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《䷈小畜 - Xiao Xu》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《䷈小畜》 Library Resources |
1 | ䷈小畜: | 小畜:亨。密雲不雨,自我西郊。 |
Xiao Xu: | Xiao Xu indicates that (under its conditions) there will be progress and success. (We see) dense clouds, but no rain coming from our borders in the west. | |
彖傳: | 小畜;柔得位,而上下應之,曰小畜。健而巽,剛中而志行,乃亨。密雲不雨,尚往也。自我西郊,施未行也。 | |
Tuan Zhuan: | In Xiao Xu the weak line occupies its (proper) position, and (the lines) above and below respond to it. Hence comes the name of Xiao Xu (Small Restraint). (It presents the symbols of) strength and flexibility. Strong lines are in the central places, and the will (of their subjects) will have free course. Thus it indicates that there will be progress and success. 'Dense clouds but no rain' indicate the movement (of the strong lines) still going forward. The 'Commencing at our western border' indicates that the (beneficial) influence has not yet been widely displayed. | |
象傳: | 風行天上,小畜;君子以懿文德。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | (The trigram representing) the sky, and that representing wind moving above it, form Xiao Xu The superior man, in accordance with this, adorns the outward manifestation of his virtue. | |
2 | ䷈小畜: | 初九:復自道,何其咎,吉。 |
Xiao Xu: | The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject returning and pursuing his own course. What mistake should he fall into? There will be good fortune. | |
象傳: | 復自道,其義吉也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'He returns and pursues his own path:' - it is right that there should be good fortune. | |
3 | ䷈小畜: | 九二:牽復,吉。 |
Xiao Xu: | The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject, by the attraction (of the former line), returning (to the proper course). There will be good fortune. | |
象傳: | 牽復在中,亦不自失也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'By the attraction (of the subject of the former line) he returns (to its own course),' and is in the central place: - neither will he err in what is due from him. | |
4 | ䷈小畜: | 九三:輿說輻,夫妻反目。 |
Xiao Xu: | The third NINE, undivided, suggests the idea of a carriage, the strap beneath which has been removed, or of a husband and wife looking on each other with averted eyes. | |
象傳: | 夫妻反目,不能正室也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'Husband and wife look on each other with averted eyes:' - (the subject of line three is like a husband who) cannot maintain correctly his relations with his wife. | |
5 | ䷈小畜: | 六四:有孚,血去惕出,无咎。 |
Xiao Xu: | The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject possessed of sincerity. The danger of bloodshed is thereby averted, and his (ground for) apprehension dismissed. There will be no mistake. | |
象傳: | 有孚惕出,上合志也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'He is possessed of sincerity; his (ground for) apprehension is dismissed:' - (the subjects of the lines) above agree in aim with him. | |
6 | ䷈小畜: | 九五:有孚攣如,富以其鄰。 |
Xiao Xu: | The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject possessed of sincerity, and drawing others to unite with him. Rich in resources, he employs his neighbours (in the same cause with himself). | |
象傳: | 有孚攣如,不獨富也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'He is possessed of sincerity, and draws others to unite with him:' - he does not use only his own rich resources. | |
7 | ䷈小畜: | 上九:既雨既處,尚德載,婦貞厲。月幾望,君子征凶。 |
Xiao Xu: | The topmost NINE, undivided, shows how the rain has fallen, and the (onward progress) is stayed - (so) must we value the full accumulation of the virtue (represented by the upper trigram). But a wife (exercising restraint), however firm and correct she may be, is in a position of peril, (and like) the moon approaching to the full. If the superior man prosecute his measures (in such circumstances), there will be evil. | |
象傳: | 既雨既處,德積載也。君子征凶,有所疑也。 | |
Xiang Zhuan: | 'The rain has fallen and (the onward progress) is stayed:' - the power (denoted in the figure) has accumulated to the full. 'If the superior man prosecute his measures, there will be evil:' - he will find himself obstructed. |
Wilhelm (en, fr)
9. 小 畜 Hsiao Ch'u / The Taming Power of the Small | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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current binomial swap trig. opposite flip X leading master X constituent master
This hexagram means the force of the small–the power of the shadowy–that restrains, tames, impedes. A weak line in the fourth place, that of the minister, holds the five strong lines in check. In the Image it is the wind blowing across the sky. The wind restrains the clouds, the rising breath of the Creative, and makes them grow dense, but as yet is not strong enough to turn them to rain. The hexagram presents a configuration of circumstances in which a strong element is temporarily held in leash by a weak element. It is only through gentleness that this can have a successful outcome.
This image refers to the state of affairs in China at the time when King Wen, who came originally from the west, was in the east at the court of the reigning tyrant Chou Hsin. The moment for action on a large scale had not yet arrived. King Wen could only keep the tyrant somewhat in check by friendly persuasion. Hence the image of many clouds, promising moisture and blessing to the land, although as yet no rain falls. The situation is not unfavorable; there is a prospect of ultimate success, but there are still obstacles in the way, and we can merely take preparatory measures. Only through the small means of friendly persuasion can we exert any influence. The time has not yet come for sweeping measures. However, we may be able, to a limited extent, to act as a restraining and subduing influence. To carry out our purpose we need firm determination within and gentleness and adaptability in external relations.
The wind can indeed drive the clouds together in the sky; yet, being nothing but air, without solid body, it does not produce great or lasting effects. So also an individual, in times when he can produce no great effect in the outer world, can do nothing except refine the expression of his nature in small ways.
It lies in the nature of a strong man to press forward. In so doing he encounters obstructions. Therefore he returns to the way suited to his situation, where he is free to advance or to retreat. In the nature of things this will bring good fortune, for it is wise and reasonable not to try to obtain anything by force.
One would like to press forward, but before going farther one sees from the example of others like oneself that this way is blocked. In such a case, if the effort to push forward is not in harmony with the time, a reasonable and resolute man will not expose himself to a personal rebuff, but will retreat with others of like mind. This brings good fortune, because he does not needlessly jeopardize himself.
Here an attempt is made to press forward forcibly, in the consciousness that the obstructing power is slight. But since, under the circumstances, power actually lies with the weak, this sudden offensive is doomed to failure. External conditions hinder the advance, just as loss of the wheel spokes stops the progress of a wagon. We do not yet heed this hint form fate, hence there are annoying arguments like those of a married couple. Naturally this is not a favorable state of things, for though the situation may enable the weaker side to hold its ground, the difficulties are too numerous to permit of a happy result. In consequence even the strong man cannot so use his power as to exert the right influence on those around him. He experiences a rebuff where he expected an easy victory, and he thus compromises his dignity.
If one is in the difficult and responsible position of counselor to a powerful man, one should restrain him in such a way that right may prevail. Therin lies a danger so great that the threat of actual bloodshed may arise. Nonetheless, the power of disinterested truth is greater than all these obstacles. It carries such weight that the end is achieved, and all danger of bloodshed and all fear disappear.
Loyalty leads to firm ties because it means that each partner complements the other. In the weaker person loyalty consists in devotion, in the stronger it consists in trustworthiness. This relation of mutual reinforcement leads to a true wealth that is all the more apparent because it is not selfishly hoarded but is shared with friends. Pleasure shared is pleasure doubled.
Success is at hand. The wind has driven up the rain. A fixed standpoint has been reached. This has come about through the cumulation of small effects produced by reverence for a superior character. But a success thus secured bit by bit calls for great caution. It would be a dangerous illusion for anyone to think he could presume upon it. The female principle, the weak element that has won the victory, should never persist in vaunting it–that would lead to danger. The dark power in the moon is strongest when the moon is almost full. When it is full and directly opposite the sun, its waning is inevitable. Under such circumstances one must be content with what has been achieved. To advance any further, before the appropriate time has come, would lead to misfortune.
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