The Answer: One's Back Traveling Around China

49: Ko/Molting

The Chinese character for this hexagram means in its original sense an animal's pelt, which is changed in the course of the year by molting. From this word is carried over to apply to the "moltings" in political life, the great revolutions connected with changes of governments.

The two trigrams making up the hexagram are the same two that appear in K'uei, OPPOSITION (38), that is, the two younger daughters, Li and Tui. But while there the elder of the two daughters is above, and what results is essentially only an opposition of tendencies, here the younger daughter is above. The influences are in actual conflict, and the forces combat each other like fire and water (lake), each trying to destroy the other. Hence the idea of revolution.


THE JUDGMENT

REVOLUTION. On your own day
You are believed.
Supreme success,
Furthering through perseverance.
Remorse disappears.

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.


THE IMAGE

Fire in the lake: the image of REVOLUTION.
Thus the superior man
Sets the calendar in order
And makes the seasons clear.

Fire below and the lake above combat and destroy each other. So too in the course of the year a combat takes place between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, eventuating in the revolution of the seasons, and man is able to adjust himself in advance to the demands of the different times.

Taming the Time

I wonder about someone's decision. Staying a bit more in China? Longer? Or, moving on - out and about! - whatever it could mean...

Enterprising? Relocating? Simply resuming the former frontier? Or contrastingly exploring the new frontier?

Whilst on mine, the oracle keeps pointing - regardless the verses it refers - at persistence and perseverence for both link to progress, fortune or success. Whatever each could mean. Of crossing the water, being on the faraway shore.

I am still looking for the soundtrack for this rambling June.

My Bloody Valentine: ICA sets the tone for Roundhouse shows

to (t)here knows when

Wounded Brightness

1. Sunrise

Sunrise.
A foundation for progress.
It is beneficial to persist.

There is creative power, inspiration, or an idea, looking to become manifest. There may as yet be no direct road for realization, though. Persistence is necessary to realize it.

(Changing lines are not relevant here, as there are too many.)

Hexagram is changing to:
36. Wounded Brightness

Wounded brightness.
Beneficial is laborious persistence.

Being weakened. It is good to work diligently on the situation.
(The brightness is the light of consciousness, one's aliveness, one's energy. It being injured means that one's aliveness is diminished, one is being weakened.)


[second try]
27. Hunger

Hunger.
Persistence brings good fortune.
Examine the hunger spontaneously seeking to fill the mouth.

Being hungry for something, having a desire or need. Things go well by persevering. It is good to examine what one spontaneously seeks to satisfy the desire. What is the actual desire? Does what you try to satisfy your desire with, actually satisfy your desire?

(No changing lines.)

[third try]
20. Examining
Line 4:

Observing the appearance of the kingdom.
Beneficial and useful to be a guest of the king.

Examining the social surroundings. For that, it helps to be invited by the leader.