43. Kuai / Break-through 

Top: Lake | Bottom: Heaven

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THE SUMMARY

This hexagram signifies on the one hand a break-through after a long accumulation of tension, as

a swollen river breaks through its dikes, or in the manner of a cloudburst. On the other hand,

when applied to human conditions, it refers to the time when inferior people or social conflict

gradually begin to disappear. Their influence is on the wane; as a result of resolute action, a change

in conditions occurs, a break-through. The hexagram is linked with the third month [April-May].

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THE JUDGMENT

One must resolutely make the matter known at the court of the king. It must be announced truthfully. Danger. It is necessary to notify one's own city. It does not further to resort to arms. It furthers one to undertake something.

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Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is able to oppress

superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason.

Passion and reason cannot exist side by side-therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the

good is to prevail. In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite

rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be based on a union

of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with evil is not possible; evil must under all

circumstances be openly discredited. Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed

over. Third, the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of

weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose in the end because

thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion. Therefore it is important to begin at home,

to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no

opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil becomes dulled. For the same reasons we

should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them, they continue

victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.

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THE IMAGE

The lake has risen up to heaven: Thus the superior man dispenses riches downward and refrains

from resting on his virtue.

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When the water of a lake has risen up to heaven, there is reason to fear a cloudburst. Taking this

as a warning, the superior man forestalls a violent collapse. If a man were to pile up riches for

himself alone, without considering others, he would certainly experience a collapse. If a man

were to pile up riches for himself alone, without considering others, he would certainly

experience a collapse. For all gathering is followed by dispersion. Therefore the superior man

begins to distribute while he is accumulating. In the same way, in developing his character he

takes care not to become hardened in obstinacy but to remain receptive to impressions by help of

strict and continuous self-examination.

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THE LINES

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Nine at the beginning means:

Mighty in the forward-striding toes. When one goes and is not equal to the task, one makes a mistake.

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In times of resolute advance, the beginning is especially difficult. We feel inspired to press

forward but resistance is still strong; therefore we ought to gauge our own strength and venture

only so far as we can go with certainty of success. To plunge blindly ahead is wrong, because it

is precisely at the beginning that an unexpected setback can have the most disastrous results.

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Nine in the second place means:

A cry of alarm. Arms at evening and at night. Fear nothing.

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Readiness is everything. Resolution is indissolubly bound up with caution. If an individual is

careful and keeps his wits about him, he need not become excited or alarmed. If he is watchful at

all times, even before danger is present, he is armed when danger approaches and need not be

afraid. The superior man is on his guard against what is not yet in sight and on the alert for what

is not yet within hearing; therefore he dwells in the midst of difficulties as thought hey did not

exist. If a man develops his character, people submit to him of their own accord. If reason

triumphs, the passions withdraw of themselves. To be circumspect and not to forget one's armor

is the right way to security.

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Nine in the third place means:

To be powerful in the cheekbones brings misfortune. The superior man is firmly resolved. He walks alone and is caught in the rain. He is bespattered, and people murmur against him. No blame.

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Here we have a man in an ambiguous situation. While all others are engaged in a resolute fight

against all that is inferior, he alone has a certain relationship with an inferior man. If he were to

show strength outwardly and turn against this man before the time is ripe, he would only

endanger the entire situation, because the inferior man would too quickly have recourse to

countermeasures. The task of the superior man becomes extremely difficult here. He must be

firmly resolved within himself and, while maintaining association with the inferior man, avoid

any participation in his evilness. He will of course be misjudged. It will be thought that he

belong to the party of the inferior man. He will be lonely because no one will understand him.

His relations with the inferior man will sully him in the eyes of the multitude, and they will turn

against him, grumbling. But he can endure this lack of appreciation and makes no mistake,

because he remains true to himself.

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Nine in the fourth place means:

There is no skin on his thighs, and walking comes hard. If a man were to let himself be led like a

sheep, remorse would disappear. But if these words are heard they will not be believed.

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Here a man is suffering from inner restlessness and cannot abide in his place. He would like to

push forward under any circumstances, but encounters insuperable obstacles. Thus his situation

entails an inner conflict. This is due to the obstinacy with which he seeks to enforce his will. If

he would desist from this obstinacy, everything would go well. But this advice, like so much

other good counsel, will be ignored. For obstinacy makes a man unable to hear, for all that he has

ears.

 

Nine in the fifth place means:

In dealing with weeds, firm resolution is necessary. Walking in the middle remains free of blame.

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Weeds always grow back again and are difficult to exterminate. So too the struggle against an

inferior man in a high position demands firm resolution. One has certain relations with him,

hence there is danger that one may give up the struggle as hopeless. But this must not be. One

must go on resolutely and not allow himself to be deflected from him course. Only in this way

does one remain free of blame.

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Six at the top means:

No cry. In the end misfortune comes.

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Victory seems to have been achieved. There remains merely a remnant of the evil resolutely to

be eradicated as the time demands. Everything looks easy. Just there, however, lies the danger. If

we are not on guard, evil will succeed in escaping by means of concealment, and when it has

eluded us new misfortunes will develop from the remaining seeds, for evil does not die easily. So

too in dealing with the evil in own's own character, one must go to work with thoroughness. If

out of carelessness anything were to be overlooked, new evil would arise from it.