Superior man & inferior man

[bfireman]

Hello all!

Any thoughts out there on the notion of the superior man and inferior man? I have finished reading a book by Carol Anthony, who suggests the language of "superior man" refers to ones true self, or completely integrated personality, while the "inferior man" refers to the ego self-image or false sense of self due to grasping and craving and all the hopes, fears, doubts, delusions, worries, etc. that we have learned to identify with in an "untrue" sense. Personally, I find this all very interesting, and it seems to make sense in interpreting the various hexagrams. Yet, I am curious as why the Chinese chose these words, or if they are simply words chosen by Wilhelm in his translation? Do any translations of the I-Ching directly speak to the meaning of this terminology? Any thoughts on this at all would be appreciated. I am hesitant at this point to accept at face value Carol Anthony's definition of these terms, even though they do seem very convincing. Thanks in advance for any responses...

Peace - Brian

 

[candid]

Brian - That's pretty much my take on the terms as well. Wilhelm does exhibit linier thinking in his terms (in this case, up and down) while I believe the original Chinese text was less so. For example, noble man could easily replace superior man. Sensorial man for inferior? This characteristic of Wilhelm has left many cold to his moralistic western terminology. Many women especially, I?ve noticed. Like the Biblical Paul of Taoist thought, there?s an undeniable chauvinism throughout his work. I wonder if I?d relate to his translation as much if I were a woman? Its nice to see some women get past that though.

Fortunately, Yin is paid great due in representations of the Mother and three daughters of Yi, in Wilhelm. She certainly plays no second fiddle. She is the object of his life-force and has his eternal focus. The bride of Christ.

Candid

 

[hilary]

Some alternatives...

I don't see so much black-and-white moralising in Yi as does Carol A (or Wilhelm, probably). Quite a lot of what has traditionally been taken as 'right action/ wrong action' doesn't seem to have that censorious tone in the original. It presents alternatives, and it's up to us to decide which fits best who we would want to be.

Adopting/ adapting Stephen Karcher's approach, I call these two 'great person' and 'small person' and see them as yang and yin. Great person has their own vision of the outcome and takes charge to ensure it happens. Small person only responds (best case) or reacts (worst case) to the situation where she finds herself. Usually the great person does better, but there are times in the Yi when such purposefulness simply won't work.

Now for a really radical alternative, from Kerson and Rosemary Huang. 'Gentleman' and 'common man' - those who enjoy wealth and influence, and the poor people who don't. What was a moral injunction for Carol A then becomes a dry political comment.

Take 23, line 6 in their version:
'Refusing a fat plum.
The gentleman gains a carriage,
The common man loses his house.'
Refusing a reward, they say, brings a gain in reputation and status if you're rich already, but the poor can't afford such gestures.

Or at 49,6:
'Changeable as a leopard is the gentleman,
Leathery is the face of the common man...'
The leadership vacillates, so the people are unresponsive.

And a positively sardonic version of 40,5:
'The gentleman loosened the rope.
Good for him.
The common folk got the punishment.'

I'm not often a great fan of the Huangs' interpretations, but it's still interesting, isn't it?

 

[bfireman]

Candid and Hilary-

Thanks for the responses. I can see how these terms can be taken in a linear, black/white kind of way, but I have not really seen them as such. What interests me in Carol Anthony's vision of the terms lies in her relating them to a level of the human psyche. I have no formal training or background whatsoever in this area, yet it interests me merely on a practical and personal level regarding an on/again, off/again meditation practice over the course of many years now. I guess, if one assumes that one is communicating with one's true hidden nature, god, higher source, spirit, etc. while consulting the I Ching, then it makes sense for the yi to respond on a level, at times, relating to this aspect of one's personality. At least it "feels" this way to me. This is not much different to me than what you said above Hilary, "the great person has their own vision of the outcome..., the smal person responds..." I guess I am trying to relate/understand these terms in relationship to what is the highest truth in a given situation. No easy answers here! This one is still sinking in...

Peace - Brian

 

[louise]

Ahem, I am a bit worried that you equate the great man with male and the small with female Hilary ? Yin and Yang are equal, yes ? 'Great' and 'small' definately imply a value judgement - we will always tend to think of 'great' as 'better'.
I feel 'the great man' is referring to our higher qualities - what we would do if we were acting well, consciously and in tune with the reality of the situation, without being blinded by anger or ego.

Good points you made there Candid, especially as you're a man

. There is the definite though subtle feeling of exclusion for me with the term 'superior man'. I wonder how differently I would relate to Wilhelm if I were male. Though I have seen some 'womens I Chings' and am not particularly impressed with them because they too stress categorisation according to gender and can be just as limiting. I think Karchers good in choice of language in this respect.

I think the Kurson and Huang is an interesting perspective - encouraging you to consider the role of your status in the situation. I did get 23, line 6 recently when asking about my housing situation. Only trouble was I could not work out for myself whether I was the 'gentleman' or the 'small man'. Hope I was the gentleman and get to ride in a carriage

 

[hilary]

Oops, no 'equations' intended. I just happened to use 'she' for the small person, as I throw in different pronouns from time to time. Yin and yang equal, yes... and not equivalent to 'female' and 'male', either...

It's true we do tend to think of 'great' as 'better', but come to that a great deal of I Ching commentary, Chinese as well as Western, thinks of yang as better. Just look at standard commentaries on Hexagram 44, for instance. A yin line... a strong woman... nightmare! (If you want to feel really excluded by Wilhelm, this is definitely the hexagram to start with.)

But the point I was sort of trying to make is that being 'small' might sometimes be the better option. At 23, line 6 I personally think you have the choice whether to use a carriage for a big move, or to stay small and make changes where you are. Usually, anyway. How is the housing thing working out?

 

[candid]

To me, there?s no connection between Yin and the inferior man. We generally think of spirit (Yang) as being superior but just as with Yin, there are four levels. Each category isn?t lesser in the same way as worth, unless that which is below ?comes to meet? that to which its not entitled as in 44. 37 demonstrates the harmonious order of relationships of 4 males and 4 females. Imagine a family without the youngest daughter, Joy? Yet, she is the ?lowest? in the hierarchy. Her place is as a servant and others relate to her in a spirit of forbearance. Gentle Wind, however, reigns in a higher station due to her greater maturity and wisdom as the eldest daughter. She can be trusted to lead at the proper times. Its the same with Yang. The Mountain plays an important part of the family, but stillness is only to temper and control Thunder-Lightening-Energy, the eldest son.

We each are Yin and Yang, female and male. I believe when the Ching says, inferior man, its speaking of those aspects of our Yang nature which can be too inactive or is active in an unharmonious manner, perhaps power uncontrolled. In 44, there is a definite implication that even the eldest daughter must wait to be courted rather than assuming control over the creative force. Hence, the dark (Yin) comes to meet the light (Yang), and the council is to not marry her. The beauty and balance in 44 occurs in the 5th place. She is receptive to his (the spirit?s) courtship and our Yin elements fall like ripened fruit to our Yang, or heavenly spirit and there is order within our family - our self.

Yang isn't necessarily good and Yin isn't necessarily bad. Each has a place in the Devine order of the Universe.

If anyone is interested in pursuing the topic of the family of Yi further, please let me know. I?ve done a little work on the subject which I?d be happy to share.

 

[bfireman]

Candid - Share on brother! Sounds good to me!
-Brian

 

[candid]

1. The Father is The Creative-Heaven. He is the primal positive Yang. He is spirit and thought. He uses time as a means to create and to bring into creation.


2. The Mother is The Receptive-Earth. She is the primal negative Yin. She is earth, spatial and body. She receives The Father?s spirit and gives birth to everything, including the first born of who is:


3. The Eldest Son is Lightening-Thunder. He is electricity. He is the energy which comes from Heaven and Earth. He manifests his Father?s force and energy. He is what the ancients envisioned as the dragon. He is what a Christian sees as Jesus.


4. The Second Son is Abysmal-Water. He is the heart and soul locked within the body. He is light locked within darkness. He is brave but can also be reckless.


5. The Third Son is Still-Mountain. He is a man you can lean on. He gives stillness to the heart and soul and overcomes adversity in quiet strength. He is meditation.


6. The First Daughter is Gentle-Wind. She is the wind which penetrates and shapes mountains, over time. She breaks up intrigues which shun the light of day. She is also wood, as roots which forge ahead with perseverance.


7. The Second Daughter is Clinging-Fire She clings to her fuel and source, and becomes the light of nature?s radiance. Fire flames upward but clings to what is below.



8. The Third Daughter is The Joyess-Lake She is joy and also melancholy. She is emotions and sociability.

Here, in the symbols of I Ching, each trigram is a member of the hierarchy, demonstrated as The Family. If each member of the Family works for the good of the whole, each individual is cared for and grows. Each individual member of the Family is true to their own nature. They are a part of something greater than themselves, but they each retain their true nature. One does not decrease themselves in order to increase the other.

 

[bfireman]

Thanks Candid! Beautiful beyond words! Why do you associate the dragon w/ the eldest son and not the father, which has been my understanding of its symbolism... curious...

Peace and love - Brian

 

[candid]

Hi and thanks, Brian.

The dragon is often seen as 1. The reason I see it as the eldest son is that 1 is spirit and has no form of its own until it mates with 2. Thunder and lightening require opposites, a positive charge and a ground, before it can manifest.

Can you see the ancient mind perceive an intense thunder storm? The dragon appearing in a flash of white light, stretching out in the heavens!

 

[bfireman]

Candid-

I like and appreciate the imagery you describe. Very imaginative!!! It works for me, as well as the classic imagery of the dragon symbolizing the spirit of Hex1, the Creative, that all pervading formless force, the intangible potential in any thought, action, situation, etc...

check out the link below to one of my favorite dragon images from Hosukai(hope I spelled it right!)

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/ukiyoe/fuji-koryuu.gif

Peace - Brian

 

[candid]

Brian,

Whoa! Never saw one like that before. Yes, I can see that as the more proverbial 1-Creative of Yi. The black smoke rising up is an interesting element. But ya know, that again leads my thoughts back to the image of the eldest son, or first son - moving up and down the 6 changes in time created by the Father, Heaven.

Maybe someone can help me with something about this? Is 51 spelled Chen or Chien? I?ve seen it spelled both ways. Is it like Tao and Dao? Its interesting now that we're talking about it that both are spelled the same or similarly. Wonder if there's a root connection there?

Namaste,
Candid

 

[heylise]

Chen and chien (in pinyin zhen and qian) are very different characters. But as far as I know, the dragon was always associated with thunder. The voice of the dragon is the thunderclap, and it spits fire. In winter it disappears under water and in spring it comes out again. The people even go to the spring were the dragon is supposed to hibernate and they throw in old shoes and other things to make it unpleasant for him to stay there. They need the rains he brings, so the crop will start growing.
Zhen, thunder, is composed of rain, and (probably) a sickle. It represents a period of time of a cycle (sickle: harvest), the decisive moment (cutting of the sickle), and a part of the zodiac. Hexagram 1 is all about timing, especially about the seasons, the times of sowing and harvest. So the dragon is very important for hex.1.

LiSe

 

[candid]

LiSe to the rescue! Thank you for clarifying that. But throwing shoes at a sleeping dragon? Yikes!

 

[heylise]

Brian,
Forgot to thank you for the great dragon-pictures and a beautiful site!
Namaste
LiSe