Hsiao Kuo / Preponderance of the Small
above: Ch^ en The Arousing, Thunder
below: K^ en Keeping Still, Mountain
Six in the second place means:
She passes by her ancestor
And meets her ancestress.
He does not reach his prince
And meets the official.
No blame.
Two exceptional situations are instanced here. In the temple of
ancestors, where alternation of generations prevails, the grandson
stands on the same side as the grandfather. Hence his closest relations
are with the grandfather. The present line designates the grandson's
wife, who during the sacrifice passes by the ancestor and goes toward
the ancestress. This unusual behavior is, however, an expression of her
modesty. She ventures rather to approach the ancestress, for she feels
related to her by their common sex. Hence here deviation from the rule
is not a mistake.
Another image is that of the official who, in compliance with
regulation, first seeks an audience with his prince. If he is not
successful in this, he does not try to force anything but goes about
conscientious fulfillment of his duty, taking his place among the other
officials. This extraordinary restraint is likewise not a mistake in
exceptional times. (The rule is that every official should first have
an audience with the prince by whom he is appointed. Here the
appointment is made by the minister.)