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乾 Hexagram 1
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above: Ch'ien / The Creative, Heaven |
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below: Ch'ien / The Creative, Heaven |
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CHANGING LINE:
Nine at the beginning [yang at bottom] means:
'San Francisco Chinatown' - Fred Eng |
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IN CHINA the dragon has a meaning altogether different from that given it in the Western world. The dragon is a symbol of the electrically charged, dynamic, arousing force that manifests itself in the thunderstorm. In winter this energy withdraws into the earth; in the early summer it becomes active again, appearing in the sky as thunder and lightning. As a result the creative forces on earth begin to stir again.
Here this creative force is still hidden beneath the earth and therefore has no effect. In terms of human affairs, this symbolises a great man who is still unrecognized. Nonetheless he remains true to himself. He does not allow himself to be influenced by outward success or failure, but confident in his strength, he bides his time. Hence it is wise for the man who consults the oracle and draws this line to wait in the calm strength of patience. The time will fulfil itself. One need not fear lest strong will should not prevail; the main thing is not to expend one's powers prematurely in an attempt to obtain by force something for which the time is not yet ripe.
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