Shuo Gua Zhuan 說卦傳 (5)

說卦傳   第五章

　　帝出乎震，齊乎巽，相見乎離，致役乎坤，說言乎兌，戰乎乾，勞乎坎，成言乎艮。

 

   萬物出乎震，震東方也。 齊乎巽，巽東南也，齊也者，言萬物之潔齊也。離也者，明也，萬物皆相見，南方之卦也，聖人南面而聽天下，向明而治，蓋取諸此也。 坤也者地也，萬物皆致養焉，故曰致役乎坤。兌正秋也，萬物之所說也，故曰說﹔言乎兌。 戰乎乾，乾西北之卦也，言陰陽相薄也。坎者水也，正北方之卦也，勞卦也，萬物之所歸也，故曰勞乎坎。 艮東北之卦也，萬物之所成， 終而所成始也，故曰成言乎艮。

Shuo Gua Zhuan   Chapter 5

The creator emerges from Zhen. He puts everything in order at Xun. The beauty is displayed at Li.  Hard work is done at Kun. Joy is found at Dui. At Qian, fighting for accomplishment goes on. Exhaustion is found at Kan. At Gen, the work is complete and everything comes to rest.

All things emerge from Zhen and Zhen is the east. All things are displayed in an orderly* way and Xun is the southeast. Li means brightness. All things come forth to embrace each other. It is the trigram of the south. The sages face the south to listen to all the happenings under Heaven and rules with brilliance. The idea originates from this. Kun is our earth that breeds and nourishes all living things. This is why Kun is where untiring services are manifested.  Dui is mid-autumn that is the season of joy. Therefore it is said: Dui is hailing in happiness. Fighting goes on at Qian which is the trigram of the northwest. This is because yin and yang compete to govern. Kan, being water, is the trigram of the north. It is the trigram of hard work done with accomplishment. It is where all things come to rest. Hence the saying is to repose in exhaustion at Kan.  Gen is the trigram of the northeast. It is where all things come to completion. What is the end breeds a new beginning. Therefore it is said completion is in Gen.

* Orderly way here means nicely presented in a clean and pure manner.