既濟 → 中孚

Commentary

Water sits above fire, and one takes an axe to split kindling, then sends a matchmaker to seek a bride. Two surnames join in harmonious union; the couple receives formal blessing. Her beauty rivals Mao Qiang's, and both mother-in-law and father-in-law are delighted. The verse follows the proper sequence of Han marriage: wood-splitting (preparing the household), matchmaking, surname compatibility, and ritual approval. Mao Qiang was a legendary beauty of the Spring and Autumn era, often paired with Xi Shi. From After Completion to Inner Truth, fire-and-water order transforms into wind above the lake — sincerity radiating outward from an open center. The completed life finds its deepest truth in the mutual trust of marriage, where inner emptiness receives another and both are made whole.