37. Chia Jên / The Family

Top: Wind | Bottom: Fire

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The hexagram represents the laws obtaining within the family. The strong line at the top

represents the father, the lowest the son. The strong line in the fifth place represents the husband,

the yielding second line the wife. On the other hand, the two strong lines in the fifth and the third

place represent two brothers, and the two weak lines correlated with them in the fourth and the

second place stand for their respective wives. Thus all the connections and relationships within

the family find their appropriate expression. Each individual line has the character according

with its place. The fact that a strong line occupies the sixth place-where a weak line might be

expected-indicates very clearly the strong leadership that must come from the head of the family.

The line is to be considered here not in its quality as the sixth but in its quality as the top line.

THE FAMILY shows the laws operative within the household that, transferred to outside life,

keep the state and the world in order. The influence that goes out from within the family is

represented by the symbol of the wind created by fire.

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THE JUDGMENT

The perseverance of the woman furthers.

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The foundation of the family is the relationship between husband and wife. The tie that hold the

family together lies in the loyalty and perseverance of the wife. The tie that holds the family

together lies in the loyalty and perseverance of the wife. Her place is within (second line), while

that of the husband is without (fifth line). It is in accord with the great laws of nature that

husband and wife take their proper places. Within the family a strong authority is needed; this is

represented by the parents. If the father is really a father and the son a son, if the elder brother

fulfills his position, and the younger fulfills his, if the husband is really a husband and the wife a

wife, then the family is in order. When the family is in order, all the social relationships of

mankind will be in order. Three of the five social relationships are to be found within the familythat

between father and son, which is the relation of love, that between the husband and wife,

which is the relation of chaste conduct, and that between elder and younger brother, which is the

relation of correctness. The loving reverence of the son is then carried over to the prince in the

form of faithfulness to duty; the affection and correctness of behavior existing between the two

brothers are extended to a friend in the form of loyalty, and to a person of superior rank in the

form of deference. The family is society in the embryo; it is the native soil on which performance

of moral duty is made early through natural affection, so that within a small circle a basis of

moral practice is created, and this is later widened to include human relationships in general.

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THE IMAGE

Wind comes forth from fire: Thus the superior man has substance in his words and duration in his

way of life.

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Heat creates energy: this is signified by the wind stirred up by the fire and issuing forth form it.

This represents influence working from within outward. The same thing is needed in the

regulation of the family. Here too the influence on others must proceed form one's own person. In

order to be capable of producing such an influence, one's words must have power, and this they

can have only if they are based on something real, just as flame depends on its fuel Words have

influence only when they are pertinent and clearly related to definite circumstances. General

discourses and admonitions have no effect whatsoever. Furthermore, the words must be

supported by one's entire conduct, just as the wind is made effective by am impression on others

that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and consistent, they

will have no effect.

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THE LINES

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Nine at the beginning means:

Firm seclusion within the family. Remorse disappears.

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The family must form a well-defined unit within which each member knows his place. From the

beginning each child must be accustomed to firmly established rules of order, before ever its will

is directed to other things. If we begin too late to enforce order, when the will of the child has

already been overindulged, the whims and passions, grown stronger with the years, offer

resistance and give cause for remorse. If we insist on order from the outset, occasions for

remorse may arise-in general social life these are unavoidable-but the remorse always disappears

again, and everything rights itself. For there is nothing easily avoided and more difficult to carry

through than "breaking a child's will."

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Six in the second place means:

She should not follow her whims. She must attend within to the food. Perseverance brings good

fortune.

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The wife must always be guided by the will of the master of the house, be he father, husband, or

grown son. There, without having to look for them, she has great and important duties. She must

attend to the nourishment of her family and to the food for the sacrifice. IN this way she becomes

the center of the social and religious life of the family, and her perseverance in this position

brings good fortune to the whole house. In relation to general conditions, the counsel here is to

seek nothing by means of force, but quietly to confine oneself to the duties at hand.

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Nine in the third place means:

When tempers flare up in the family, too great severity brings remorse. Good fortune nonetheless.

When woman and child dally and laugh. It leads in the end to humiliation.

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In the family the proper mean between severity and indulgence ought to prevail. Too great

severity toward one's own flesh and blood leads to remorse. The wise thing is to build strong

dikes within which complete freedom of movement is allowed each individual. But in doubtful

instances too great severity, despite occasional mistakes, is preferable, because it preserves

discipline in the family, whereas too great weakness leads to disgrace.

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Six in the fourth place means:

She is the treasure of the house. Great good fortune.

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It is upon the woman of the house that the well-being of the family depends. Well-being prevails

when expenditures and income are soundly balanced. This leads to great good fortune. In the

sphere of public life, this line refers to the faithful steward whose measures further the general

welfare.

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Nine in the fifth place means:

As a king he approaches his family. Fear not. Good fortune.

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A king is the symbol of a fatherly man who is richly endowed in mind. He does nothing to make

himself feared; on the contrary, the whole family can trust him, because love governs their

intercourse. His character of itself exercises the right influence.

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Nine at the top means:

His work commands respect. In the end good fortune comes.

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In the last analysis, order within the family depends on the character of the master of the house.

If he cultivates his personality so that it works impressively through the force of inner truth, all

goes well with the family. In a ruling position one must of his own accord assume responsibility.

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