☵ here repeated, shows the possession of sincerity, through which the mind is penetrating. Action in accordance with this will be of high value.
The trigram ☵, which is doubled to form this hexagram ䷜, is the lineal symbol of water. Its meaning, as a character, is a pit, a perilous cavity, or defile; and here and elsewhere it leads the reader to think of a dangerous defile, with water flowing through it. It becomes symbolic of danger, and what the authors of the Text had in mind was to show how danger should be encountered, its effect on the mind, and how to get out of it.
The trigram ☵ exhibits a strong central line, between two divided lines. The central represented to a king the sincere honesty and goodness of the subject of the hexagram, whose mind was sharpened and made penetrating by contact with danger, and who acted in a manner worthy of his character. It is implied, though the Thwan does not say it, that he would get out of the danger.
- ䷜ repeated shows us one defile succeeding another.
- This is the nature of water; it flows on, without accumulating its volume so as to overflow; it pursues its way through a dangerous defile, without losing its true nature.
- That the mind is penetrating is indicated by the strong line in the centre. That action in accordance with this will be of high value tells us that advance will be followed by achievement.
- The dangerous height of heaven cannot be ascended; the difficult places of the earth are mountains, rivers, hills, and mounds. Kings and princes arrange by means of such strengths, to maintain their territories. Great indeed is the use of what is here taught about seasons of peril.
On paragraph 2, Water stops at the proper time, and moves at the proper time. Is not this an emblem of the course of the superior man in dealing with danger?
On paragraph 4 to exercise one's self in meeting difficulty and peril is the way to establish and strengthen the character, and that the use of such experience is seen in all measures for self-defence, there being no helmet and mail like leal-heartedness and good faith, and no shield and tower like propriety and righteousness.
The representation of water flowing on continuously forms the repeated ☵. The superior man, in accordance with this, maintains constantly the virtue of his heart and the integrity of his conduct, and practises the business of instruction.
The application of the symbolism is here more perplexing even than usual. What is said of the superior man is good, but there is no reference in it to the subject of danger.
- The first line, divided, shows its subject in the double defile, and yet entering a cavern within it. There will be evil.
In the double defile, he enters a cavern within it; he has missed his proper way, and there will be evil.
Line 1 is weak, at the bottom of the figure, and has no correlate above, no helper, that is, beyond itself. All these things render the case of its subject hopeless. He will by his efforts only involve himself more deeply in danger.
- The second line, undivided, shows its subject in all the peril of the defile. He will, however, get a little of the deliverance that he seeks.
He will get a little of the deliverance that he seeks; he will not yet escape from his environed position.
Line 2 is strong, and in the centre. Its subject is unable, indeed, to escape altogether from the danger, but he does not involve himself more deeply in it like the subject of 1, and obtains some ease.
- The third line, divided, shows its subject, whether he comes or goes descends or ascends, confronted by a defile. All is peril to him and unrest. His endeavours will lead him into the cavern of the pit. There should be no action in such a case.
Whether he comes or goes, he is confronted by a defile; he will never in such circumstances achieve any success.
Line 3 is weak, and occupies the place of a strong line. Its subject is in an evil case. The subject of line 3 goes and comes, moves up and down, backwards and forwards; making no advance. This can be of no use in extricating him from the danger.
- The fourth line, divided, shows its subject at a feast, with simply a bottle of spirits, and a subsidiary basket of rice, while the cups and bowls are only of earthenware. He introduces his important lessons as his ruler's intelligence admits. There will in the end be no error.
Nothing but a bottle of spirits and a subsidiary basket of rice; these describe the meeting at this point of those who are represented by the strong and weak lines.
Line 4 is weak, and will get no help from its correlate in 1. Its subject is not one who can avert the danger threatening himself and others. But his position is close to that of the ruler in 5, whose intimacy he cultivates with an unostentatious sincerity, symbolled by the appointments of the simple feast, and whose intelligence he cautiously enlightens. In consequence, there will be no error. Those represented in line 4 by the strong and weak lines are the ruler and his minister.
- The fifth line, undivided, shows the water of the defile not yet full, so that it might flow away; but order will soon be brought about. There will be no error.
The water in the defile is not full so as to flow away; the virtue indicated by the central situation is not yet sufficiently great. The subject of line 5 is on the eve of extrication and deliverance. The waters of the defile will ere long have free vent and disappear, and the ground will be levelled and made smooth. The line is strong, in a proper place, and in the place of honour.
- The topmost line, divided, shows its subject bound with cords of three strands or two strands, and placed in the thicket of thorns. But in three years he does not learn the course for him to pursue. There will be evil.
The sixth line, divided, shows its subject missing his proper course; there will be evil for three years.
The case of the subject of line 6 is hopeless. When danger has reached its highest point, there he is, represented by a weak line, and with no proper correlate below. The thicket of thorns is taken as a metaphor for a prison; but if the expression has a history, I have been unable to find it.