Scryway

Hexagram 42

益 Yì · Increase

Legge: Yi

☴ Wind, wood (Xùn) above ☳ Thunder (Zhèn)

Scryway summary

Modern commentary written for Scryway. Not part of the classic text.

Adding from above to below. A time to grow, help others and cross great waters.

The judgment

Yi indicates that (in the state which it denotes) there will be advantage in every movement which shall be undertaken, that it will be advantageous (even) to cross the great stream.

The image

(The trigram representing) wind and that for thunder form Yi. The superior man, in accordance with this, when he sees what is good, moves towards it; and when he sees his errors, he turns from them.

The lines, bottom to top

  1. Bottom line, solid

    The first line, undivided, shows that it will be advantageous for its subject in his position to make a great movement. If it be greatly fortunate, no blame will be imputed to him.

  2. Second line, broken

    The second line, divided, shows parties adding to the stores of its subject ten pairs of tortoise shells whose oracles cannot be opposed. Let him persevere in being firm and correct, and there will be good fortune. Let the king, (having the virtues thus distinguished), employ them in presenting his offerings to God, and there will be good fortune.

  3. Third line, broken

    The third line, divided, shows increase given to its subject by means of what is evil, so that he shall (be led to good), and be without blame. Let him be sincere and pursue the path of the Mean, (so shall he secure the recognition of the ruler, like) an officer who announces himself to his prince by the symbol of his rank.

  4. Fourth line, broken

    The fourth line, divided, shows its subject pursuing the due course. His advice to his prince is followed. He can with advantage be relied on in such a movement as that of removing the capital.

  5. Fifth line, solid

    The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject with sincere heart seeking to benefit (all below). There need be no question about it; the result will be great good fortune. (All below) will with sincere heart acknowledge his goodness.

  6. Top line, solid

    In the sixth line, undivided, we see one to whose increase none will contribute, while many will seek to assail him. He observes no regular rule in the ordering of his heart. There will be evil.

Quoted from James Legge (trans.), The Yi King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1882. Public domain. The image is from Legge’s Appendix II. Words in parentheses are Legge’s additions.