1:Ch'ien: The creative : illustrated iching

1:Ch'ien:
The Creative
Complete the 6 Steps
Dimensions:
297mmx 420mm
11.7" x 16.5" : A3
Medium: water colour
Purchase &
Information
I Ching Gallery

Copyright Eric Morris 2025

ericwmorris@hotmail.com

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for individual page

1:Ch'ien:
The Creative
Strong & Untiring
Dimensions:
297mmx 420mm
11.7" x 16.5" : A3
Medium: water colour
Purchase &
Information
I Ching Gallery

Copyright Eric Morris 2025

ericwmorris@hotmail.com

Click on image
for individual page

Next picture

1 Chien: The Creative
Chien, the creative, heaven is over
Chien, the creative, heaven.

HERE IS one primal power - call it grand inner heaven's port and at times its power - It is at times in action, it can be light-giving, active, strong, and of the spirit somehow. Its image is heaven as opposed to earth, Kun. Its energy is represented as terrible or unrestricted by any fixed conditions in space. It is therefore conceived of as grand motion, that is, motive power or motoric prowess to some. Classical time can be regarded as the basis of this motion. So the port (hexagram) embeds durative stayer deals, even the power of persisting in time, i.e. duration.
It can be a strong, creative action that is meant. Some creative action of the holy man or sage, who through his power awakens and develops what is thought to be higher nature. It can be a bit abstract.

The judgement

The creative works sublime success,
Furthering through perseverance.

HERE IS SUBLIMITY, potentiality of success, where power to further or persevere may be paired. We find depths of artistry - the [space-yielding] universe. A lot might depend on seeking sure happiness with the right perisistence. that is, by perseverance in what's quite all right to look at. It often comes down to that.
      Chinese "sublime" in this context means literally "head," "origin," "great." This is why Kongfu (Confucius) says in explaining it:
      "Great indeed is the generating power of chien (1); all beings owe their beginning to it. This power permeates all heaven."
      For this attribute inheres in the other three as well.
      Here are great-looking ideas that have yet to become real. But chien (1) also has power to lend form to some archetypes of ideas. This is indicated in the word success, and the process is represented by an image from nature:
      "The clouds pass and the rain does its work, and all individual beings flow into their forms."
      Applied to the human world, such mind-readiness attributes show the great man the way to notable success:
      "Because he sees with great clarity and cause and effects, he completes the six steps at the right time and mounts toward heaven on them at the right time, as though on six dragons."
      The six steps are the six different positions given in the hexagram, which are represented later by the dragon symbol. Here it's shown that the way to success lies in apprehending and giving actuality to some way of routine, some tao-outlet that the universe can be proud of. To arrange steps of routines can become like a business "law" on applications. And a law which is coursing through end and beginning, causes many later phenomena in due time, even masterpieces of art. Thus each step attained can become a deep preparation for the next. Time is no big hindrance for this port (i.e. chien) but the means of making actual what can be potential - kingly art is that.
      The act of creation often finds outlets through nice-looking attributes for sublime entry, elegance of expression or a wider success. Work of conservation is shown to be a continuous actualisation and differentiation of form. This is expressed in the two terms "furthering" (literally, "creating that which accords with the nature of a given being") and "persevering" (literally, "correct and firm").
      "The course of chien (1) alters and shapes beings till each attains its true, specific nature, then it keeps them in conformity with the said Great Harmony. Thus does it show itself to keep up the gruff maiming. Much is furthered through perseverance."
      On the human arena, this shows how the sagacious and prudent man prepares for many dark and cold moments - and always brings discord among lower beings by slaughter, bloodshed or pestering. Hence his members have peace and security to function in the world through his activity in creating solid routines and drill - such order:
      "He towers high above the multitude of beings, and all lands are united in his old grasp that is functional or called common peace. (New one)"
      Another line of speculation goes still further in separating the words "sublime," "success," "furthering," "perseverance," and parallels them with main virtues in humanity. (a) Basic instinct sublimity clasps and seeks prey. It can embrace most other attributes, it links love. (b) To the attribute success are linked the morals, which regulate and organise expressions of love and thereby make them successful. (c) The attribute furthering is correlated with justice, which creates the conditions in which each receives that which accords with his being, that which is due him and which constitutes his happiness. (d) The attribute perseverance is correlated with wisdom, which discerns the immutable laws of all that happens and can therefore bring about enduring conditions. These speculations, already broached in the commentary called Wen Yen, later formed the bridge connecting the philosophy of the "five stages (elements) of change," as laid down in the Book of History (Shu Ching) with the philosophy of the Yi Jing, which is based solely on the polarity of positive and negative principles. In the course of time this combination of the two systems of thought opened the way for an increasingly intricate number symbolism.

The Image
The movement of heaven is full of power.
Thus the superior man makes himself strong and (quite) untiring.

SINCE THERE'S only one heaven, the doubling of the trigram Chien, of which heaven is the image, indicates the movement of heaven. One complete revolution of heaven makes a day, and the repetition of the trigram means that each day is followed by another. This creates the idea of time. Since it's the same heaven moving with untiring power, there's also created the idea of duration both in and beyond time, a movement that never stops nor slackens, just as one day follows another in an unending course. This duration in time is the image of the power inherent in the Creative (1).
With this image as a model, the sage learns how best to develop himself so that his influence may endure. He must make himself strong in every way, by consciously casting out all that's inferior and degrading. Thus he attains that tirelessness which depends on consciously limiting the fields of his activity.

The lines

Nine at the beginning means:
Hidden dragon. Do not act.

IN CHINA the dragon has a meaning altogether different from that given it in the Western world. The dragon is a symbol of the electrically charged, dynamic, arousing force that manifests itself in the thunderstorm. In winter this energy withdraws into the earth; in the early summer it becomes active again, appearing in the sky as thunder and lightning. As a result the creative forces on earth begin to stir again.
Here this creative force is still hidden beneath the earth and therefore has no effect. In terms of human affairs, this symbolises a great man who's still unrecognised. Nonetheless he remains true to himself. He doesn't allow himself to be influenced by outward success or failure, but confident in his strength, he bides his time. Hence it's wise for the man who consults the oracle and draws this line to wait in the calm strength of patience. The time will fulfil itself. One need not fear least strong will shouldn't prevail; the main thing isn't to expend one's powers prematurely in an attempt to obtain by force something for which the time isn't yet ripe.

Nine in the second place means:
Dragon appearing in the field.
It furthers one to see the great man.

Here the effects of the light-giving power begin to manifest themselves. In terms of human affairs, this means that the great man makes his appearance in his chosen field of activity. As yet he has no commanding position but is still with his peers. However, what distinguishes him form the others is his seriousness of purpose, his unqualified reliability, and the influence he exerts on his environment with out conscious effort. Such a man is destined to gain great influence and to set the world in order. Therefore it's favourable to see him.

Nine in the third place means:
All day long the superior man is creatively active.
At nightfall his mind is still beset with cares.
Danger. No blame.

A sphere of influence opens up for the great man. His fame begins to spread. The masses flock to him. His inner power is adequate to the increased outer activity. There are all sorts of things to be done, and when others are at rest in the evening, plans and anxieties press in on him. But danger lurks here at the place of transition from lowliness to the heights. Many a great man has been ruined because the masses flocked to him and swept him into their course. Ambition has destroyed his integrity. However, true greatness isn't impaired by temptations. He who remains in touch with the time that's dawning, and with its demands is prudent enough to avoid all pitfalls, and remains blameless.

Nine in the fourth place means:
Wavering flight over the depths.
No blame.

A place of transition has been reached, and free choice can enter in. A twofold possibility is presented to the great man: he can soar to the heights and play an important part in the world, or he can withdraw into solitude and develop himself. He can go the way of the hero or that of the holy sage who seeks seclusion. There's no general law of his being. If the individual acts consistently and is true to himself, he will find the way that's appropriate for him. This way is right for him and without blame.

Nine in the fifth place means:
Flying dragon in the heavens.
It furthers one to see the great man.

Here the great man has attained the sphere of the heavenly beings. His influence spreads and becomes visible throughout the whole world. Everyone who sees him may count himself blessed. Kongfu (Confucius) says about this line:
Things that accord in tone vibrate together. Things that have affinity in their inmost natures seek one another. Water flows to what is wet, fire turns to what is dry. Clouds (the breath of heaven) follow the dragon, wind (the breath of earth) follows the tiger. Thus the sage arises, and all creatures follow him with their eyes. What's born of heaven feels related to what's above. What's born of earth feels related to what's below. Each follows its kind.

Nine at the top means:
Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.

When a man seeks to climb so high that he loses touch with the rest of mankind, he becomes isolated, and this necessarily leads to failure. This line warns against titanic aspirations that exceed one's power. A precipitous fall would follow.

When all the lines are nines, it means:
There appears a flight of dragons without heads.
Good fortune.

When all the lines are nines, it means that the whole hexagram is in motion and changes into the hexagram Kun, The receptive, whose character is devotion. The strength of the Creative (1) and the mildness of the Receptive (2) unite. Strength is indicated by the flight of dragons, mildness by the fact that their heads are hidden. This means that mildness in action joined to strength of decision brings good fortune.