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I Ching Pages 536-537

Book III: The Commentaries
 
  Miscellaneous Notes
   THE CLINGING is directed upward.

   Appended Judgments
   Fu Hsi made nodded cords and used them for nets and baskets in hunting and fishing. He probably took this from the hexagram of THE CLINGING.

This hexagram, divided within and closed without, is an image of the meshes of a net in which animals remain snared.1 It is the opposite of the preceding hexagram, not only in structure but also in its entire meaning.

   THE JUDGMENT
   THE CLINGING. Perseverance furthers.
   It brings success.
   Care of the cow brings good fortune.

   Commentary on the Decision
   Clinging means resting on something. Sun and moon cling to heaven. Grain, plants, and trees cling to the soil.
   Doubled clarity, clinging to what is right, transforms the world and perfects it.
   The yielding clings to the middle and to what is right, hence it has success. Therefore it is said: “Care of the cow brings good fortune.”

Here the co-operation of the two world principles is shown. The light principle becomes visible only in that it clings to bodies. Sun and moon attain their brightness by clinging to heaven, from which issue the forces of the light principle. The plant world owes its life to the fact that it clings to the soil (the Chinese character here is t’u, not ti2), in which the forces of life express themselves. On the other hand, bodies are like

   1. [Literally, “clinging.”]
   2. [Ti means the earth.]

536

30. Li/The Clinging, Fire

wise needed, that the forces of light and of life may find expression in them.
   It is the same in the life of man. In order that his psychic nature may be transfigured and attain influence on earth, it must cling to the forces of spiritual life.
   The yielding element in Li is the central line of the Receptive, hence the image of the strong but docile cow.

   THE IMAGE
   That which is bright rises twice:
   The image of FIRE.
   Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness,
   Illumines the four quarters of the world.

Fire flames upward, hence the phrase, “That which is bright rises.” Twice is implied by the doubling of the trigram. In relation to the spiritual realm, brightness means the innate light-imbued predispositions of man, which through their consistency illumine the world. The trigram Li stands in the south and represents the summer sun, which illumines all earthly things.

   THE LINES
   Nine at the beginning:
a) The footprints run crisscross.
     If one is seriously intent, no blame.
b)  Seriousness when footprints run crisscross serves in avoiding blame.

The first line means the morning. The fire at first Burns fitfully— an image of the restless confusion of daily business. The line is firm, hence the possibility of seriousness.

   0 Six in the second place:
   a) Yellow light. Supreme good fortune.
   b) The supreme good fortune of yellow light lies in the fact that one has found the middle way. 

537

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Book III: The Commentaries Miscellaneous Notes THE CLINGING is directed upward. Appended Judgments Fu Hsi made nodded cords and used them for nets and baskets in hunting and fishing. He probably took this from the hexagram of THE CLINGING. This hexagram, divided within and closed without, is an image of the meshes of a net in which animals remain snared.1 It is the opposite of the preceding hexagram, not only in structure but also in its entire meaning. THE JUDGMENT THE CLINGING. Perseverance furthers. It brings success. Care of the cow brings good fortune. Commentary on the Decision Clinging means resting on something. Sun and moon cling to heaven. Grain, plants, and trees cling to the soil. Doubled clarity, clinging to what is right, transforms the world and perfects it. The yielding clings to the middle and to what is right, hence it has success. Therefore it is said: “Care of the cow brings good fortune.” Here the co-operation of the two world principles is shown. The light principle becomes visible only in that it clings to bodies. Sun and moon attain their brightness by clinging to heaven, from which issue the forces of the light principle. The plant world owes its life to the fact that it clings to the soil (the Chinese character here is t’u, not ti2), in which the forces of life express themselves. On the other hand, bodies are like 1. [Literally, “clinging.”] 2. [Ti means the earth.] 536 30. Li/The Clinging, Fire wise needed, that the forces of light and of life may find expression in them. It is the same in the life of man. In order that his psychic nature may be transfigured and attain influence on earth, it must cling to the forces of spiritual life. The yielding element in Li is the central line of the Receptive, hence the image of the strong but docile cow. THE IMAGE That which is bright rises twice: The image of FIRE. Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness, Illumines the four quarters of the world. Fire flames upward, hence the phrase, “That which is bright rises.” Twice is implied by the doubling of the trigram. In relation to the spiritual realm, brightness means the innate light-imbued predispositions of man, which through their consistency illumine the world. The trigram Li stands in the south and represents the summer sun, which illumines all earthly things. THE LINES Nine at the beginning: a) The footprints run crisscross. If one is seriously intent, no blame. b) Seriousness when footprints run crisscross serves in avoiding blame. The first line means the morning. The fire at first Burns fitfully— an image of the restless confusion of daily business. The line is firm, hence the possibility of seriousness. 0 Six in the second place: a) Yellow light. Supreme good fortune. b) The supreme good fortune of yellow light lies in the fact that one has found the middle way. 537