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61 NEST ggggg ggggg gg gg gg gg Hollow in Nest ggggg ggggg
The NEST symbolizes the Dwelling of the Ancestrial Spirits with the Living.
Evidence for this Image: A crane is specifically mentioned in line 2. The "hidden retirement" of line 2 probably means a nest. Lines 1,2 and 5,6 could represent the folded wings of a crane, but a nest seems more probable.
Evidence for this Symbol: One's home is one's 'nest'. Further, in Chinese culture the crane is a standard symbol for the shan, or spiritual self. The relation between cranes and the ascent of the shan soul is given thus by Williams:
"The figure of a crane, with outspread wings and uplifted foot, is sometimes placed on the centre of a coffin in a funeral procession, being supplied to convey the soul of the departed to the "Western Heaven" riding on its back" (p.101).
Illustrations on the Web:
Chinese Cranes
1000 Cranes Page
International Crane Foundation
THOUSAND CRANES PEACE NETWORK
Crane Paper Cuttings
62 CRANE IN FLIGHT gg gg Wing gg gg ggggg ggggg Body gg gg gg gg Wing
The CRANE IN FLIGHT symbolizes the Ascent of the Spirit (Shan) to Heaven.
Evidence for this Image: "bird on the wing" in Wen's summation; "bird flying" in lines 1 and 6. A crane was specifically named in 61, and this hexagram is both the negative of 61 and its logical continuation -- bird alight then bird in flight.
Evidence for this Symbol: The conveyance of the soul to heaven is given immediately above in the quote from Williams. We might suppose that the European folk belief in the conveyance of the (souls of) babies from Heaven to earth by storks has a similar source.
Illustrations on the Web:
Flying Cranes
Sacred Crane Stamps
63 FOX gg gg Ears ggggg gg gg Eyes ggggg gg gg Teeth ggggg
The FOX symbolizes the Lurking Kwei, or Earthly Soul of Man.
Evidence for this Image: The Fox is specifically named in line 1.
Evidence for this Symbol: Fox as ghosts are a common theme in Chinese and Japanese folk stories. Anyone who has ever seen fox playing in the moonlight will understand the appropriateness of this symbol.
Illustrations on the Web:
Fox Spirit: A play.
The Ascension of Fox Fairies: (Found about halfway down in text.)
64 FOX INVERTED ggggg gg gg ggggg gg gg ggggg gg gg
The FOX INVERTED symbolizes the Dissolution of the Kwei.
Evidence for this Image: Fox is specifically mentioned in Wen's summation, the tail in line 1, and the head in line 6.
Evidence for this Symbol: Fox as Kwei Ghost is established above. The death of the kwei (kuei) is described in Williams, p.462. Therefore, we conclude that the FOX INVERTED symbolizes the Dissolution of the Kwei.
Illustrations on the Web:
The Month of Hungry Ghosts: Briefly discussed.
Chinese View of Afterlife
