Kên, the lower trigram,

is the youngest son; the upper, Tui, is the youngest daughter.

Thus the universal mutual attraction between the sexes is

represented. In courtship, the masculine principle must seize

the initiative and place itself below the feminine principle.

Just as the first part of book I begins with the hexagrams of

heaven and earth, the foundations of all that exists, the

second part begins with the hexagrams of courtship and

marriage, the foundations of all social relationships.

THE JUDGMENT

Influence. Success.

Perseverance furthers.

To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.

The weak element is above, the strong below; hence their powers attract

each other, so that they unite. This brings about success, for all success

depends on the effect of mutual attraction. By keeping still within while

experiencing joy without, one can prevent the joy from going to excess

and hold it within proper bounds.

This is the meaning of the added

admonition, "Perseverance furthers," for it is perseverance that makes

the difference between seduction and courtship; in the latter the strong

man takes a position inferior to that of the weak girl and shows

consideration for her. This attraction between affinities is a general law

of nature. Heaven and earth attract each other and thus all creatures come

into being. Through such attraction the sage influences men's hearts, and

thus the world attains peace. From the attractions they exert we can learn

the nature of all beings in heaven and on earth.

This is a natural influence, without second objectives and implies both

to accept and to exercise influence on other person. Perseverance

means to continue in the sense that provides the influence until

achieving a union that reaffirms it. Influence is symbol of a progressive

and quick conquest.

THE IMAGE

A lake on the mountain:

The image of influence.

Thus the superior man encourages people to approach him

By his readiness to receive them.

A mountain with a lake on its summit is stimulated by the moisture from

the lake. It has this advantage because its summit does not jut out as a

peak but is sunken. The image counsels that the mind should be kept

humble and free, so that it may remain receptive to good advice. People

soon give up counseling a man who thinks that he knows everything

better than anyone else.

The lake resting in the summit of a mountain gives the idea of a

reciprocal influence of complementary forces. To be in touch with this

time, one must receive others with an open mind, without selfish

attitudes. All preconceive attitudes are useless in this time.

THE LINES

Six at the beginning means:

The influence shows itself in the big toe.

A movement, before it is actually carried out, shows itself first in the

toes. The idea of an influence is already present, but is not immediately

apparent to others. As long as the intention has no visible effect, it is of

no importance to the outside world and leads neither to good nor to evil.

This represents to have achieved a small mobilization or motivation. To

move the big toe also means influence not noticed by whom achieves it.

In another interpretation level, to make a person move the big toe

means insufficient influence.

Six in the second place means:

The influence shows itself in the calves of the legs.

Misfortune.

Tarrying brings good fortune.

In movement, the calf of the leg follows the foot; by itself it can neither

go forward nor stand still. Since the movement is not self-governed, it

bodes ill. One should wait quietly until one is impelled to action by a

real influence. Then one remains uninjured.

To move the calves means lack of own decision in the movements,

misfortune. For that reason it is announced that it would be better to stay

in one's place, that is to say, not to lose the independence in the actions.

Nine in the third place means:

The influence shows itself in the thighs.

Holds to that which follows it.

To continue is humiliating.

Every mood of the heart influences us to movement. What the heart

desires, the thighs run after without a moment's hesitation; they hold to

the heart, which they follow. In the life of man, however, acting on the

spur of every caprice is wrong and if continued leads to humiliation.

Three considerations suggest themselves here. First, a man should not

run precipitately after all the persons whom he would like to influence,

but must be able to hold back under certain circumstances. As little

should he yield immediately to every whim of those in whose service he

stands. Finally, where the moods of his own heart are concerned, he

should never ignore the possibility of inhibition, for this is the basis of

human freedom.

To move the thighs refers to an impulsive, not meditated movement, with

the result if continuing this way it would be inconvenient. This implies

that one is susceptible of any influence, or of a constant search of being

influenced, that is to say, a tendency to follow others, with the result that

one cannot stay in calm. Not to be able to stay in calm means not to find

what is really wanted. For that reason, in this case, to follow the other

ones is not a virtuous behavior.

Nine in the fourth place means::

Perseverance brings good fortune.

Remorse disappears.

If a man is agitated in mind,

And his thoughts go hither and thither,

Only those friends

On whom he fixes his conscious thoughts

Will follow.

Here the place of the heart is reached. The impulse that springs from this

source is the most important of all. It is of particular concern that this

influence be constant and good; then, in spite of the danger arising from

the great susceptibility of the human heart, there will be no cause for

remorse. When the quiet power of a man's own character is at work, the

effects produced are right. All those who are receptive to the vibrations

of such a spirit will then be influenced. Influence over others should not

express itself as a conscious and willed effort to manipulate them.

Through practicing such conscious incitement, one becomes wrought up

and is exhausted by the eternal stress and strain. Moreover, the effects

produced are then limited to those on whom one's thoughts are

consciously fixed.

This person is looking for exercising influence, but such a search takes

to an over anxious activity to influence others, for that reason he acts

restlessly. But as his influence power is very limited, only his friends will

follow him. This means that influence is not applicable in a more general

way, which doesn't have expansion possibility at the moment.

Nine in the fifth place means::

The influence shows itself in the back of the neck.

No remorse.

The back of the neck is the most rigid part of the body. When the

influence shows itself there, the will remains firm and the influence

does not lead to confusion. Hence remorse does not enter into

consideration here. What takes place in the depths of one's being, in the

unconscious mind. It is true that if we cannot be influenced ourselves,

we cannot influence the outside world.

The back of the neck can also be translated as "the flesh along the

spine above the heart" (James Legge). The spine means center,

therefore, the reference to the influence that achieves a person to move

the spine means non-confused, authentic influence. All the nervous

ramifications take root in the spine, for that reason, an influence that it is

able to move along it, also means expanding influence.

Six at the top means:

The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue.

The most superficial way of trying to influence others is through talk

that has nothing real behind it. The influence produced by such mere

tongue wagging must necessarily remain insignificant. Hence no

indication is added regarding good or bad fortune.

A weak person intends to influence others by sweet words. But the

extensive oratorical perhaps doesn't express anything or very little and

would achieve nothing.