遯 → 恆

Commentary

Heaven above the mountain endures as thunder over wind — Duration, where constancy sustains what has been built. A child in swaddling clothes cries and babbles; in time he dons the cap of manhood and establishes a household. When he leaves home, he conducts himself as courteously as a guest — what have his parents to worry about? The verse traces an entire lifecycle in four brief phrases: from helpless infant to self-possessed adult. The process requires nothing dramatic, only the steady passage of time and consistent nurture. From Retreat to Duration, the mountain's withdrawal becomes the thunder and wind that persist without changing direction. Retreat here is the patience of parenthood — withdrawing gradually as the child grows, until the retreat itself becomes unnecessary because the young man stands firm on his own.