The Yî King — Sacred Books of China Part II, SBE Vol. 16 (trans. James Legge, 1882)

Open to allEdited by F. Max Müller; translated by Müller, Legge, Bühler, West, Darmesteter, Palmer, Telang, Thibaut, Jolly, Rhys Davids, Oldenberg, Jacobi, Bloomfield and others332 segments · 112 pp

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The translator’s English as printed (James Legge). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.

5. When ‘the superior man executes his function of removing (whatever is injurious to the idea of the hexagram),’ small men will of themselves retire.

6. ‘A prince with his bow shoots a falcon :’— thus he removes (the promoters of) rebellion.

XLI. (The trigram representing) a mountain and beneath it that for the waters of a marsh form Sun. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains his wrath and represses his desires.

1. ‘He suspends his own affairs and hurries away (to help the subject of the fourth line) :’'—the (subject of that) upper (line) mingles his wishes with his.

XL. It is a common saying that thunder and rain clear the atmosphere, and a feeling of oppression is relieved. The last paragraph of Appendix I, however, leads us to understand the Symbolism of the phenomena of spring. The application seems to refer to the gentle policy of a conqueror forward to forgive the opposition of those who offer no more resistance.

The subject of line 2 is a minister or officer; and the Khang-hst editors say that while straightforwardness, symbolised by the arrow, is the first duty of an officer, if he do not temper that quality by pursuing the due medium, which is symbolised by the yellow colour of the arrow, but proceed by main force, and that only, to remove what is evil, he will provoke indignation and rebellion. The ‘three foxes’ are not alluded to in this second paragraph.

On paragraph 4 the same editors say :—‘ The subject of this line is not in the central nor in an odd place; he has for his correlate the subject of line 1 and for his close associate that of line 3, both of which lines are weak in strong places. Hence it is said, that they are all in places inappropriate to them.’

What paragraph 5 says, that ‘the small men retire,’ means that believing in the sincerity of the ruler’s determination to remove all evil men, they retire of themselves, or strive to conform to his wishes,

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2. ‘It will be advantageous for (the subject of) the second line, undivided, to maintain his firm correctness :’—his central position gives its character to his aim.

3. ‘One man, walking,’ (finds his friend) :—when three are together, doubts rise among them.

4. ‘He diminishes the ailment under which he labours :'—this is matter for joy.

5. ‘The great good fortune attached to the fifth line, divided,’ is due to the blessing from above.

6. ‘He gives increase to others without taking from what is his own:’—he obtains his wish on a grand scale.

4. ‘He diminishes the ailment under which he labours :'—this is matter for joy.

5. ‘The great good fortune attached to the fifth line, divided,’ is due to the blessing from above.

6. ‘He gives increase to others without taking from what is his own:’—he obtains his wish on a grand scale.

XLI. ‘The waters of a marsh are continually rising up in vapour to bedew the hill above it, and thus increase its verdure; what is taken from the marsh gives increase to the hill.’ , This is very far-fetched. In the application again the superior man acts only on himself, and for himself ;—which has nothing to do with those of low degree giving to those above them. This application, however, agrees with what, as we have seen on the Text, was AAanggze’s view of the meaning of the hexagram.

The explanation appended to paragraph 1 seems to be to account for the subject of line 1 hurrying away to the help of line 4.

‘His aim’ is to abide where he is, and help the subject of 5 by the exhibition of ‘firm correctness,’

The Khang-hsf editors observe that paragraph 3 is true indeed of three men; and not of three men only, but of many repetitions of thought or action.

The same editors say on paragraph 5 that ‘the blessing from above is explained, by many, of the oracles obtained through divining with the tortoise-shell ; but that looking at the text on line 2 of the next hexagram, and that Tf (spoken of there) is the lord of all spirits, the term “above” here is most naturally explained of Heaven’s mind, whose acceptance cannot be gainsaid by men or spirits.’

Khang-3ze says on paragraph 6, though I do not see the rele-

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XLII. (The trigram representing) wind and that for thunder form Yt. The superior man, in accordance with this, when he sees what is good, moves towards it; and when he sees his errors, he turns from them.

1. ‘If the movement be greatly fortunate, no blame will be imputed to him :'—though it is not for one in so lowa position to have to do with great affairs.

2. ‘Parties add to his stores :-—they come from beyond (his immediate circle) to do so.

3. ‘Increase is given by means of what is evil and difficult ::—as he has in himself (the qualities called forth).

4. ‘His advice to his prince is followed :'-—his (only) object in it being the increase (of the general good).

5. ‘(The ruler) with sincere heart seeks to benefit (all below) :'—there need be no question (about the result). ‘(All below) with sincere heart acknowledge (his goodness) :-—he gets what he desires on a great scale.

6. ‘To his increase none will contribute :'—this expresses but half the result. ‘Many will seek to assail him :’—they will come from beyond (his immediate circle) to do so.

‘(All below) with sincere heart acknowledge (his goodness) :-—he gets what he desires on a great scale.

6. ‘To his increase none will contribute :'—this expresses but half the result. ‘Many will seek to assail him :’—they will come from beyond (his immediate circle) to do so.

vancy of his remarks :—‘ Dwelling on high, and taking nothing from those below him, but on the contrary giving more to them, the superior man accomplishes his aim on a grand scale. The aim of the superior man is simply to be increasing what others have ;—that and nothing else.’

XLII. The Symbolism here is different from what we gather from the former Appendix. Sun no longer symbolises wood, but, as

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XLIII. (The trigram representing) heaven and that for the waters of a marsh mounting above it form Kw4i. The superior man, in accordance with this, bestows emolument on those below him, and dislikes allowing his gifts to accumulate (undispensed).

1. ‘Without (being able to) succeed, he goes forward :’— this is an error.

2. ‘Though hostile measures be taken against him, he need not be anxious:’—he pursues the course of the due mean.

3. ‘The superior man looks bent on cutting off the culprit :-—there will in the end be no error.

4. ‘He walks slowly and with difficulty :'—he is not in the place appropriate to him.

‘He hears these words, but does not believé them :’—he hears, but does not understand.

5. ‘If his action be in harmony with his central it more commonly does, wind. Thunder and wind, it is supposed, increase each the other; and their combination gives the idea of increase. Then the application, good in itself, must be treated very nicely, as it is by the Khang-hsf editors, in order to make out any connexion between it and the Symbolism.

Paragraph 1. ‘ One in a low position should not move in great affairs ;’—not a son, it is said, while his father is alive; nora minister, while his ruler governs ; nor a member of an official department, while its head directs its affairs. If such a one do initiate such an affair, only great success will excuse his rashness.

Paragraph 2. Line 5 isthe proper correlate of 2; and its subject will be among the contributing parties. But others ‘beyond’ will be won to take part with him.

Paragraph 3. There is a soul of good even in men who seem only evil; and adversity may quicken it.

Paragraph 6. As in line 2 the attractive power of benevolence is shown, so in line 6 we have the repulsive power of selfishness exhibited. Mark the ‘from beyond’ in both paragraphs.

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position, there will be no error :’—but his standing in the due mean is not yet clearly displayed.

6. ‘There is the misery of having none on whom to call :’—the end will be that he cannot continue any longer.

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