1. The Creative (Heaven) (乾)

Kàng: fanqie reading k-u + l-ang. 'The Top' is the name of the uppermost line. 'Arrogant' (kàng) conveys exceeding the heights and being unable to descend. Yang reaches its culmination at the top; if it moves, there will surely be regret.

Hence its image and divination are like this.

Nine in the Fifth Place is the culmination of position; being central and correct, it attains the culmination of the timely moment. Going beyond this leads to arrogance. Nine at the Top arrives at arrogant extremes, and therefore has regret.

Where there is excess, there is regret; only the sage knows advance and retreat, preservation and ruin, without excess, and thus never arrives at regret.

Fullness leads to change, and thus brings regret.

A nine occupies the top without holding the honored position; thus he has no people and no helpers. If he moves, there will be regret. "A hidden dragon: do not act"; for it is below. From here onward, this speaks of the time of The Creative (Heaven).

"Do not act" means that because it is below, it cannot yet be used. "A dragon appearing in the field": a time to pause. To come to a standstill in accordance with the time. "All day long creatively active": conducting affairs. Advancing in virtue and cultivating one's calling.

"Or leaping in the abyss": testing oneself. Applying oneself in accordance with the time. "A flying dragon in the heavens": governing from above. Having attained the position and executing the governance of the sovereign.

"An arrogant dragon will have cause to repent": calamity brought by exhaustion. Exhaustion and extremity bring calamity. "The Creative's origin: using nines; all under heaven is well governed."

In the way of using nines, Heaven and the sage share the same application; then all under heaven is well governed. "A hidden dragon: do not act": the yang energy is submerged and hidden. From here onward, this speaks of the meaning of The Creative (Heaven).

At a time when yang is slight and submerged in hiding, the noble person should likewise stay concealed and not yet be employed. "A dragon appearing in the field": all under heaven is cultured and enlightened.

When dragon virtue manifests upon the earth, all under heaven witnesses its transforming illumination. "All day long creatively active": marching forward with the times. Advancing in step with the timely moment.

"Or leaping in the abyss": the way of The Creative undergoes a revolution. Leaving the lower position and ascending to the upper: above and below are revolutionized. "A flying dragon in the heavens": establishing his position in heavenly virtue.

Taking his rightful place in the superior position, he matches heavenly virtue. "An arrogant dragon will have cause to repent": reaching the limit alongside the time. When the time has reached its extreme, the one dwelling in that time also reaches his extreme.

"The Creative's origin: using nines": then the rule of Heaven is seen. The way of using nines is the rule of Heaven; the rule of Heaven is called the Heavenly Way. Someone asked: Are the six lines of The Creative all the affairs of the sage?

I reply: The one who exhausts its Way is the sage. Gain and loss determine good fortune and misfortune; is this unique to The Creative? It is so for all Gua. "The Creative's origin: that which begins and prospers."

This is explained again in detail to exhaust its meaning: having begun, it must prosper; if it does not prosper, it ceases. "Favorable perseverance": nature and disposition. This is the nature and disposition of The Creative.

Having begun and prospered, were it not for favorable perseverance, how could it fail to cease? "The beginning of The Creative can benefit all under heaven with beautiful utility, yet does not speak of what is benefited. Great indeed!"

The way of The Creative's beginning enables the myriad kinds to be generated and completed, and all under heaven receives its beautiful benefits. Yet it does not specify what is benefited because there is nothing it does not benefit; it cannot be designated by a single name.

Thus in praise of the greatness of its benefit, it says: "Great indeed!" "Great is The Creative! Strong, vigorous, central and correct, pure and refined." "The six lines unfold and broadly penetrate all conditions."

"At the right time mounting the six dragons to ride through the heavens; clouds fly and rain falls, and all under heaven is at peace." "Great!" praises the greatness of the way of The Creative.

Strong, vigorous, central, correct, and pure—these six attributes describe the way of The Creative. "Refined" means the utmost essence of these six. The six lines unfold and broadly penetrate to exhaust all conditions and meanings.

Mounting the times of the six lines to accord with the movements of Heaven, the merit and efficacy of Heaven become manifest. Hence clouds fly and rain falls, yin and yang freely circulate, and the way of universal peace under heaven is realized.

"The noble person makes perfected virtue his conduct; it is conduct that can be seen day by day. What 'hidden' speaks of is concealed and not yet seen, practiced yet not yet completed; therefore the noble person does not act."

When virtue is perfected and its deeds can be seen, that is conduct. Virtue must be perfected before it can be applied to use. At the beginning, one is just hidden away; one's conduct is not yet complete—not yet complete, not yet manifest. Therefore the noble person does not act.

"The noble person learns in order to gather it, questions in order to discern it, dwells in tolerance, and practices benevolence. The Changes says: 'A dragon appearing in the field; it furthers one to see the great man.' This is the virtue of a ruler."

When the sage is below, though already manifest, he has not yet obtained the throne; thus he merely advances in virtue and cultivates his calling. Learning to gather and questioning to discern advance virtue; dwelling in tolerance and practicing benevolence cultivate the calling.

The ruler's virtue is already manifest, and it furthers one to see the great man to advance and carry it out. Those who advanced to dwell in that position were Shun and Yu; those who advanced to practice that way were Yi Yin and Fu Yue.

"Nine in the Third Place has doubled strength and is not central; above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field. Therefore he is creatively active, and being mindful in accord with the time, though in danger, he is free of blame."

Doubled strength represents the fullness of firmness. Exceeding the center and dwelling at the top of the lower trigram, above he has not yet reached heaven, while below he has already left the field: this is a ground of danger and apprehension.

Following the time and dwelling with compliance, creatively active and constantly cautious to ward off danger, though he is in peril, he does not incur blame. The noble person follows the time with vigilance, which is why he can achieve peace.

"Nine in the Fourth Place has doubled strength and is not central; above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field; in the middle, it is not among humanity. Therefore 'or': 'or' is a word of doubt. Hence there is no blame."

The fourth line is neither in heaven nor in the field, yet it rises above ordinary humanity: this is a perilous place. "Or" is an expression of indecision; dwelling here cannot be absolute.

Either advancing or retreating, he simply rests where he is secure; hence there is no blame.

"Now, the great man aligns his virtue with Heaven and Earth, his brilliance with the sun and moon, his order with the four seasons, and his good and ill fortune with the ghosts and spirits.

When he acts in advance of Heaven, Heaven does not contradict him; when he follows Heaven, he complies with the seasons of Heaven. If even Heaven does not contradict him, how much less will humanity! How much less will the ghosts and spirits!"

That the great man aligns with Heaven, Earth, sun, moon, the four seasons, and ghosts and spirits means he aligns with the Dao. Heaven and Earth are the Dao; ghosts and spirits are the traces of creation and transformation.

When the sage acts in advance of Heaven and Heaven agrees with him, or acts following Heaven and can comply with Heaven, it is simply because he accords with the Dao. If he accords with the Dao, how could humanity or ghosts and spirits ever contradict him?

"What 'arrogant' speaks of is knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to survive but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose." "Is it not only the sage?

Knowing advance and retreat, survival and ruin, without losing his correctness—is it not only the sage?" When extremity goes too far, it becomes arrogance. Reaching arrogance comes from not understanding the principles of advance and retreat, survival and ruin, gain and loss.

The sage, however, understands and responds to them, never losing his correctness; therefore, he never reaches arrogance.

Below there is no yin. Though worthy men are below and occupy their proper places, they do not serve as his assistants. Dwelling at the extreme of the upper trigram without holding the proper position, all his deficiencies are laid bare.

Standing solitary, he moves, and none among creatures align with him. In the "Wenyan" of The Creative (Heaven), why does it not first discuss "The Creative" but speaks first of "Origin" (yuán), only saying "The Creative" below?

For "The Creative" unifies and carries out the four deeds. The noble person strengthens himself unceasingly to practice these four; hence the beginning does not discuss "The Creative", but below says: "The Creative: origin, prosperity, furtherance, perseverance."

The other lines all speak of dragons, but Nine in the Third Place alone designates the "noble person"; why is this? The Changes consists of images. Images arise from meaning. Once such meaning exists, it is subsequently clarified through things.

Thus the dragon depicts The Creative (Heaven), and the horse illuminates The Receptive (Earth), taking images in accordance with their affairs and meanings.

Therefore, in Nine at the Beginning and Nine in the Second Place, the dragon virtue corresponds to their meanings, so they can be illuminated through dragons.

As for Nine in the Third Place, "creatively active all day, mindful in the evening" is not dragon virtue; it is clearly the noble person who fits this image. Taken collectively, the body of The Creative is all dragons; divided and narrated, each follows its own meaning.

This entire section illuminates through human affairs. Nine is yang. Yang is firm and upright. To be able to employ pure firmness and uprightness fully, banishing and distancing flattering submissiveness, is impossible without the ultimate principle of the realm.

Therefore, when "The Creative's origin uses nines," then "all under heaven is well governed." If one recognizes the movements of things, the principles of why they are so can all be known. The virtue of the dragon does not act recklessly. Submerged and not acting: why?

It must be exhausted in the depths below. Appearing in the field: it must be a time of universal release. Taking the lines as persons and positions as times, when people do not act recklessly, the times can all be known.

In King Wen's Darkening of the Light (Míng Yí), his ruler could be known. In Confucius's state as a traveler in The Wanderer (Lǚ), the country could be known. Ceaseless together with heavenly time. Reaching the end together with the turn of the times.

This entire section speaks purely of heavenly qi to illuminate it. Nine is a firm and upright entity; only the body of The Creative can employ it. Using pure firmness to observe Heaven, the rule of Heaven can be seen.

Were it not for "The Creative's origin," how could it open the beginning of things? If creatures did not align their feelings with their nature, how could they long carry out their correctness? Therefore, "that which begins and prospers" must be "The Creative's origin."

That which is beneficial and correct must be "nature and disposition." With the virtue of a ruler, he dwells in the lower trigram, gathering resources from all things.

The Zhengyi commentary says: Nine at the Top is the culmination of arrogant yang, vast and at its absolute peak; hence it is called "an arrogant dragon." This is the natural image.

Expressed in terms of human affairs, it resembles a sage possessing dragon virtue who dwells aloft in the heavenly throne; having stayed long and reached arrogant extremes, things at their extreme must reverse, and therefore "there is regret."

Although pure yang has reached its extreme, it has not yet reached great misfortune, but only regret and humiliation. The Great Treatise says: "Regret and humiliation speak of small blemishes."

Hence Zheng Xuan cites the later years of Yao, when the Four Perils were in court; therefore he had regret, yet without great disaster.

Whenever the text writes of "regret," since it is a small blemish, it is never called "regret" in isolation, but must be paired with other words. If the regret is present, it says "there is regret," meaning there will be this regret, as in this classic text.

If the regret is absent, it says "regret vanishes," meaning the regret has already disappeared, as in "regret vanishes" for Nine in the Second Place of Hexagram 32, Duration (Héng).

Even if regret vanishes, it may be concluded with other phrasing, such as "returning from not far, without reaching regret" in Nine at the Beginning of Hexagram 24, Return.

But the sage reaches the ultimate, without defect from beginning to end; thus the "Wenyan" says: "Knowing advance and retreat, survival and ruin, without losing his correctness—is it not only the sage?" Hence we know that the great sage originally has no such regret.

Yet Nine in the Fifth Place is the heavenly throne, occupied by great sages as well as by those who are not great sages; they cannot avoid arrogance and presumption. Therefore the sage set down this teaching as an admonition.

From "Or leaping in the abyss" to "fullness cannot endure long." The Zhengyi commentary says: "Or leaping in the abyss, advancing brings no blame" is also spoken in terms of human affairs.

Advancing, he leaps above; retreating, he dwells submerged in the abyss—resembling a sage who is hesitant yet occupies an exalted position. What his heart desires to advance is aimed at the public good, not private interest; therefore "advancing brings no blame."

"A flying dragon in the heavens; the great man creates": this is also spoken in terms of human affairs. "A flying dragon in the heavens" resembles the sage in the royal throne. "Creates" (zào) means to do; only the great man can accomplish and bring it to completion.

Yao Xin, Lu Ji, and their school all took "create" as "to arrive." We note here: the Xiang commentary rhymes above and below; thus Yao Xin's reading is incorrect.

"An arrogant dragon will have cause to repent; fullness cannot endure long": this too is spoken in terms of human affairs. Nine in the Fifth Place is fullness; if fullness does not cease, it reaches Nine at the Top, a ground of arrogant extreme, bringing regret and remorse.

Hence it says "fullness cannot endure long." In the Xiang commentary of these six lines, the first line says "yang is below," presenting the natural image to show that the other five lines also have natural images; by raising the beginning, the rest can be seen.

Since five lines discuss human affairs together, we know the initial line also involves human affairs, the two perspectives mutually illuminating each other.

The Zhengyi commentary says: This explains the line statement of Nine at the Top. "The Master said: 'He is noble but has no position'": because Nine at the Top is not an official throne yet Nine at the Top occupies it, he has no position.

"He is high but has no people": the six lines are entirely devoid of yin, which means he has no people. The Zhengyi commentary says: Though worthy men are in lower positions, they do not serve as his helpers. "Therefore, if he moves, there will be regret."

The Zhengyi commentary says: The sage established an admonition that when dwelling in such a time, one must not take action.

Regarding Wang Bi's note, "Now, The Creative unifies and carries out the four deeds": The Zhengyi commentary says: "The Creative unifies and carries out the four deeds; the noble person strengthens himself unceasingly to practice these four."

The note takes The Creative as the lord of the four virtues.

In the opening of the "Wenyan," it does not first speak of "The Creative" but first speaks of the four virtues; hence Wang Bi raises the question and resolves it: The substance of The Creative, taken in isolation, has no separate merit; it simply unifies and carries out these four deeds.

Carrying out these four deeds is precisely the merit of The Creative. Therefore the "Wenyan" first speaks of the noble person strengthening himself unceasingly to practice these four, which is why it speaks of them first and does not discuss "The Creative" at the outset.

When the four virtues are fully present, the merit of The Creative is naturally accomplished; thus below it finally says: "The Creative: origin, prosperity, furtherance, perseverance." From "A hidden dragon: do not act" to "all under heaven is well governed."

The Zhengyi commentary says: This passage is the third section of the "Wenyan," explaining the governance of human affairs across the six lines. "A hidden dragon: do not act; for it is below": this means that at this time of the hidden dragon, the sage is in a lowly position.

"A dragon appearing in the field: a time to pause": "pause" (shè) means universal release. Because Nine in the Second Place sees the dragon in the field, this is a time of universal release.

"All day long creatively active: conducting affairs": this speaks of carrying out the work of knowing when to arrive and knowing when to finish.

"Or leaping in the abyss: testing oneself": this means the sage draws close to the fifth position, not daring to advance decisively, but only gradually testing himself; desiring to go forward yet hesitant, he is said to "test himself."

"A flying dragon in the heavens: governing from above": this means the sage occupies the supreme position and conducts governance.

"An arrogant dragon will have cause to repent: calamity brought by exhaustion": this means reaching the exhaustion of position brings calamity; calamity here is regret, not great disaster.

"The Creative's origin: using nines; all under heaven is well governed": the Yijing speaks above of "using nines"; the text of "using nines" collectively represents the virtue of The Creative.

Moreover, the word "Creative" cannot stand alone; thus the virtue of "Origin" is paired with "The Creative." It says that when this "Creative Origin" uses nine virtues, all under heaven is well governed.

Nine in the Fifth Place is merely a single line with a narrow view, saying only "governing from above." "The Creative's origin" encompasses all six lines with a broad view, and thus says "all under heaven is well governed."

Regarding the note from "This entire section illuminates through human affairs" to "the country could be known": The Zhengyi commentary says: "This entire section illuminates through human affairs" refers to the statements below: "the yang energy is submerged and hidden," "establishing his position in heavenly virtue," and "then the rule of Heaven is seen."

In this section, it merely says "all under heaven is well governed," which speaks entirely of human affairs.

"To be able to employ pure firmness and uprightness fully, banishing and distancing flattering submissiveness, is impossible without the ultimate principle of the realm": because "The Creative's origin uses nines" and all six lines are yang, this is "employing pure firmness and uprightness fully."

"Banishing and distancing flattering submissiveness" means discarding those who are flatteringly submissive.

Those skilled at fawning compliance show respectful faces while harboring cruel hearts, preventing others from detecting their wickedness, making them difficult to recognize. This use of nines in pure yang employs complete firmness and uprightness without any remaining yin.

Even Yao was troubled by flatteringly submissive people; hence it says: "impossible without the ultimate principle of the realm."

"If one recognizes the movements of things, the principles of why they are so can all be known": this clarifies the meaning of the dragon's submergence and appearance below. Thus Mr.

Zhang said: "Recognizing the movements of things refers to the dragon's movements; the principles of why they are so can all be known refers to understanding why the dragon hides and why it appears—these principles can all be understood."

"The virtue of the dragon does not act recklessly": this means the dragon is spiritually distinct from other beasts; it does not move recklessly. When it should submerge, it submerges; when it should appear, it appears—it is never false.

"Appearing in the field must be a time of universal release": the classic text says only "a time to pause." The commentary says "must be a time of universal release" because Fusi (Wang Bi) interpreted "pause" (shè) as "release/thoroughfare" (tōng).

Nine at the Beginning is submerged and unseen; Nine in the Second Place appears in the field, representing the meaning of a time of open release.

"Taking the lines as persons and positions as times": a line occupying its position is like a person meeting his time; hence, "In King Wen's Darkening of the Light (Míng Yí), his ruler could be known."

The ruler represents the time, meaning that because the ruler of that time lacked the Way, his brilliance was wounded.

"In Confucius's state as a traveler in The Wanderer (Lǚ), the country could be known": the country also represents the time; seeing Confucius lodging as a wanderer among others, one knows the ruler lacked the Way, causing him to wander abroad.

Citing King Wen and Confucius illuminates the meaning of the dragon's submergence and appearance.

From "A hidden dragon: do not act" to "marching forward with the times": The Zhengyi commentary says: This passage is the fourth section of the "Wenyan," clarifying the meaning of heavenly qi across the six lines.

"All under heaven is cultured and enlightened": yang qi is in the field and begins to generate the myriad things; thus all under heaven has pattern and brilliant illumination. "Marching forward with the times": this explains the line image through the Heavenly Way.

Why does Nine in the Third Place remain ceaselessly active and alert throughout the day? Because it matches heavenly time in generating life ceaselessly; this is called "marching forward with the times." "Xié" means together.

Scholars hold that in the month established by Chen (Dragon), the myriad things grow without ceasing, marching together with heavenly time.

If spoken in terms of ceaselessness, it is the month established by Yin (Tiger), when the three yang lines take charge; three corresponds to the beginning of generating life, when life is generated without ceasing.

Matching heavenly time in generating life ceaselessly, it is therefore called "marching forward with the times."

From "Or leaping in the abyss" to "reaching the limit alongside the time": The Zhengyi commentary says: "The way of The Creative undergoes a revolution" means leaving the lower trigram and entering the upper trigram, hence "undergoes a revolution."

"Establishing his position in heavenly virtue" means the position matches that of heavenly virtue; Nine in the Fifth Place is yang dwelling in heaven, shining broadly over all, hence "heavenly virtue."

The Zhengyi commentary says: "Then the rule of Heaven is seen": yang is firm and arrogant; only Heaven can fully employ this pure firmness, hence "then the rule of Heaven is seen."

From "The Creative's origin" to "nature and disposition": The Zhengyi commentary says: This passage is the fifth section, explaining once again the opening chapter and the four virtues of The Creative.

"The Creative's origin: that which begins and prospers": because The Creative does not have virtue in isolation, it takes origin, prosperity, furtherance, and perseverance as its virtues.

"Origin" is the foremost of the four virtues; hence the Master always pairs "Origin" with "The Creative," intending to reveal their mutual accompaniment. Possessing the primal virtue of The Creative, it can serve as the beginning of things and prosper smoothly.

This explains the two virtues of origin and prosperity. "Favorable perseverance: nature and disposition": the reason it can benefit things and attain correctness is that nature governs disposition.

Regarding the note from "Were it not for The Creative's origin" to "must be nature and disposition": The Zhengyi commentary says: The primal qi of The Creative has vast virtue, and thus can universally penetrate the beginning of all things.

The primal virtue of other hexagrams, though able to begin generating things, lacks universal breadth; hence it says: "Were it not for The Creative's origin, how could it open the beginning of things?"

In truth, "The Receptive's origin" can also open the beginning of things, but because this "Wenyan" discusses the virtue of The Creative's origin, the note links it directly with "The Creative's origin."

"If creatures did not align their feelings with their nature, how could they long carry out their correctness?": nature is heaven-endowed substance, correct and uncorrupted; disposition represents the desires of that nature.

If one cannot govern disposition through nature so that disposition accords with nature, one cannot long carry out correctness. Regarding the meaning of the six lines unfolding: we note that the General Outline says, "The lines speak of changes."

Thus joining and scattering, bending and extending, diverge from the trigram body; an active form fond of stillness, a soft substance loving firmness—the body opposes the disposition, and substance conflicts with origin.

The lines illuminate dispositions; thus when the six lines unfold and scatter, they broadly penetrate the dispositions of all things. Fusi's (Wang Bi's) view was that the initial line is a place of no employment, and the top line is the realm of the absolute end.

Those occupying true administrative positions are only lines two, three, four, and five; hence the Great Treatise only discusses these four lines.

Although the initial and top lines lack administrative positions, speaking broadly, the lines also have beginning and ending positions; hence the Tuan commentary of The Creative says: "The six positions are completed according to their times."

Lines two and four are yin positions; yin dwelling there is Correct Position, while yang dwelling there is losing position. Lines three and five are yang positions; yang dwelling there is Correct Position, while yin dwelling there is losing position.

The General Outline states: "What yang seeks is yin; what yin seeks is yang." One and four, two and five, three and the top: if one is yin and one is yang, there is correspondence; if both are yin or both are yang, there is no correspondence.

This is the broad outline of the six lines, whose detailed meaning is found in the Great Treatise, here mentioned only in brief.

From "The beginning of The Creative can benefit all under heaven with beautiful utility" to "all under heaven is at peace": The Zhengyi commentary says: "The beginning of The Creative can benefit all under heaven with beautiful utility, yet does not speak of what is benefited.

Great indeed!": this once again discusses the meaning of beginning and prospering, and of furtherance and perseverance. "The beginning of The Creative" means The Creative can begin generating the myriad things, explaining "Origin."

"Can benefit all under heaven with beautiful utility" explains "Furtherance." It means benefiting all under heaven through the way of generating and nurturing goodness.

It does not repeat prosperity and perseverance because earlier "prosperity" was linked with "beginning," and "perseverance" was linked with "benefit"; raising beginning and benefit comprehensively includes prosperity and perseverance. "Does not speak of what is benefited.

Great indeed!": in Hexagram 2, The Receptive (Earth), it says "furthering the perseverance of a mare," and elsewhere "furthering the installation of feudal lords" or "furthering crossing the great river"—all specifying the matter benefited.

Here it simply says "favorable perseverance" without specifying the matter, intending to show that there is nothing it does not benefit. It is not limited to a single affair; hence: "does not speak of what is benefited, great indeed!"

In truth, this benefit is all-benefiting, and this perseverance is all-persevering; such is the greatness of The Creative's virtue. "Great is The Creative!

Strong, vigorous, central and correct, pure and refined": this directly addresses the virtue of The Creative without conjoining "Origin." Hence it simply says "Great is The Creative!"

Strong and vigorous means pure yang strength: its nature is unyielding and firm, its action resolute and powerful. "Central" refers to lines two and five; "correct" refers to lines five and two; hence "central and correct." All six lines are yang, which is pure.

Pure and unmixed is refined; hence "pure and refined." "The six lines unfold and broadly penetrate all conditions": unfolding means manifesting, scattering means distributing; the six lines manifest and distribute, broadly penetrating the dispositions of all things.

"At the right time mounting the six dragons to ride through the heavens": this reiterates the text of the Tuan commentary of The Creative to praise its meaning.

"Clouds fly and rain falls, and all under heaven is at peace": all under heaven universally receives its benefit equally and without partiality.

From "The noble person makes perfected virtue his conduct" to "therefore the noble person does not act": The Zhengyi commentary says: This passage is the sixth section of the "Wenyan," further elucidating the meaning of the six lines, here explaining Nine at the Beginning.

Master Zhou said: "The preceding section, 'The Creative's origin: that which begins and prospers,' broadly explained The Creative and the four virtues; this section, 'The noble person makes perfected virtue his conduct,' also belongs to the sixth section explaining the six lines, forming a single sixth section rather than a seventh."

This interpretation may well be correct. "The noble person makes perfected virtue his conduct" introduces the phrase to clarify the meaning of Nine at the Beginning as the "hidden dragon."

The noble person ought to make the completion of virtue and Dao his practice, making his virtuous conduct manifest so people daily see the deeds of his virtue; this is the norm of the noble person, who should not hide away.

The reason he hides today is that the time is not yet ripe for manifestation; thus he must remain hidden. "What 'hidden' speaks of is concealed and not yet seen, practiced yet not yet completed": here the Master explains the meaning of "hidden dragon."

The text's phrase "hidden dragon" indicates virtue that is deep and hidden, not yet manifested, and conduct that cannot yet be brought to completion.

"Therefore the noble person does not act": his virtue being hidden and his conduct not yet completed, the noble person cannot be employed at this time; facing abundant yin, he cannot yet be used.

Master Zhou said: "Virtue arises from oneself within, hence called 'perfected'; conduct affects others externally, hence called 'practice.'"

Yet immediately below it says "conduct yet not completed," showing that conduct is also spoken of as completed; Master Zhou's explanation is perhaps inaccurate.

"Makes perfected virtue his conduct" means the noble person completes virtue and Dao as his conduct; the two phrases are not necessarily antithetical. The Zhengyi commentary says: This further clarifies the virtue of Nine in the Second Place.

"The noble person learns in order to gather it": Nine in the Second Place advances from obscurity and has not yet attained the ruler's throne; therefore he studies and practices to amass his virtue.

"Questions in order to discern it": where learning leaves uncertainties, he inquires closely into the matter to resolve doubts. The Zhengyi commentary says: "Dwells in tolerance": he ought to use generous and lenient principles to reside in his station.

"Practices benevolence": with a heart of benevolence and kindness, he acts to nurture all things. "The Changes says: 'A dragon appearing in the field; it furthers one to see the great man.'

This is the virtue of a ruler": having set forth his virtues above, he then cites the original text of The Changes to conclude. What The Changes speaks of is the virtue of a ruler, namely "dwelling in tolerance and practicing benevolence."

He possesses the ruler's virtue, yet has not attained the ruler's throne. From "Nine in the Third Place" to "free of blame": The Zhengyi commentary says: This explains the line statement of Nine in the Third Place.

Above, lines Nine at the Beginning and Nine in the Second Place both set forth their virtues first without beginning by naming "Nine at the Beginning" or "Nine in the Second Place."

Here, Nine in the Third Place and Nine in the Fourth Place begin by naming the lines; Nine in the Fifth Place does not cite the Changes text at all, while Nine at the Top opens with "What 'arrogant' speaks of."

These differing patterns reflect the Master's intention to explain the classic wherever it was most convenient: because hiding and appearing must begin at the root, he laid down the groundwork above.

Lines three and four both say "doubled strength and not central"; fearing their meanings might be conflated, he placed the lines and their shared traits first.

Line five was fully detailed in the previous chapter, so he does not quote The Changes again, speaking only of the "great man." Nine at the Top was also fully displayed in the previous chapter, so here he simply says "What 'arrogant' speaks of."

Note that Nine at the Beginning says "What 'hidden' speaks of," and Nine at the Top says "What 'arrogant' speaks of": only these two lines say "speaks of."

Master Chu explained that the initial and top lines occupy positionless ground, hence the term "speaks of"; the other four lines possess positions, and thus do not say "speaks of"—this may well be true. "Doubled strength": above and below are both yang, hence "doubled strength."

"Not central": not being in position two or five, it is "not central." "Above, it is not in heaven": meaning it is not the fifth position. "Below, it is not in the field": meaning it is not the second position.

"Therefore he is creatively active, and being mindful in accord with the time, though in danger, he is free of blame": dwelling in a ground of peril, through ceaseless creative action and evening vigilance, he stays alert and obtains freedom from blame.

From "Nine in the Fourth Place" to "hence there is no blame": The Zhengyi commentary says: This explains the line statement of Nine in the Fourth Place.

Its "doubled strength and not central; above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field" is identical to Nine in the Third Place. "In the middle, it is not among humanity": both the third and fourth lines belong to the human realm.

Yet within the human realm, man below is close to earth and above is distant from heaven; Nine in the Third Place is close to line two, meaning it is close to earth below, which is precisely the human realm, so line three does not say "not among humanity."

Nine in the Fourth Place is close to heaven above and far from earth below, not the ordinary human station; hence it specifically says "in the middle, it is not among humanity." "Therefore 'or'": because its rising or falling is uncertain, the mind ponders "or."

"'Or' is a word of doubt": here the Master explains the word "or" in the classic text. The classic uses "or" as an expression of doubt: desiring to advance or retreat, wavering and undecided, hence doubting.

Although Nine in the Third Place is among humanity, its position is lowly and near the bottom, making upward advancement difficult; hence its danger and vigilance carry deep sorrow.

Nine in the Fourth Place sees yang virtue gradually waxing, drawing closer to the fifth position, making forward progress somewhat easier; hence it experiences only doubt, and its sorrow is shallow.

From "Now, the great man" to "how much less will the ghosts and spirits!": The Zhengyi commentary says: This explains the line statement of Nine in the Fifth Place.

While the preceding section explained the mutual resonance between the great man and the myriad things, this section discusses how the great man's virtue harmonizes with everything, broadly expounding all that it accords with.

"Aligns his virtue with Heaven and Earth": Master Zhuang said: "This refers to covering and supporting." "Aligns his brilliance with the sun and moon": referring to illuminating.

"Aligns his order with the four seasons": like rewarding in spring and summer, punishing in autumn and winter. "Aligns his good and ill fortune with the ghosts and spirits": like blessing the good and bringing misfortune to the dissolute.

"When he acts in advance of Heaven, Heaven does not contradict him": if he acts before heavenly time, Heaven follows and does not contradict; this is Heaven aligning with the great man.

"When he follows Heaven, he complies with the seasons of Heaven": if he acts after heavenly time, he reverently complies with Heaven; this is the great man aligning with Heaven. "If even Heaven does not contradict him, how much less will humanity!

How much less will the ghosts and spirits!": because even Heaven does not contradict him, the Master clarifies the great man's virtue, saying that if even the exalted and distant do not contradict him, how could the small and near ever do so? How much less humanity!

How much less the ghosts and spirits! From "What 'arrogant' speaks of" to "is it not only the sage?": The Zhengyi commentary says: This explains the meaning of Nine at the Top.

"Knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to survive but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose": Nine at the Top reaches arrogant extremes and incurs regret precisely because of these three failings.

If one comprehensively understands all three, even while dwelling in an exalted position, one will not reach arrogance; these are words of admonition. Master Zhuang said: "Advance and retreat concern the mind; survival and ruin concern the body; gain and loss concern position."

"Is it not only the sage? Knowing advance and retreat, survival and ruin": this means only the sage can know advance and retreat, survival and ruin. Why does it not mention gain and loss?

Gain and loss are lighter than survival and ruin; by raising the weightier, the lighter is omitted.

"Without losing his correctness—is it not only the sage?": the sage not only understands advance and retreat, survival and ruin, but also never deviates from the correct Dao—is it not only the sage!

The text repeats "is it not only the sage?": the first refers to "knowing advance and retreat, survival and ruin," while the second refers to "not losing his correctness."

It emphasizes that the sage not only possesses such knowledge but also never loses correctness, which is why the phrase is uttered twice.

Nine at the Top, line six, lower-low: The heart is anxious, the mouth chatters on. One turn of contemplation brings another turn of sorrow; speaking of calling it quits, yet never quite quitting.