1 Qian2 乾The lower: Qian2 (perseverance, heaven). The upper: Qian2 (perseverance, heaven).Qian2: creativity and perseverance, heaven; the qualities of a founder and leader.
HexagramPreface:Trigram Qian2 (乾) represents heaven (天). In Chinese culture, 天tian, heavens and celestial bodies, is seen as the supreme power (Heaven) that creates and dominates the world. Hexagram Qian2 is composed of two Qian2 trigrams. The name indicates its instinct, characteristic and significance. 乾qian2 itself depicts brilliant sunlight at sunrise (倝gan4) which arouses all life and stimulates prosperity. It also denotes a newly-sprouting plant struggling to grow toward the sun as seen in 乙yi3. Like Heaven, hexagram Qian2 fulfills its assigned mission of creating by being the first hexagram of the I Ching. Heavens circle around the ground where all creatures live (the earth) day and night, season after season, year upon year without slackening or neglect. Starting from the bottom, the six solid, masculine lines of Qian2 display themselves strongly and firmly toward the top, indicating that Qian2 behaves as perseveringly as the heavens. The I Ching begins with hexagrams Qian2 and Kun (submissiveness, earth). They are formed on behalf of heaven and earth. Like Heaven and earth creating and accommodating the world, their masculine and feminine give birth to the remaining 62 hexagrams in sequential order, constructing the world of the I Ching.
Qian2 (creativity and perseverance, heaven): It possesses the virtues of origination (i.e. a great new beginning full of creative power), smooth progress, advantage (or appropriateness, i.e. being appropriate for all concerned, which creates benefit), and persistence (in maintaining what has been achieved and righteously carrying on toward what is intended). Commentary on the text (Tuan Zhuan): The mighty origination of Qian2! Like that of Heaven by which the whole of Creation is set in motion; as a result it rules the heavens. The clouds are flying and the rain is falling; all manner of substance comes into being. The great brightness (i.e. the masculine Yang of Qian2) ends the same way it starts. Six positions are established according to the sequence of time, and its lines advance along the timeline, step by step, like riding the dragon to dominate the heavens in an opportune manner and fulfill the mission of Qian2. With the norm of Qian2 varying, each line develops and forms its own character and destiny; this is like the whole of Creation evolving into its own features, according to the rules of Heaven, and living together in symbiosis and harmony. Thus it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in maintaining what has been achieved and righteously carrying on toward what is intended. The saint among the ordinary people becomes the leader; countries around the world all become peaceful. This is the ultimate end and the true spirit of Qian2.Text explanation:Qian2 is the first hexagram of the I Ching, representing a new and great start which is full of creative power like the origination of Heaven that creates the world and gives life to all creatures. By merging with the feminine of hexagram Kun (2), the world of the I Ching is produced. All creatures coming into being is regarded as the smooth progress of Heaven. The masculine lines of hexagram Qian2 advancing in a straightforward way to the end and where Hexagram Kun appears is the smooth progress of Qian2. All creatures follow the rule of Heaven to mature and develop their own unique features, as well as live together in symbiosis and harmony. So too, hexagram Qian2 will act as Heaven to establish appropriate environments for all concerned, so that all its lines can live together peacefully with their individual characters and destinies. This is its creating benefit. Therefore it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in what is intended, maintaining what has been achieved, and carrying out these tasks righteously, continuously and ceaselessly. Origination, smooth progress, advantage, and persistence are the four virtues of hexagram Qian2. Confucius paraphrased them as: the fountain of goodness (i.e. benevolence, like the creativity of Heaven); the convergence of optimums (i.e. the favourable interplay between the masculine and feminine, or founder and adherent, or leader and assistant in accord with etiquette); the sum of appropriate acts; and principles when dealing with tasks (i.e. persistence in benevolence, etiquette and appropriate acts). All these constitute the pattern of a gentleman’s behaviour. Possessing benevolence enables him to lead people; conforming to etiquette enables him to create favourable interplay; acting appropriately enables him to benefit all concerned; and persisting (in benevolence, etiquette and appropriate acts) enable him to carry out various tasks (with wisdom). Commentary on the image (Da Xiang Zhuan): The heavens perform with perseverance, in accordance with which a gentleman exerts himself strongly and tirelessly.Overview:Hexagram Qian2 is a new start which is full of creative power and fundamental to initiation. It will progress smoothly as its masculine lines orderly appear along the timeline. However, the clouds flying in the wake of the dragon require cold wind to produce rain, and the masculine of Qian2 needs the feminine of Kun to give birth to life. Therefore Qian2 must act strongly without tiring until the end of the hexagram where it starts changing and femininity appears. Persistence bears fruit. Qian2 behaves like Heaven, therefore it will progress smoothly. However, its actions must be appropriate for all concerned and it must persevere in its goals. The four virtues of hexagram Qian2 can also be interpreted as creation, smooth progress, harvest and benefit, as well as preservation. These can be likened to spring, summer, autumn and winter in terms of sprouting, prosperous growth, maturity and harvest, and proper storage to maintain vitality. The four virtues of Qian2 are unconditional. To persist in maintaining what has been achieved is the most important aspect as its virtues can then recur continually, like the seasons following each other endlessly. LinesDeduction:
|