The I Ching or Book of Changes (125 page)

a
) The marrying maiden as a slave.

She marries as a concubine.

b
) “The marrying maiden as a slave”: she is not yet in the appropriate place.

This is a weak line in a strong place, hence not in the appropriate position. Moreover, it stands at the high point of pleasure, hence throws itself away as the lowest type of slave, merely in order to achieve marriage at any cost. In following the nine in the second place, it finds shelter as a concubine.

Nine in the fourth place:

a
) The marrying maiden draws out the allotted time.

A late marriage comes in due course.

b
) The state of mind that leads to drawing out of the allotted time indicates a desire to wait for something before going.

Of the lines of the upper and the lower trigram, only the fifth and the second line stand in relationship. But while the other two lines in Tui, being in the trigram of pleasure, also seek a marital connection (although by a detour around the second line), the lines of the upper trigram that are not bound by the relationship of correspondence move away from the idea of marriage. The present line, besides having no correspondence in the lower trigram, is not in the proper place (a strong line in a weak place) and is in the center of the nuclear trigram K’an, danger. Hence it holds back from marriage and waits for
conditions to change before it undertakes anything—the danger being eventually surmounted by movement (Chên). But the new situation begins only after the present cycle of events has come to an end.

Six in the fifth place:

a
) The sovereign I gave his daughter in marriage.

The embroidered garments of the princess

Were not as gorgeous

As those of the servingmaid.

The moon that is nearly full

Brings good fortune.

b
) “The sovereign I gave his daughter in marriage. Her embroidered garments were not as gorgeous as those of the servingmaid.” The place is in the middle, hence action has value.

The place is central and honored. Nevertheless, the line is yielding and condescends to the strong nine in the second place like a princess marrying an inferior. Therefore because of her nobility she pays no attention to outer appearance, and the servingmaid, in the lowest place, is more gorgeous than she. The image of the moon appears because this line is at the top of the nuclear trigram K’an (moon).

Six at the top:

a
) The woman holds the basket, but there are no fruits in it.

The man stabs the sheep, but no blood flows.

Nothing that acts to further.

b
) The reason why the six at the top has no fruits is because it holds an empty basket.

The weak six at the top, at the high point of movement (Chên) and without relationship to a strong line, no longer has a chance of marrying. Hence the attempts at sacrifice are empty and unavailing—the upper trigram symbolizes an empty basket, and the lower trigram Tui has the sheep for its animal.

55. Fêng / Abundance [Fullness]

The ruler of the hexagram is the six in the fifth place. When it is said in the Judgment, “The king attains abundance. Be not sad. Be like the sun at midday,” the reference is to this line, for this is the king’s place. The line is yielding and in the center—the character of the sun at midday.

The Sequence

That which attains a place in which it is at home is sure to become great. Hence there follows the hexagram of ABUNDANCE. Abundance means greatness.

Miscellaneous Notes

ABUNDANCE means many occasions.

This hexagram is composed of Chên, which strives upward, and Li, which also moves upward. The nuclear trigrams are Tui, the Joyous, the lake, and Sun, the Penetrating, the wind. Hence wind and water, and thunder and lightning, are together here and all this points to great power. Something of a climax is indicated in that Chên, which is the more vigorous in movement, is above. While Shih Ho, BITING THROUGH (
21
) deals with the problem of surmounting a hindrance, here the hindrance is already surmounted. Still, greatness at a pinnacle suggests the danger of regression. The light is darkened in varying degree by the nuclear trigram Sun, wood, contained within the hexagram. The hexagram is one of those referring
to the mutability of all earthly things. This is most likely also the meaning of the saying, “ABUNDANCE means many occasions,” that is, occasions for care and sorrow.

THE JUDGMENT

ABUNDANCE has success.

The king attains abundance.

Be not sad.

Be like the sun at midday.

Commentary on the Decision

ABUNDANCE means greatness. Clarity in movement, hence abundance.

“The king attains abundance.” In this way greatness is emphasized.

“Be not sad. Be like the sun at midday.” One should give light to the whole world.

When the sun stands at midday, it begins to set; when the moon is full, it begins to wane. The fullness and emptiness of heaven and earth wane and wax in the course of time. How much truer is this of men, or of spirits and gods!

Fêng represents a time when clarity and progress bring about greatness and prosperity in public life. To achieve these, there is needed a strong and leading personality, drawing to itself others of like nature. Therefore it is not the relation of correspondence but that of congruity between the lines which must be taken into account (cf. the nine at the beginning and the nine in the fourth place, as well as the six in the second place and the six in the fifth place). But such a time of very great culture also carries hidden dangers. For according to the universal law of events, every increase is followed by decrease, and all fullness is followed by emptiness. There is only one means of making foundations firm in times of greatness, namely, spiritual expansion. Every sort of limitation brings a bitter retribution in its train. Abundance can endure only if ever
larger groups are brought to share in it, for only then can the movement continue without turning into its opposite.

THE IMAGE

Both thunder and lightning come:

The image of ABUNDANCE.

Thus the superior man decides lawsuits

And carries out punishments.

The Image is immediately intelligible, especially in association with the hexagram of BITING THROUGH (
21
). The trigrams Li, clarity, and Chên, shock, terror, give the prerequisites for a clearing of the atmosphere by the thunderstorm of a criminal trial.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning:

a
) When a man meets his destined ruler,

They can be together ten days,

And it is not a mistake.

Going meets with recognition.

b
) “They can be together ten days, and it is not a mistake.” More than ten days is harmful.

The line is strong and clear. The destined ruler that it meets, and that is of like kind, is the nine in the fourth place. The Chinese word
hsün
means a space of ten days, a complete cycle. Despite the situation in ABUNDANCE, one may spend a full cycle of time with a friend of kindred spirit without fear of making a mistake. One may therefore go unhesitatingly and seek him out, if he is in a high position. Nonetheless, the commentary warns against overstepping this time limit and against clinging to him after completion of the task. This is harmful. One must be able to stop at the right moment especially in times of abundance.

The Sung interpreters take the word
hsün
in the sense of “similar,” so that it would be an additional emphasizing of
p
’
ei
—“of like kind, destined for someone.”

Six in the second place:

a
) The curtain is of such fullness

That the polestars can be seen at noon.

Through going one meets with mistrust and hate.

If one rouses him through truth,

Good fortune comes.

b
) “If one rouses him through truth”—that is, one must rouse his will through trustworthiness.

The nuclear trigram Sun, wood, darkens the lines it covers, but the darkening here and as regards the nine in the fourth place is less marked than in the case of the nine in the third place, the center, where it is particularly strong. Because this second line is weak, it meets only with doubt and hatred when it turns toward the prince who belongs to it, the six in the fifth place, which is also weak. But since it is central and correct, the power of inner truth will enable it to overcome the separation and to arouse the will of the ruler.

Nine in the third place:

a
) The underbrush is of such abundance

That the small stars can be seen at noon.

He breaks his right arm. No blame.

b
) “The underbrush is of such abundance” that one can carry out no great transactions.