晉 → 離

Commentary

Fire rises above the earth, and though one is soiled, the stain brings no lasting shame. Why wash one's feet when the muddy water will clear on its own? A child hitches up his garments to wade across, and within five years all is restored. The verse evokes the patience of one who endures temporary disgrace without forcing premature vindication. The phrase 'though polluted, not dishonored' separates external circumstance from inner worth. From Progress to the Clinging, the transformation doubles the fire: brightness upon brightness, clarity illuminating clarity. The temporary pollution cannot dim a flame that renews itself. Like doubled fire that continually regenerates, the figure's reputation restores naturally — not through defensive washing but through the steady radiance of sustained character.