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19 THRESHOLD gg gg gg gg Door Posts gg gg gg gg ggggg Threshold ggggg
The THRESHOLD symbolizes Nursery (the threshold of life).
Evidence for this Image: A door is mentioned by Legge in line 2 of hexagram 20, the inversion of this hexagram.
Evidence for this Symbol: the use of a threshold to symbol the beginning on anything is a common expression. We know that THRESHOLD symbolizes Infant Care by the general sense of the cycle in which it occurs. The word "advance/advancing" which occurs in each line of the hexagram may refer to the rapid growth of babies.
Illustrations on the Web:
BabyZone: Baby Care Information
Child Care
Family Advice from MetLife: Execellent advice for all phases of life.
20 LINTEL ggggg Lintel ggggg gg gg gg gg Door Posts gg gg gg gg
The LINTEL symbolizes Child Supervision.
Evidence for this Image: A door is mentioned by Legge in line 2 of this hexagram.
Evidence for this Symbol: The context of children was established above. The words "looking," "peeping," and "contemplating" occur throughout this hexagram. Young children require close supervision for their well-being. It is a common fact of life.
Illustrations on the Web:
Baby-sitting Safety Tips
The Kindergarten Connection
21 CANGUE ggggg One Edge of Cangue gg gg ggggg The Neck gg gg gg gg ggggg Other Edge of Cangue
The CANGUE symbolizes Discipline.
Evidence for this Image: CANGUE is specifically mentioned in line 6.
Evidence for this Symbol: Various legal punishments are mentioned throughout this hexagram. However, in the context of the family the relevant discipline is the disciplining of older children. It is an invariable phase of any family's existence.
Illustrations on the Web:
Cyberchild: A Philosophy of Child Discipline
ParentingWeb
22 HORSE ggggg gg gg Eyes gg gg Muzzle ggggg gg gg Nostrils ggggg
The HORSE symbolizes Training.
Evidence for this Image: HORSE is specifically mentioned in line 4. This hexagram also corresponds to the Chinese zodical figure 'The Horse.' However, the image also suggests the cap with jade pendants worn by the king (eyes at line 2) and would contrast nicely with the CANGUE, but this image is unsupported.
Evidence for this Symbol: The horse is a trainable and elegant animal. The education of children is another invariable phase of any family's existence.
Illustrations on the Web:
Terracotta Horses
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page
23 BED ggggg Top of Bed gg gg gg gg gg gg Legs of Bed gg gg gg gg
The BED symbolizes Planting.
Evidence for this Image: In lines 1 and 4, "bed" is the term used by Blofeld, "couch" by Legge.
Evidence for this Symbol: Wincup (p.89) says of this hexagram that it means "cutting down." This probably refers to clearing land for planting. We know that BED symbolizes Seed Bed from the context in which it occurs (the Family) and the general sense of the hexagrams that follow. Food producing activities are the topic of these four hexagrams, and they are followed by hexagrams for food consumption in 27 and 28.
Illustrations on the Web:
The Garden Web
National Gardening Association
24 SPROUTS gg gg gg gg The Sprouts Growing Upward gg gg gg gg gg gg ggggg The Surface of the Soil
SPROUTS symbolize Cultivation.
Evidence for this Image: There is no direct evidence that this image is SPROUTS. However, this view is compelled by context and the general meaning of this hexagram, which is "return." The most fundamental return in the life of agricultural societies is the return of new plant growth in the spring. Any gardener knows this. Further, reaping is specifically mentioned in the second line of the next hexagram. There is no reaping without sowing. This view is also supported by the component trigrams, which may be read as "stirring the soil."
Evidence for this Symbol: That SPROUTS appropriately symbolize Cultivation will be readily apparent to anyone who has ever done field work.
Illustrations on the Web:
Agriculture in History
EARLY FARMERS AND THE RISE OF THE SHANG STATE IN CHINA (4000-1100 B.C.): A course outline.
25 BASKET INVERTED ggggg ggggg Body of Basket ggggg gg gg gg gg ggggg Handle
The BASKET INVERTED symbolizes Harvest.
Evidence for this Image: "Reaps" in line 2 is the specific word in both Whincup and Legge. Harvests are not carried from the field to home in one's hands. They are carried in containers of some sort, and anciently the premier containers for this work were baskets. The Basket is inverted because it is carried to the field empty.
Evidence for this Symbol: That BASKET INVERTED symbolizes Harvest is obvious from how baskets were used anciently.
Illustrations on the Web:
Millet: Important Crop in Ancient China
StudyWeb's Home and Garden Basket Making
26 BASKET UPRIGHT ggggg Handle gg gg gg gg ggggg ggggg Body of Basket ggggg
The BASKET UPRIGHT symbolizes Storage.
Evidence for this Image: Given above. Additionally, consider Legge's quote given next.
Evidence for this Symbol: Legge says: "[This hexagram] is the symbol of restraint and accumulation (p.113). Accumulation entails storage. The task of food storage was a major aspect of ancient family life.
Illustrations on the Web:
Food Storage in the Home: From Food Science Australia.
Food Storage, Safety, & Preparation: Food Storage for Emergency.
27 MOUTH ggggg Upper Lip gg gg gg gg Open Mouth gg gg gg gg ggggg Lower Lip
The MOUTH symbolizes Nourishment (or meals).
Evidence for this Image: Translators give this hexagram's title as "Jaws," "Corners of the Mouth," "Bulging Cheeks." Visually, it is an open mouth.
Evidence for this Symbol: The alternate title in Wilhelm is "Providing Nourishment." The MOUTH symbolizes the feeding of the elderly. This was a fundamental obligation in Chinese society and is discussed throughout the Book of Rites.
Illustrations on the Web:
Nutrition in Elderly
Nutritional Needs of the Elderly
28 BEAM gg gg Decay (weak line) ggggg ggggg Solid Part of Beam ggggg ggggg gg gg Decay (weak line)
The BEAM symbolizes Care of Aged.
Evidence for this Image: Legge translates the Summation: "Ta Kwo suggests to us a beam that is weak." Blofeld says: "The ridgepole sags." The object is the main beam in the roof of a house.
Evidence for this Symbol: The main beam of the house is as the main person in the family, that is, the oldest person. An old person is mentioned in lines 2 and 5. Care of the aged was a fundamental obligation in ancient Chinese society. Therefore, the BEAM symbolizes Care of Aged.
Illustrations on the Web:
Elder Care
Home Care For the Aged
29 PIT gg gg ggggg Side Brace gg gg gg gg Central Hole ggggg Side Brace gg gg
The PIT symbolizes Death.
Evidence for this Image: The title of this hexagram means a 'pit' (Legge, p. 119). This hexagram image has the form of a '#' sign, and timber was laid in this pattern to support the sides of pit wells dug in soft soil. Lindqvist, p.177, illustrates this with a drawing. The '#' sign also means Well (hexagram 48).
Evidence for this Symbol: The association between 'pit' and 'death' is common knowledge and is Biblical. Further, it is the invariable consequence of aging (hexagram 28).
Illustrations on the Web:
Coping With Death
How to Handle the Loss of a Loved One: From Life Advice Library by MetLife.
30 DRUM ggggg gg gg Upper Opening of the Drum Cylinder ggggg ggggg gg gg Lower Opening of the Drum Cylinder ggggg
The DRUM symbolizes Mourning.
Evidence for this Image: Whincup "Beat the drum" in line 3.
Evidence for this Symbol: Legge, line 5: "tears flowing in torrents and groaning in sorrow." Drums were beaten in mourning ceremonies in ancient China just as bells were tolled in Europe. "Ask not for whom the drum beats: it beats for thee," etc. Death is followed by Mourning. It is clear from image, text, and custom that DRUM symbolizes Mourning.
Illustrations on the Web:
Chinese Drums
The Mourning Light Grief Support Webring
