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confucius
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The first of the two ideograms used to illustrate hexagram 61 is one of the most important in the Chinese thought process. It has been explained for over two thousand years as representing a Target as seen from above (we only see its thickness) and through which an arrow is piercing the middle and protruding from the back.
In the West, the sword was the most prestigious weapon. But, in China, it is from the Bow that the nobility is issued, whether feudal or moral. During antiquity were practiced, every five years, Archery contests uniting all the nobles to the royal court. During these contests the most important event was using the bow to the rhythm of music, the highest mastering of the art. The only arrows accounted for were those hitting the centre at the precise moment when the melody made heard the sound of the gong. The synchronicity of the two moments could be verified by ear: at the moment of the gong (resonating its Gooooong), the arrow entered the target (making audible the new combination of the two sounds djjooooong). Follows, him which had succeeded in not only hitting the centre but inserting the arrow rhythmically with the melody, showed that he was worthy to rule. In such case his feudal mandate was renewed for five years, usually with an upgrade. Otherwise, he could be downgraded to a lower noble rank.
One can understand why, in such context, the Bow and Arrow can represent the idea of Soundness; the verb-action of such a discipline is neither written with pulling (the string) nor the bow and arrow, but by combining the symbols Body and Rhythm.
Central idea of the Chinese thought process, the Bull’s eye, the expression The Mean, is not a geometric notion, but an attitude.
The second ideogram is built using two components. At the bottom is the ideogram designating both Child and Prince. The top part is now written with the claw of a bird but was originally with a Human Hand (representing a gesture); this gesture was very clear: a hand deposited on the head of a child to gently tilt it towards the chest. This gesture was chosen to represent a feeling of total reciprocal trust, Uniting Two People of Different Generations. This idea occupies the central intention of this character, but figuratively.
Back to its archaic definition, one finds a curious meaning for it: Prisoner. It is part of a double-meaning, derived from the interpretation of this character and a hand holding a prince (enemy). However, two components confirm the preceding interpretation: first, the character Breast, in which was simply added the simplified symbol of a breast to differentiate it from the composition and, especially, the verb To Float, To Swim.
The Chinese of old absolutely hated swimming. In the context of the Yi Jing, water is only beneficial as rain. When the obligation to cross a river is imposed (or considered), swimming is not an option, it is at the ford that it must be crossed, as is seen in the Judgment, this crossing representing the image of the highest form of fright. To swim, one must not fear water, but let himself be carried by it. Being such, the ideogram for swimming is written by combining the characters Water and Trust. As the perception of Anguish is understood by the image disappearing from under our feet (as seen in the ideogram Xian.31), trust in water means swimming.
From there may be derived the reason why the idea of Lifting, to translate the global meaning of this character, and Carrier Wave, for its different appearances as Mantic Formulas. It is actually used forty-one times in the original text, and in a great variety of forms, adapting it according to the particularities of each situation.
Confucius
In the West, the sword was the most prestigious weapon. But, in China, it is from the Bow that the nobility is issued, whether feudal or moral. During antiquity were practiced, every five years, Archery contests uniting all the nobles to the royal court. During these contests the most important event was using the bow to the rhythm of music, the highest mastering of the art. The only arrows accounted for were those hitting the centre at the precise moment when the melody made heard the sound of the gong. The synchronicity of the two moments could be verified by ear: at the moment of the gong (resonating its Gooooong), the arrow entered the target (making audible the new combination of the two sounds djjooooong). Follows, him which had succeeded in not only hitting the centre but inserting the arrow rhythmically with the melody, showed that he was worthy to rule. In such case his feudal mandate was renewed for five years, usually with an upgrade. Otherwise, he could be downgraded to a lower noble rank.
One can understand why, in such context, the Bow and Arrow can represent the idea of Soundness; the verb-action of such a discipline is neither written with pulling (the string) nor the bow and arrow, but by combining the symbols Body and Rhythm.
Central idea of the Chinese thought process, the Bull’s eye, the expression The Mean, is not a geometric notion, but an attitude.
The second ideogram is built using two components. At the bottom is the ideogram designating both Child and Prince. The top part is now written with the claw of a bird but was originally with a Human Hand (representing a gesture); this gesture was very clear: a hand deposited on the head of a child to gently tilt it towards the chest. This gesture was chosen to represent a feeling of total reciprocal trust, Uniting Two People of Different Generations. This idea occupies the central intention of this character, but figuratively.
Back to its archaic definition, one finds a curious meaning for it: Prisoner. It is part of a double-meaning, derived from the interpretation of this character and a hand holding a prince (enemy). However, two components confirm the preceding interpretation: first, the character Breast, in which was simply added the simplified symbol of a breast to differentiate it from the composition and, especially, the verb To Float, To Swim.
The Chinese of old absolutely hated swimming. In the context of the Yi Jing, water is only beneficial as rain. When the obligation to cross a river is imposed (or considered), swimming is not an option, it is at the ford that it must be crossed, as is seen in the Judgment, this crossing representing the image of the highest form of fright. To swim, one must not fear water, but let himself be carried by it. Being such, the ideogram for swimming is written by combining the characters Water and Trust. As the perception of Anguish is understood by the image disappearing from under our feet (as seen in the ideogram Xian.31), trust in water means swimming.
From there may be derived the reason why the idea of Lifting, to translate the global meaning of this character, and Carrier Wave, for its different appearances as Mantic Formulas. It is actually used forty-one times in the original text, and in a great variety of forms, adapting it according to the particularities of each situation.
Confucius