the right path to follow.

INVESTMENT ADVICE:

For the investor, the Receptive represents in general terms a favorable Time-Space to invest.

Investing under the Receptive Time-Space is good only for the long-term investors. It is not for those who want quick profits. In general terms, this corporation is like a lot of fertile land which is worth buying only for the mere fact that any idea that is implanted would be like a seed which can generate high profits. As the fertile land, it symbolizes the effort behind the sowing and the reaping, and not a quick profit. It is definitely worth investing a small portion of our portfolio and to increment the amount as it becomes obvious that the right leader or the right idea has become present.

By itself (no lines), the Time-Space points to Success provided the CEO follows rather than leads.

THE JUDGMENT

THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,

Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.

If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,

He goes astray;

But if he follows, he finds guidance

It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,

To forego friends in the east and north.

Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

The lines, however, present the best investment opportunity in the fifth place.

The following are cases of corporations under the Receptive Time-Space

· Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI under CEO Robert Kotick

· VeriSign Inc. VRSN under CEO Mark D. McLaughlin

(Read at the end of the Hexagram)

THE LINES

SIX IN THE FIRST PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation - in a downturn in corporate profits.

Managerial Lesson: Be alert/prepared.

Managerial Warning: At the first stage of the Receptive Time-Space, The CEO must prepare for two possible scenarios that could affect his corporation:

· A recession is approaching, and the corporation will have to struggle throughout these hard times. Or

· The corporation itself might be about to run into a period of a downturn in sales.

Both scenarios mean hard times ahead.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO realizes that periods of decay are natural and inevitable, and that it is possible to prepare for them once their first signs appear. This is what Intel’s CEO (Andy Grove) meant for always looking over his shoulder (Only the Paranoid Survive). For instance; the CEO could implement a number of counter measures to prepare for the period of decay by reducing the headcount or inventory, or by launching a new marketing effort, or introducing a new product line.

The I Ching says: “in life precautions can be taken by heeding the first signs of decay and checking them in time”.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE SECOND PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing a receptive (non-creative) but productive company.

Managerial Lesson: Be accommodating.

Managerial Warning: At the second stage of the Receptive Time-Space, the CEO’s policy should be: Follow, do not lead. The I Ching describes a very productive company with a strong market for its products, even though they are not very original. This could represent the line of Intel’s imitators, which might be productive, but must always follow Intel’s lead. Still, they have a strong market with large buyers.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO accepts the real nature of his corporation’s Receptive Time-Space, embraces it and makes the most of it.

The Receptive accommodates itself to the qualities of the Creative and makes them its own.

Therefore the Receptive has no need of a special purpose of its own, nor of any effort; yet everything turns out as it should.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE THIRD PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation - in a stealth manner.

Managerial Lesson: Be modest.

Managerial Warning: At the third stage of the Receptive Time-Space, the CEO finds that if he is not humble enough to hide his good managerial qualities, he will draw the attention from the press as well as from his competitors. He could go to the press but only if needed, provided his aim is not to get public recognition for making this a successful corporation, but rather to make sure the corporation’s success will last for a long time. The CEO’s attitude is the right one. Some CEOs, such as the case of John Reed of Citicorp discovered to their chagrin that the more visible they became to the public and to his subordinates, the more opposition they generated from everyone, particularly the press.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO is smart enough to realize his errors quickly, to keep quiet and to maintain a low profile. One way to appreciate this attitude is by observing George Soros’ work with regards the introduction of capitalism and democracy into the communist world, or Warren Buffett’s desire to stay in Omaha far away from the maddening crowd.

· The wise man gladly leaves fame to others.

· He

• does not seek to have credited to himself things that stand accomplished, but
• hopes to release active forces; that is,

· he

• completes his works in such a manner that they may bear fruit for the future.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE FOURTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation when he is about to make his move.

Managerial Lesson: Be reserved.

Managerial Warning: At the fourth stage of the Receptive Time-Space, the CEO realizes this is a time of danger for the corporation. The CEO is about to make his move – to transform his corporation from a Receptive corporation to a Creative corporation. The CEO faces a dilemma - if he is too assertive in implementing the transformation, he will generate opposition from the same corporations he is trying to challenge. If he is too soft, he will be perceived as a wimp. In both cases he will have the Board of Directors against him.

Managerial Advice: The Superior does not move during the time of danger, thus he avoids being either too assertive or too soft. He knows when to keep a low profile within the industry.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE FIFTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation by his own personal example.

Managerial Lesson: Be discreet.

Managerial Warning: At the fifth stage of the Receptive Time-Space, the CEO finds that he has been given great responsibilities and a leading position, yet he is also a corporate man and may not act without proper consultations from the Board of Directors.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO keeps his plans to himself to both: to not generate opposition, and to show his excellent leading qualities by his own calmness in front of desperate situations. The Superior CEO teaches by his own actions rather than by his words.

· A man’s genuineness and refinement

• should not reveal themselves directly;

· They

• should express themselves only indirectly as an effect from within.

Investment Advice: Invest fully. The I Ching says: “supreme good fortune”

SIX IN THE SIXTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation - as it tries to lead rather than follow.

Managerial Lesson: Be yielding/Be serving.

Managerial Warning: At the sixth stage of the Receptive Time-Space, the I Ching describes this line as the classic battle between opposing good and evil forces. The CEO should be true to his own nature when fighting this battle. This line is applicable to both the CEO as well as to the corporation:

· In the case of the CEO, he could be perceived to have changed the focus of his managerial style from that of a humble servant of the corporation’s interest to that of a self-serving tyrant. This attitude draws a considerable opposition against him, which brings harm to the CEO as well as to the corporation. And even though he will eventually receive a reinforced support from the Board of Directors, he cannot repair the damage done. And

· In the case of the corporation, such as the case of an electronic manufacturing service, it could be a situation where the receptive corporation which depends on the creative corporation is no longer willing to put up with being a receiver of ideas and tries to become a producer of ideas. This creates such anger amongst the creative corporations that they decide to destroy it. In the process, both the receptive corporation as well the creative corporations hurts themselves. Apple should prepare for what is coming in the future because the Chinese companies that manufacture for Apple will one day try and replace Apple

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows sometimes it is better to leave things as they are.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN ALL PLACES

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the receptive corporation - at a standstill.

Managerial Lesson: Be righteous.

Managerial Warning: This Receptive corporation could eventually become a Creative corporation but it might take too long. The corporation risks becoming stagnant and so will the value of its stock. Even though there might eventually be success, there are other more profitable alternatives.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO is righteous so that his corporation may survive.

Investment Advice: Do not invest. Look for better alternatives.

The I Ching says: “While the top line of THE CREATIVE indicates titanic pride and forms a parallel to the Greek legend of Icarus, the top line Of THE RECEPTIVE presents a parallel to the myth of Lucifer's rebellion against God, or to the battle between the powers of darkness and the gods of Valhalla, which ended with the Twilight of the Gods.”

MANAGERIAL CASES

ACTIVISION BLIZZARD (ATVI) UNDER CEO ROBERT KOTIC

Robert Kotick’s Performance: ROI= 1,150.00% Annualized Return= 13.13%

SPY’s Performance: ROI= 186.46% Annualized Return= 6.21%

Robert Kotick has been CEO of Activision since February 1991 and CEO of Activision Blizzard since July 2008. Since February of 1991 his has been able to outperform the SPY. However, lately, and in particular since the crash of 2008, he has not been able to recover the stock price’s all-time high.

Because he has been CEO for almost two decades, we asked the Oracle once more about his future. His new hexagram is The Receptive.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM: The Receptive (2) points to sublime success provided the CEO follows:

THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,

Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.

If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,

He goes astray;

But if he follows, he finds guidance

It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,

To forego friends in the east and north.

Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

2) THE ADVICE:

The earth's condition is receptive devotion.

Thus the superior man who has breadth of character

Carries the outer world.

3) THE LINES: There is one moving line which is one of the best lines:

Six in the fifth place means:

A yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune.

Yellow is the color of the earth and of the middle; it is the symbol of that which is reliable and genuine. The lower garment is inconspicuously decorated - the symbol of aristocratic reserve. When anyone is called upon to work in a prominent but not independent position, true success depends on the utmost discretion. A man’s genuineness and refinement should not reveal themselves directly; they should express themselves only indirectly as an effect from within.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM: 8 UNION is positive:

HOLDING TOGETHER brings good fortune.

Inquire of the Oracle once again

Whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance;

Then there is no blame.

Those who are uncertain gradually join.

Whoever comes too late

Meets with misfortune.

VERISIGN Inc. VRSN UNDER CEO MARK D. McLAUGHLIN

Mark D. McLaughlin Performance: ROI= 60.61% Annualized Return= 27.20%

SPY’s Performance: ROI= 31.97% Annualized Return= 15.18%

Mark D. McLaughlin has been CEO of VeriSign since August 2009 and it is too early to tell his full performance; however, up to now it’s been a superior performance compared to that of the SPY.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM:

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE:

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

Six in the third place means:

Hidden lines.

One is able to remain persevering.

If by chance you are in the service of a king,

Seek not works, but bring to completion.

If a man is free of vanity he is able to conceal his abilities and keep them from attracting attention too soon; thus he can mature undisturbed. If conditions demand it, he can also enter public life, but that too he does with restraint. The wise man gladly leaves fame to others. He does not seek to have credited to himself things that stand accomplished, but hopes to release active forces; that is, he completes his works in such a manner that they may bear fruit for the future.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM:

HEXAGRAM 15 - Ch’ien - Modesty

This hexagram is made up of the trigrams Ken, Keeping Still, mountain, and K'un. The mountain is the youngest son of the Creative, the representative of heaven on earth. It dispenses the blessings of heaven, the clouds and rain that gather round its summit, and thereafter shines forth radiant with heavenly light. This shows what modesty is and how it functions in great and strong men. K'un, the earth, stands above. Lowliness is a quality of the earth: this is the very reason why it appears in this hexagram as exalted, by being placed above the mountain. This shows how modesty functions in lowly, simple people: they are lifted up by it.

THE JUDGEMENT

MODESTY creates success.

The superior man carries things through.

It is the law of heaven to make fullness empty and to make full what is modest; when the sun is at its zenith, it must, according to the law of heaven, turn toward its setting, and at its nadir it rises toward a new dawn. In obedience to the same law, the moon when it is full begins to wane, and when empty of light it waxes again. This heavenly law works itself out in the fates of men also. It is the law of earth to alter the full and to contribute to the modest. High mountains are worn down by the waters, and the valleys are filled up. It is the law of fate to undermine what is full and to prosper the modest. And men also hate fullness and love the modest.

The destinies of men are subject to immutable laws that must fulfill themselves. But man has it in his power to shape his fate, according as his behavior exposes him to the influence of benevolent or of destructive forces. When a man holds a high position and is nevertheless modest, he shines with the light of wisdom; if he is in a lowly position and is modest, he cannot be passed by. Thus the superior man can carry out his work to the end without boasting of what he has achieved.

THE IMAGE

Within the earth, a mountain: The image Of MODESTY.

Thus the superior man reduces that which is too much,

And augments that which is too little.

He weighs things and makes them equal.

The wealth of the earth in which a mountain is hidden is not visible to the eye, because the depths are offset by the height of the mountain. Thus high and low complement each other, and the result is the plain. Here an effect that it took a long time to achieve, but that in the end seems easy of accomplishment and self-evident, is used as the image of modesty. The superior man does the same thing when he establishes order in the world; he equalizes the extremes that are the source of social discontent and thereby creates just and equable conditions.