I CHING

I CHING

I CHING

46

Shêng / Pushing Upward Ascent

The lower trigram, Sun, represents wood, and the upper,

K'un, means the earth. Linked with this is the idea that wood

in the earth grows upward. In contrast to the meaning of

Chin, PROGRESS (35), this pushing upward is associated

with effort, just as a plant needs energy for pushing upward

through the earth.

That is why this hexagram, although it is

connected with success, is associated with effort of the will.

In PROGRESS the emphasis is on expansion; PUSHING

UPWARD indicates rather a vertical ascent --a direct rise

from obscurity and lowliness to power and influence.

THE JUDGMENT

PUSHING UPWARD has supreme success.

One must see the great man.

Fear not.

Departure toward the south

Brings good fortune.

The pushing upward of the good elements encounters no obstruction and

is therefore accompanied by great success. The pushing upward is made

possible not by violence but by modesty and adaptability.
Since the

individual is borne along by the propitiousness of the time, he advances.

He must go to see authoritative people. He need not be afraid to do this,

because success is assured. But he must set to work, for activity (this is

the meaning of "the south") brings good fortune.

This form of ascending represents a growth that takes place for one's

own maturation in agreement with the time. The great man means mental

and spiritual elevation. Therefore, to see the great man means to rise in

that sense. For that reason, one should see him without fear, that is to

say the moment of growth should be assumed. To see the great man

without fears also means to request the support and the collaboration of

those who can guide us during the ascent. In such favorable

circumstance, it is indispensable to develop the potentiality that is

possessed; consequently it is fortunate to departure towards the south,

that is to say to undertake the action.

THE IMAGE

Within the earth, wood grows:

The image of PUSHING UPWARD.

Thus the superior man of devoted character

Heaps up small things

In order to achieve something high and great.

Adapting itself to obstacles and bending around them, wood in the earth

grows upward without haste and without rest. Thus too the superior man

is devoted in character and never pauses in his progress.

The wood growing within the earth means what grows although it cannot

be perceived. The wood that grows within the earth little by little

becomes lofty and great.

THE LINES

Six at the beginning means:

Pushing upward that meets with confidence

Brings great good fortune.

This situation at the beginning of ascent. Just as wood draws strength for

its upward push from the root, which in itself is in the lowest place, so

the power to rise comes from this low and obscure station. But there is a

spiritual affinity with the rulers above, and this solidarity creates the

confidence needed to accomplish something.

Pushing upward with confidence implies an ascent in agreement with the

rulers. Those who occupy a higher place are not opposed; they agree

and await the ascent.

This line symbolizes the root; those in higher places are second and

third line, symbolizing the trunk. The root and the trunk growth as a

whole, one can't growth without the other.

Nine in the second place means:

If one is sincere,

It furthers one to bring even a small offering.

No blame.

Here a strong man is presupposed. It is true that he does not fit in with

his environment, inasmuch as he is too brusque and pays too little

attention to form. But as he is upright in character, he meets with

response, and his lack of outward form does no harm. Here uprightness

is the outcome of sound qualities of character, whereas in the

corresponding line of the preceding hexagram it is the result of innate

humility.

To be sincere connote that one is ascending because of one's own

merits. To make a small offering means to demonstrate that one can still

give more. It is favorable to do it because this will reinforce the reached

position and will increase the perspectives of continuing pushing

upward.

There is not misunderstanding, because what is shown is the real thing,

it means that what comes ascending is consistent, for that reason,

sincerity in a reason of rejoicing.

Nine in the third place means:

One pushes upward into an empty city.

All obstructions that generally block progress fall away here. Things

proceed with remarkable ease. Unhesitatingly one follows this road, in

order to profit by one's success. Seen from without, everything seems to

be in the best of order. However, no promise of good fortune is added. It

is a question how long such unobstructed success can last. But it is wise

not to yield to such misgivings, because they only inhibit one's power.

Instead, the point is to profit by the propitiousness of time.

To push upward into an empty city means to take possession easily, to

ascend without more inconveniences, not to be resisted. The city is the

center of a domain and symbolizes the rule of it; then it connotes to

acquire control over a territory. The city is unguarded and empty; thus it

is a proper opportunity to take it.

It is human nature to be suspicious about such opportunity, but the

commentary says, "There is no reason to hesitate."

On the other hand, good fortune isn't mentioned here.

Six in the fourth place means:

The king offers him Mount Ch'i.

Good fortune. No blame.

Mount Ch'i is in the western China, the homeland of King Wên, whose

son, the Duke of Chou, added the words to the individual lines. The

pronouncement takes us back to a time when the Chou dynasty was

coming into power. At that time King Wên introduced his illustrious

helpers to the god of his native mountain, and they received their places

in the halls of the ancestors by the side of the ruler. This indicates a

stage in which pushing upward attains its goal. One acquires fame in the

sight of gods and men, is received into the circle of those who foster the

spiritual life of the nation, and thereby attains a significance that endures

beyond time.

The king represents an influential person who has certain power. To be

presented to the mountain means to be shown, to be raised, and to be

recommended towards an entity of fame or importance. There is no

blame because there are real facts that give place to such

circumstances.

Six in the fifth place means:

Perseverance brings good fortune.

One pushes upward by steps.

When a man is advancing farther and farther, it is important for him not

to become intoxicated by success. Precisely when he experiences great

success it is necessary to remain sober and not to try to skip any stages;

he must go on slowly, step by step, as though hesitant. Only such calm,

steady progress, overleaping nothing, leads to the goal.

To push upward step by step means that all the requirements that the

ascent implies are completed. It also means to complete all the stages

rigorously without omitting a single one, each thing at its time.

Consequently the will reaches the objective; that is to say every

achievement is the projection of a series of rules that it is necessary to

continue to make it possible.

In another analysis level, Wang Bi says that such position is achieved

entrusting responsibilities to others and acting with softness and

constancy.

Six at the top means:

Pushing upward in darkness.

It furthers one

To be unremittingly persevering.

He who pushes upward blindly deludes himself. He knows only advance,

not retreat. But this means exhaustion. In such a case it is important to be

constantly mindful that one must be conscientious and consistent and

must remain so. Only thus does one become free of blind impulse, which

is always harmful.

Pushing upward in darkness means that one doesn't know what is

coming. The darkness is symbol of ignorance. May be there is (in the

darkness) not wealth, perhaps it is a sterile effort.

To be unremittingly persevering implies to take all possible cautions to

avoid danger.

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