Hsu / Waiting (Nourishment)
above: K'an The Abysmal, Water
below: Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven
Hsu intimates that, with the sincerity which is declared in
it, there will be brilliant success. With firmness there will
be good fortune; and it will be advantageous to cross the
great stream.
Overall Meaning
Delaying, the symbol of waiting
Hsu means waiting. Strength confronted by peril might be expected to advance boldly and at once to struggle with it; but it takes the wiser plan of waiting till success is sure. This is the lesson of the hexagram. That 'sincerity is declared in it' is proven from the fifth line in the position of honor and authority, central, itself undivided and in an odd place. In such a case, nothing but firm correctness is necessary to great success. 'Going through a great stream', an expression frequent in the Yi, may mean undertaking hazardous enterprises, or encountering great difficulties, without any special reference; but more natural is it to understand by 'the great stream' the Yellow River, which the Lords of Kau must cross in a revolutionary movement against the dynasty of Yin and its tyrant. The passage of it by King Wu, the son of Wan, in B.C. 1122, was certainly one of the greatest deeds in the history of China. It was preceded also by long 'waiting', till the time of assured success came.