09 · 风天小畜

小畜卦原文

小畜。亨。密云不雨，自我西郊。

象曰：风行天上，小畜。君子以懿文德。

白话文解释

小畜卦：吉利。在西郊一带浓云密布，但雨没有下来。

《象辞》说：上卦为巽，巽为风；下卦为乾，乾为天，和风拂地，草木低昂，勃勃滋生，这是小畜的卦象。君子观此卦象，取法催发万物的和风，自励风范，推行德教。

《断易天机》解

小畜卦巽上乾下，为巽宫初世卦。小畜为小的蓄积、小的阻碍，阳盛而阴不足，以致不得不暂时停顿，但终究还能亨通。

北宋易学家邵雍解

力量寡弱，阻止前进；藏器待时，耐心推进。

得此卦者，力量薄弱，运势反覆，宜蓄养实力，静待时机，急进则有险，凡事须耐心推进。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：平平无奇，受人牵制。

财运：外表不错，内多耗损。

家宅：小康，须防口舌；娶得淑女。

身体：风火之症；小孩吉，大人凶。

传统解卦

这个卦是异卦（下乾上巽）相叠，乾为天，巽为风。喻风调雨顺，谷物滋长，故卦名小畜（蓄）。力量有限，须待发展到一定程度，才可大有作为。

大象：蓄养之量有限，力不从心，故宜忍耐蓄养实力，静待时机。

运势：运势反覆，有口舌之争，但难于短期内解决，须忍耐，静待时机。

事业：时机尚不成熟，应当耐心而积极地积存力量，切不可冒险行动。遇到挫折不可灰心，鼓起勇气战胜困难，坚持原则，加强团结合作，提前做好各项准备，会有所成。

经商：已有一定的基础，但有失去危险，一定要特别慎重，争取与他人真诚合作，共同获利，决不贪心，适可而止，但更不能满足现状，不图进取。

求名：树立远大目标，尽最大努力去争取，虚心求教他人，取得真诚帮助，实现自己的理想，警惕小人的破坏。

婚恋：双方必须十分忠诚，第三者插足的现象极有可能发生。

决策：不很顺利，前进途中会遇到一些意想不到的困难。但由于本人性格坚强，具有战胜不利条件的意志。因此，可以实理自己的理想。但极有可能遭到小人的伤害，必须得到志同道合者的真诚相助，才能可能排除障碍。对所得应满足，适可而止，切不可过度追求，以免满招损。

第九卦的哲学含义

小畜卦，这个卦是异卦相叠，下卦为乾，上卦为巽。乾为天，巽为风。喻风调雨顺，谷物滋长，故卦名小畜。畜的本义是田中作物茂聚，引申为积畜，小畜为一点点积畜。因为力量有限，还没有达到大畜的程度，所以须待发展到一定程度，才可大有作为。

小畜卦位于比卦之后，《序卦》之中这样解释道：“比必有所畜，故受之以小畜。”比合在一起一定会有所积蓄，所以接着是小畜卦。

象辞中说“君子以懿文德”，荀爽认为指的是周文王在西岐时还没有做天子，不 能把恩泽、政令施于民，所以只能美化自己的道德。事实上，这一卦应当描述的是周 公摄政的事。周公称王代替年幼的成王治理天下，而其依然自认为是臣民，所以以柔 顺之德居于六四之位，周公的东征，正是为周公之治的兴盛打下了基础，所以周公摄 政东征后，使西周的经济出现了小小的积蓄。

09.风天小畜(䷈)-高岛易断

畜字从玄，从田，玄者，水也，田中蓄水以养禾，兼有蕴藏含养等义。“小”者大之反，谓物之微细者也。此卦六爻，惟六四一阴，能畜五阳，为成卦之义。阳大阴小，以阴畜阳，故谓小。卦体下《乾》上《巽》，《乾》者刚健，《巽》者柔顺，《乾》下三刚，《巽》一柔二刚，《巽》以一柔为主，蓄藏群刚，故谓之《小畜》。《序卦传》曰：“《比》必有所畜，故受之以《小畜》。”凡物相比附，则必聚积，是卦之所以次《比》也。

小畜：亨。密云不雨，自我西郊。

▲　甲骨文畜

“畜”者，止也，“亨”者，通也，其义相反。然此卦二五皆阳而得中，有健行之象，虽一时为六四所止，终得亨通也，故曰“《小畜》亨”，犹《屯》曰“元亨”。“密云不雨，自我西郊”，此二句专就六四成卦之主而言，《乾》者天也，《巽》者风也，内卦为天，太阳热气，照射大地，水气感触，阳气蒸腾为云，《乾》为密，故曰“密云”。天上有风，云欲为雨，为风吹散，故“不雨”。凡云气自东而西则雨，自西而东则不雨，今云气虽密不自东而自西，故不成雨。云，明气，西，阴方，阴倡而阳不和，且自二至四，互卦有《兑》，《兑》为西，《乾》为郊，故曰“密云不雨，自我西郊”。当时文王囚于羑里，歧周在其西，故称“我西郊”。是小畜之象也。

《彖传》曰：小畜，柔得位而上下应之，曰小畜。健而巽，刚中而志行，乃亨。密云不雨，尚往也；自我西郊，施未行也。

六四者阴柔之正位，即为阳爻之正应。此卦六四为主，上下五阳皆应之，以一柔而畜五刚，故曰“柔得位而上下应之，曰《小畜》”，是所以释卦名也。内爻虽健，外爻居《巽》，是以健而能《巽》，且二与五居内外卦之中，其志能行，故谓之“刚中而志行，乃亨”。刚健者，内卦之象；《巽》者，外卦之象。五阳为一阴所畜，故不成雨，然其前进之气，岂能终已？至上九变为坎水之雨，故曰“密云不雨，尚往也”。此时密云自西而起，是阴先倡而阳不和，不能成雨，故曰“自我西郊，施未行也”。“往”、“行”、“施”三者，皆得阳刚之气，《乾》之象也；“未”者，阴柔之气，《巽》之象也。盖阴之畜阳，以柔克刚，其畜虽小，而牵制殊巨，譬如三寸之键，可以闭厄险之关，一丝之纶，可以掣吞舟之鱼，不可以其小而忽诸。且《巽》为长女，象妇，九三曰“夫妻反目”，上九曰“妇贞厉”，皆以阳受制于阴。历观夏桀以妹喜亡，殷纣以姐己诛，幽王以褒拟灭，一妇为累，祸延宗社，阴之累阳，夫岂在多哉！

以此卦拟国家，六四居辅相之位，仰膺君宠，然秉性阴柔，器识不大，不能任用贤才，惟以巽顺畜阳，以致膏泽不下于民，谓之“密云不雨”。《小畜》之象，国运如此。然以一阴止五阳，毕竟不能持久，至上爻阴极则亢，风变为雨，遂有“既雨既处”之象。若其时犹未至，而强欲施行，不能也，谓之“自我西郊，施未行也”。盖九二之大臣，与九五之尊位，两阳不相应，上九与九五，两阳亦不相比，故意见不和，是气运使然，不复如之何。是以五阳并为一阴所畜，谓之“柔得位而上下应之，曰《小畜》”。凡君子之行事，小人得以扰之，大事之将成，小物得以阻之，皆《小畜》之义也。国家然，即拟之人事，亦无不然。

通观此卦，六四以柔虚孚于九五，专以优柔抑制群阳。初九与六四，阴阳相应，阳为阴所畜，不宜躁动，是以自复于道，潜伏下位，故“无咎”而又“吉”也。九二以阳居下体之中，能与初九牵连而复，亦吉道也。九三与六四相比，刚而不中，止于阴而不得进，如车之脱辐，而不可行也。始则相比，而终则相争，则不和如“夫妻反目”，而不安于室也。六四处近君之位，以信实相孚，是能畜君者也，而众阳亦并受其畜；然以一阴敌众阳，因循姑息，势或攻击致伤，于是六四逃避而去，故有“血去惕出”之辞。九五在君位，任用六四，今见六四之去，怜其诚孚，有所赐与，故有“有孚挛如，富以其邻”之辞。至上九之时，处畜之终，六四之一阴已退，《巽》风变为《坎》雨，是为畜道之成也。

《大象》曰：风行天上，小畜，君子以懿文德。

宇宙之间，太阳热气，彭薄郁塞，充满太虚，不能复行，冷气来而填其后，其气之流动，谓之风。此卦风在上而得位，故在下之气，亦受太阳之热，而欲上升，然为上卦之风所畜止，不能复进，谓之“风行天上，《小畜》”。君子见此象，能于潜伏之时，修文学，勉德行，以立身命。“懿”者修饰而示章美之意，容仪之温恭，言辞之和婉，皆德之文饰也。君子言语有章，威仪有度，以风动天下，犹风之鼓动万物，无所远而不居。盖文德之所化，无有穷极也。

【占】　问时运：目下平平，有动作被人牵阻之患。

○　问商业：有外观完美，内多耗失之象。

○　问出行：主有风波之患。

○　问家宅：主小康之家，防有口舌之祸。

○　问战征：虽有雷厉风行之势，而恩泽不孚，只可小捷，难获大胜。

○　问六甲：生女，又防小产。

○　问行人：恐舟行阻风，迟日可归。无咎。

○　问婚姻：主得懿美淑女，吉。

○　问年成：主多风少雨，收成平平。

○　问疾病：主风火之症。小儿吉，大人凶。

初九：复自道，何其咎？吉。

《象传》曰：复自道，其义吉也。

“复自道”者，谓知时之不可进，而自复于道。此爻居《乾》卦之初，是君子隐于下位者也。以阳居阳，位得其正，才力俱强，志欲上行，为六四之正应所畜，故返于本位，而复守其正。虽为彼所畜，而终不失其道，是不降其志，不辱其身，乃吉之道也，故曰“复自道，何其咎？吉”。“何”者，谓不复容疑之辞，叹美初九之能明道义，不吝改过，中途而复也。“何其咎”而后言“吉”者，谓不待其事之吉，而其义自吉也。

【占】　问时运：目下平常，宜退守，无咎。

○　问商业：直稳守旧业，不宜创立新基。

○　问家宅：所谓“士食旧德，农服先畴”，返而求已，不愿夫外，家道自亨。

○　问疾病：宜静心自养，自可复原。

○　问六甲：生男。

○　问行人：即归。

○　问年成：佳。

【例】　某县学务课长，常谈论国事，意气慷慨，以志士自任。顷日怀一书来，告曰：仆近日将面谒贵显，为国家述一意见，请占其成否，如何？筮得《小畜》之《巽》。

断曰：《小畜》之卦，犹利刀切风，腕力虽强，无所见其交也。知足下往告，必不能达其意趣，故不若止。何则？上卦为政府，当维新之际，执兵戎以定乱，其后事务多端，各守职任，断不容下僚妄参末议。且上卦为风，有进退不定之象，足下以刚健之意气，欲达其素志，风主散，散则不成，若强行之，不惟不得面谒贵显，恐为门街巡查所拒，激昂之余，或反受警察之诫谕。至此而悔其事之不成，不若中止，谓之“复自道，何其咎？吉”。

某不信余占，乘气往叩某大臣之门，强请不已，果受其辱，悉女此占。

九二：牵复，吉。

《象传》曰：牵复在中，亦不自失也。

“牵复”者，谓与初九牵连而复也。此爻亦秉《乾》体，具阳刚之性，上进而为六四所止。然以阳居阴，位不得正，故欲进而有障；见初九之复，亦即牵连而复本位，故曰“牵复”。盖以刚中从容之德，自审进退，不失其宜，是以吉也。《象传》曰，“牵复在中，亦不自失也”，谓其有中正之德，能适进退出处之宜，自不失其节操也。“亦”字，承初爻《象传》而言。

【占】　问时运：因人成事，自得获利。大吉。

○　问商业：宜创立公同社业，或旧业重振，皆得吉也。

○　问家宅：主兄弟和睦，恢复先业，必致家道兴隆，大吉之象。

○　问疾病：必主夙疾复发，小心调治，无妨。

○　问行人：即日偕伴同归。

○　问战征：主连日得胜。

○　问六甲：生女。

○　问年成：丰收。

【例】　余有熟知商人某氏，以某局有购旧罗纱之命，乃至横滨外国商馆，先取样品进呈某局。时适有他商二名，亦进呈样品，某局员以某氏所进为良品，以他二名所进为劣等。二商人愤愤不平，来告曰，同一物品，而局员妄以一心之爱憎，漫评货品之高低，其中不无贿嘱，余将告发于长宫，请占前途得失。筮得《小畜》之《家人》。

断曰：此卦君子为小人所止，有屈而不伸之象。今二爻与五爻，虽同秉阳刚，本非正应，恐告于长官，未必能达，以止为可。夫商人贩旧货物，同业相妒，亦事之常。在该局员妄评货品，与之争论究亦无益，足下即使议论得直，物未必得售，不如中止。劝二商牵连而归复其本业，谓之“牵复在中，亦不自失也”。“不自失”者，谓思后日之利益，忍而归也。

【例】　明治二十四年，邮船会社汽船东京九，值朝雾昏迷，误搁房州洋之浅洲，以军舰并他汽船，极力牵引，毫不能动。或来请占是船之利害，筮得《小畜》之《家人》。

断曰：依此占，今东京九，已得他汽船引出，其船体无所损，可安全而还也。《象传》曰“不自失也”者，即无所损之谓也。

后果如此占。

九三：舆说辐，夫妻反目。

《象传》曰：夫妻反目，不能正室也。

“舆”者，人所乘以行远也；“辐”者，轮中之直木，或作輹；“说”者，脱也。“夫妻反目”者，谓妻瞋目而视夫，夫亦瞋目而视妻，故曰“反目”。此爻以阳居阳，刚而不中，才强而志刚，其性躁妄而不能自守，先众阳而锐进，为六四所止，故比之车之运行，脱辐而不能进，曰“舆说輹”。九三之阳，比六四之阴，有夫妻之象，但夫为妻所制，阴阳不和，致夫妻不睦，则其妻之不顺不敬，固不俟论，其夫亦不为无罪也。何则？夫之素行，苟能庄重笃实，闺门之内，相敬如宾，夫何反目之有？反目之来，实由于夫之素行有缺：始则溺于私爱，继则疏于自防，终则为妻所制。阴柔渐长，而阳刚无权，此家之所以不齐也，故《象传》曰，“不能正室也”。盖妻正位夫内，夫正位夫外，今以妻制夫，出而在外，是闺门之不正也。九三至九五，互卦为《离》为目，巽为多白眼，皆反目之象。

【占】　问时运：阴盛阳衰，内外不安，最宜慎守。

○　问商业：有积货，急宜脱售，凡众所争售者，切勿售，众所不售者，急进售之。此谓反其道而行之，得利。

○　问家业：阴阳颠倒，家室不和。

○　问疾病：防医士不察，以寒作热，以虚作实，药不对症，是阴阳相反也。宜急别看良医，病必脱体，吉。

○　问战征：军心不和，防有辙乱旗靡，倒戈相向之虑。

○　问行人：即日可返。

○　问出行：恐中途有险。

○　问六甲：生男，主有目疾。

○　问年成：不佳。

○　问婚姻：不利。

【例】　明治六年，岩仓有大臣及木户大久保、伊藤山口诸君，奉命使欧美各邦。当派遣之初，使臣不得与各邦擅订条约。在朝者，为三条太政副岛后藤、板垣大隈、江藤大木诸君，使臣未归之先，不得创议新政。后因海军省所辖云扬舰，测量朝鲜仁川海岸，彼国炮击我舰，庙议将发问罪之师，欧美派遣诸君，亦遽相继归朝，共参朝议，遂分为征韩非征韩二派。某贵显来，请占朝议归结，筮得《小畜》之《中孚》。

断曰：此卦下卦三阳，欲牵连而进，为六四一阴所止，而不能进，乃以大为小所畜，故名曰《小畜》。下卦三阳，有锐进之性，在主征韩者，谓我国三百年来，以锁国为国是，故致文化后于欧美各邦，今模仿欧美之进化，非力图进取，恐难独立于东洋，其奋激锐进，殆有不可遏之势。在主非征韩者，目击欧美之文化，与夫陆海军之全备，专划远大之策，戒轻举之生事，辩征韩之不可，大反其议。盖谓征韩之举，虽一旦遂志，在朝鲜人，或逃赴清国，与清国政府谋恢复，或脱走于俄，乞俄国之救援。又清俄两政府，受朝鲜再兴之依赖，不无责问我政府之由；至英、法、德各邦坐视我东洋有事，亦将藉生口实，皆可预料也。此番出使诸臣，归而作是议者，洵有见而言之。后朝旨一从罢征之议，主征韩者愠其言之不用，群相辞职，谓之“与说辐”也。征韩非征韩二派，至相仇视，恰如夫妻不睦，谓之“夫妻反目”。

后果主征韩者，悉辞其职。

六四：有孚。血去惕出，无咎。

《象传》曰：有孚惕出，上合志也。

“血”者，恤也，恤字古文作血。曰恤，曰“惕”，皆忧惧之甚也。“血去”者，远伤害也，“惕出”者，免危惧也，皆所以解脱忧患。此爻成卦之主，以一阴之微弱，止五阳之刚强，盖畜得其时，又得其位，故能畜止众阳。自全卦言，为以小人畜君子；以一爻言，为以孤柔敌群刚。五为君位，四与五相比，是以臣而畜君者也。始如不足，终乃有济，有因人之功，无偾事之失。但在下三阳，为柔所制，欲锐进以害柔，亦势所不免；惟六四明而中虚，能以《中孚》感君，君臣契合，以至诚相畜，故五阳亦终服六四之制。非其力能止之，实本孚信有以感之也。且六四不以获君为荣，转以位高为惕，退避三阳，而不妨贤路，如六四者诚辅相之贤者也，谓之“有孚，血去惕出，无咎”。《象传》曰“上合志也”者，以六四之大臣，比于九五之君，尽心谋国，上下交孚；又以九五之君，爱庇六四之臣，恩遇优渥，始终无间，故曰“上合志也”。

【占】　问时运：目下不免忧虑，切忌与人争斗，防有损伤。宜出门远避，斯无咎也。

○　问仕途：必得上官契合，即有升迁，大吉。

○　问战征：利于出军进攻，可以获胜。

○　问家业：姬妾仆从，御之宜得其道，否则防反受其制。

○　问行商：利西北，不利东南。

○　问疾病：是寒里热之症，治之宜宽解，不宜燥烈药品。

○　问谋事：有得邻里相助之力。

○　占行人：恐中途遇险，宜微服潜行，忍而避难。

○　占六甲：此胎生女。后胎可连举五男。

【例】　明治五年，占某贵显气运，筮得《小畜》之《中孚》。

断曰：此卦六四一阴，在九五之下，奉戴君德，制伏上下四阳之锐进。一阴之势力本孤，惟以真诚相孚，能使群阳受畜。然阳亢则变生，不无可虑。曰“血去惕出”，其虑患也深矣，故“无咎”。因呈此占于贵显，贵显惟首肯而已。

后闻某贵显驾过赤坂，果罹暴徒之难，被轻伤。“血去惕出”之占，可谓先示其兆也已。

九五：有孚挛如，富以其邻。

《象传》曰：有孚挛如，不独富也。

“挛”与孪通，“挛如”者，相连之意。“富以其邻”者，邻指六四，谓九五之君，能信任六四，与之合志而畜乾。六四之臣，积诚以格其君，九五之君，推诚以待其下，上下相孚，而畜道成。九五之富，皆六四之功也。此爻中正，以阳居尊位，而密比六四之宰相，惟其有孚，则群阳亦牵连以相从也。九五居尊，所谓贵为天子，富有四海，与上爻、四爻同居巽体，并力畜乾，以御众阳锐进之锋，方张之势。曰“富以其邻”，是以四爻为邻也。然九五之君，当以大赉天下，泽被群生，若第挛如六四之宰相，其富厚之泽，未免偏而不公，故曰“有孚挛如，富以其邻”。指臣位而称邻者，可见君德之不满。又爻辞不系吉凶者，亦以君德之未美也。《象传》曰“不独富也”者，以爻辞“以”字读为助之义也。

此卦初九、九二二爻，虽复道，不过独善其身；九三与六四为敌，遂至反目；独九五终始信任六四，以共天下之富，是《小畜》之所以亨也。

【占】　问商业：有百货辐辏，群商悦服之象，大利也。

○　问时运：一生气运亨通，无往不利。

○　问仕途：主连得升迁，禄位双全。

○　问家业：主累代忠厚，惠及邻里，不独富有，且得贵显。

○　问战征：主军士同心，有国境日辟之象。

○　问六甲：有孪生之象。

○　问疾病：主麻痹不仁，手足挛拘之症。

○　问失物：宜从邻近寻觅，自得。

○　问出行：宜结伴而行，不宜独往。

【例】　明治四年三月，友人冈田平藏氏来曰：余今将创一业，请占其成否。筮得《小畜》之《大畜》。

断曰：此卦有畜积货财之象，定可得商利之满足也。但必得一信实伙友，以主其事，获利之后，当分肥及之，庶几相与有成也。

后果如此占。

上九：既雨既处，尚德载。妇贞厉，月几望，君子征凶。

《象传》曰：既雨既处，德积载也。君子征凶，有所疑也。

“既”者，事之既成也。“既雨”者，此爻外卦变《坎》，前之“密云不雨”者，今则既雨矣。“既处”者，止也，谓阴阳相和，各得其所。阴之畜阳，不和则不能止，既和而止之，畜道成也。“尚德载”者，尚即《论语》“好仁者无以尚之”之谓，美六四之孚信充实，众阳感孚，明《小畜》全卦之成功也。九五、上九，同属《巽》体，知《乾》难畜，故积德而共载之。“望”者，满月也，“月几望”者，喻阴德之盛。此爻以阳居阴，《小畜》之终，畜道已成之时也。《彖辞》曰“亨”，即指上爻而言。盖此卦一阴，以巽顺为性，顺者妾妇之道，且巽为长女，象妇，故以妇为喻。六四阴象为女，九五信任不疑，六四之威权已重，恰如月之几望，满盈而敌九五之尊。“妇贞厉”之贞，谓以阴制阳，即以妇止夫。妇宜贞固自守，若以此道为常则厉，当此时虽有贤人君子，不能复如之何，故曰“君子征凶”。且阴之既胜，固无可为之道，方其将盛未盛之间，君子所最宜警戒。此爻“月几望”、“凶”者，阴之疑阳也；《归妹》之六五，“月几望，吉”者，阴之应阳也；《中孚》之六四，“月几望，无咎”者，阴之从阳也。“妇贞厉”者，以理言之，戒小人也；“月几望”二句，以势言之，戒君子也。《象传》曰“有所疑也”者，盖以阴敌阳则必消，犹言小人抗君子则有害，君子安得不疑之？一说，疑者碍也，谓于道义有所碍塞，义亦通。雨与月皆有《坎》象，此爻外卦变为《坎》，故有此辞也。

【占】　问时运：有昔时希望不遂，今得如顺之意。

○　问家业：有前困后亨之象。

○　问营商：宜得利则止，若贪得无厌，终恐盈满致凶。

○　问战征：既得战胜，宜即罢军，若复进攻，不利主帅。

○　问年成：旱，不为灾。

○　问六甲：生女。

○　问行人：即归。

○　问出行：不利。

【例】　明治二十二年某月，某贵显来访谈时事，请试占政党首领某氏之气运，筮得《小畜》之《需》。应其请而讲《小畜》全卦之义。

断曰：此卦上爻。《乾》天，天气上升，有云随之，被风吹散，不得为雨，谓之“密云不雨”。以风之小，止天之大，故名此卦曰《小畜》。以国家拟之，四爻一阴，得时得位，上下五阳，牵连应之。阳大阴小，以一阴止五阳，是小畜之义也，故曰“柔得位而上下应之，曰《小畜》”。

此占为政党首领所关，其所从来者久矣，请推其原而说之。

明治之始，某缙绅为众所推，奉励令为相，奉侍九五之君，尽见信任，一时群僚皆受其畜，诚千载一时之会也。就《小畜》之卦言之，以某贵显当六四之位，下卦三阳，牵连被畜，虽众阳有健行之性，欲进而谋事，六四虑其躁动，悉被抑止，独以孚信感君，巽顺行权，谓之“健而巽，刚中而志行”也。明治元年三月，虽有万机之敕命，究未施行，谓之“密云不雨”。

Judgment

Legge: Passive Restraint brings about progress and success. We see dense clouds, but no rain coming from our western borders.

Wilhelm/Baynes: The Taming Power of the Small has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western region.

Blofeld: The Lesser Nourisher. Success! Dense clouds giving forth no rain approach from the western outskirts. [On the whole, this hexagram presages good for us. The wind blowing across the heavens does not have the nourishing virtues of rain, but it refreshes us and makes us feel better. Thus, if things are going reasonably well with us, we may expect an improvement, especially in the future when, presumably, the nourishing rain will fall. However, as lines three and six indicate, if we are in serious trouble, we must not expect much help from the rather mild good fortune that is blowing our way. The conception of something weak or yielding bringing great benefit has been greatly developed by the Taoists who, as though they were familiar with judo, recognize the strength to be found in softness and the dangerous weakness sometimes occasioned by too much strength. The name of this hexagram understood somewhat differently may also be taken to mean that the time is propitious for undertaking additional activity or the care of the young.]

Liu: Taming the Small Powers: success. Thick clouds come from the west. No rain. [This situation symbolizes the preparation which precedes a new development.]

Ritsema/Karcher: Small Accumulating, Growing. Shrouding clouds, not raining. Originating-from my Western suburbs. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of a variety of seemingly unconnected events and impulses. It

emphasizes that retaining and hoarding these experiences through adapting to them is the adequate way to handle it...]

Shaughnessy: Small Harvest: Receipt; dense clouds do not rain from our western pasture.

Cleary (1): Nurturance by the small is developmental. Dense clouds do not rain, proceeding from one’s own western province.

Cleary (2): At small obstruction, nurturing the small succeeds… (etc.)

Wu: Restraint of the Small indicates pervasiveness. There are dense clouds, but no rain coming from our western countryside.

The Image

Legge: The image of the sky with the wind moving above it forms Passive Restraint. The superior man, in accordance with this, adorns the outward manifestation of his virtue.

Wilhelm/Baynes: The wind drives across heaven: the image of The Taming Power of the Small. Thus the superior man refines the outward aspect of his nature.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes wind blowing across the sky. The Superior Man displays his scholarly accomplishments.

Liu: The wind blows across the sky, symbolizing Taming the Small Powers. The superior man improves his ability and virtue.

Ritsema/Karcher: Wind moving above heaven. Small Accumulating. A chun tzu uses highlighting the pattern to actualize-tao. [Actualize-tao: ...ability to follow the course traced by the ongoing process of the cosmos... Linked with acquire, TE: acquiring that which makes a being become what it is meant to be.]

Cleary (1): Wind blowing up in the sky is small nurturance; thus do superior people beautify cultured qualities.

Cleary (2): Wind moving up in the sky, nurturing the small. Thus do leaders beautify cultured qualities.

Wu: The wind blows in the sky above; this is Restraint of the Small. Thus the jun zi refines his splendorous virtue.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In the ninth hexagram the magnetic line takes her proper

place, and all the lines above and below obey her -- hence the name Passive Restraint. The figure is composed of the trigrams of Strength plus Flexibility.

Dynamic lines occupy the central places, and their will is accomplished -- this means progress and success. Dense clouds but no rain depict the advancing dynamic lines, but their source in the west shows that their beneficial influence has yet to be felt.

Legge: The symbolism of the hexagram Passive Restraint is taken from the magnetic line in the fourth place which holds all of the dynamic lines in restraint. This is because the fourth place is properly passive (magnetic), and the response of the other lines is therefore one of submission to her authority. The second sentence of the Judgment indicates the time and place of King Wen whose homeland was the western portion of China in the twelfth century B.C. Rain coming and moistening the ground causes the luxuriant growth of the natural world, and symbolizes the blessings which flow from good government. Therefore from the west, the hereditary territory of the legendary author of the I Ching, come the blessings which might enrich the whole kingdom. Here,

however, they are somehow restrained -- the dense clouds do not yet empty their stores. Ch'eng-tzu, Wang Feng, and other scholars say, in effect: Dense clouds should give rain. That they exist without doing so shows the restraining influence of the hexagram at work. But the dynamic influence of the other lines still continues, and the rain will eventually fall. The wind moves in the sky and then

ceases -- it can restrain for a time, but not indefinitely.

Cleary (1): Being strong, yet acting submissively, the submissiveness subdues the strength, and strength cannot act on its own. The heart grows daily humbler, while the virtue grows daily higher. One can thereby gradually get to the realm of sages. This is why nurturance by the small is developmental.

Cleary (2): When you encounter situations that obstruct you and bog you down, if you do not get resentful or bitter, but just nurture yourself to digest them, you will be successful … Indeed, events and situations that formerly obstructed you can become means of self-development; this is how you succeed …This line (Sic) indicates the value of not grabbing for easy success and the value of long-term results.

Wu: Restraint of the Small means literally small accumulation or small restraint. “Small” is another name for yin. “Small accumulation” or “small restraint” can also mean accumulation or restraint of the yin … When there are clouds, but no rain, it means that something has intervened and prevented the cycle from completion ... The judgment simply means: Many factors can derail a potential success and we should weigh them carefully before making a decision.

Anthony: Our influence is limited by the circumstances… We should avoid ambition to make progress as this exerts a negative pressure on people. It also indicates that we do not yet trust our path of non-action or the power of truth to change the situation…

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Power is accumulated by gently withholding its expression. The Superior Man transforms his insights into components of his conscious will. Or: He works on his outer, conscious (as opposed to inner, unconscious), awareness. Or: He lives his beliefs. Wilhelm's translation of the title of this hexagram is The Taming Power of the Small. I have substituted Passive Restraint as a phrase more compatible with contemporary English. The titles rendered by the other translators, in my opinion, do not convey the meaning of the hexagram: Liu's Taming the Small Powers even seems diametrically opposed to it, though it is obvious that the title has multiple meanings. In describing the action of the trigrams in this hexagram, Wilhelm conveys its essential meaning. (From Lectures on the I Ching): The function of wind is to tame creative forces, to accumulate these and to make them visible. It is exceedingly difficult to understand this relationship of forces, because the power used here is not expressed with might, but it is the softest, gentlest, force imaginable. Wind is the least visible of all phenomena, and this invisible wind is now needed to concentrate that which strives upward, the strongest of all phenomena ... The unconscious acts and creates as it must, and we should submit to the surgings of its waves. Only in the peripheral region, in the small free zone of consciousness, can work be taken up each day, and whatever needs refining can be refined. This is not superfluous work. Although this small zone of consciousness and freedom is only a thin rind, its contact with the forces of the unconscious is vigorous ... Hence, that which is seemingly small and insignificant is, after all, the power that succeeds in taming chaos by means of steady work and perseverance. Lines one through four of the ninth hexagram show different forms of restraint during a time of building tension. The dark clouds are accumulating, and we know that eventually the rain will fall and the tension will be released. Rain always symbolizes a union between Heaven and Earth in the I Ching, which in turn means a synthesis of some sort. In the present instance, the synthesis is still building, and although the tension seems to demand action we are counseled to remain still. The magnetic force must hold the overwhelming pressure of the dynamic forces in check.

The fifth line depicts the focal point at which the forces are gathered, and the sixth line shows the restraint necessary to allow the new transformation to stabilize. If we turn the hexagram over we get Cautious Advance, which depicts a different situation in which very careful action is called for. In the present instance however, no action is correct action. Through the activity of divine providence, an abundance of blessing descends on the creatures, but this awakening of the power of providence is dependent on the deeds of created beings, on "awakening from below."

Gershom Scholem – Kabbalah