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Etymology of the ideogram Gou.44
The ideogram used to illustrate hexagram 44 is rarely seen outside the context of the Yi Jing. It is composed from the combination of two components. On the left, the character for Woman, drawn as a general sign. The fact that this ideogram is characterized by this sign is a particularity emphasizing the importance of the Yin in this figure.
On the right, a character representing a Human Being, leaning down in order to feed those (below) him, so explained by the symbol of the Mouth. In the context of the Yi Jing this term, whose original meaning is Sovereign, has a very particular meaning. Different from the character King, used by the Zhou, and from Sovereign, as used by the Shang, as is understood at the Prefect level of Yi.42, it is featured to designate the Model Person in three Great Images: Tai.11, Fu.24 and Gou.44. Less majestic than the ancient kings, but more honorable than the Accomplished Being (the sage), these sovereigns define the proper attitude to adopt in the very situation of productive coupling (as is the case in the Great Image of Tai.11), and at each moment of Returning; that of the Yang in the Great Image of Fu.24 and here with the return of the Yin.
The Yin tone characteristic to this title manifests itself in different ways. During Antiquity it was the title given to the minister of agriculture (Hou Ji) of the mythical emperor Shun. He would eventually be enthroned by the Zhou as their great ancestor for having taught them agriculture, particularly the culture of millet: Hou Ji, traditionally called the (Millet Prince) but whose exact name was Sovereign (Hou) Millet (Ji). Even more obvious, this title would be given throughout the classic period to the divinity of the Earth: Hou Tu, the Sovereign Earth (a graphically close and phonetically identical character is found in the Great Image of Kun.2, where it is understood as Receptivity, Openness, and Cordiality). Afterwards, this title would become the official attribute of the wife of the emperor. Finally, the empress being second to the emperor, this ideogram will be used in a simplified form to become the character meaning After, Behind, Following…
Combined, these two ideograms composing the name of this hexagram show the meaning of Feminity and Sovereignty, producing the idea of a fertile and welcoming sovereignty, like the one of the Earth and of the Yin.
In the context of the Yi Jing, the sense of (To Come and Meet) will be derived from the idea of the Sovereign going to meet his people and responding to their call for food. This meeting though fortuitous (as understood at the transition level of Guai.43, To Meet), is always favorable. This is manifest particularly in the text of the Tenth Wing where, as in the reverse hexagram of Gou.44 (the Tenth Wing of Guai.43), the situation is summarized by the same characters than the ones defining the Tenth Wings of the Creative Spark of Qian.1 and the Receptivity of Kun.2: Suppleness and Rigidity, the ancient names of the Yin and the Yang. Evoking all the power of the Yin, the name of hexagram 44 summarizes the proper disposition for any meeting:
Sovereign is the attitude that knows how To Receive, To Greet.
Confucius
44
The ideogram used to illustrate hexagram 44 is rarely seen outside the context of the Yi Jing. It is composed from the combination of two components. On the left, the character for Woman, drawn as a general sign. The fact that this ideogram is characterized by this sign is a particularity emphasizing the importance of the Yin in this figure.
On the right, a character representing a Human Being, leaning down in order to feed those (below) him, so explained by the symbol of the Mouth. In the context of the Yi Jing this term, whose original meaning is Sovereign, has a very particular meaning. Different from the character King, used by the Zhou, and from Sovereign, as used by the Shang, as is understood at the Prefect level of Yi.42, it is featured to designate the Model Person in three Great Images: Tai.11, Fu.24 and Gou.44. Less majestic than the ancient kings, but more honorable than the Accomplished Being (the sage), these sovereigns define the proper attitude to adopt in the very situation of productive coupling (as is the case in the Great Image of Tai.11), and at each moment of Returning; that of the Yang in the Great Image of Fu.24 and here with the return of the Yin.
The Yin tone characteristic to this title manifests itself in different ways. During Antiquity it was the title given to the minister of agriculture (Hou Ji) of the mythical emperor Shun. He would eventually be enthroned by the Zhou as their great ancestor for having taught them agriculture, particularly the culture of millet: Hou Ji, traditionally called the (Millet Prince) but whose exact name was Sovereign (Hou) Millet (Ji). Even more obvious, this title would be given throughout the classic period to the divinity of the Earth: Hou Tu, the Sovereign Earth (a graphically close and phonetically identical character is found in the Great Image of Kun.2, where it is understood as Receptivity, Openness, and Cordiality). Afterwards, this title would become the official attribute of the wife of the emperor. Finally, the empress being second to the emperor, this ideogram will be used in a simplified form to become the character meaning After, Behind, Following…
Combined, these two ideograms composing the name of this hexagram show the meaning of Feminity and Sovereignty, producing the idea of a fertile and welcoming sovereignty, like the one of the Earth and of the Yin.
In the context of the Yi Jing, the sense of (To Come and Meet) will be derived from the idea of the Sovereign going to meet his people and responding to their call for food. This meeting though fortuitous (as understood at the transition level of Guai.43, To Meet), is always favorable. This is manifest particularly in the text of the Tenth Wing where, as in the reverse hexagram of Gou.44 (the Tenth Wing of Guai.43), the situation is summarized by the same characters than the ones defining the Tenth Wings of the Creative Spark of Qian.1 and the Receptivity of Kun.2: Suppleness and Rigidity, the ancient names of the Yin and the Yang. Evoking all the power of the Yin, the name of hexagram 44 summarizes the proper disposition for any meeting:
Sovereign is the attitude that knows how To Receive, To Greet.
Confucius
44