Yì — Increase

Modern Interpretation

It furthers one to undertake something. It furthers one to cross the great water. Sacrifice from those above for the increase of those below fills the people with joy and gratitude. When people are devoted to their leaders, even difficult and dangerous enterprises succeed. This time resembles the marriage of heaven and earth. The time of Increase does not endure—it must be utilized while it lasts.

Modern Interpretation

Wind and thunder increase and strengthen each other. See good in others—imitate it. Perceive something bad in yourself—rid yourself of it. This ethical change represents the most important increase of personality.

「風雷，益。」風和雷互相增強。見善則遷，有過則改——這是最實在的自我增益。看見別人的好，學過來；發現自己的壞，改掉。說起來簡單，但這種倫理上的改變，大概是人格成長最重要的部分。

King Wen with his four breasts, benevolent love deep and generous. He reared ten sons; not one met an early death.

Seurat spent two years creating this large canvas using pointillism, a technique where tiny dots of color combine optically to form the image. The painting depicts Parisians at leisure on an island in the Seine, showing the growth of public leisure spaces in industrializing France. The accumulation of thousands of individual points to create abundance relates to hexagram 42's theme of increase.

The Judgment

Sacrifice on the part of those above for the increase of those below fills the people with a sense of joy and gratitude that is extremely valuable for the flowering of the commonwealth. When people are thus devoted to their leaders, undertakings are possible, and even difficult and dangerous enterprises will succeed. Therefore in such times of progress and successful development it is necessary to work and make the best use of the time. This time resembles that of the marriage of heaven and earth, when the earth partakes of the creative power of heaven, forming and bringing forth living beings. The time of INCREASE does not endure, therefore it must be utilized while it lasts.

The Image

While observing how thunder and wind increase and strengthen each other, a man can note the way to self-increase and self-improvement. When he discovers good in others, he should imitate it and thus make everything on earth his own. If he perceives something bad in himself, let him rid himself of it. In this way he becomes free of evil. This ethical change represents the most important increase of personality.

First (Bottom) Line

If great help comes to a man from on high, this increased strength must be used to achieve something great for which he might otherwise never have found energy, or readiness to take responsibility. Great good fortune is produced by selflessness, and in bringing about great good fortune, he remains free of reproach.

Second Line

A man brings about real increase by producing in himself the conditions for it, that is, through receptivity to and love of the good. Thus the thing for which he strives comes of itself, with the inevitability of natural law. Where increase is thus in harmony with the highest laws of the universe, it cannot be prevented by any constellation of accidents. But everything depends on his not letting unexpected good fortune make him heedless; he must make it his own through inner strength and steadfastness. Then he acquires meaning before God and man, and can accomplish something for the good of the world.

Third Line

A time of blessing and enrichment has such powerful effects that even events ordinarily unfortunate must turn out to the advantage of those affected by them. These persons become free of error, and by acting in harmony with truth they gain such inner authority that they exert influence as if sanctioned by letter and seal.

Fourth Line

It is important that there should be men who mediate between leaders and followers. These should be disinterested people, especially in times of increase, since the benefit is to spread from the leader to the people. Nothing of this benefit should be held back in a selfish way; it should really reach those for whom it is intended. This sort of intermediary, who also exercises a good influence on the leader, is especially important in times when it is a matter of great undertakings, decisive for the future and requiring the inner assent of all concerned.

Fifth Line

True kindness does not count upon nor ask about merit and gratitude but acts from inner necessity. And such a truly kind heart finds itself rewarded in being recognized, and thus the beneficent influence will spread unhindered.

Sixth (Top) Line

The meaning here is that through renunciation those in high place should bring increase to those below. By neglecting this duty and helping no one, they in turn lose the furthering influence of others and soon find themselves alone. In this way they invite attacks. An attitude not permanently in harmony with the demands of the time will necessarily bring misfortune with it. Confucius says about this line: The superior man sets his person at rest before he moves; he composes his mind before he speaks; he makes his relations firm before he asks for something. By attending to these three matters, the superior man gains complete security. But if a man is brusque in his movements, others will not co-operate. If he is agitated in his words, they awaken no echo in others. If he asks for something without having first established relations, it will not be given to him. If no one is with him, those who would harm him draw near.