Ch'ienThe Creative

Great indeed is the creative power of Qian. All things receive their beginning from it, and it rules heaven. Clouds move and rain falls; all beings take shape. With the six lines each fulfilling its time, one rides the six dragons to govern heaven. Through the transformations of the Way of Qian, each thing finds its true nature and destiny, preserving great harmony; thus perseverance furthers. It heads forth among all beings, and all lands find peace.

Qian is the power of heaven in full creative motion. It initiates all beings, orders their unfolding, and brings harmony when one follows its course with steadiness and correctness.

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

Since there is only one heaven, the doubling of the trigram Ch'ien, 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 is the same heaven moving with untiring power, there is 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. 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 is inferior and degrading. Thus he attains that tirelessness which depends upon consciously limiting the fields of his activity.

"Origin" is the head of goodness; "success" is the gathering of what is fine; "benefit" is the harmony of righteousness; "perseverance" is the backbone of affairs. A noble person who embodies benevolence is fit to lead others; who gathers what is fine is fit to unite rites; who benefits things is fit to harmonize righteousness; who is firmly correct is fit to accomplish work. Because the noble person practices these four virtues, it is said: "Qian: origin, success, benefit, perseverance." The first nine says, "Hidden dragon. Do not act." What does this mean? The Master said: "It means one with dragon virtue who remains concealed. Not changed by the world, not seeking fame. Withdrawn from the world without distress, unrecognized without distress. If joyful in it, he acts; if troubled by it, he refrains. Firm indeed, not to be uprooted: this is the hidden dragon." The second nine says, "Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great person." What does this mean? The Master said: "It means one with dragon virtue who is correct and centered. Trustworthy in ordinary speech, careful in ordinary conduct, guarding against evil while preserving sincerity, doing good in the world without boasting, broad in virtue and transformative. The Changes says, 'Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great person.' This is the virtue of a ruler." The third nine says, "The noble person works creatively all day, and at night remains vigilant. Danger. No blame." What does this mean? The Master said: "The noble person advances virtue and cultivates work. Loyalty and trust are what advance virtue. Refining one's words and establishing sincerity are what secure one's work. To know when the time has come and arrive there is to be fit to discuss the subtle. To know when the end has come and end there is to be fit to preserve righteousness. Therefore, when in high position one is not arrogant; when in low position one is not anxious. Thus one works creatively all day and stays vigilant according to the time; though in danger, there is no blame." The fourth nine says, "Perhaps leaping in the abyss. No blame." What does this mean? The Master said: "Going up and down without fixed rule is not for the sake of evil; advancing and retreating without constancy is not separation from the group. The noble person advances virtue and cultivates work, wishing to seize the proper time; therefore there is no blame." The fifth nine says, "Flying dragon in the heavens. It furthers one to see the great person." What does this mean? The Master said: "Like sounds respond to one another; like breaths seek one another. Water flows toward what is wet; fire moves toward what is dry. Clouds follow the dragon; wind follows the tiger. When the sage arises, all things look toward him. What is rooted in heaven tends upward; what is rooted in earth tends downward; thus each follows its kind." The top nine says, "Arrogant dragon has cause to repent." What does this mean? The Master said: "Noble yet without position, lofty yet without the people, worthy people below yet without assistance; therefore when he acts, he has cause for regret." "Hidden dragon. Do not act" means being below. "Dragon appearing in the field" means the time for appearing has come. "Working creatively all day" means attending to one's affairs. "Perhaps leaping in the abyss" means testing oneself. "Flying dragon in the heavens" means governing from above. "Arrogant dragon has cause to repent" means the disaster of exhaustion at the limit. When Qian's primal force uses the nine, all under heaven is governed. "Hidden dragon. Do not act" means the yang energy is hidden. "Dragon appearing in the field" means culture and brightness spread through the world. "Working creatively all day" means moving in step with the time. "Perhaps leaping in the abyss" means the way of Qian is changing. "Flying dragon in the heavens" means being placed in the virtue of heaven. "Arrogant dragon has cause to repent" means reaching the extreme together with the time. When Qian's primal force uses the nine, the rule of heaven becomes visible. Qian's primal force is that which begins and thereby brings success; benefit and perseverance are its nature and disposition. At the beginning, Qian is able to benefit the world with beautiful benefit, yet does not speak of what it benefits. Great indeed! Great indeed is Qian: firm, strong, centered, correct, pure, and refined. The six lines unfold their functions and extend to the feelings of all things. Riding the six dragons according to the times, one governs heaven. Clouds move and rain falls, and all under heaven is at peace. The noble person takes the completion of virtue as action, action that can be seen day by day. As for the word "hidden," it means concealed and not yet visible, active yet not yet accomplished; therefore the noble person does not act. The noble person studies to gather it, asks to discern it, dwells in it with generosity, and puts it into practice with benevolence. The Changes says, "Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great person." This is the virtue of a ruler. The third nine is doubly firm but not centered; above, it is not in heaven, and below, not in the field. Therefore it "works creatively" and remains "vigilant" according to the time; though in danger, there is "no blame." The fourth nine is doubly firm but not centered; above, it is not in heaven, below, not in the field, and in the middle, not among people. Therefore there is the word "perhaps." "Perhaps" means doubt; therefore there is "no blame." As for the "great person," they join heaven and earth in virtue, join sun and moon in brightness, join the four seasons in sequence, and join spirits and gods in good fortune and misfortune. Going before heaven, heaven does not oppose; following heaven, they accord with the time of heaven. If heaven itself does not oppose them, how much less would people? How much less spirits and gods? As for the word "arrogant," it means knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to endure but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose. Perhaps only the sage is like this: knowing advance and retreat, survival and loss, yet never departing from what is right. Perhaps only the sage can do this!

"Origin" means the beginning of all goodness; "success" means the meeting of all that is beautiful; "benefit" means the harmony of righteousness; and "perseverance" means the foundation of all undertakings. A noble person who embodies benevolence can lead others; one who brings together what is fine can accord with ritual; one who benefits all things can harmonize with righteousness; and one who firmly keeps to what is right can accomplish work. Because the noble person practices these four virtues, the text says: "Qian stands for origin, success, benefit, and perseverance." When the first line says, "The dragon lies hidden; do not act," Confucius explains that this refers to a person of dragon-like virtue who remains in concealment. Such a person is not changed by the world, does not chase fame, can withdraw without bitterness, and is not distressed when unrecognized. They act when it is truly fitting and refrain when it is not. Firm and unshakable, this is the hidden dragon. When the second line says, "The dragon appears in the field; it is beneficial to see the great person," Confucius says this refers to one of dragon virtue who occupies the central and correct position. Such a person is trustworthy in everyday speech, careful in ordinary conduct, keeps out what is corrupt while preserving sincerity, does good in the world without boasting, and possesses broad virtue that transforms others. This is the virtue proper to a ruler. When the third line says, "The noble person works diligently all day and remains watchful at night; though in danger, there is no blame," Confucius explains that the noble person must advance virtue and cultivate their work. Loyalty and trust deepen virtue; refining one's words and establishing sincerity secure one's undertakings. One should know when the moment has arrived and grasp it, and know when something should end and stop there. Thus one may hold high position without pride and low position without anxiety. Remaining diligent and alert in accord with the time, one can face danger without disaster. When the fourth line says, "Now leaping in the abyss, now holding back; no blame," Confucius explains that rising and sinking without fixed pattern is not wrongdoing, and advancing or withdrawing without constancy does not mean abandoning others. The noble person cultivates virtue and work in order to seize the right moment, and therefore incurs no blame. When the fifth line says, "The dragon flies in heaven; it is beneficial to see the great person," Confucius says that like voices answer one another and like energies seek one another. Water flows toward what is wet, fire moves toward what is dry, clouds follow the dragon, and wind follows the tiger. When the sage appears, all things become visible. What belongs to heaven tends upward, what belongs to earth tends downward, and each thing follows its own kind. When the top line says, "The dragon flies too high and will have regret," Confucius explains that this means one may be honored yet lack true office, stand high yet lose the people, or have worthy people below without support. Therefore action at such a moment leads to regret. "The hidden dragon" means being in a low place. "The dragon appearing in the field" means the time is opening out. "Diligence all day" means applying oneself to action. "Leaping in the abyss" means testing oneself. "The dragon flying in heaven" means governing from the highest place. "The dragon flying too high" means the disaster that comes when things are pushed to the end. When all the nines of Qian are activated, the world is brought into order. Again: "The hidden dragon" means yang energy still lies concealed. "The dragon appearing in the field" means civilization becomes manifest under heaven. "Diligence all day" means advancing together with the time. "Leaping in the abyss" means the way of Qian is entering transformation. "The dragon flying in heaven" means dwelling in the position of heavenly virtue. "The dragon flying too high" means reaching the extreme of the time. When all the nines of Qian are activated, the laws of heaven become visible. Qian's primal force is that which initiates and thereby brings free unfolding; benefit and perseverance are the true nature of things. From the beginning, Qian is able to bestow beautiful benefit on the whole world without speaking of its own merit. How great this is. Great indeed is Qian: firm, strong, centered, upright, pure, and concentrated. The six lines display their power and communicate with the conditions of all things. Riding the six dragons in their proper times, one governs heaven and earth. As clouds move and rain falls, peace spreads through the world. The noble person takes the accomplishment of virtue as their way of acting, making it visible day by day. "Hidden" means concealed and not yet seen, active but not yet accomplished, so the noble person does not yet step forward. The noble person gathers knowledge through study, clarifies it through questioning, dwells in the world with generosity, and acts with benevolence. This is why the text says, "The dragon appears in the field; it is beneficial to see the great person." It speaks of sovereign virtue. The third line is strongly yang but not centered; it is neither in heaven above nor in the field below, so it must be diligent and watchful according to the time. Though danger exists, there is no blame. The fourth line is likewise strongly yang but not centered; it is neither in heaven above, nor in the field below, nor in the place of human affairs in between, and therefore the text says "perhaps," indicating uncertainty. Because it is uncertain rather than reckless, there is no blame. The "great person" is one whose virtue accords with heaven and earth, whose brightness accords with sun and moon, whose order accords with the four seasons, and whose judgment of fortune and misfortune accords with spirits and gods. If such a person acts before heaven, heaven does not oppose; if they act after heaven, they still follow heaven's timing. If heaven does not oppose them, how much less will people or spirits do so? What "too high" means is knowing only how to advance and not how to retreat, knowing only how to preserve oneself and not how to face loss, knowing only how to gain and not how to let go. Only the sage truly understands the principles of advance and retreat, survival and decline, and yet never loses what is proper.