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THE DIVINATION OF COREA.

(SHOWN TO MINISTER HANAFUSA).

In June 1881, Minister Hanafusa, Mr. M. Kitazawa, Secretary to Foreign Minister, and Mr. Kin-Yō-Gen a Corean, called on me at my mansion in Kanagawa, and asked me to divine when Corea will be civilized. I agreed and divining, met the changing of "Kô (" into "Kai (4).

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"The 'Exposition' says, 'Ko means to be permanent,' and also, 'Sages stick to their principles permanently, and the world receives his influence. By observing their permanence, may be seen the nature of the Heaven and the earth, and of all things therein contained.' As 'Kô' is a hexagram of transforming after a long fostering, it may be seen that Corea will be gradually civilized. The 'Positive III' says, 'Is not permanent in his virtues and suffers obloquy. Inauspicious though just' which shows that though the Minister is trying to inject civilization into Corea, she does not believe him and is repulsing him internally. Hence the 'Interpretation' says, that is to say, he has no place to turn for.' As her doubt and dislike is so great as it says suffers obloquy,' he must be careful not to be ashamed by her. Inauspicious though just' means if he will stick to the present way of treatment without a provision for unexpected changes, he will happen to receive obloquy' at last."

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I interpreted as the foregoing, on which my guest seemed disappointed. After a few minutes, Mr. KinYō-gen asked me to divine his fortune. I calculated for him and obtained the change of "Tai-Sô

into "Tai-Yû ()."

"The Negative VI' says 'A male sheep strikes against a fence, and can neither retreat nor advance. Not advantageons in any way. Lucky, when he un

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dergoes embarrassments.' Your life will be met with obstructions in all directions, just like a sheep which has got entangled in a fence, unable to advance nor to retreat. Lucky when he undergoes embarrassments' shows that you will be lucky at the end if you will behave with perseverance, avoiding the time of 'uuluckiness' and keeping steady before embarrassments.' Moreover, next year the hexagram will advance to the time of 'Shin' whose 'Negative I' says, 'Advances, but is checked. Lucky if he is just. He is not trusted, but he is free from blame if he keeps himself undisturbed and steady.' If you will try to advance,' you will be 'checked' in brain, so that it warns you to retire, as you are then incongruent with time. The year after next is the 'Negative II' which says, 'Advances, but is sad. Lucky if he is just. He owes his great felicity to the Sovereign's mother,' which means that you want to ' advance' but cannot, and so you will be repining sadly. But even at this time your fidelity will be heard of by the King, and you will advance three grades in rank."

be slain, and

Mr. Kitazawa translated this for Mr. Kin-Yō-gen. As I had indicated, in June of 17th., a rabble arose in Corea and attacked our legation, but Mr. Hanafusa remained unhurted as he was always keeping the warning of 'Inauspicious though just' in mind. When I had divined for Mr. Kin he asked me will he I told him he will meet with a distress but will not die for it, when he seemed to have been anticipating the tumult of his country. He went to inspect the Silver Mine of Ikuno, after which he stayed at Osaka for a long time. He went about the Mint etc. there, and did not meet with the danger of his country. He came to me lately to thank for my divination.

DESTINATION OF A LOAN.

One day a Noble called on me and said, "A colleague of mine, pressed up by a debt and an exigent want of money, asked me for a temporary currency. Our president too applied me for him. Though the president was not to stand for security, but I trusted him, and saved my colleague by borrowing some money from another friend of mine. Afterwards, the term has expired repay. Please divine whether I shall lose or not. "I calculated and obtained the "Positive III" of "Kô (."

but he does not yet

"This hexagram is an emblem of unceasing by being permanent, and unchanging by being procrastinative. Your loan then will not be restored for a long time. The 'Lineation' says 'Positive III is not permanent is his virtues, and suffers obloquy. Inauspicious, though just.' 'Not permanent in his virtues' means that although you trusted on friendship and the words of the president, and relieved him through your morality, yet he is disregarding morality, and forgetting your obligations. Suffers obloquy' means that if you will forcibly demand for it, he may perhaps happen to offer an impolite answer. He might think, 'no one will not make debts without being pressed up; but my creditor keeps demanding for them against me who am so hard up. He does not understand friendship. My delay is reasonable and inevitable.' He will thus bring forth twisted reasons and make you annoy. 'Inauspicious though just' means that you have conducted honourably but receive troubles of this nature."

He told me afterwards that my divination was exactly to the point; (but I have not yet been told of the termination).

XXXIII. TON (To Shun).

Ton. Auspicious. Somewhat advantageous to be constant.

Exposition.

Ton is auspicious, on

account of its retreating. A strong element occupies the sovereign position and

is in agreement [with Negative II], that is to say, [the strong element] moves in accordance with the seasons. "Somewhat advantageous to be constant," because the negative elements are gradually gaining_ascendency. Great is the significance of the time of Ton.

Interpretation. A mountain lying below the heaven. is [the emblem of] Ton. Honourable men accordingly keep off small-minded men, not by rude treatment, but by the gravity of their conduct.

Negative I. The rear of the retreat is in danger. Do not advance.

Interpretation. When the rear of the retreat is in danger, what disaster can follow if no advance is made? Negative II. [Negative II and Positive V] are bound together with the hide of an yellow ox; and they can never be separated.

Interpretation. The use of the hide of an yellow ox in binding refers to the strengthening of purpose.

Positive III. Is encumbered in retreat and is beset with sickness and danger. Lucky to keep vassals and concubines.

Interpretation. It is dangerous to be encumbered in retreat, because it will be followed by sickness and fatigue. "Lucky to keep vassals and concubines," this signifies that it will not be lucky to attempt any large undertaking.

Positive IV. Retreats, though he is on intimate

terms [with Negative I]. Lucky for honourable men, and unlucky for small-minded men.

Interpretation. Honourable men retreat though they may be on intimate terms [with him whom they now seek to avoid]; but small-minded men can not do

SO.

Positive V. Effects a happy retreat, and will be lucky, if he is constant.

Interpretation. "[Positive V] effects a happy retreat, and will be lucky if he is constant," because his purpose is just.

Positive VI.

every way.

Retreats at a bound; advantageous in

Interpretation. "[Positive VI] retreats by a bound; advantageous in every way"-because [Positive VI] is free from all doubts and misgivings.

EXAMPLES.

MR. NAGAI'S BABY.

Mr. Taijiro Nagai is an intimate friend of mine, for whom I had acted as the middle-man in marriage, and I was invited to the feast of his wife's fifth month of pregnancy, when he asked me to divine whether the child will be a male or a female. I obtained the "Positve V" of "Ton ()."

"The baby will be a male as this element is positive and occupies the positive position. This diagram consists of the upper complement, 'Ken,' the father, and of the lower 'Gon,' the young boy. It is the emblem of the son's inheriting the estate, and the old father's retiring from the world; hence this is named 'Ton.' It says, 'Positive V effects a happy retreat, and will be

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