LXII. EKI (Gain).

Eki. Advantageous to advance; advantageous to wade a large river.

Fxposition. In Eki, the inferior is benefited at the cost of the superior. The people's joy knows no bound. As the superior humbles himself before the inferior, his course of action is glorious. "Advantageous to advance," that is, it will be felicitious as [the positions] are middle and just." Advantageous to wade a large river"-this implies that a wooden road prospers. 'Eki' moves and is meek: it daily advances without limits. The Heaven gives impulse, and the earth brings forth, and there is no limit in the sphere of the benefits they produce. The principle of Eki progresses in agreement with the times.

Interpretation. Wind and thunder are [the emblem of] Eki. Honourable men accordingly imitate a good action when they see it; and reform, when they commit any fault.

Positive I. Advantageous to carry out a great undertaking. Perfectly lucky, and free from blame.

Interpretation. "Perfectly lucky, and free from blame" [this assurance is required] because the inferior ought not ordinarily to undertake any great enterprise.

Negative II. A certain person makes him a present of tortoise worthy of ten ho. No error is made. Forever constant, and lucky. It will be lucky for a King to use this element for offering sacrifices to an Emperor.

Interpretation. "A certain person makes him a present "this signifies that a person comes from the outer element [to give him helps].

Negative III. Is benefited with an adversity, and is free from blame. He is truthful and pursues a He takes beads with him in convers

middle course.

ing with a prince.

Interpretation. To benefit [Negative III] with an adversity, means to make him hold fast [to a right path].

Negative IV. Pursues a middle course, speaks to a prince, and is followed by him. Advantageous to remove the capital.

Interpretation. "[Negative IV] speaks to a prince and is followed" on account of his benevolent purposes.

Positive V. Is truthful, and benevolent from heart. It goes without saying, he is perfectly lucky. He is truthful, and things repay his virtue.

Interpretation. As [Positive V] is truthful, and benevolent from heart," no interrogation is needed. To say that things repay his virtue, means that his object has been perfectly attained.

Positive VI.

strikes him. Unlucky.

No one benefits him; a certain person He is inconstant in making resolutions.

Interpretation.

"No one benefits him," because

he is very selfish. "A certain person strikes him "

this individual comes from without.

EXAMPLE.

MARKET OF TANEGAMI.

Mr. Kyujiro Umiya. a friend of mine asked me of a sudden in the 9th. of Meiji, to divine the market

of tanegami of that year. I divined and obtained the change of "Eki ()" into ". "into "Kwan (W).' Note-Tanegami is paper on which the eggs of the silkworm are deposited.

"You will have a great profit, if you order for a large quantity of it in a district of silk-worming; as the "Positive I" says, "Advantageous to carry out a great undertaking. Perfectly lucky, and free from blame.' Again, this hexagram has wind above and thunder below: the wind moving, the thunder follows; advance will be without limitation. Again, the 'thunder' changed into the earth' which is productive of things. This year, you will certainly enrich yourself very greatly with the paper."

Mr. Umiya believed me, and threw as much of capitals as he could obtain for an enormous quantity of the paper. He even sold his gold watch for it, and he obtained an enormous amount of profits, that year.

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XLIII. KWAI (To clear away, to dispose of).

Kwai. [A negative element] is haughty in the royal yard, cries in earnest, and is in danger. The warning is first given in the village. Not advantageous to resort to arms; advantageous to advance.

Exposition. Kwai means to clear away; that is, the strong elements clear away a weak one. Kwai is stout as well as joyful; it clears away as well as harmonizes. "[A negative element] is haughty in the royal yard," that is a weak element has placed itself over strong ones. It "cries in earnest, and is in danger"-[the weak element hears that] he is in danger, because [he is conscious] of the gloriousness of the strong elements. "The warning is first given in the village. Not advantageous to resort to arms"-for if [arms be used] as desired, the effect will be disastrous. "Advantageous to advance," that is to say, the strong elements will end in prosperity.

Interpretation. A pond rising to the Heaven is [the emblem of] Kwai. Honourable men accordingly extend their favours to inferiors. If you remain contented in an exalted position, it will be inauspicious. Positive I. Is strong in advancing his feet. He advances, but is not victorious. He is blamable.

Interpretation. It is blamable to advance without hopes of victory.

Positive II. Is afraid and cries. An army will appear in the evening, but no anxiety need be felt. Interpretation. Though an army will appear, no anxiety need be felt, because he pursues a middle

course.

Positive III. Is strong in the cheek bone, and is unlucky. Honourable men will decide on a resolute action. [Positive III] goes alone and encounters rain. He seems to be wet, and is the object of anger, but he is free from blame.

Interpretation. "Honourable men will decide on a resolute action," and they will thus ultimately be free from blame.

Positive IV. There is no skin at the hip. He is confused in walking. He is led by a sheep and is without any remorse. He does not believe what he

hears.

Interpretation. "He is confused in walking, "because the position is improper; "He does not believe what he hears," because his understanding is not clear.

Positive V. Decides on a resolute action as readily as the purslane is teared. As he pursues a middle course, he will be free from remorse.

Interpretation. "As he pursues a middle course, he will be free from remorse, but his middle course

is not yet perfect.

Negative VI. Does not cry, and is in the end unlucky.

Interpretation.

He does not cry and is unlucky,

as he can not endure long.

EXAMPLES.

MANAGEMENT OF TREACHERORS TO A MERCHANT.

The chief clerk of a rich merchant came to me and said, "I had trusted the shop to my underclerks,