There were "old" features in your gua (hexagram). It means that you have two hexagrams. The first one — is something that the Book tells you at the moment, the second is something it warns you about. |
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  28. Great Exceeding (dà guò). Great PreponderanceAdvise
Excessive grandeur presses upon and prevents further development.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Preponderance of the Great. The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. Success.
The Image
The lake rises above the trees: The image of Preponderance of the Great. Thus the superior man, when he stands alone, is unconcerned, and if he has to renounce the world, he is undaunted.
- To spread white rushes underneath. No blame.
- A dry poplar sprouts at the root. An older man takes a young wife. Everything furthers.
- The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. Misfortune.
- The ridgepole is braced. Good fortune. If there are ulterior motives, it is humiliating.
- A withered poplar puts forth flowers. An older woman takes a husband. No blame. No praise.
- One must go through the water. It goes over one's head. Misfortune. No blame.
Prediction
The situation is unfavorable. The danger of stagnation in business, big mistake is great. You should not stay on one place. Reliance, which supports the situation, is about ready to crumble. We must see the whole problem from the roots to the top, from the beginning to the possible outcome. It may take a long time. Avoid excess in everything; do not aspire to capital growth - now it's detrimental for you.
This hexagram consists of four strong lines inside and two weak lines outside.
When the strong are outside and the weak inside, all is well and there is
nothing out of balance, nothing extraordinary in the situation. Here,
however, the opposite is the case. The hexagram represents a beam that is
thick and heavy in the middle but too weak at the ends. This is a condition
that cannot last; it must be changed, must pass, or misfortune will result.
THE JUDGMENT
The weight of the great is excessive. The load is too heavy for the strength of
the supports. The ridgepole on which the whole roof rests, sags to the
breaking point, because its supporting ends are too weak for the load they
bear. It is an exceptional time and situation; therefore extraordinary measures
are demanded. It is necessary to find a way of transition as quickly as possible,
and to take action. This promises success. For although the strong element is
in excess, it is in the middle, that is, at the center of gravity, so that a
revolution is not to be feared. Nothing is to be achieved by forcible measures.
The problem must be solved by gently penetration to the meaning of the
situation (as is suggested by the attribute of the inner trigram, Sun); then the
change-over to other conditions will be successful. It demands real
superiority; therefore the time when the great preponderates is a momentous
time.
THE IMAGE
Extraordinary times when the great preponderates are like flood times when
the lake rises over the treetops. But such conditions are temporary. The two
trigrams indicate the attitude proper to such exceptional times: the symbol of
the trigram Sun is the tree, which stands firm even though it stands alone,
and the attribute of Tui is joyousness, which remains undaunted even if it
must renounce the world.
1
When a man wishes to undertake an enterprise in extraordinary times, he
must be extraordinarily cautious, just as when setting a heavy thing down on
the floor, one takes care to put rushes under it, so that nothing will break.
This caution, though it may seem exaggerated, is not a mistake. Exceptional
enterprises cannot succeed unless utmost caution is observed in their
beginnings and in the laying of their foundations.
2
Wood is near water; hence the image of an old poplar sprouting at the root.
This means an extraordinary situation arises when an older man marries a
young girl who suits him. Despite the unusualness of the situation, all goes
well.
From the point of view of politics, the meaning is that in exceptional times
one does well to join with the lowly, for this affords a possibility of renewal.
3
This indicates a type of man who in times of preponderance of the great
insists on pushing ahead. He accepts no advice from others, and therefore
they in turn are not willing to lend him support. Because of this the burden
grows, until the structure of things bends or breaks. Plunging willfully ahead
in times of danger only hastens the catastrophe.
4
Through friendly relations with people of lower rank, a responsible man
succeeds in becoming master of the situation. But if, instead of working for
the rescue of the whole, he were to misuse his connections to obtain personal
power and success, it would lead to humiliation.
5
A withered poplar that flowers exhausts its energies thereby and only hastens
its end. An older woman may marry once more, but no renewal takes place.
Everything remains barren. Thus, though all the amenities are observed, the
net result is only the anomaly of the situation.
Applied to politics, the metaphor means that if in times of insecurity we
give up alliance with those below us and keep up only the relationships we
have with people of higher rank, an unstable situation is created.
6
Here is a situation in which the unusual has reached a climax. One is
courageous and wishes to accomplish one's task, no matter what happens.
This leads into danger. The water rises over one's head. This is the
misfortune. But one incurs no blame in giving up one's life that the good
and the right may prevail. There are things that are more important than
life.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou are happy, feel the happiness. But try to take itself in hands; your temperament can injure both another, and you most. Look at itself critically, and not be unduly self-confident; your judgements at present it is far not the most true. Do not try to become successful by means of force. Time will change all, it is necessary to constrain itself and to think over a state of affairs. Your desire cannot be executed quickly. Be correct, and do not offend the fervour of others.
  13. Concording People (tóng rén). FellowshipAdvise
Agreed actions multiply power of everyone who is involved in them.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Fellowship with Men in the open. Success. It furthers one to cross the great water. The perseverance of the superior man furthers.
The Image
Heaven together with fire: The image of Fellowship with Men. Thus the superior man organizes the clans and makes distinctions between things.
- Fellowship with men at the gate. No blame.
- Fellowship with men in the clan. Humiliation.
- He hides weapons in the thicket; He climbs the high hill in front of it. For three years he does not rise up.
- He climbs up on his wall; he cannot attack. Good fortune.
- Men bound in fellowship first weep and lament, but afterward they laugh. After great struggles they succeed in meeting.
- Fellowship with men in the meadow. No remorse.
Prediction
Ahead there are a pure space, wasteland. It is a new stage of development. There are new ideas, new opinions and rethinking. You are moving in the right direction, but it is better not to act alone. It is time to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of public ones. Do not reject help and do not refuse to help others. Take care of loved ones. There is harmony in relationships. Keep the tradition. Control your emotions and behavior – it is not the time to attack and take the fortress by storm. All can be achieved by peaceful means.
The image of the upper trigram Ch'ien is heaven, and that of the lower, Li, is
flame. It is the nature of fire to flame up to the heaven. This gives the idea of
fellowship. IT is the second line that, by virtue of its central character, unites
the five strong lines around it. This hexagram forms a complement to Shih,
THE ARMY. In the latter, danger is within and obedience without--the
character of a warlike army, which, in order to hold together, needs one
strong man among the many who are weak. Here, clarity is within and
strength without--the character of a peaceful union of men, which, in order to
hold together, needs one yielding nature among many firm persons.
THE JUDGMENT
True fellowship among men must be based upon a concern that is universal.
It is not the private interests of the individual that create lasting fellowship
among men, but rather the goals of humanity. That is why it is said that
fellowship with men in the open succeeds. If unity of this kind prevails,
even difficult and dangerous tasks, such as crossing the great water, can be
accomplished. But in order to bring about this sort of fellowship, a
persevering and enlightened leader is needed--a man with clear, convincing,
and inspiring aims and the strength to carry them out. (The inner trigram
means clarity; the outer, strength.)
THE IMAGE
Heaven has the same direction of movement as fire, yet it is different from
fire. Just as the luminaries in the sky serve for the systematic division and
arrangement of time, so human society and all things that really belong
together must be organically arranged. Fellowship should not be a mere
mingling of individuals or of things--that would be chaos, not fellowship. If
fellowship is to lead to order, there must be organization within diversity.
1
The beginning of union among people should take place before the door. All
are equally close to one another. No divergent aims have yet arisen, and one
makes not mistakes. The basic principles of any kind of union must be
equally accessible to all concerned. Secret agreements bring misfortune.
2
There is danger here of formation of a separate faction on the basis of
personal and egotistic interests. Such factions, which are exclusive and,
instead of welcoming all men, must condemn one group in order to unite the
others, originate from low motives and therefore lead in the course of time to
humiliation.
3
Here fellowship has changed about to mistrust. Each man distrusts the other,
plans a secret ambush, and seeks to spy on his fellow form afar. We are
dealing with an obstinate opponent whom we cannot come at by this method.
Obstacles standing in the way of fellowship with others are shown here. One
has mental reservations for one's own part and seeks to take his opponent by
surprise. This very fact makes one mistrustful, suspecting the same wiles in
his opponent and trying to ferret them out. The result is that one departs
further and further from true fellowship. The longer this goes on, the more
alienated one becomes.
4
Here the reconciliation that follows quarrel mover nearer. It is true that there
are still dividing walls on which we stand confronting one another. But the
difficulties are too great. We get into straits, and this brings us to our senses.
We cannot fight, and therein lies our good fortune.
5
Two people are outwardly separated, but in their hearts they are united. They
are kept apart by their positions in life. Many difficulties and obstructions
arise between them and cause them grief. But, remaining true to each other,
the allow nothing to separate them, and although it costs them a severe
struggle to overcome the obstacles, they will succeed. When they come
together their sadness will change to joy. Confucius says of this:
Life leads the thoughtful man on a path of many windings.
Now the course is checked, now it runs straight again.
Here winged thoughts may pour freely forth in words,
There the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence.
But when two people are at one in the inmost hearts,
They shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze.
And when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts,
Their words are sweet and strong, like the fragrance of orchids.
6
The warm attachment that springs from the heart is lacking here. We are by
this time actually outside of fellowship with others. However, we ally
ourselves with them. The fellowship does not include all, but only those
who happen to dwell near one another. The meadow is the pasture at the
entrance to the town. At this stage, the ultimate goal of the union of
mankind has not yet been attained, but we need not reproach ourselves. We
join the community without separate aims of our own.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou will not get never in the bad company where you have gone. Be not afraid of the high purposes, enter safely struggle; and you will be supported by on whom you and do not count. You stay now in some anxiety and consequently are a little bit confused and are not assured. But has very soon put yours will go on the amendment. Your desire will be executed, if only you seriously enough will concern to the help of seniors offered to you.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary