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Positive IV. The ridge-pole of a roof is high. Lucky. Inauspicious, when one is double-minded.

Interpretation. It is lucky, when the ridge-pole of a roof is high, because it does not bend down.

Positive V. A dead willow produces flowers. An old woman gets a bridegroom. No blame, and no honour.

Interpretation. If a dead willow produces flowers, how can they last long? The bridegroom of an old woman must be ugly too.

Negative VI. Imprudently wades, and sinks to the top of his head. Unlucky, but no one [save himself] is to blame.

Interpretation.

The unluckiness of imprudently wading, is independent of the blame of anybody else.

EXAMPLE.

THE JAPANESE AND CHINESE INTRICATION.

I am of a nature to be rubricated and excited, troubled and concerned, when I meet something slightly extraordinal. But I have never been so greatly excited as when I received the news that, at the Corean affair our brethren were massacred suddenly by rabbles, far away in the foreign land. To send out a great army and navy instantly, to break down their "Eight Divisions," and thus to console the departed spirits, are the desires not only of mine, but of all our countrymen. The present entangle is not only with Corea but also with China, so that it is of an extraordinarily great importance. Such a great affair can not be decided by poor human power; it is better to ask the will of the Spirit. Thus I

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divined and obtained the change of "Tai-Kwa into "Ko().

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"The hexagram of 'Tai-Kwa' remains unchanged when inverted. The two mouths of 'Da' opening externally represent that two persons sit against the backs. and do not understand each other. Thus, though our ambassador demands reasonably, China will response with pretensions and give no true answer. Again, when the diagram is compressed together it forms the 'Great Kan,' or great water, so that we shall have a great ‘water sprinkling dissertations,' (as vague dissertations are so called). But as wickedness can not conquer reason, and as China is too busy with France to face us, she will prolong her answer and try to wait our mercy. Now, the change in the 'Positive V' gives 'Kô,' which means 'fixedness' or 'long'; so that the negotiation will continue very long.

"When 'Kô' is seen from the side of China, it is 'Kan' or an emblem of man's following woman. The Chinese government will not bear our being fixedness' in standing on reason, and will naturally withdraw a step and ask for our good will; which is the natural consequence of their 'Kan's' facing our 'Kô.' The change, of 'Positive V' to a negative is the sign of the Chinese asking for peace. But the ambassador or the 'Positive IV' is fixed, and then he will advance bravely and not retreat. This IV is the III of 'Taikwa' when seen from China, which will bend the ridge-pole' of the country, so that perhaps there may be some persons who will endeavour to reform China, by provoking us to open a war against China, and by thus emptying Pekin whose standard army must necessarily be directed against us. I have no doubt as to our government's giving a perfectly defectless end to this affair, but it is this and only this present time that will lead it to a peaceful end. The meaning of the whole diagram is thus. I shall now ex

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plain the 'Exposition' and ' Interpretation,' and discuss more fully.

"The 'Exposition' says 'Taikwa means the superabundance of the great. The ridgepole of a roof bends— this implies that the base and the top are weak. Strong elements are superabundant, but they occupy middle positions. They are humble and willing to go. It is thus advantageous to advance, that is, it is auspicious. Great is the time of Taikwa!' 'Superabundance of the great' means a great mistake, and also a great excess. 'The base and the top are weak’– means that our country is not yet strong and rich enough to afford a long war far abroad, and that the scope of winning without erring is not yet fixed. As the diagram of Taikwa' remains the same when seen from the point of view of China, the meaning of the phrase, applies to her equally. Strong......positions' means that the temper of upper and lower classes of people are quiet but that the result of the 'Corea-Invading Dissertation' of 7th. of Meiji brought forth a civil strife. A moderate and perfect way of administering is desirable now.

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"The Interpretation' says, 'Honourable men take an independent attitude, and fear not. They retire from the world but repine not.' The diagram of 'Taikwa' is one of a great trouble and danger, so that the trouble of the two countries is extreme here. Hence both are liable to lose the peace and assistance of each other. Again as Taikwa' can give 'Kan' from itself, should a war be opened unhappily the two countries will fall into a great difficulty and adversity in future.

"The Positive V' says, 'A dead willow produces flowers. An old woman gets a bridegroom. No blame and no honour,' whose 'Interpretation' says, 'If a dead willow produces flowers, how can they last long? The bridegroom of an old woman must be ugly too.' This

refers to a marriage of an old woman and a young lad, and though they may love each other, no offspring will be found. Hence if it lead to a war once, it will be a calamity, and our country will never profit, even after a peace is recovered. Our government must now deliber

ate and decide either to fight or to make peace.

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"The Negative VI' says, ' Imprudently wades, and sinks to the top of his head. Unlucky, but no one [save himself] is to blame' which is an emblem of losing the head and being evil, by wading a large mass of water, provided the war be taken. It says no blame, as it is not without a slightest advantage to the country. If this be true and if one of our high officers go to China and meet with a calamity as indicated, we must invade China by sending out more men at whatever cost. Hence by the sequence of the 'Eki' the Diagram will at last come into the great danger of 'Kan.' Again the diagram of Taikwa' has the hexagram of Yi' on its back surface, and as Yi' is the 'Great fire' of 'Great Ri,' the temper of people seems to be excited and waiting for war."

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"If our Government come to the conclusion of war there is a good means of accommodating it in ‘Eki.' But as it is suspected of unclosing a secrecy of the Government to explain it, I can not state it here."

The above was divined on 28th., Dec., 17th., Meiji, and dedicated to a nobleman. It was moreover delivered to the public at Shibunkō School.

XXIX. KAN (Difficulties).

Kan.

Truthful; and the mind is auspicious. It is praiseworthy to go. Exposition. Kan means to double difficulties. Water flows and does not accumulate to fulness. It goes over difficult places, yet it never loses its true

character. "The mind is auspicious," because strong elements occupy the middle positions. "It is praiseworthy to go,"-this means that there will be good results in going. It is impossible to ascend the difficult places of the Heaven. The difficult places of the earth are mountains, rivers, and hills. Kings and princes establish difficult places and thereby project their countries. Great is the significance of the time of difficulties!

Interpretation. The constant flowing of water is [the emblem of] Kan. Honourable men accordingly make their virtues constant, and [assiduously] instruct others in morals.

Negative I. While training himself to face difficulties, tumbles into a pit. Unlucky.

Interpretation. To tumble into a pit, while training himself to face difficulties, is unlucky, because one loses the proper path.

Positive II. It being in the time of Kan, there is a difficulty. [Positive II] is somewhat successful in his endeavours.

Interpretation. "[Positive II] is only somewhat successful in his endeavours," that is, he can not as yet entirely rescue himself from his middle position.

Negative II.

Dangerous either to retreat or to advance. [Negative III] is amidst difficulties and assumes

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