53. Development (Gradual Progress) (渐)

Pronounce 復 (fù) as fáng-liù.

The wild goose is a water bird; high dry land is not where it finds security. Nine in the Third Place is excessively firm and unyielding, lacks the center, and has no corresponding resonance; hence its image is such.

Its divination indicates that if the husband marches forth he will not return, and if the wife conceives she will not bring forth; no misfortune could be greater. Yet because of its exceeding firmness, it is advantageous to defend against marauders.

Pronounce 離 (lí) as lì-zhì.

A high, flat plateau is called lù (dry land). The third line is at the top of the lower trigram, advancing as far as the dry land. Yang is that which ascends. Dwelling in the time of Jiàn, its will is set on gradual advance, yet above it lacks corresponding aid.

It ought to preserve correctness to await the time, resting peacefully on flat ground, which accords with the Dao of gradual advance. If it cannot hold fast to itself, but is pulled by desire and pursues its inclination, it loses the Dao of gradual advance.

The fourth line is a yin above and close by, which delights this yang; the third line is a yang below and affectionate, which this yin follows.

The two lines are adjacent without resonance: being adjacent, they are affectionate and easily join; lacking resonance, they have nowhere else to turn and seek each other. Hence it provides a warning: 'husband' refers to the yang, the third line.

If the third line does not preserve correctness and unites with the fourth, it knows only to march forth and not to return. 'March' means to go; 'return' means to turn back. 'Not returning' means not turning back to reflect upon principle and righteousness.

'Wife' refers to the fourth line: if united through impropriety, then even if she conceives, she will not bring forth, for it is not through the proper Dao. Acting like this brings misfortune.

What is advantageous for the third line lies in defending against marauders: what arrives contrary to principle is a marauder. Holding fast to correctness to ward off evil is what is meant by defending against marauders.

If one cannot defend against marauders, one brings about one's own undoing and misfortune.

When the husband marches forth and does not return, he loses the correctness of gradual advance; following desires and losing correctness, he abandons his own kind, which is shameful.

All other lines of the hexagram are good; if this line alone loses correctness, it is separating from its kind. When a wife conceives not according to the proper Dao, she cannot bring forth.

What is advantageous lies in defending against marauders, which means protecting each other through compliant ways.

When a noble person is adjacent to a petty person, holding fast to correctness within is not merely for the noble person to preserve himself; it also prevents the petty person from falling into unrighteousness.

Thus they protect each other through compliant ways and ward off evil; hence it is called 'defending against marauders.'

Lù (dry land) is the summit of a high plateau. Advancing to the dry land, it finds affinity with the fourth line and cannot return. 'The husband marches forth and does not return': delighting in an improper match, the wife also cannot maintain chastity.

Conceiving by one who is not her true husband, she does not bring forth. The third line originally belongs to the Gèn trigram yet abandons its own kind; finding affinity with the fourth, it never turns back, even causing the wife to conceive without bringing forth.

Seeing profit and forgetting righteousness, eager to advance while forgetting the old—this is the way to misfortune.

When different trigrams unite in goodwill, protecting each other compliantly, nothing can drive a wedge between them; hence 'it is advantageous to defend against marauders.'

From 'Nine in the Third Place: The wild goose gradually approaches the dry land' to 'advantageous to defend against marauders.'

The Correct Meaning states: 'The wild goose gradually approaches the dry land; the husband marches forth and does not return, the wife conceives but does not bring forth: misfortune': lù is the summit of a high plateau.

Nine in the Third Place dwells at the top of the lower trigram, presenting the image of advancing to the heights; hence it says: 'The wild goose gradually approaches the dry land.'

Advancing to the dry land, it has no resonance above and is adjacent to the fourth; the fourth also has no resonance, and being close they find affinity.

The third originally belongs to the Gèn trigram, of the same family as the initial and second lines; yet it abandons its own kind and unites with the fourth, which is the husband marching forth and not returning.

Since the husband delights in an improper match, the wife also cannot preserve her chastity. Conceiving by one who is not her husband, 'she does not bring forth.'

'Seeing profit and forgetting righteousness, eager to advance while forgetting the old—this is the way to misfortune.' Hence it says: 'The husband marches forth and does not return, the wife conceives but does not bring forth: misfortune.'

As for 'advantageous to defend against marauders,' when different trigrams unite in goodwill, they fear that marauders might cause estrangement; yet being harmoniously aligned and compliant, they protect each other in peace, and nothing can come between them.

Hence it says: 'Advantageous to defend against marauders.'

Note: 'Lù is the summit of a high plateau.'

The Correct Meaning states: As for 'lù is the summit of a high plateau,' the Erya says: 'A high, flat place is called lù,' hence it is called 'the summit of a high plateau.'

The Correct Meaning states: 'Departing from one's kind': chǒu means kind. It says that although the third line differs in yin and yang from the initial and second lines, they belong to the same body of the Gèn trigram, hence they are called 'one's kind.'

As for 'losing the proper Dao,' conceiving by one who is not the true husband and failing to bring forth is due to losing the Dao.

As for 'protecting each other compliantly,' although the fourth line as yin rides upon yang, raising suspicion of being non-compliant, yet their joyful union finds affinity and harmonious alignment brings mutual peace; hence it says 'protecting each other compliantly.'