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《䷇比 - Bi》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《䷇比》 Library Resources |
1 | ䷇比: | 比:吉。原筮元永貞,无咎。不寧方來,後夫凶。 |
Bi: | Bi indicates that (under the conditions which it supposes) there is good fortune. But let (the principal party intended in it) re-examine himself, (as if) by divination, whether his virtue be great, unintermitting, and firm. If it be so, there will be no error. Those who have not rest will then come to him; and with those who are (too) late in coming it will be ill. | |
彖傳: | 比,吉也,比,輔也,下順從也。原筮元永貞,无咎,以剛中也。不寧方來,上下應也。後夫凶,其道窮也。 | |
Tuan Zhuan: | 'Bi indicates that there is good fortune:' - (the name) Bi denotes help; (and we see in the figure) inferiors docilely following (their superior). 'Let (the principal party intended in it) reexamine himself, (as if) by divination, whether his virtue be great, unintermitting, and firm; - if it be so, there will be no error: - all this follows from the position of the strong line in the centre (of the upper trigram). 'Those who have not rest will come to him:' - high and low will respond to its subject. 'With those who are (too) late in coming it will be ill:' - (for them) the way (of good fortune here indicated) has been exhausted. | |
象傳: | 地上有水,比;先王以建萬國,親諸侯。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | (The trigram representing) the earth, and over it (that representing) water, form Bi. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, established the various states and maintained an affectionate relation to their princes. | |
2 | ䷇比: | 初六:有孚,比之,无咎。有孚盈缶,終來有它吉。 |
Bi: | The first SIX, divided, shows its subject seeking by his sincerity to win the attachment of his object. There will be no error. Let (the breast) be full of sincerity as an earthenware vessel is of its contents, and it will in the end bring other advantages. | |
象傳: | 比之初六,有他吉也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | From 'the seeking union with its object' shown in the first SIX, (divided),there will be other advantages. | |
3 | ䷇比: | 六二:比之自內,貞吉。 |
Bi: | In the second SIX, divided, we see the movement towards union and attachment proceeding from the inward (mind). With firm correctness there will be good fortune. | |
象傳: | 比之自內,不自失也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'The movement towards union and attachment proceeds from the inward (mind):' - (the party concerned) does not fail in what is proper to himself | |
4 | ䷇比: | 六三:比之匪人。 |
Bi: | In the third SIX, divided, we see its subject seeking for union with such as ought not to be associated with. | |
象傳: | 比之匪人,不亦傷乎! | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'Union is sought with such as ought not to be associated with:' - but will not injury be the result? | |
5 | ䷇比: | 六四:外比之,貞吉。 |
Bi: | In the fourth SIX, divided, we see its subject seeking for union with the one beyond himself. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. | |
象傳: | 外比於賢,以從上也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'Union is sought (by the party intended here) with one beyond himself, and (in this case) with a worthy object:' - he is following (the ruler) above him. | |
6 | ䷇比: | 九五:顯比,王用三驅,失前禽。邑人不誡,吉。 |
Bi: | The fifth NINE, undivided, affords the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment. (We seem to see in it) the king urging his pursuit of the game (only) in three directions, and allowing the escape of all the animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another (to prevent it). There will be good fortune. | |
象傳: | 顯比之吉,位正中也。舍逆取順,失前禽也。邑人不誡,上使中也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'The good fortune belonging to the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment' appears in the correct and central position (of the fifth line, undivided). (The king's) neglecting (the animals) confronting him (and then fleeing), and (only) taking those who present themselves as it were obediently, is seen in his allowing the escape of those in front of him.' 'That the people of his towns do not warn one another (to prevent such escape),' shows how he, in his high eminence, has made them pursue the due course. | |
7 | ䷇比: | 上六:比之无首,凶。 |
Bi: | In the topmost SIX, divided, we see one seeking union and attachment without having taken the first step (to such an end). There will be evil. | |
象傳: | 比之无首,无所終也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'He seeks union and attachment without taking the first (step to such an end):' - there is no possibility of a (good) issue. |
Wilhelm (en, fr)
8. 比 Pi / Holding Together [Union] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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current binomial swap trig. opposite flip X leading master X constituent master
The waters on the surface of the earth flow together wherever they can, as for example in the ocean, where all the rivers come together. Symbolically this connotes holding together and the laws that regulate it. The same idea is suggested by the fact that all the lines of the hexagram except the fifth, the place of the ruler, are yielding. The yielding lines hold together because they are influenced by a man of strong will in the leading position, a man who is their center of union. Moreover, this strong and guiding personality in turn holds together with the others, finding in them the complement of his own nature.
What is required is that we unite with others, in order that all may complement and aid one another through holding together. But such holding together calls for a central figure around whom other persons may unite. To become a center of influence holding people together is a grave matter and fraught with great responsibility. It requires greatness of spirit, consistency, and strength. Therefore let him who wishes to gather others about him ask himself whether he is equal to the undertaking, for anyone attempting the task without a real calling for it only makes confusion worse than if no union at all had taken place.
But when there is a real rallying point, those who at first are hesitant or uncertain gradually come in of their own accord. Late-comers must suffer the consequences, for in holding together the question of the right time is also important. Relationships are formed and firmly established according to definite inner laws. Common experiences strengthen these ties, and he who comes too late to share in these basic experiences must suffer for it if, as a straggler, he finds the door locked.
If a man has recognized the necessity for union and does not feel strong enough to function as the center, it is his duty to become a member of some other organic fellowship.
Water fills up all the empty places on the earth and clings fast to it. The social organization of ancient China was based on this principle of the holding together of dependents and rulers. Water flows to unite with water, because all parts of it are subject to the same laws. So too should human society hold together through a community of interests that allows each individual to feel himself a member of a whole. The central power of a social organization must see to it that every member finds that his true interest lies in holding together with it, as was the case in the paternal relationship between king and vassals in ancient China.
Fundamental sincerity is the only proper basis for forming relationships. This attitude, symbolized by a full earthen bowl, in which the content is everything and the empty form nothing, shows itself not in clever words but through the strength of what lies within the speaker. This strength is so great that it has power to attract good fortune to itself from without.
If a person responds perseveringly and in the right way to the behests from above that summon him to action, his relations with others are intrinsic and he does not lose himself. But if a man seeks association with others as if he were an obsequious office hunter, he throws himself away. He does not follow the path of the superior man, who never loses his dignity.
We are often among people who do not belong to our own sphere. In that case we must beware of being drawn into false intimacy through force of habit. Needless to say, this would have evil consequences. Maintaining sociability without intimacy is the only right attitude toward such people, because otherwise we should not be free to enter into relationship with people of our own kind later on.
Here the relations with a man who is the center of union are well established. Then we may, and indeed we should, show our attachment openly. But we must remain constant and not allow ourselves to be led astray.
In the royal hunts of ancient China it was customary to drive up the game from three sides, but on the fourth the animals had a chance to run off. If they failed to do this they had to pass through a gate behind which the king stood ready to shoot. Only animals that entered here were shot; those that ran off in front were permitted to escape. This custom accorded with a kingly attitude; the royal hunter did not wish to turn the chase into a slaughter, but held that the kill should consist only of those animals which had so to speak voluntarily exposed themselves.
There is depicted here a ruler, or influential man, to whom people are attracted. Those who come to him he accepts, those who do not come are allowed to go their own way. He invites none, flatters none–all come of their own free will. In this way there develops a voluntary dependence among those who hold him. They do not have to be constantly on their guard but may express their opinions openly. Police measures are not necessary, and they cleave to their ruler of their own volition. The same principle of freedom is valid for life in general. We should not woo favor from people. If a man cultivates within himself the purity and the strength that are necessary for one who is the center of a fellowship, those who are meant for him come of their own accord.
The head is the beginning. If the beginning is not right, there is no hope of a right ending. If we have missed the right moment for union and go on hesitating to give complete and full devotion, we shall regret the error when it is too late.
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