Visuals in Hexagram 22

pocossin · Feb 7, 2014

The Totlis maxim rephrased: There is nothing in the text that is not first in the visual hexagram.

The appended text of hexagram 22 is rich in objects -- feet, carriage, beard, moisture, horse, wings, robber, wooer, hills and gardens, silk, and the enigmatic 'simple grace' in line 6. Where do these objects in the text come from? Using Hatcher's translation,

1
Adorning those feet
Dismissing the carriage and walking

feet (toes in Wilhelm), by line position. How are the feet adorned? He is wearing sandals.

Code:

sandal
▄▄▄▄▄▄ toe of sandal
▄▄  ▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ opening for foot
▄▄▄▄▄▄ heel of sandal

This sandal may be profitably compared to the shoes of hexagram 10.

Code:

shoe
▄▄▄▄▄▄ toe of shoe
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ opening for foot
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄▄▄▄▄ heel of shoe

carriage

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ covering for the carriage
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ wheel: rim = solid lines, broken line = spokes
▄▄▄▄▄▄

Carriages date back approximately 4,600 years in China. In the Shang Dynasty (16th to 11th centuries BCE) two wheel carriages and characters for the different components of carriages appeared, including wheels with spokes, carriage boxes (yu), shaft (yuan), transverse bar, and yolk (e). These are substantiated by archaeological finds of elaborate two wheeled carraiges. High chassis carriages appeared in the Warring States Period (770-221 BCE).
http://www.paradeofthebuddhas.org/?page_id=38

2
Adorning his beard

If the hexagram as a whole is a head, then line 2 could be a beard.

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ the 'veil of stars' imperial hat
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄  mouth
▄▄▄▄▄▄

For the symbolism of the 'veil of stars' imperial hat, see

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/topic/20717-what-were-historical-chinas-imperial-regalia/

The hat had hanging string of jewels in front in back. When the king/emperor lifted his head so that he could see below the veil, it was a sign of imperial approval. When the emperor lowered his head so that the veil blocked his vision, it was a sign of imperial disapproval. Wilhelm throws in "on his chin." It isn't in the Chinese, but the chin is the bottom line.

3
So elegant looking, as though dripping
With enduring persistence, promising

dripping: the lower nuclear hexagram is Kan, Water, and covers this line.

Code:

▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄

What is elegant looking? I speculate that it is the face of the emperor covered by the jewels as if by falling water.

4
So elegant looking, as if of pure white
A white steed, as if on wings
Not an adversary but a marital suitor

The horse is portrayed by its head.

Code:

The head of a horse
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ muzzle
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄  nostrils
▄▄▄▄▄▄

as if on wings

Code:

22 as a bird
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ wings
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄  head 
▄▄▄▄▄▄

This image is relate to hexagram 36, the dark bird. That is, an owl.

Code:

▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄  ▄▄ raised wings of an owl in flight
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄  head 
▄▄▄▄▄▄

Not an adversary

adversary: the lower nuclear trigram Kan, associated with arrows (hex. 40) and war (hex.7), covers line 4.

marital suitor:

The trigram of line 4 is Dui, associated with friendship and marriage.

Code:

▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄▄▄▄▄

5
Dressed up amidst hills and gardens
One's gift bundle of silk is but a shabby remnant
Embarrassing
But in the end, promising

hills, the upper trigram:

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄  ▄▄

gardens, the lower trigram:

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄

A garden is a protected inclosure. Li is also associated with flowers. I wonder if the two major trigrams describe a terraced hill.

One's gift bundle of silk is but a shabby remnant.

Gift: a gift from the emperor. This 'gift' is properly a gain or payment. The trigram of the line is Xun (Mercury) associated with gain.

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄

shabby: this does not mean that the silk is of inferior quality but that it is a small amount. This is from the upper trigram Ken, which signifies the most meagre amount.

Code:

▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ youngest son = small amount
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ bright = silk
▄▄▄▄▄▄

Bundle: rather than receiving the whole roll of silk, the subject of the hexagram receives a piece from a roll. Rolls of silk are typically on a core. However, when smaller amounts are involved ". . .silk is folded, usually each loose end folds into the middle, the procedure is repeated again and again until the fabric is small enough to roll. This way a lot of creasing is avoided." I am indebted to Leonidas Kazantheos, who has actually bought silk fabric, for this essential observation.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bolts of silk&FORM=BILH1

Embarrassing
But in the end, promising

It is embarrassing to receive such a minor gift from the emperor. Nevertheless, it is a sign of imperial recognition, and further awards will be substantial.

6
Plain white elegance
No mistake

The line is terminal. White is the color of death in Chinese culture. Terminal elegance is the preparation of a body for burial. That is, the elegance is the elegance of grave goods like at Sutton Hoo

Code:

Body in Grave
▄▄▄▄▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄ 
▄▄  ▄▄
▄▄▄▄▄▄  the body
▄▄  ▄▄ 
▄▄▄▄▄▄

...life can be translucent

Visuals in Hexagram 22

pocossin

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