臨 → 坤
Hexagram 19: Approach → Hexagram 2: The Receptive
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 2 changing lines (lines 1, 2).
Line 1
初九 咸臨貞吉。
Nine at the beginning means: Joint approach. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Line 2
九二 咸臨吉。无不利。
Nine in the second place means: Joint approach. Good fortune. Everything furthers.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
倉唐奉使，中山以孝；文侯悅喜，擊子徵召。
The sealed letter departs the capital; a fast horse raises dust over a thousand ridges. The recipient kneels in the courtyard — today, their name has reached the heavenly ear.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Earth above the lake descends into pure receptive earth. The original verse reads: 'Cangtang bears the mission; Zhongshan responds with filial devotion. Marquis Wen is delighted and summons his son Ji.' This alludes to the story of Zhao Cangtang, an envoy sent by Prince Ji of Wei, who had been installed as lord of Zhongshan. After three years without contact, Cangtang brought gifts of morning ducks and northern dogs, skillfully reciting Shijing odes to demonstrate the prince's filial longing. Marquis Wen of Wei was moved and summoned his son home. From Approach to the Receptive, authority descends as nurturing earth: the father's distant oversight softens into receptive warmth when filial devotion is properly communicated through ritual and poetry.
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