HEXAGRAM 49 Above Tui the Joyous, Lake Below Li the Clinging, Fire Introduction The Chinese character for this hexagram means in its original sense an animals pelt, which is changed in the course of the year by molting. From this word is carried over to apply to the moltings in political life, the great revolutions connected with changes of governments. The two trigrams making up the hexagram are the same two that appear in Kuei, Oppostion (38), that is, the two younger daughters, Li and Tui. But while there the elder of the two daughters is above, and what results is essentially only an opposition of tendencies, here the younger daughter is above. The influences are in actual conflict, and the forces combat each other like fire and water (lake), each trying to destroy the other. Hence the idea of revolution. Judgement Revolution. On your own day you are believed. Supreme success, Furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears. Judgement Commentary Political revolutions are extremely grave matters. They should be undertaken only under stress of direst necessity, when there is no other way out. Not everyone is called to this task, but only the man who has the confidence of the people, and even he only when the time is ripe. He must then proceed in the right way, so that he gladdens the people and, by enlightening them, prevents excesses. Furthermore, he must be quite free of selfish aims and must really relieve the need of the people. Only then does he have nothing to regret. Times change, and with them their demands. Thus the seasons change in the course of the year. In the world cycle also there are spring and autumn in the life of peoples and nations, and these call for social transformations. The Image Fire in the lake: the image of Revolution. Thus the superior man sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear. Image Commentary Fire below and the lake above combat and destroy each other. So too in the course of the year a combat takes place between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, eventuating in the revolution of the seasons, and man is able to adjust himself in advance to the demands of the different times.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 13:03:01 +0000
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