one.

XLI. SON (Loss).

Son. Is truthful, perfectly lucky, free from blame, and ought to be constant. Advantageous to advance. What should be used? Two square dishes should be used in offering sacrifices.

Exposition. In 'Son,' something is taken from the lower complement and added to the upper The nature of Son is to move upwards. It loses, but “it is truthful, perfectly lucky, free from blame, and ought to be constant. Advantageous to advance. What should be used? Two square dishes should be used in offering sacrifices." The two square dishes must be used in proper seasons. There are seasons for taking something from the strong and adding to the weak. Loss and gain, fulness and emptiness, proceed with the times.

Interpretation. A pond lying at the foot of a mountain is [the emblem of] Son. Honourable men accordingly restrain their anger and check their passion.

Positive I. Stops his business and goes at once, and is free from blame. He loses with discretion.

Interpretation. "[Positive I] stops his business and goes at once," because he esteems acts of sympathy.

Un

Positive II. Advantageous to be constant. lucky to advance. He will be able to benefit the superior without losing himself.

Interpretation. "[Positive II] advantageous to be constant," because he carries out his object by occupying the middle position.

Negative III. When three persons go, one of them will be lost. When one person goes, he will get his

friends.

Interpretation.

"One person goes," because when

three go suspicions are raised.

Negative IV. Shakes off his disease. There will be rejoicings, if quickly done. Free from blame.

Interpretation. It is the matter of joy to shake off a

disease.

Per

Negative V. A certain person makes him a present of ten ho worth of tortoises. No error is made. fectly lucky.

Interpretation. "[Negative V] is perfectly lucky," because he is helped by Heaven.

self.

Positive VI. Benefits [others] without losing himFree from blame; lucky if constant; advantageous to advance. He gets vassals, but there is no house. Interpretation. "[Positive VI] benefits others without losing himself," because he has entirely attained his object.

EXAMPLES.

MR. SANENOBU SUGI'S SICKNESS.

Mr. S. Sugi, my friend, was the Secretary of the Public Works Department and lived at Shinagawa. One day in Feb. 1882, I received a telegraph early in the morning, which told me that he was suddenly taken ill last night. I was astonished and on divining, obtained the "Negative IV" of "Son ()" whose "Lineation" is "Shakes off his disease. There will be rejoicings, if quickly done. Free from blame." I interpreted thus, "His sickness is rather serious, and will be well again, if he will quickly hire a skilful physician and apply his medicaments. If, however, he

is too late, any doctor however skilful will not be able to recover him."

But unhappily the snow continued to fall since the last evening, and the drift was more than two feet deep in the morning. I went to Shinagawa with difficulty, and paid him a visit in his bed. But the doctor was detained by the snow and was too late. His application was of no use, for Mr. Sugi died on that very day.

RESOLUTION OF MR.

The chief clerk of a rich Merchant of Tōkyō came to me and said, “I was. ordered by my master to accommodate the orders of the Treasury Department, and have been working earnestly, at the head of several hundred clerks. The revolution in the Department is going to abolish those things which I have been accommodating, next year. As I can not bear to see the hundreds of clerks' losing their occupations, I wish to resign my situation now, taking instead a service in a certain Company, and thus to give them appropriate employments. Please divine the good or evil of my doing so." I consented and on calculating, I obtained the "Negative V" of "Son ()," whose "Lineation" says, "A certain person makes him a present of ten hô worth of tortoises. No error is made. Perfectly lucky."

"This element is positive and is at the fifth order, which is called to be middle, meaning to remain fixed, without inclining on one side, and it is an emblem showing the wrongness of quitting your present service for one in a company. 'A certain person makes him a present of ten hô worth of tortoises' means that if you will remain in your present situation, you will meet with an unexpected happiness in future. May

a revolution take place in the Department, as your service is an important one and connected with the whole country, it will perhaps come out to be more favourable, the change taking place in its name only. The next year corresponds to the "Positive VI," which says, 'Benefits [others] without losing himself. Free from blame. Lucky if constant. Advantageous to advance. He gets vassals, but there is no house.' 'He gets vassals but there is no house' means that your diligence and kindness will attract the confidence of many persons, and your subordinate clerks will serve you, as if they were your subjects, till at last those who rely upon you become so numerous as you have no room to put them in. Nothing can be more lucky than to have the confidence of so many persons. Hence do not alter your situation, I advice you."

The clerk was very much pleased and followed my advice. Things came out exactly as I pointed out to be.

DESTINATION OF YOKOHAMA IRON WORKS.

In the nineth of Meiji, my friend Mrs. Kei Ōura a merchantess of Nagasaki, came to me with Mr. Kamishiro, her partner. She said, "I borrowed the Yokohama Iron Works from the Post Office, and am occupied in repairing ships. But lately I have had a great loss on it, and I am now going either to return it to the Post Office or to lend it to one who is willing to have it. Please divine which is the best way to be done.' I calculated and obtained the "Positive VI” of “Son 損≡),”

"This is at the extremity of 'Son'; there will be no nore loss, and if there is no loss, you must gain. Hence,

do not be troubled by a small loss, but keep it on, and then you will come to gain greatly in future; as it says, 'Benefits [others] without losing himself. Free from blame; lucky if constant ; advantageous to advance.' The two persons believed me and went on with the same industry. During the next year, or during the civil war of the tenth of Meiji, a great many ships were ordered to be mended, and they secured an enormous profit.