MARCIEGAMBETTA
Marcie Gambetta
English 231
I Ching
Hexagrams 49-64
Reading Journal 11
10/2/14
FIRST THOUGHTS
My first thoughts about reading the next section of hexagrams were unispired. I am glad this is the last set and I am looking forward to the Epic of Gilgamesh. I think the subject will bounce around again because this wasn't necessarily meant to be read fluidly, in chronological order, or all at once. To read the hexagrams; yarrow stalks, coins, dice, cracks on turtle shells, ox shoulder bones, marbles, beads, and grains of rice can be used to determine which hexagram or hexagrams to read.
QUOTES
From Hexagram 49 - “Political revolutions are extremely grave matters. They should be undertaken only under stress of direst necessity, when there is no other way out. Not everyone is called to this task, but only the man who has the confidence of the people, and even he only when the time is ripe. He must then proceed in the right way, so that he gladdens the people and, by enlightening them, prevents excesses. Furthermore, he must be quite free of selfish aims and must really relieve the need of the people. Only then does he have nothing to regret. Times change, and with them their demands. Thus the seasons change in the course of the year. In the world cycle also there are spring and autumn in the life of peoples and nations, and these call for social transformations. Changes ought to be undertaken only when there is nothing else to be done. Therefore at first the utmost restraint is necessary. One must...refrain from doing anything for the time being, because any premature offensive will bring evil results. When we have tried in every other way to bring about reforms, but without success, revolution becomes necessary. ...The first thing to be considered is our inner attitude toward the new condition that will inevitably come. We have to go out to meet it, as it were. Only in this way can it be prepared for. When change is necessary, there are two mistakes to be avoided. One lies in excessive haste and ruthlessness, which bring disaster. The other lies in excessive hesitation and conservatism, which are also dangerous. Not every demand for change in the existing order should be heeded. On the other hand, repeated and well-founded complaints should not fail of a hearing. When talk of change has come to one's ears three times, and has been pondered well, he may believe and acquiesce in it. Then he will meet with belief and will accomplish something. Radical changes require adequate authority. A man must have inner strength as well as influential position. What he does must correspond with a higher truth and must not spring from arbitrary or petty motives; then it brings great good fortune. If a revolution is not founded on such inner truth, the results are bad, and it has no success. For in the end men will support only those undertakings which they feel instinctively to be just. We must be satisfied with the attainable. If we should go too far and try to achieve too much, it would lead to unrest and misfortune. For the object of a great revolution is the attainment of clarified, secure conditions ensuring a general stabilization on the basis of what is possible at the moment."
This is a really big quote, but I chose it because it had good points for leadership. It identifies that revolutions and changes in leadership are serious matters that need to be earnestly considered. Only when there is no other choice and when the time is ripe, should it be considered. The person the people select to take over must be noble and selfless. The quote is explaining, sometimes there is a need for this, times change and there is a cycle to life and to nations. This section reminded me of Ecclesiates 3:1-8, where "A time for everything" is discussed and the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Birds. This quote is also warning caution, saying after everything else has been tried, proceed but do it only with a good attitude. It also warns of two possible extremes and that either one could cause disaster. Excessive haste, is something many people struggle with, they do not want to wait and weigh all the options, they just want to rush in. The flip side, excessive hesitation is also something many struggle with, inaction is also a decision. The quote is also stressing that changes in leadership should only be undertaken if there is the right motive. It is telling revolutionists they need to take one step at a time, do not overstep or over commit, be satisfied with the changes that can be made right now.
From Hexagram 58 - "A lake evaporates upward and thus gradually dries up; but when two lakes are joined they do not dry up so readily, for one replenishes the other. It is the same in the field of knowledge. Knowledge should be a refreshing and vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life. In this way learning becomes many-sided and takes on a cheerful lightness, whereas there is always something ponderous and one-sided about the learning of the self-taught."
This quote reminded me of our teacher, Dr. Laing De Urbina, and how she encourages interesting dialog between her students. The collaborative midterm, the requirement to post our work for critical review from our peers, and the obligatory reviews we must give to our peers. The quote points out that while, it is possible to learn without input from others, the person that learns this way may be handicapped because they do not have many sides to consider. People who make sure they have intelligent discourse with others will not only have the advantage of multiple sources but will feel refreshed and renewed after having this discussion.
QUESTIONS
Who is Lao Tzu?
Lao Tzu which means "Old Sage" was born Li Erh. He was a 6th century philosopher and is thought to have begun the philosophy of Taoism. Some think he had a close association with the Yellow Emperor, Huang Ti. According to legend he was the keeper of the archives at the Imperial Court. When he was eighty years old he became disillusioned because men were unwilling to follow the path to natural goodness. Due to this frustration he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, at the border a guard asked him to record his teachings before he left. He then composed in 5,000 characters the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power).
What is the Tao Te Ching?
The Tao Te Ching is a classic Chinese text and it is a fundamental text for Taoism. It also influenced other schools of thought such as; Legalism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism. It is said to have been written by Lao Tzu but, the text's true authorship is still in debate. It has two parts, the Tao Ching and the Te Ching. With these two parts there are two major strategies: short, declarative statements and intentional contradictions. The first of these strategies creates memorable phrases, while the second forces us to create our own reconciliations of the supposed contradictions.
VOCABULARY
Wei Chi:
Definition: Carrying on with the task, even after failure, until the end goal is met
Sentence: Perseverance and tenacity are displayed in in Wei Chi.
Ken:
Definition: to keep still, to attain self restraint through stillness
Sentence: When people say no to indulgence and they are embodying the characteristic of Ken.
SUMMARY/RESPONSE
I felt this group of hexagrams dealt with a wide variety of topics including; Political structure, marriage, family, and service to fellow man. After struggling with fulling understanding them I had a moment of understanding. I realized that they are difficult to read because they do not necessarily have cohesion in regards to the hexagram preceding or succeeding it. I also had to somewhat disregard the portions discussing, for example; who or what was on top, the inverse of that, six in the third place, the line moves, etc. Once, I filtered those parts out and kept in mind the lack of flow, I was able to appreciate what was written. I do still question the interpretations given and would have preferred coming up with my own. Coming up with my own interpretations, though, would require extensive research in ancient Chinese symbology, in the history of the work, and the geopolitical climate at the time it was written.
Since, there were a wide variety of topics, once again there were several literary themes that stood out to me. One was "The Importance of Family". There seemed to be more hexagrams in this group dealing with family relationships, specifically marital relationships. The place of women within the marriage was discussed at length. Another aspect of family relationships that was discussed was the relationship of the living family members with the dead ancestors.
Another was “Change of power as a necessity”. This is illustrated well in multiple hexagrams. In 49 it is detailing how change of power is sometimes necessary but explaining how you must be cautious and not rush into anything. This theme reminded me of the quote by Alexander Pope “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” In hexagram 51, it is describing a change in power and how it is shocking. Transitions are hard for many people and this is detailed in hexagram 51. Hexagram 55 discusses how, after power has changed, there can be a period of abundance. In Hexagram 60 we are told that when the time for action has finally come, we must act quickly. Hexagram 62 discusses how, when the right ruler comes to power, he still may be ineffective because he has no support. To become a successful leader he needs to surround himself with wise counsel.
I used the Feminist form of Literary Analysis to analyze this text. This text is ancient and it is evident that women were not considered equal with men when it was written. I thought it would be important to view it through this lens. It is critical to consider the time when the text was written to fully understand the roles of the sexes and how they differed. In fact, every aspect of the text, even when male/female roles are not discussed, has a male/female relationship. Each hexagram has a yin yang aspect, either internally or in relation to another hexagram. Yin and yang, yin represents the female side which is dark and negative and yang represents the male side which is positive and bright.
WORKS CITED
Bible. New International Version
Crystal Spirits I Ching. Retrieved 9/30/14 from, http://www.crystalspirits.biz/CrystalSpiritsInfosite/divination/iching.htm
Dictionary. Dictionary.com LLC 2014. Retrieved 9/27/14, from http://dictionary.reference.com/
I Ching, translated by Richard Willhelm. Retrieved 9/27/14, from
http://www2.unipr.it/~deyoung/I_Ching_Wilhelm_Translation.html#1
Lao Tzu: Father of Taoism. Retrieved 10/2/14, from http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Philosophy/Taichi/lao.html
Online Clarity How to Consult the I Ching. Retrieved 10/1/14, from
http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/consult/casting.php
Tao Te Ching. Retrieved 10/2/14, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching
Unveiling the Mystery of the I Ching. Retrieved 9/27/14, from http://www.iching123.com/1_text.htm
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