 | Peace | |
| Upper Trigram: | K'un, Passive Principle, Earth | |
| Lower Trigram: | Ch'ien, Creative Principle, Heaven | |
| Governing Rulers: | Nine in the second place Six in the fifth place | |
The Image
The trigrams for heaven and earth in communication together; these form T'ai. The sage sovereign, in harmony with this, fashions and completes his regulations after the courses of heaven and earth, and assists the application of the adaptions furnished by them, in order to benefit the people.
Miscellaneous Signs
While P'i and T'ai their different scopes prefer, Ta Chuang stops here as right; withdraws Tun there.
The Judgement
In T'ai we see the little gone and the great come. There will be good fortune, with progress and success.
Commentary
The little gone and the great come, in T'ai, and its indication of 'good fortune with progress and success', show us heaven and earth in mutual communication, and all things in consequence having free course; and also the high and the low in mutual communication and possessed by the same aim.
The inner trigram shows light, the outer shadow; the inner strength, the outer weakness and docility, the inner the superior man, the outer the small man. Thus the way of the superior man appears to be increasing, and that of the small man decreasing.
The little gone and the great come, in T'ai, and its indication of 'good fortune with progress and success', show us heaven and earth in mutual communication, and all things in consequence having free course; and also the high and the low in mutual communication and possessed by the same aim.
The inner trigram shows light, the outer shadow; the inner strength, the outer weakness and docility, the inner the superior man, the outer the small man. Thus the way of the superior man appears to be increasing, and that of the small man decreasing.
The Lines and commentaries
Bottom nine
Suggesting the idea of grass pulled up, and bringing with it other stalks of roots interconnected. Advance on the part of its subject will be fortunate.
The 'good fortune of advance', as suggested by 'the grass pulled up', arises from the subject's will being set on what is external to himself.
Nine in the second placeShowing one who can bear with the uncultivated, will cross the Ho without a boat, does not forget the distant, and has no selfish friendships. Thus does he prove himself acting in accordance with the course of the due mean.
'He bears with the uncultivated and proves himself acting in accordance with the due mean': for his intelligence is bright and his capacity great.
Nine in the third placeWhile there is no state of peace that is not liable to be disturbed, and no departure of evil men so that they shall not return, yet when one is firm and correct, as he realizes the distresses that may arise, he will commit no error. There is no occasion for sadness at the certainty of such changes and in this mood the present happiness may be enjoyed.
'There is no going away so that there shall not be a return', refers to this as the point where the interaction of heaven and earth takes place.
Six in the fourth placeShowing its subject fluttering down, not relying on his own rich resources, but calling in his neighbours. They come, not as having received warning, but in the sincerity of their hearts.
'He comes fluttering down, not relying on his own rich resources': both he and his neighbours have lost touch with reality.
'They have not received warning, but come in the sincerity of their hearts': this is what they have desired deep in their hearts.
Six in the fifth place'They have not received warning, but come in the sincerity of their hearts': this is what they have desired deep in their hearts.
This line reminds us of king I's rule about the marriage of his younger sister. By such a course there is happiness and there will be great good fortune.
'By such a course there is happiness, and there will be great good fortune': the subject of the line employs the virtue proper to his central position, to carry his wishes into effect.
Top-most sixShowing the city wall returned back into the moat. It is not the time to use the army. The subject of the line may, indeed, announce his orders to the people of his own city; but however correct and firm he may be, he will have cause for regret.
'The city wall returned back into the moat', shows how the governmental orders have long been in disorder.
 1. Ch'ien Creative Principle |  2. K'un Passive Principle |  3. Chun Initial Difficulties |  4. Meng Youthful Inexperience |  5. Hsü Delay |  6. Sung Conflict |  7. Shih The Army |  8. Pi Seeking Unity |  9. Hsiao Ch'u Minor Restraint |  10. Lü Treading carefully | 11. T'ai Peace |  12. P'i Stagnation |  13. T'ung Jen Companionship |  14. Ta Yu Great Possessions |  15. Ch'ien Modesty |  16. Yü Enthusiasm |  17. Sui Allegiance |  18. Ku Arresting Decay |  19. Lin Approaching |  20. Kuan Contemplation |  21. Shih Ho Biting through |  22. Pi Grace |  23. Po Disintegration |  24. Fu The Turning Point |  25. Wu Wang Innocence |  26. Ta Ch'u Restraining Force |  27. I Nourishment |  28. Ta Kuo Excess |  29. K'an The Abyss |  30. Li Clinging Brightness |  31. Hsieh Influence |  32. Heng Endurance |  33. Tun Withdrawal |  34. Ta Chuang Strength of Greatness |  35. Chin Progress |  36. Ming I Sinking Light |  37. Chia Jen The Family |  38. K'uei Opposition |  39. Chien Obstacles |  40. Hsieh Deliverance |  41. Sun Decrease |  42. I Increase |  43. Kuai Resolution |  44. Kou Coming on |  45. Ts'ui Congregation |  46. Sheng Moving upward |  47. K'un Exhaustion |  48. Ching The Well |  49. Ko Revolution |  50. Ting The Cauldron |  51. Chen Thunderclap |  52. Ken Inaction |  53. Chien Gradual Progress |  54. Kuei Mei Marriageable Maiden |  55. Feng Abundance |  56. Lü The Wanderer |  57. Sun Gentle Penetration |  58. Tui Joy |  59. Huan Dispersal |  60. Chien Restraint |  61. Cung Fu Inner Truth |  62. Hsiao Kuo Small Excess |  63. Chi Chi Completion and After |  64. Wei Chi Before Completion |