9. Hsiao Ch´u

	Minor Restraint
	Upper Trigram:	Sun, Gentle Penetration, Mildness, Wind, Wood
	Lower Trigram:	Ch'ien, Creative Principle, Heaven
	Governing Ruler:	Nine in the fifth place
	Constitutional Ruler:	Six in the fourth place

The Image
The wind moving above the sky: the image of Hsiao Ch'u. The superior man, in accordance with this, adorns the outward manifestation of his virtue.

Miscellaneous Signs
Hsiao Ch'u with few 'gainst many foes contends; Movement in Lü, unresting, never ends.

The Judgement
Hsiao Ch'u indicates that under its conditions there will be progress and success. We see dense clouds, but no rain, coming from our western borders.

Commentary
In Hsiao Ch'u, the weak line occupies its proper position, and the lines above and below respond to it. Hence comes the name Hsiao Ch'u (Minor Restraint). It represents the trigrams for strength and flexibility. Strong lines are in the central places, and the will of their subjects will have free course. Thus it indicates that there will be progress and success. 'Dense clouds, but no rain', indicate the ongoing movement of the strong lines. 'Coming from our western borders', indicates that the influence has not yet been widely displayed.

The Lines and commentaries
Bottom nine
Showing its subject returning and pursuing his own course. What mistake should he fall into? There will be good fortune.

'He returns and pursues his own path': it is right that there should be good fortune.

Nine in the second place
Showing a movement towards union and attachment, proceeding from the inward mind. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.

'The movement towards union and attachment proceeds from the inward mind': the party concerned does not fail in what is right to himself.

Nine in the third place
Seeking for union with such as ought not to be associated with.

'Union is sought with such as ought not to be associated with'; and will not injury be the result?

Six in the fourth place
Showing its subject seeking for union with the one beyond himself. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.

'Union is sought with one beyond him and worthy of it': he is following the ruler above him.

Nine in the fifth place
Affording the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment. We seem to see in it the king urging his pursuit of the game only in three directions, allowing the escape of all animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another to prevent it. There will be good fortune.

The 'good fortune belonging to the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment', appears in this line's correct and central position. The king's neglecting the animals confronting him and then fleeing, and only taking those who present themselves as it were obediently, is seen in 'his allowing to escape those in front of him'. That 'the people of his towns do not warn one another to prevent it', shows how he, in his high eminence, has made them pursue the due course.

Top-most nine
In this line we see one seeking union and attachment without having taken the first step. There will be evil.

'He seeks union and attachment without having taken the first step to such an end': there is no possibility of a good issue.