鐔津文集 6.10

6.10

The Book of Changes says: ‘Xun [The Gentle] is used to exercise expedience.’ What does this mean? I say: The gentleman rides upon supreme compliance to undertake his affairs. If the times are not compliant, even Yao and Shun would not begin to act. Double Xun is the utmost of compliance. The yang line obtains its proper station, and being central and upright, it is appropriate to the station. Being firm and upright in order to employ Xun, its application is appropriate; therefore the gentleman acts. Riding upon its compliance, treading upon its center, and proving its function, there is nowhere his way does not go, and nothing that does not support him. If so, then the compliance of the times must involve great expedience, and only then can he command what is correct; the exercise of expedience must involve a great man, and only then can he manage the changes. Expedience means adapting to circumstances. When a great man changes, it is impartial; when a petty man changes, it is selfish. Expedience is that upon which order or disorder, safety or danger depends; therefore expedience cannot be lent to others. Confucius said: ‘One may study together with someone, yet not be able to proceed toward the Way with him; one may proceed toward the Way with him, yet not be able to stand firm with him; one may stand firm with him, yet not be able to exercise expedience with him.’ This is the utmost in caution! Supreme compliance is the time of great enterprise. The position that is central and upright is the ruler's position. Being firm and upright and employing Xun is the great expedience of the world. Only the Son of Heaven occupies his position and exercises his expedience to comply with his times. Employing Xun is that by which he regulates things. Employing Xun must not be displayed to the people so as to let them know it: if regulation fails to regulate, there will be disorder; if one is cautious and secretive, the people will not know its reasons, and wickedness will not arise. Therefore the Commentary on the Words says: ‘Notes of the same pitch respond to one another; creatures of the same qi seek one another. Water flows toward what is wet; fire tends toward what is dry. Clouds follow the dragon; wind follows the tiger. When the sage arises, the myriad things are seen. Those rooted in Heaven feel affinity for what is above; those rooted in Earth feel affinity for what is below; each follows its kind.’ The nine in the second place says: ‘Xun is beneath the bed.’ This means that it is lowly and has lost its correctness; one must not employ Xun. If one employs Xun, things will not support him, and moreover there will be disorder. The nine at the top says: ‘Xun is beneath the bed; he loses his axe; divination is inauspicious.’ This means that when the time has passed, employing decisiveness is impermissible; this is losing one's expedience. The nine in the fifth place says: ‘Three days before geng, three days after geng.’ This speaks of being cautious in issuing orders. Therefore, orders must not be lightly issued or repeatedly altered. For this reason, employing Xun is not appropriate in the nine in the second place; for the nine at the top, employing Xun is certainly impermissible; the nine in the fifth place is that which employs Xun and ought to have sole charge of issuing orders.