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confucius
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Etymology of the ideogram Yi.42
Two groups are assembled one on top of the other to illustrate hexagram 42. At the bottom is a general symbol used to designate Bronze Basins but, specifically, for that particular type standing on a pedestal and bearing two horizontal handles. This type of vase was used as a daily recipient for water or food, meaning not necessarily as a Ritualistic Cauldron, as is seen at Ding.50, which is emphasized in Diminishing (Sun.41). This vase constitutes one of the multiple elements linking Sun.41 ands Yi.42.
Above is the character Water. Not only is it written in its most ancient form but also in this very characteristic way in relation to the vase. Actually, when Water was written in its ancient form to designate the content of a vase, the character was written within the vase, whether that content be material as in Gu.18 or spiritual, like the character Blood. This character – foremost content to be included in a sacrifice – is simply written by one stroke, as is the case at the exiting level of Gui Mei.54. This particularity would disappear in classic forms: the symbol for Vase adopting a closed shape and no more concave, with its content featured above the ideogram.
Despite all this, even in its classic form, the particularity of the ideogram Yi, To Increase, is still perceptible: the ideogram is not drawn within the bowl but clearly above it and, noticeably, much larger than the enclosure of the vase. Considering this condition, the subject here is not Water contained within the vase that concerns us, but, rather, Water Overflowing.
To this the ideogram adds another idea: to increase is not due to an outside agent (for example the Human Hand in Sun.41)
That the Increase is due to the content itself explains one of its primary modern applications: Interest. Further example of its use is found in the description of the Vase in Sun.41.
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Two groups are assembled one on top of the other to illustrate hexagram 42. At the bottom is a general symbol used to designate Bronze Basins but, specifically, for that particular type standing on a pedestal and bearing two horizontal handles. This type of vase was used as a daily recipient for water or food, meaning not necessarily as a Ritualistic Cauldron, as is seen at Ding.50, which is emphasized in Diminishing (Sun.41). This vase constitutes one of the multiple elements linking Sun.41 ands Yi.42.
Above is the character Water. Not only is it written in its most ancient form but also in this very characteristic way in relation to the vase. Actually, when Water was written in its ancient form to designate the content of a vase, the character was written within the vase, whether that content be material as in Gu.18 or spiritual, like the character Blood. This character – foremost content to be included in a sacrifice – is simply written by one stroke, as is the case at the exiting level of Gui Mei.54. This particularity would disappear in classic forms: the symbol for Vase adopting a closed shape and no more concave, with its content featured above the ideogram.
Despite all this, even in its classic form, the particularity of the ideogram Yi, To Increase, is still perceptible: the ideogram is not drawn within the bowl but clearly above it and, noticeably, much larger than the enclosure of the vase. Considering this condition, the subject here is not Water contained within the vase that concerns us, but, rather, Water Overflowing.
To this the ideogram adds another idea: to increase is not due to an outside agent (for example the Human Hand in Sun.41)
That the Increase is due to the content itself explains one of its primary modern applications: Interest. Further example of its use is found in the description of the Vase in Sun.41.
42