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SECT. II.
THE KHWAN HEXAGRAM.
163
5. The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject with his nose and feet cut off. He is straitened by (his ministers in their) scarlet aprons. He is leisurely in his movements, however, and is satisfied. It will be well for him to be (as sincere) as in sacrificing (to spiritual beings).
6. The sixth line, divided, shows its subject straitened, as if bound with creepers; or in a high and dangerous position, and saying (to himself), 'If I move, I shall repent it. If he do repent of former errors, there will be good fortune in his going forward.
XLVII. The character Khwăn presents us with the picture of a tree within an enclosure; 'a plant,' according to Williams, fading for want of room;' 'a tree,' according to Tai Tung, 'not allowed to spread its branches. However this be, the term conveys the idea of being straitened and distressed; and this hexagram indicates a state of things in which the order and government that would conduce to the well-being of the country can hardly get the development, which, by skilful inanagement on the part of the great man' and others, is finally secured for them.
Looking at the figure we see that the two central places are occupied by strong lines; but 2 is confined between 1 and 3, both of which are weak, and 5 (the ruler), as well as 4 (his minister), is covered by the weak 6; all which peculiarities are held to indicate the repression or straitening of good men by bad. For the way in which the same view is derived from the great symbolism, see Appendix II, in loc.
The concluding sentence of the Thwan is literally, 'If he speak, he will not be believed ;' but the Khang-hsi editors give sufficient reasons for changing one character so as to give the meaning in the translation. Actions,' not words, are what are required in the case.
The symbolism of buttocks' is rather a favourite with the duke of Kâu;- chacun à son goût.' The poor subject of line i sitting on a mere stump, which affords him no shelter, is indeed badly off. The line is at the bottom of the trigram indicating peril, and 4, which is its proper correlate, is so circumstanced as not to be able
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| SR No. | 007676 |
| Book Title | Text of Confucianism Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | James Legge |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1882 |
| Total Pages | 2405 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 43 MB |