24. Fu

	The Turning Point
	Upper Trigram:	K'un, Passive Principle, Earth
	Lower Trigram:	Chen, Thunderclap, Movement
	Governing Ruler:	Bottom nine

The Image
Thunder in the midst of the earth: the image of Fu. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, on the day of the winter solstice, shut the gates of the passes, so that the travelling merchants could not then pursue their journeys, nor the princes go on with the inspection of their states.

Miscellaneous Signs
In Po we see its subject worn away, in Fu recovering from decay.

The Judgement
Fu indicates that there will be free course and progress in what it denotes. Its subject finds no one to distress him in his exits and entrances; friends come to him, and no error is committed. He will return and repeat his proper course. In seven days comes his return. There will be advantage in whatever direction movement is made.

Appended Judgement
Fu shows us the root of virtue. It is small at first, but with a discrimination in it of the qualities of things; hence it induces self-knowledge.

See also: Ta Chuan - Section 2, Chapter VII-2,3,4.

Commentary
'Fu indicates that there will be free course and progress in what it denotes': it is the coming back of what is intended by the strong line. Its subject's actions show movement directed by accordance with natural order. Hence 'he finds no one to distress him in his exits and entrances', and 'friends come to him, and no error is committed'. 'He will return and repeat his proper course. In seven days comes his return': such is the movement of the heavenly revolution.
'There will be advantage in whatever direction movement is made': there will be strong lines growing and increasing. Do we not see in Fu the mind of heaven and earth?

The Lines and commentaries
Bottom nine
Showing its subject returning from an error of no great extend, which would not proceed to anything requiring repentance. There will be great good fortune.

See also: Ta Chuan - Section 2, Chapter V-12.

'Returning from an error of no great extend', is the prelude to the cultivation of character.

Six in the second place
Admirable return of its subject. There will be good fortune.

The 'good fortune attendant on the subject's admirable return', is due to his condescension to the virtuous subject of the line below.

Six in the third place
Showing one who has made repeated returns. The position is perilous, but there will be no error.

Notwithstanding the 'perilous position of him who has made many returns', there will be no error through his aiming after righteousness.

Six in the fourth place
Showing its subject moving amid those represented by the other weak lines, and yet returning alone.

'He is moving amid those represented by the other weak lines, and yet returns alone': his object is to pursue the proper path.

Six in the fifth place
Showing the noble return of its subject. There will be no ground for repentance.

The 'noble return giving no ground for repentance', is due to the subject's striving to perfect himself in accordance with his central position.

Top-most six
The top-most line shows its subject all astray on the subject of returning! There will be evil. There will be calamities and errors. If with his view he put the armies in motion, the end will be a great defeat, whose issues will extend to the ruler of the state. Even in ten years he will not be able to repair the consequences of the disaster.

The 'evil consequent on being all astray on the subject of returning', arises from the course pursued being contrary to the proper course for a ruler.