Hexagram 35: Progress → Hexagram 29: The Abysmal Water

Progress
Fire / Earth
The Abysmal Water
Water / Water
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 2, 4, 5, 6).

Line 2

六二 晉如愁如。貞吉。受茲介福。于其王母。

jìn^ expansion
it may seem that v
chóu^ anxious
is to be
zhēnbut persistence
is promising
shòuaccept
these present
jièboundary
as (if
from
one's (own)
wánggrand-
mother [i.e. graciously and gratefully]

Six in the second place means: Progressing, but in sorrow. Perseverance brings good fortune. Then one obtains great happiness from one's ancestress.

Line 4

九四 晉如鼫鼠。貞厲。

jìnadvancing
just
shíthe squirrelly
shǔrodent
zhēnpersistence
is harsh

Nine in the fourth place means: Progress like a hamster. Perseverance brings danger.

Line 5

六五 悔亡。失得勿恤。往吉无不利。

huǐregret(s)
wángpass
shīabout
and gain
are not to be
taken to heart
wǎngsimply to go
is promising
without
doubt
worthwhile

Six in the fifth place means: Remorse disappears. Take not gain and loss to heart. Undertakings bring good fortune. Everything serves to further.

Line 6

上九 晉其角。維用伐邑。厲吉无咎。貞吝。

jìnadvancing
one's
jiǎohorns
wéilimit
yòngthis practice
to subjugate
of the home town
that harsh
is promising
is not
jiùto be blamed
zhēnbut persistence
lìnis embarrassment

Nine at the top means: Making progress with the horns is permissible Only for the purpose of punishing one's own city. To be conscious of danger brings good fortune. No blame. Perseverance brings humiliation.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramFire WaterThe Clinging → The Deep
Lower TrigramEarth WaterThe Receptive → The Deep

Yilin Verse

懸懸南海,去家萬里,飛兔腰裊,一日見母,除我憂悔。

Far, far away on the southern sea; ten thousand li from home. The flying hare, the swift steed Yaoniao; in a single day he sees his mother. My grief and regret are lifted.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Fire rises above the earth, but the heart hangs suspended over the distant South Sea, ten thousand li from home. Then the legendary steeds Feitu and Yaoniao appear — ancient horses of supernatural speed — and in a single day the traveler sees his mother again, grief and regret dispelled at once. Feitu ('Flying Hare') and Yaoniao are named in the Lushi Chunqiu as the swiftest horses of antiquity: horses that ran like flying rabbits, collapsing impossible distance into a single day's gallop. From Progress to the Abysmal, the transformation layers peril beneath the rescue. Doubled water, repeated danger — yet the filial heart plunges through every abyss without hesitation. Love for a parent transforms the deadliest crossing into a straight road home.

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