31 - ䷞ - 咸 - xián - Applying Influence

Table Of Contents

The Judgement | Comments: Ancient | Me

The Image | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 1 | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 2 | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 3 | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 4 | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 5 | Comments: Ancient | Me

Line 6 | Comments: Ancient | Me <br /> <br />

The Judgement

Ancient Commentary on the Judgement

My Comments on the Judgement

I think its interesting that the ancient commentary looks to heaven and earth as the ideal male/female role models for a marriage. Heaven and earth interact, and create life.

"man below woman ... so as to cultivatte the beneficial virtue"

I'm pretty sure, the ancients believed that a man should be careful to set his wife and her needs and desires above his own, in order to cultivate the lasting benefit that comes from a harmonious marriage. I think that we think we are so modern with all of our new ideas about reforming the attitudes of humanity, but I think people have historicaly been a lot wiser than we give them credit for. <br /> <br />

The Image

☱ Lake
☶ Mountain <br /> <br />

Ancient Commentary on the Image

My Comments on the Image

In the Yi-jing family of trigrams, the Mountain and the Lake are the two youngest chidlren. The youngest daughter, and the youngest son.

This image appears to be drawing upon the image of a young couple getting married.

The image also suggests that the Man should carry the woman, or otherwise put himself below her. Just as the mountain in the image has a lake at the top. This arrangement seems (to me) to be contrary to what we view as the historical chinese marriage arrangement (which makes me think we might not have an accurate view of historical reality).

In the lines that follow, its important to recognize that, aside from specific words that imply femininity, all words are non-gendered, or masculine by default. So, the posessive pronoun that I've translated "her" (其) is just as accuratly translated as "his, her, their, or its".

I translated it "her" because I believe that the scenarios in the various lines are about a man's physical-interactions with his wife.

Also, what I translate as "applying-influence" (the name of the hexagram) seems to make just as much sense if it was interpeted in one of several possible ways.

• sexual .. a physical touch attempting to arrouse his wife
• abusive .. a physical touch attempting to discipline his wife
• affectionate .. a physical touch emotionally connecting with his wife
• worshipful .. a putting him self at that level relative to his wife

the different options all work for each line, but some apply better than others in some cases. it makes me wonder if the work he originally selected was kind of ambigious on purpose so they could all take on different meanings based on what you combine it with. <br /> <br />

Line 1

Ancient Commentary on Line 1

My Comments on Line 1:

I think this is commenting on the fact that the lowest line, the very edge, the tip-toe, is where the motion is, which is outside of center, but apparently that is not a problem. <br /> <br />

Line 2

Ancient Commentary on Line 2

My Comments on Line 2

note, I always interpret (凶) as "ominous", just to be consistent. But it could be intereted to be anything that "ain't right". Be it "bad" or "terrible" or "messed up" or what-have-you.

I think, in this case, the ancient commentary is saying...
fortune comes to those who are submissive to thier wife in the bedroom.
Even though it "seems wrong", its "not a bad thing" (not harmful) for the man to be the submissive one in this situation.

I think this also speaks to the overall image of the mountain below a lake. The value of aranging the lake above a mountain is lost if the lake is below the mountain. The mountain no longer gets the wildlife that is drawn to the water. If the mountain takes itself out from below the lake, the relationship is no longer useful.

I have no idea whether or not this is specifically suggesting that having the woman on top in bed is somehow inappropriate. Or if that's a foreign concept in china, and more of a puritan sentiment based on some western-philosophy. <br /> <br />

Line 3

Ancient Commentary on Line 3

My Comments on Line 3

the word (股), which I translated as upper-legs, could just as accurately be translated as thighs, or butt, or mid-section.

based on its placement with the other lines, slowly working its way up the body ... I stayed generic and translated it as "upper legs".

but the ancient comment makes the most sense if you translate this as spanking a woman as a way of disciplining her. which i think he is saying "its not respectful to assert yourself over your wife in this manor in front of other people".

that could just as easily be saying "its not appropriate to slap your wife's butt in a flirty way in public"

"to keep her following behind" ... could just as easily be translated "grabbing her butt" <br /> <br />

Line 4

| 九 四 | 9 at the fourth | | 貞 吉 悔 亡 | virtue, good fortune, regrets fading away | | 憧 憧 往 來 | weighty-concerns comming and going | | 朋 從 爾 思 | a friend to follow your thoughts | <br />

Ancient Commentary on Line 4

My Comments on Line 4

The first statement I think says ... its good fortune because you havent lost your temper, or otherwise forced your partner

I think he's saying the mulling is due to the fact that you havent yet "stuck gold" and discovered the "big brilliant idea"

im not sure how (or if) those two things are related

I think the 9 at the fourth is saying...
virtue, good fortune
because regrets fade away (with time)
and when you find yourself with heavy things weighing on your mind
you have a friend who will listen to you (and get you through it)

other translators break from the marriage theme, and translate this in various ways, about how "friends will follow you as you persue your ideas" and other non-sense. I'm not buying it.

it is possible that the "weighty-concerns" and the "faiding-away" could be reference to a man who has lost his wife prematurly (it speeks of death, and mourning), and relying on friends to listen.

I chose to translate it within the same perspective of the rest of the hexagram. This is, I interpeted it to be viewed from the perspective of the beneficial virtues of interaction between a man and his wife.

the other lines select a part of the body, from toe to mouth ... this is the only one that doesnt. If it were , it would be below the back, above the upper-legs ... the womb. But it didn't say womb. In fact it didn't talk about a body part at all.

instead, it seems to place it at the middle of the marriage itself. Just over the hump. A period of time when, because of how wisely the husband has physically-interacted with his wife, she is now a reliable friend who hears his concerns and helps him work through life's struggles.

the image of the gua says (to me): "life is rough, I hope you've invested into your marriage relationship so she will stand beside you through the difficult times" <br /> <br />

Line 5

Ancient Commentary on Line 5

My Comments on Line 5

This one leaves me wondering as well. Firstly, what wisdom is there here?

And, why "back"? at level 5/6 of a woman's body is ... her bossom. I would think, given the chose to say "back" or "bossom" ... I'd go with bossom.

This is why I think "applying-influence" is more likely to be about discipline than it is about sexual interaction. It could work as affectionate touching, and fit with back, I suppose.

I'm also not sure why the anicent comment talks about the "end" ... which is ussually what they say about things in line 1 or line 6 ... being at one of the ends. <br /> <br />

Line 6

Ancient Commentary on Line 6

My Comments on Line 6

I'm not sure if this is about arguing, and sass. or slapping someone's face, or if its about kissing.

Regardless, I dont see how it gives wisdom about understanding one's current situation. <br /> <br />