50 / 29 The Caldron
Refining, Transforming
(21->50->48->03)

"TING : bronze cauldron with three feet and two ears, sacred vessel used to cook food for sacrifice to gods and ancestors; founding symbol of family or dynasty; melting pot, receptacle; hold, contain, transform; establish, secure; precious, respectable."ERANOS p540

Image :

"[With cultivation comes direction : Refining]
One uses the ideal to set fate."

In a context of cultivation we utilise a sense of direction (an ideology).

Commentary

In hexagram 50,the establishment of order out of chaos, the generation of social foundations, does not guarantee development, they just set up a suitable environment. To enable social development, these foundations need to be refined. In the image, the idea is to adopt a single point of view thus forcing 'fate' to appear fixed. Any form of controlling influence introduces a fixed set of possibilities and excludes others purely by definition alone. Contextually, inspiration and excess leads to transformation.

The Traditional Single Changing Line Comments:

Line 1 -

The overthrow (tien) of foundations (ting), removing 'stagnating stuff', but implicitly retaining the cooking pot in which the raw (unrefined - a concubine's son) can be cooked and refined. Even the most lowly can be refined and thus succeed.

Line 2 -

The foundations have some substance. By careful consideration one can benefit(develop) from this but one needs to be wary of the envy of others.

Line 3 -

The ability to grasp the foundations has been removed and despite the potential nourishment within it, we are unable to consume it. (Implied here is that this is a form of protection in that the method of access has been removed, protecting the contents from the outside.) We must let this go (the phrase 'rain lessens repenting' implies water,tension release).

Line 4 -

One of the supports for the foundations has given way causing the reputation of the minister entrusted with maintaining things to be stained.

Line 5 -

The supports of the foundations are strong ('metallic rings') and the foundations correctly balanced ('yellow' (productive middle) 'ears' handles). Balanced usage will be favourable.

Line 6 -

Things have been refined and are ready for consumption.

Extended Commentary

The raw context from which the situation derives is described by hexagram 34 Inspiring. It passes through hexagram 28 Exeeding before reaching here.

Transformative methods

By introducing this hexagram as context, you can change a state described by any other hexagram into a state described by hexagram 32. To make a state associated with another hexagram transform into this state, introduce hexagram 32 as context.

It is important to remember that, when using transformative methods, the more lines requiring change, the more energy required when attempting to introduce a different context. It may therefore be of benefit to work on existing changing lines and achieve your goal in steps rather than attempt, for example, a six-line change all at once.

Further IC+ expansions