Ch'ien / The Creative
above: Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven
below: Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven
Nine at the beginning means:
Hidden dragon. Do not act.
In China the dragon has a meaning altogether different from that given
it in the Western world. The dragon is a symbol of the electrically
charged, dynamic, arousing force that manifests itself in the
thunderstorm. In winter this energy withdraws into the earth; in the
early summer it becomes active again, appearing in the sky as thunder
and lightning. As a result the creative forces on earth begin to stir
again.
Here this creative force is still hidden beneath the earth and
therefore has no effect. In terms of human affairs, this symbolizes a
great man who is still unrecognized. Nonetheless he remains true to
himself. He does not allow himself to be influenced by outward success
or failure, but confident in his strength, he bides his time. Hence it
is wise for the man who consults the oracle and draws this line to wait
in the calm strength of patience. The time will fulfill itself. One
need not fear lest strong will should not prevail; the main thing is
not to expend one's powers prematurely in an attempt to obtain by force
something for which the time is not yet ripe.