遯 → 震

Commentary

Heaven above the mountain shakes into doubled thunder — the Arousing, where shock awakens and mobilizes. A dappled horse with dark mane heads east toward the highlands. The White Tiger pushes the wheel; the Azure Dragon holds the crossbar; the Vermilion Bird guides ahead; the Dark Warrior carries the traveler onward. They knock at heaven's gate and enter to see the True Lord. Horse and rider arrive safe and whole. The verse assembles all Four Celestial Guardians — the sacred animals of the four directions — as an escort for a cosmic journey. From Retreat to the Arousing, the mountain's quiet withdrawal erupts into celestial thunder. The retreating figure does not merely return to the world but ascends to heaven itself, escorted by the very architecture of the cosmos. This is retreat's ultimate reward: withdrawal so profound that it circles back to the throne of heaven.