topic of conversations was turned upon the "Eki” and Choka seemed to be very much pleased. He said, "I am fond of 'Eki,' since I was a boy, and once I professed it myself. But as I was poor and could not get my living by it, I turned myself on the present occupation. I shall feel very much obliged if you will be kind enough to divine my life." I denied, but he kept on imploring. At last, he took the sticks himself, and obtained the "Positive II" of "Ki-Mai ()," He asked me for an interpretation, and I replied, "This is a diagram of the 'Return to Spirit,' and it represents five years from the second to the topmost element, you will be no more, five years since. For the Negative VI' says, 'a woman offers up a basket, but it is empty. A gentleman cuts open a sheep, but no blood is found. Not advantageous in any way,' which is the emblem of the emptiness of the house, and is also the emblem of death." "What you say is all very true," he said, "and I must return you many thanks. The life of man is in general estimated at 50, but as I am 60 years old the remainder is rather short, so that I must try to enrich myself." He did thence forward engage in enriching himself, and became a tolerably rich gentleman. He would very often come to my mansion, and would say, "My wealth is your gift, but I am to die soon.” He died in June in the fifth pear from the year in which I divined for him. LV. HÔ(Affluence). Hô. Auspicious. The king attains it [Hô]. No anxiety need be felt; advantageous in the daytime. Exposition. Hô means affluence. It is brilliant and moves; hence it is affluent. "The king attains it," because he desires fulness. "No anxiety need be felt; advantageous in the daytime" that is, [Hô] ought to shine throughout the country. When the Sun reaches the meridian, it begins to decline. When the Moon reaches fulness, it suffers an eclipse. Fulness and emp tiness in the Heaven and the earth, proceed in accordance with time. Much more so in human affairs, and still more so in Gods. Interpretation. The thunder and lightening coming together are [the emblem of] Hô. Honourable men accordingly decide cases, and minister justice. Positive I. Meets his partner. Free from blame, though on equal terms. There will be glad things, if he advances. Interpretation. "Free from blame, though on equal It will of course be calamitous, if the equality be carried too far. terms." Negative II. A shitomi (a kind of door which is opened or shut by being raised or lowered) is enlarged, and the star To is-seen in the daytime. He will be suspected and hated, if he advances. He will be lucky, if he is truthful and opens [the mind of Negative V]. Interpretation. "If he is truthful and opens"-this means, if he opens the mind [of his Lord] by his truthful ness. Positive III. Tightens the tent, and small stars are seen in the daytime. Free from blame. Interpretation. "[Positive III] tightens the tent," this implies that it is not favourable for any great undertaking. "He has broken his right elbow," that is, it has become unfit for any use. Positive IV. A shitomi is enlarged, and the star To is seen in the daytime. He meets his partner. Lucky. Interpretation. "A shitomi is enlarged”—this implies that his position is improper. The star To is seen in the daytime," that is, it is dark and not clear. "He meets his partner," this means that he is happy in going. Negative V. Invites a brilliant person. He enjoys a happy reputation. Lucky. Interpretation. [Negative V] is lucky, that is, he will have some joy. Negative VI. Enlarges his house, but only serving a screen to his household. Peeping through the door, it is found that the inside is quiet, and there is no person. He is not seen for three years. Unlucky. Interpretation. "[Negative VI] enlarges his house," that is, he soars up to the sky. "Peeping through the door, it is found that the inside is quiet, and there is no person," that is, he has hidden himself. EXAMPLE. CONDITION OF YOKOHAMA FOREIGN COIN One day in 1882 I went to the Yokohama Foreign Coin Transaction Company for some business of a friend of mine. Three managers Messrs. Kisaburo Nishimura, Kinsaku Sōda, and Yoshimatsu Onishi, said to me; "The Financial Department has lately charged heavy taxes on us, and we sent a representative to Tōkyō, who is now very eagerly applying for a reduction. He wrote to us that very probably we shall succeed, but as we have not yet received a public sentence, we are being still perplexed now. Please divine our success." I divined and obtained the "Negative VI" of "Hô (HE).' "Hô means affluence; and this company is so flourishing and unrivalled in this country that they are handling a sum of several hundred thousand dollars, every day. Now as you know, the duty of a speculation is to balance the market prices of commodities, and it is an indispensable instrument for commercial transactions. Since the Revolution, there is no rich person who is not engaged in it, but it has been since followed by a vice. As the prices are now fixed by artificial and delusive means, the present speculation is rather a sort of gambling. There are now an infinite number of important things which are profitable to the country by trading with the world, so that those who are rich in wealth or in intellect, should sacrifice their wealth or intellect to the common benefit of the society; and therefore, it is by no means a laudable matter to allow them to be engaged in gambling. Perhaps, the Government regarded the speculation as a hindrance to the nation's progress, and taxed so heavily. The 'Lineation' says, 'Nagative VI enlarges his house, but only serving a screen to his household. Peeping through the door, it is found that the inside is quiet, and there is no person. He is not seen for three years. Unlucky. This element is at the extreme of 'Hô,' and is beginning to decline. Thus it means that as the Government endeavours to extirpate the great gamblers of people of influence, through heavy taxing, even this great edifice will shortly come |
