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Above; A
pool of water, joy
Below; Fire, brightness, beauty
In its original sense, Ge means an animal's pelt that
moults every year, or a skin that is sloughed off.
By extension, it can be taken to mean a great political
change, a throwing off of government, or revolution.
It retains at the same time, the original sense of
revolution; a turn of the wheel of time or of fate.
The two trigrams making up the hexagram are same as
in 38 (opposites), but now they are reversed. The
younger daughter being above and the elder daughter
being below. The opposites are now in direct conflict
like water over fire.
When there is revolution, none will believe in it
before the day of its completion, but then there is
complete success. Righteous persistence brings rewards
and regrets vanish.
Water and fire extinguish each other like two women
who share the same household but whose wills are in
constant conflict. The revolution must come first,
before the faith of the people in it will be established.
An enlightened attitude, both to the change itself
and to the means by which it is brought about, will
bring joy in success, making it possible to put everything
to rights. It is the power of the forces of heaven
and earth to bring about the renewal that is revealed
in the progress of the four seasons. Tang and Wu (Cheng
Tang, 'the Competitor', the first of the Shang emperors,
and Wu Wang, the son of King Wen) revolted in accordance
with the will of heaven, and the people answered their
call. Great indeed are the events of the time of throwing
off.
Fire below water is the image of Ge. The Superior
Man makes observations of the calendar, and determines
the days of the seasons.
Line 1
He is wrapped
in the skin of a yellow ox.
Yellow is the
colour of the middle way, and the ox is the symbol
of docility. The hour for change has not yet come
and the wise man will refrain from making any changes
until the time is ripe.
Line 2.
When the day comes
Throw off.
Go forward with good fortune.
No blame.
One should always
attempt first to secure reform by moderate means.
But when these are unsuccessful, revolution becomes
necessary. Proper preparation is essential. The time
must be right and a man with the necessary abilities
and the support of the people is required.
Line 3
Action brings
misfortune
Persistence brings danger,
But when throwing off has been three times discussed
One may commit oneself
and be believed.
This is a warning
against haste and ruthlessenss in initiating change,
as well as against delay in the name of righteousness.
The concepts should be discussed with care and the
plans given mature consideration; only then is it
wise and proper to set matters in motion.
Line 4
Regrets vanish.
One is accepted by the people.
Throwing off brings good fortune.
He who brings about
a revolution of any kind must have the necessary authority,
as well as the inner strength. Because inthe end the
people will only support undertakings that they know
to be good.
Line 5
The great man
makes his changes
As the tiger moults his pelt
Even before he consults the oracle
He is believed.
The tiger, a symbol
of brilliance and majesty, moults his coat every year.
But the stripes, even though they may change, remain
as clear and visible as ever. In the same way, when
a great man leads a revolution, the reasons for the
changes that he makes are apparant to all. He is so
confident of his actions that he does not need to
seek advice by divination.
Line 6
The Superior Man
makes his changes
As the leopard moults his pelt.
The inferior man changes his face.
Beginning brings misfortune.
Righteous persistence brings good fortune.
When repression
has been thrown off, or when a new direction has been
established, the Superior Man continues to make smaller
changes necessary to establish the new order. The
leopard is the symbol of beauty, whose moult make
sonly small changes in its spotted coat. Lesser men
easily adapt to the new condtions; but to attempt
to continue with radical changes will bring disaster.
Success lies in perseverence along the middle way.
© 1979 Neil
Powell
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