Theme
The Time
Carried by thirty-nine chapters
In the constellation
DurationReturn51 The Arousing04 Youthful Folly33 Retreat39 Obstruction40 Deliverance16 Enthusiasm28 Preponderance of the Great41 Decrease44 Coming to Meet47 Oppression52 Keeping Still, Mountain05 Waiting12 Standstill17 Following21 Biting Through29 The Abysmal35 Progress36 Darkening of the light43 Break-through49 Revolution50 The Caldron62 Preponderance of the Small03 Difficulty at the Beginning09 The Taming Power of the Small14 Possession in Great Measure19 Approach23 Splitting Apart32 Duration42 Increase60 Limitation01 The Creative18 Work on what has been spoiled25 Innocence26 The Taming Power of the Great46 Pushing Upward64 Before Completion02 The Receptive24 Return45 Gathering TogetherNourishmentTaoThe MeanWu WeiGood FortuneHumiliationLight and DarknessSupreme SuccessThe Superior ManHaving Somewhere to GoMisfortuneThe Firm and the Yielding
The time is among the deepest ideas in the Book of Changes: every situation has its own moment, and wisdom lies in reading that moment and acting in accord with it. Wilhelm makes timeliness the very art of the great man in THE CREATIVE:
Because he sees with great clarity ... he completes the six steps at the right time and mounts toward heaven on them at the right time, as though on six dragons.
Here, the commentary adds, "time is no longer a hindrance but the means of making actual what is potential." What furthers at one moment ruins at another; to advance, to wait, to retreat — each has its hour. The whole oracle is an instrument for discerning the time, so that one neither forces what is unripe nor lets slip what is ready. Acting with the time is the common root of good fortune, duration, and blamelessness.
Where the thread runs
- 01 The Creative
- 02 The Receptive
- 03 Difficulty at the Beginning
- 04 Youthful Folly
- 05 Waiting
- 09 The Taming Power of the Small
- 12 Standstill
- 14 Possession in Great Measure
- 16 Enthusiasm
- 17 Following
- 18 Work on what has been spoiled
- 19 Approach
- 21 Biting Through
- 23 Splitting Apart
- 24 Return
- 25 Innocence
- 26 The Taming Power of the Great
- 28 Preponderance of the Great
- 29 The Abysmal
- 32 Duration
- 33 Retreat
- 35 Progress
- 36 Darkening of the light
- 39 Obstruction
- 40 Deliverance
- 41 Decrease
- 42 Increase
- 43 Break-through
- 44 Coming to Meet
- 45 Gathering Together
- 46 Pushing Upward
- 47 Oppression
- 49 Revolution
- 50 The Caldron
- 51 The Arousing
- 52 Keeping Still, Mountain
- 60 Limitation
- 62 Preponderance of the Small
- 64 Before Completion