Chieh / Limitation

above: K'an The Abysmal, Water
below: Tui The Joyous, Lake

The first [nine], undivided, shows its subject not quitting the courtyard outside his door. There will be no error.

Line 1 is strong, and in its correct place. Its subject would therefore not be wanting in power to make his way. But he is supposed to be kept in check by the strong 2, and the correlate 4 is the first line in the trigram of peril. The course of wisdom therefore is to keep still. The character here rendered door is that belonging to the inner apartments, leading from the hall into which entrance is found by the outer gate, mentioned under line 2. The courtyard outside the door and that inside the gate is one and the same. The 'Daily Lecture' says that the paragraph tells an officer not to take office rashly, but to exercise a cautious judgement in his measures.