The Arousing

(Shock, Thunder)

Thunder above

Thunder below

Translated from Richard Wilhelm's German (1924)

Introduction

The trigram Zhen is the eldest son, who takes command with energy and power. A yang line arises beneath two yin lines and pushes powerfully upward. This movement is violent enough to arouse terror. Its image is thunder, which breaks out of the earth and through its shock causes fear and trembling.

The Judgment

Shock brings success. Shock comes: hu, hu! Laughing words: ha, ha! Shock terrifies a hundred miles around, and one does not drop the sacrificial ladle and cup.

The shock that rises as God comes forth in the depths of the earth makes people afraid, but this fear of God is a good thing, for it makes it possible for merriment and joy to follow. Once one has learned inwardly what fear and trembling are, one is safe from the terror that outside influences bring. Even if the thunder roars so that it terrifies a hundred miles around, one remains inwardly so composed and reverent that one does not interrupt the sacrificial rite. Such deep inner earnestness, from which all outer terrors rebound powerless, is the frame of mind that leaders of people and rulers must have.

The Image

Repeated thunder: the image of shock. So the noble one, in fear and trembling, sets their life right and examines themselves.

Repeated thunder brings fear and trembling through its shock. So the noble one always stands in reverence before the coming forth of God, puts their life in order and examines their heart for anything that secretly goes against the will of God. So reverence is the foundation of a true shaping of life.

The Lines

First line, nine

Shock comes: hu, hu! Then laughing words follow: ha, ha! Good fortune.

The fear and trembling of shock come to one first, so that one finds oneself at a disadvantage compared with the others. But this is only for the time being. Once one has come through the ordeal, relief comes. And so, seen as a whole, the very terror that one first has to enter brings good fortune.

Second line, six

Shock comes with danger. You lose your treasures a hundred thousand times over and have to climb up the nine hills. Do not chase after them. After seven days you get them back.

A situation is depicted in which a shock puts one in danger and one suffers great losses. Conditions are such that resistance runs against the direction in which the time is moving, and so it meets with no success. That is why one should simply withdraw to heights that the threatening dangers cannot reach. One has to accept the loss of possessions and should not trouble oneself too much about it. Without chasing after one's possessions, one will get them back of their own accord once the time whose shocks robbed one of them is over.

Third line, six

Shock comes and leaves one stunned. If one acts because of the shock, one remains free of disaster.

Shock is of three kinds: the shock of heaven, that is, thunder; then the shock of fate; and lastly the shock of the heart.

Here it is less a matter of inner shock than of the shock of fate. During such times of shock one too easily loses one's presence of mind, so that one fails to see any of the possibilities for action and silently lets fate take its course. If one lets the shock of fate stir one to inner movement, one will overcome the outer blows of fate without great effort.

Fourth line, nine

Shock sinks into mud.

The success of inner movement also depends in part on circumstances. If circumstances offer neither a resistance that could be fought with energy nor things that give way so that a victory can be won, and everything is instead as thick and sluggish as mud, the movement is paralyzed.

Fifth line, six

Shock goes back and forth: danger. But one loses nothing at all; there are only matters to attend to.

Here there is not just a single shock but a repeated one, which leaves no time at all to catch one's breath. But even so, the shock brings no loss, since one takes care to keep to the center of the movement and so to be spared the fate of being tossed helplessly back and forth.

Top line, six

Shock brings ruin and anxious glances all around. Going forward brings misfortune. If it has not yet reached one's own body but has only reached the neighbor so far, there is no fault. The companions have something to say.

When inner shock has risen to its height, it robs one of one's wits and of clear sight. In such a shock, acting with a level head is of course impossible. The right thing then is to keep still until calm and clarity have returned.

But one can do this only as long as one has not yet been infected by the excitement oneself, while one can already see the ill effects of such agitation in those around one. If one withdraws from action in time, one remains free of mistakes and harm. But the companions, who in their agitation will no longer listen to warnings, are sure to be displeased with one. Yet one must pay no heed to that.

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