Sung / Conflict
above: Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven
below: K'an The Abysmal, Water
Nine in the second place means:
One cannot engage in conflict;
One returns home, gives way.
The people of his town,
Three hundred households,
Remain free of guilt.
In a struggle with an enemy of superior strength, retreat is no
disgrace. Timely withdrawal prevents bad consequences. If, out of a
false sense of honor, a man allowed himself to be tempted into an
unequal conflict, he would be drawing down disaster upon himself. In
such a case a wise and conciliatory attitude benefits the whole
community, which will then not be drawn into the conflict.