O'Shea's Reading of the I Ching:

Dissipation (Hex.59) and Regulation (Hex.60)

Frank O'Shea hermesweb@hotmail.com

An essay on the subject of Dissipation or Aimlessness constitutes the subject matter of Hexagram 59. The condition may be exampled in idleness, drunkenness, drug taking, drifting or general lack of any goals in life. It implies the squandering of ones own resources for self help or helping others. The natural s ymbolism given is appropriate in the case. Wind blowing over water seems to disperse it and awakens in the mind the idea of discordance. The condition is to be treated by a sense of religion. The advice is to repair to the temple of ancestors (or church in our language) and there to make offerings in a spirit of sincerity. Throughout the I there is repeated reference to 'the ancestral temple' and 'the spirit of the ancestors', indicating the importance and the past and its role in the present.

The lines of the text which elaborate the judgement are more obscure. In line 1 the subject saves himself by the assistance of a horse, having no help from without. In line 2 the subject has 'a contrivance' (this may be some type of primitive and useful machine). This aids his security. In line 3 he makes self sacrifice and disregards his own interests. In line 4 the subject ends division in the state and creates a new order or party. In line 5 the subject is at work to bring dispersion to an end. He makes announcements to this end in an attempt to resolve the crisis and is physically exhausted by his efforts. He disperses the states resources in his efforts. In line 6 he recovers from the ailment which is central to the hexagram and he has regained his security. In all of these lines there is movement between the personal or individual and the social or collective indicating the bias of the text towards blurring the distinction between individual problems and problems of the state.

An essay on the aimlessness is naturally followed by one on Regulating. In the world of continuous change where one condition gives way to its opposite a lack of a clear goal would be followed by well defined actions and rules. Hence the subject matter of Hexagram 60 is philosophising on rules to achieve goals. The important lesson of the hexagram (and it is a very important one) is that too many rules and rules that are too severe are to be avoided as they wont endure. Therefore for anyone enacting legislation or setting out workplace rules the more severe they are the less likely they are to last. The manner in which rules are constructed are given in the I as by means of 'methods of numbering and measurement'. In our language it might be stated as by means of legal concepts. But it is not enough to state the rules, the drawing up of regulations must also involve a discussion of the type of virtue and conduct that is required to enable the rules to work. If it is lacking in the general population rules will be a pious aspiration.

The lines of the hexagram are set out as follows: In line 1 the subject wishes to make his way forward with clear goals but is prevented. He is confined within his gate and must remain still. In line 2 the subject has lost a lot of time that he should have used taking action. Perhaps he is not clear in his mind about the rules that actually apply. In line 3 he shows no appearance of observing the proper regulations but this is his own fault. For not observing the rules he has no one to blame but himself. In line 4 he attentive to the rules and therefore there will be progress. In line 5 he finds harmony in the rules, they are congenial to his self. Hence his action will be successful and admired. In line 6 the rules are too difficult and there will be evil. The subject is too fond of drawing up rules and the lessons of the hexagram have come to an end.

Return to O'Shea's Reading of the I Ching

Free Chinese Culture Newsletter!Sign Up