HEXAGRAM 30: ORIGINAL, INTERPRETATION AND CASES

HEXAGRAM 30 – Li - THE CLINGING, FIRE

Above LI THE CLINGING, FIRE

Below LI THE CLINGING, FIRE

This hexagram is another double sign.

The trigram Li means

· ¨to cling to something,"

· "to be conditioned,

· to depend or rest on something," and also

· "brightness”.

A dark line clings to two light lines,

· one above and

· one below –

the image of an empty space between two strong lines,

whereby the two strong lines are made bright.

The trigram represents the middle daughter.

The Creative has incorporated the central line of the Receptive, and thus

Li develops.

As an image, it is fire.

Fire

· has no definite form but

· clings to the burning object and thus

is bright.

As water pours down from heaven,

so fire flames up from the earth.

· While K'an means the soul shut within the body,

· Li stands for nature in its radiance.

THE JUDGMENT

THE CLINGING.

Perseverance furthers.

It brings success.

Care of the cow brings good fortune.

What is dark clings

· to what is light and so

· enhances the brightness of the latter.

A luminous thing giving out light

must have within itself something that perseveres; otherwise

it will in time burn itself out.

Everything that

gives light

is dependent on something to which it clings,

in order that it may continue to shine.

Thus

· sun and moon cling to heaven, and

· grain, grass, and trees cling to the earth.

So too

the twofold clarity of the dedicated man

· clings to what is right and thereby

· can shape the world.

Human life on earth is conditioned and unfree, and,

when man

· recognizes this limitation and

· makes himself dependent upon the harmonious and beneficent forces of the cosmos,

he achieves success.

The cow is the symbol of extreme docility.

By cultivating in himself an attitude of

· compliance and

· voluntary dependence,

man

· acquires clarity without sharpness and

· finds his place in the world. 1

THE IMAGE

That which is bright rises twice: The image of FIRE.

Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness,

Illumines the four quarters of the world.

Each of the two trigrams represents the sun in the course of a day.

The two together represent the repeated movement of the sun,

the function of light with respect to time.

The great man continues the work of nature in the human world.

Through the clarity of his nature

he causes the light

· to spread farther and farther and

· to penetrate the nature of man ever more deeply.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning means:

The footprints run crisscross.

If one is seriously intent, no blame.

It is early morning and work begins.

The mind has been closed to the outside world in sleep;

now its connections with the world begin again.

The traces of one's impressions run crisscross.

Activity and haste prevail.

It is important then

· to preserve inner composure and

· not to allow oneself to be swept along by the bustle of life.

· one is serious and composed,

· he can acquire the clarity of mind needed for

o coming to terms with the innumerable impressions that pour in.

· It is precisely at the beginning that serious concentration is important,

o because the beginning holds the seed of all that is to follow.

0 Six in the second place means:

Yellow light.

Supreme good fortune.

Midday has come;

the sun shines with a yellow light.

· Yellow is the color of measure and mean.

· Yellow light is therefore a symbol of the highest culture and art,

o whose consummate harmony consists in holding to the mean.

Nine in the third place means:

In the light of the setting sun,

Men

· either beat the pot and sing Or

· loudly bewail the approach of old age.

Misfortune.

Here the end of the day has come.

The light of the setting sun calls to mind the fact that life is

· transitory and

· conditional.

Caught in this external bondage,

men are usually robbed of their inner freedom as well.

The sense of the transitoriness of life impels them

· to uninhibited revelry

o in order to enjoy life while it lasts, or else

· they yield to melancholy and spoil the precious time

o by lamenting the approach of old age.

Both attitudes are wrong.

To the superior man

it makes no difference whether death comes early or late.

· cultivates himself,

· awaits his allotted time, and in this way

· secures his fate.

Nine in the fourth place means:

Its coming is sudden;

· flames up,

· dies down,

· is thrown away.

· Clarity of mind has the same relation to life that

· fire has to wood.

Fire

· clings to wood, but also

· consumes it.

Clarity of mind

· is rooted in life but

· can also consume it.

Everything depends upon how the clarity functions.

Here the image used is that of a meteor or a straw fire.

A man who is excitable and restless

· may rise quickly to prominence but

· produces no lasting effects.

Thus matters end badly when

a man

· spends himself too rapidly and

· consumes himself like a meteor.

0 Six in the fifth place means:

Tears in floods,

· sighing and

· lamenting.

Good fortune.

Here the zenith of life has been reached.

Were there no warning,

one would at this point consume oneself like a flame.

Instead,

understanding the vanity of all things,

one may

· put aside both hope and fear, and

· sigh and lament:

if one is intent on retaining his clarity of mind,

good fortune will come from this grief.

For here we are dealing

· not with a passing mood, as in the nine in the third place,

· but with a real change of heart.

Nine at the top means:

The king uses him to

· march forth and

· chastise.

Then it is best to

· kill the leaders And

· take captive the followers.

No blame.

It is not the purpose of chastisement

· to impose punishment blindly

· but to create discipline.

Evil must be cured at its roots.

To eradicate evil in political life,

it is best to

· kill the ringleaders and

· spare the followers.

In educating oneself it is best to

· root out bad habits and

· tolerate those that are harmless.

For asceticism that is too strict,

like sentences of undue severity,

fails in its purpose.

1. It is a noteworthy and curious coincidence that fire and care of the cow are connected here just as in the Parsee religion. [According to the Parsee belief the Divine Light, or Fire, was manifested in the mineral, vegetable, and animal worlds before it appeared in human form. Its animal incarnation was the cow, and Ahura-Mazda was nourished on her milk.]

30 THE CLINGING (FIRE)

MANAGERIAL ISSUE:

The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans

Hexagram 30 the CLINGING Time-Space is represented by fire because it is composed of a double trigram of fire. It shows the double amount of light and points to the brilliance of the CEO and his managerial team. But that brilliancy cannot be executed if it does not count with the support of internal as well as external forces, such as the CEO’s virtue (internal) and the employees of the corporation (external).

The Superior CEO knows that:

1) Everything in the Universe depends on something else to highlight its own character; for instance, light depends on darkness, fire depends on wood and the CEO depends on many internal as well as external factors.

2) He, just like fire, will eventually burn out in accordance to the natural cycles. It is only natural that whatever consumes itself to give light to others will eventually burn itself out completely. That is the price to pay for shining out and imparting knowledge on to others. Nothing that depends on something else for its survival is eternal. Only GOD is eternal because HE depends on nothing.

MANAGERIAL LESSON:

The Superior CEO embraces that on which he depends; for instance:

1) Internal factors such, as integrity, honesty, vision and a proper attitude. The Superior CEO knows that if he holds on to his principles, lives by the rules under a strict code of ethics and cultivates a humble attitude, he will have the clarity of mind necessary to transform his corporation into the best in the industry. He understands that such success will in turn provide him with a long lasting position within the corporation, and make him grow to be a great man with penetrating insight, simplicity of ideas and clear thinking. By holding on to his virtues, the Superior CEO not only assures his survival while other CEOs are destroyed but becomes a role model for the employees and the other managers. The other CEOs might fall because they do not depend on basic values but rather improvise. He is humble and therefore recognizes his dependence on the employees for the proper execution of his plans. Thanks to his humility he develops his intuition, and learns to listen to his inner voice. He knows both qualities, humility and intuition, are the key to his success.

2) External factors such as employees, suppliers, clients, and government. The Superior CEO acknowledges his need for them to properly manage the corporation, to carry out his plans and to shine in the eyes of the shareholders. The Superior CEO behaves like the Sun at noon. He irradiates his knowledge the way the Sun irradiates its light. He educates his employees, placing a lot of emphasis in human development through training.

INVESTMENT ADVICE:

For the investor, the CLINGING is in general a favorable Time-Space to invest.

By itself (no lines) it represents an excellent investment opportunity provided the CEO clings to what is right so that he can shape the world.

THE CLINGING.

Perseverance furthers.

It brings success.

Care of the cow brings good fortune.

What is dark clings to what is light and so enhances the brightness of the latter. A luminous thing giving out light must have within itself something that perseveres; otherwise it will in time burn itself out. Everything that gives light is dependent on something to which it clings, in order that it may continue to shine.

Thus sun and moon cling to heaven, and grain, grass, and trees cling to the earth. So too the twofold clarity of the dedicated man clings to what is right and thereby can shape the world. Human life on earth is conditioned and unfree, and, when man recognizes this limitation and makes himself dependent upon the harmonious and beneficent forces of the cosmos, he achieves success. The cow is the symbol of extreme docility. By cultivating in himself an attitude of compliance and voluntary dependence, man acquires clarity without sharpness and finds his place in the world.

The lines offer two excellent possibilities to invest in the 2^nd and the 5^th lines.

The following cases are those of corporations under Clinging Time-Space:

· JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM under CEO James Dimon

· Fastenal Co. FAST under CEO Willard D. Oberton

· Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. CHKP under CEO Gil Shwed

(Read at end of the Hexagram)

THE LINES

NINE IN THE FIRST PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans – not depending on virtue creates a hasty beginning.

Managerial Lesson: Be virtuous.

Managerial Warning: At the first stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the CEO begins the execution of his plans. No doubt his ideas are brilliant, but this beginning, like all beginnings, is very chaotic, undisciplined and precipitated.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO, in the early stages of the execution of any plan, ensures his brilliant ideas are carried out by:

· Keeping an attitude of absolute seriousness, calmness and focus. He knows such attitude will allow him to CLING to the employees and for them to CLING to each other as a team to reach his objectives.

· Understanding that all beginnings already contain the essence of the end, that in all cause is the seed of the effect, that in all brilliant plans is the seed of the success or failure, and that all the Superior CEO has to do is carry the plan through to the end. This is one of the greatest truths of the I Ching and lessons for the CEO. This is also a Buddhist concept that in everyman there is a saint as well as a sinner.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE SECOND PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans - successfully executing his brilliant plans by depending on his virtue and on the employees.

Managerial Lesson: Be balanced (hold to the mean).

Managerial Warning: At the second stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the CEO’s managerial capacity is at its most efficient point. His brilliant plans are being executed smoothly, and all the employees easily follow his plans. Everything points to high corporate earnings.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO is humble when touched by the Heaven sent Supreme Good Fortune.

Investment Advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE THIRD PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans – his lack of virtue leads to a lack of clear thinking and inability to face the end.

Managerial Lesson: Be calmed.

Managerial Warning: At the third stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the CEO’s managerial and leadership capacity is quickly decaying. He fails to depend on his virtues and thus fails to generate a brilliant plan. He fails to CLING or depend on the employees and thus fails to lead them to success. This is part of the cycle of nature, which includes the wear and tear and the death of all that is material, including management.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO keeps his virtues and maintains his composure in the face of the inevitability of the approaching end. While most CEO’s will either become reckless or depressed when facing the end, the Superior CEO stays focused on his goals and makes the most of the time left to him even if the end is near.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

NINE IN THE FOURTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans – hurrying success leads to lack of clear thinking and failure.

Managerial Lesson: Be patient.

Managerial Warning: At the fourth stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the brilliant CEO turns aggressive and selfish. Like all fleeting stars, this CEO will only shine for a brief moment and in the end will burn out. But worst still, he will also burn that on which he depends, mainly the employees or the corporation, the same way fire finally consumes the wood entirely. This CEO wants quick results but cares little about the means to obtain them. He is certainly not interested in a long-range plan, or in educating the employees to look for long-term results. Unfortunately, the corporate world is so full of similar managers.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO is patient. He never aims for the quick results.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE FIFTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans – a profound contemplation of his errors leads to a rebirth and clear thinking.

Managerial Lesson: Be clear.

Managerial Warning: At the fifth stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the CEO has reached his zenith. From now on the road points to a decline, to a rupture in the bond between the CEO and the employees.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO does not lament for the material things, which he is about to lose, but rather concentrates on not losing his clear thinking. He knows:

· His clear thinking will allow him to keep his bond with the employees and the corporation.

· Only a real personal transformation on his part, brought about by his abandoning all vanity, can return him to once again clinging to his employees and his corporation.

Investment Advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE SIXTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing by clinging: to virtue for clarity of mind and to the employees for the execution of his plans – properly applying punishment.

Managerial Lesson: Be discriminating.

Managerial Warning: At the sixth stage of the Clinging Time-Space, the CEO must punish the guilty.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO eliminates those who lack merit but not for the purpose of punishment but for the sake of injecting discipline back to the corporation. He wisely eliminates only the higher-ranking executives who are doing the most damage to the corporation and allows their collaborators to remain. The Superior CEO applies this lesson on himself also, by eliminating only his real bad habits and tolerating the less significant ones. He knows extreme punishments produce bad results.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

MANAGERIAL CASES

JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM under CEO James Dimon

James Dimon’s Performance: ROI= (9.97%) Annualized Return= (1.85%)

SPY performance ROI= (6.89%) Annualized Return= (1.26%)

James Dimon became CEO of JPMorgan on 12/31/2005. Since then, he has not been able to outperform the SPY. Unfortunately, he drew the line four which points to a negative future.

He is not alone given that many banks are in very negative Time-Spaces.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 30 – Li - THE CLINGING, FIRE

This hexagram is another double sign. The trigram Li means ¨to cling to something," "to be conditioned, to depend or rest on something," and also "brightness”. A dark line clings to two light lines, one above and one below - the image of an empty space between two strong lines, whereby the two strong lines are made bright. The trigram represents the middle daughter. The Creative has incorporated the central line of the Receptive, and thus Li develops. As an image, it is fire. Fire has no definite form but clings to the burning object and thus is bright. As water pours down from heaven, so fire flames up from the earth. While K'an means the soul shut within the body, Li stands for nature in its radiance.

THE JUDGMENT

THE CLINGING.

Perseverance furthers.

It brings success.

Care of the cow brings good fortune.

2) THE ADVICE

That which is bright rises twice: The image of FIRE.

Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness,

Illumines the four quarters of the world.

Each of the two trigrams represents the sun in the course of a day. The two together represent the repeated movement of the sun, the function of light with respect to time. The great man continues the work of nature in the human world. Through the clarity of his nature he causes the light to spread farther and farther and to penetrate the nature of man ever more deeply.

3) THE LINES:

Nine in the fourth place means:

Its coming is sudden;

It flames up, dies down, is thrown away.

Clarity of mind has the same relation to life that fire has to wood. Fire dings to wood, but also consumes it. Clarity of mind is rooted in life but can also consume it. Everything depends upon how the clarity functions. Here the image used is that of a meteor or a straw fire. A man who is excitable and restless may rise quickly to prominence but produces no lasting effects. Thus matters end badly when a man spends himself too rapidly and consumes himself like a meteor.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 22 – Pi - Grace

This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain, the heavenly heights. Grace - beauty of form - is necessary in any union if it is to be well ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.

THE JUDGMENT

GRACE has success.

In small matters

It is favorable to undertake something.

Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing; it is only the ornament and must therefore be used sparingly and only in little things. In the lower trigram of fire a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so that here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor. In nature we see in the sky the strong light of the sun; the life of the world depends on it. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world. 1

THE IMAGE

Fire at the foot of the mountain: The image of GRACE.

Thus does the superior man proceed

When clearing up current affairs.

But he dare not decide controversial issues in this way.

The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far; in the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.

1. This hexagram shows tranquil beauty-clarity within, quiet without. This is the tranquility of pure contemplation. When desire is silenced and the will comes to rest, the world-as-idea becomes manifest. In this aspect the world is beautiful and removed from the struggle for existence. This is the world of art. However, contemplation alone will not put the will to rest absolutely. It will awaken again, and then all the beauty of form will appear to have been only a brief moment of exaltation. Hence this is still not the true way of redemption. For this reason Confucius felt very uncomfortable when once, on consulting the Oracle, he obtained the hexagram of GRACE.

Fastenal Co. FAST under CEO Willard D. Oberton

Willard Oberton’s Performance: ROI= 239.87% Annualized Return= 15.08%

SPY performance ROI= 29.95% Annualized Return= 3.05%

Willard Oberton became CEO of Fastenal in December of 2002. Since then, he has been able to substantially outperform the SPY.

However, because he has been CEO for a decade, we asked the oracle once more about his future performance: it is the Clinging with no moving lines which is fairly positive.

Perseverance furthers.

It brings success.

Care of the cow brings good fortune.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

There are no moving lines.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

There is no moving Hexagram because there are no moving lines. The Judgment becomes the focus point.

THE JUDGMENT

THE CLINGING.

Perseverance furthers.

It brings success.

Care of the cow brings good fortune.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. CHKP under CEO Gil Shwed

Gil Shwed’s Performance: ROI= 1,321.75% Annualized Return= 19.06%

SPY performance ROI= 165.40% Annualized Return= 6.62%

Gil Shwed (one of the founders) became CEO of Check Point Software in January 1993. Since then, because of his legendary brilliance, he has been able to outperform the SPY by such a margin as to prove he is a Superior CEO.

His previous Time-Space was: Possession in Great Measure.

However, because he has been CEO for so many years we asked the Oracle once more about his future Time-Space: it is the Clinging.

While his superior past performance is related to his Possession in Great Measure, his future Time-Space points to the Clinging with its first line. It is not negative but it is not as good as the previous one.

· (2011 – FUTURE)

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

Nine at the beginning means:

The footprints run crisscross.

If one is seriously intent, no blame.

It is early morning and work begins. The mind has been closed to the outside world in sleep; now its connections with the world begin again. The traces of one's impressions run crisscross. Activity and haste prevail. It is important then to preserve inner composure and not to allow oneself to be swept along by the bustle of life. If one is serious and composed, he can acquire the clarity of mind needed for coming to terms with the innumerable impressions that pour in. It is precisely at the beginning that serious concentration is important, because the beginning holds the seed of all that is to follow.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 56 - Lu - The Wanderer

The mountain, Ken, stands still; above it fire, Li, flames up and does not tarry. Therefore the two trigrams do not stay together. Strange lands and separation are the wanderer's lot.

THE JUDGMENT

THE WANDERER.

Success through smallness.

Perseverance brings good fortune

To the wanderer.

When a man is a wanderer and stranger, he should not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success.

A wanderer has no fixed abode; his home is the road. Therefore he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested.

THE IMAGE

Fire on the mountain: The image of THE WANDERER.

Thus the superior man

Is clear-minded and cautious

In imposing penalties,

And protracts no lawsuits.

When grass on a mountain takes fire, there is bright light. However, the fire does not linger in one place, but travels on to new fuel. It is a phenomenon of short duration. This is what penalties and lawsuits should be like. They should be a quickly passing matter, and must not be dragged out indefinitely. Prisons ought to be places where people are lodged only temporarily, as guests are. They must not become dwelling places.

· (1990s and 2000s)

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 14 - Ta Yu - Possession in Great Measure

The fire in heaven above shines far, and all things stand out in the light and become, manifest. The weak fifth line occupies the place of honor, and all the strong lines are in accord with it.

All things come to the man who is modest and kind in a high position.

THE JUDGMENT

POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE.

Supreme success.

The two trigrams indicate that strength and clarity unite. Possession in great measure is determined by fate and accords with the time. How is it possible that the weak line has power to hold the strong lines fast and to possess them? It is done by virtue of unselfish modesty. The time is favorable - a time of strength within, clarity and culture without. Power is expressing itself in a graceful and controlled way. This brings supreme success and wealth. 2

2) THE ADVICE

Fire in heaven above: The image of POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE .

Thus the superior man curbs evil and furthers good,

And thereby obeys the benevolent will of heaven.

The sun in heaven above, shedding light over everything on earth, is the image of possession on a grand scale. But a possession of this sort must be administered properly. The sun brings both evil and good into the light of day. Man must combat and curb the evil, and must favor and promote the good. Only in this way does he fulfill the benevolent will of God, who desires only good and not evil.

3) THE LINES:

Nine in the fourth place means:

He makes a difference

Between himself and his neighbor.

No blame.

This characterizes the position of a man placed among rich and powerful neighbors. It is a dangerous position. He must look neither to the right nor to the left, and must shun envy and the temptation to vie with others. In this way he remains free of mistakes. 4

4. Another generally accepted translation of the line is as follows: He does not rely on his abundance. No blame. This would mean that the individual avoids mistakes because he possesses as if he possessed nothing.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 26 - Ta Ch’u - The Taming Power of the Great

The Creative is tamed by Ken, Keeping Still. This produces great power, a situation in contrast to that of the ninth hexagram, Hsiao Ch'u, THE TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL, in which the Creative is tamed by the Gentle alone. There one weak line must tame five strong lines, but here four strong lines are restrained by two weak lines; in addition to a minister, there is a prince, and the restraining power therefore is far stronger.

The hexagram has a threefold meaning, expressing different aspects of the concept Holding firm. Heaven within the mountain gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding together; the trigram Ken, which holds the trigram Ch'ien still, gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding back; the third idea is that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and nourishing. This last is suggested by the fact that a strong line at the top, which is the ruler of the hexagram, is honored and tended as a sage. The third of these meanings also attaches specifically to this strong line at the top, which represents the sage.

THE JUDGMENT

THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.

Perseverance furthers.

Not eating at home brings good fortune.

It furthers one to cross the great water.

To hold firmly to great creative powers and store them up, as set forth in this hexagram, there is need of a strong, clearheaded man who is honored by the ruler. The trigram Ch'ien points to strong creative power; Ken indicates firmness and truth. Both point to light and clarity and to the daily renewal of character. Only through such daily self-renewal can a man continue at the height of his powers. Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honored, as in the case of the strong personality entrusted with leadership by the ruler, it is an advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one's bread by entering upon public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great water, succeed.

THE IMAGE

Heaven within the mountain:

The image of THE TAMING POWER OF THE GREAT.

Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity

And many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his character thereby.

Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and deeds of the past there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.