46 升 Rising – Faithfulness brings Promotion
升 地风升 坤上巽下
This hexagram has the Earth trigram on top of the Wind trigram. Wind trigram also means woods or trees. Trees growing up from the ground represent rising. Growing takes energy. Hence, a translation uses ‘Pushing Upward’ to describe the hexagram. This hexagram comes after 45 萃 Congregation. Accumulation over time with shared objectives will grow.
Description:
- 元亨: Beginning and Great Smooth Flow.
- 用见大人: Will be used by influential people for accomplishing things
- 勿恤: There is no worry or pity.
- 南征吉: It is beneficial for conquering the South.
Textual Commentary:
彖曰：柔以时升，巽而顺，刚中而应，是以大亨。用见大人，勿恤；有庆也。 南征吉，志行也。
The soft or following others rise with the times. Following like the wind and the strong response by taking the central position with leadership, hence is a great and smooth flow of abundance. Being used by influential people then there is no worry. It calls for celebration. Going southward to conquer is beneficial. This is because we are executing according to our ambition.
Pictorial Commentary: 象曰：地中生木，升；君子以顺德，积小以高大
Trees growing up from the earth is ‘Rising’. Wise men follow the building up of moral character. Accumulating little by little over a long time will become huge and tall. (Some translations are more specific on the Character trait. It is about faithfulness in following wise leadership).
Moral Teachings:
- Growth comes from faithfully following the right leaders and leadership. We must know how to pick the right leaders and then follow them.
- Growth comes from the long-term accumulation of little.
- Growth comes from consistent performance over time.
- Some translators explain that going south is good because of the geography of China with the northern higher than the southern land. North is usually the seat of the King. Going south to conquer means following the King’s order. This interpretation will support the commentary of the hexagram as ‘following’. Going North will be going against the King and hence is bad. Hence, this is teaching us about being faithful to our boss and executing the mission.
- In reading through the stage lines, I find faithfulness applies to the top and to others, resulting in trustworthiness from others, which is key for rising or promotion.
- Softness and following the top do not mean without principles. There should be strong principles at the center.
Stage 1 Begin Six: Rising because of having support. Great fortune/blessing. 初六：允升，大吉。
The pictorial commentary explains that rising or promotion brings great blessings because we agree with the ambition of the top. 象曰：允升大吉，上合志也。
The support of our promotion is from the Top – giving bigger responsibilities by them. It happens because we also heartily agree with the will of the Top. Our support of the top is not about carrying favor, but a true conviction and commitment to their missions which we also shared. Just doing for a show or carrying a favor will not bring us anywhere. Our following is a principles-centered following. Stephen Covey wrote about “Principles Centered Leadership“. He is reflecting a central teaching of I-Ching. Here i-Ching tells us to apply to following as well.
Stage 2 Second Nine: Having integrity and sincerity is important in worship. There is no fault. 九二：孚乃利用礿，无咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that our integrity and trustworthiness bring us joy. 象曰：九二之孚，有喜也。
Integrity and trustworthiness are stressed again here. Stage 1 tells us we are following a leader. Hence, the use of the word “faithfulness” in place of integrity is more appropriate.
Stage 3 Third Nine: Rising from an empty city. 九三：升虚邑。
The pictorial commentary explains that the rising is without a doubt. 象曰：升虚邑，无所疑也。
There is no opposition to our rising.
Stage 4 Fourth Six: The King worships at Zhi Mountain. Fortune with no fault. 六四：王用亨于岐山，吉无咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that all is well and hence the King offers his sacrifices. 象曰：王用亨于岐山，顺事也。
The result of our work, leaders and us, is obvious for all to see. All are done well. The King offers his thanksgiving to God.
Stage 5 Fifth Six: Perseverance in righteousness brings blessing and fortune. Rising up the steps. 六五：贞吉，升阶。
The pictorial commentary explains that rising through the ranks means we have achieved our great ambition. 象曰：贞吉升阶，大得志也。
Our progress continues and we rise through the ranks. The secret is to persevere in righteousness and gain trust from others, top and bottom.
Stage 6 Top Six: The darkness of the night is rising. It is beneficial to continue in righteousness without stopping. 上六：冥升，利于不息之贞。
The pictorial commentary explains that the darkness at the top is the reduction of richness and generosity. 象曰：冥升在上，消不富也。
This is the first challenge to our rising. We have been rising smoothly in the last 5 stages. When crisis comes, one needs to persevere in righteousness. Giving up will bring in the darkness.
Summary:
Rising comes by picking the right Leaders. Leaders who share our convictions and ambitions in life. We then follow them faithfully and diligently. Accumulation of performance little by little over time will bring about a great rising. We don’t always have to take the lead to be successful. We can follow successful and righteous people. Being faithful to them brings promotion – Principles Centered Following!
Wisdom from the Stage Lines:
- Rising because of support from the top.
- Rising because of faithfulness (integrity and trustworthiness)
- Rising without opposition.
- Rising with appreciation from top and bottom. All is well.
- Rising through the ranks because of perseverance in righteousness – faithful to the top and trustworthy from the bottom.
- When the crisis of darkness comes, continue in righteousness.
See the related hexagram I-Ching Part 38 35 晋 Progress – Promotion and Two Types of Progressing in Life – I-Ching #46 Rise and #35,
The difference between #46 Rising and #35 Progress is that #46 is about following a leader with integrity and faithfulness whereas #35 Progress is about leading change with righteousness.
Lim Liat (c) 9/6/2010
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