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Chinese Text Project
Simplified Chinese version
Show translation:[None] [English]

《咸 - Xian》

English translation: James Legge [?] Library Resources
1 咸:
咸,感也。柔上而刚下,二气感应以相与,止而说,男下女,是以亨利贞,取女吉也。天地感而万物化生,圣人感人心而天下和平,观其所感,而天地万物之情可见矣。
Tuan Zhuan:
Xian is here used in the sense of Kan, meaning (mutually) influencing. The weak (trigram) above, and the strong one below; their two influences moving and responding to each other, and thereby forming a union; the repression (of the one) and the satisfaction (of the other); (with their relative position), where the male is placed below the female: - all these things convey the notion of 'a free and successful course (on the fulfilment of the conditions), while the advantage will depend on being firm and correct, as in marrying a young lady, and there will be good fortune.' Heaven and earth exert their influences, and there ensue the transformation and production of all things. The sages influence the minds of men, and the result is harmony and peace all under the sky. If we look at (the method and issues) of those influences, the true character of heaven and earth and of all things can be seen.

URN: ctp:book-of-changes/xian1