震 Zhèn

Classical Text

震震下震上 震，亨。 震來虩虩，笑言啞啞。 震驚百里，不喪匕鬯。 「震來虩虩，笑言啞啞」者，「虩虩」恐懼之貌也，「啞啞」笑語之聲也。震之為用，天之威怒，所以肅整怠慢，故迅雷風烈，君子為之變容，施之於人事，則是威嚴之教行於天下也。故震之來也，莫不恐懼，故曰「震來虩虩」也。物既恐懼，不敢為非，保安其福，遂至笑語之盛，故曰「笑言啞啞」也。 「震驚百里，不喪匕鬯」者，匕，所以載鼎實；鬯，香酒也。奉宗廟之盛者也。震卦施之於人，又為長子，長子則正體於上，將所傳重，出則撫軍，守則監國，威震驚於百里，可以奉承宗廟，彝器粢盛，守而不失也，故曰「震驚百里，不喪匕鬯」。

Zhen: Zhen below, Zhen above. Zhen signifies Success. "When Thunder comes, there is fearful trembling; then laughing talk, ha ha." "Thunder startles for a hundred li; one does not lose the sacrificial ladle and libation." "When Thunder comes, there is fearful trembling; then laughing talk, ha ha": "fearful trembling" is the appearance of dread and fear; "ha ha" is the sound of laughing speech. The function of Zhen is the awesome wrath of Heaven, by which the negligent and complacent are brought to order. Thus when swift thunder and fierce wind arise, the noble person changes countenance accordingly. Applied to human affairs, this means the teaching of awe-inspiring authority is carried out throughout the realm. Therefore when Thunder comes, none fail to be fearful — hence it says "When Thunder comes, there is fearful trembling." Once things are fearful, they dare not do wrong; they preserve and secure their blessings, and thus arrive at the fullness of laughing speech — hence it says "then laughing talk, ha ha." "Thunder startles for a hundred li; one does not lose the sacrificial ladle and libation": The ladle (bi) is used to carry the contents of the ritual cauldron; libation (chang) is fragrant sacrificial wine. These are the most solemn offerings to the ancestral temple. The Zhen hexagram applied to persons also represents the eldest son. The eldest son embodies the ruling line above and bears the weight of succession. When he goes forth, he commands the army; when he remains, he oversees the state. His awesome authority startles for a hundred li, and he is able to uphold the ancestral temple, the ritual vessels, and the grain offerings, guarding them without loss — hence it says "Thunder startles for a hundred li; one does not lose the sacrificial ladle and libation."

Thunder repeated. In fear and trembling, set your life in order and examine yourself. The superior person is always filled with reverence; sets their life in order and searches their heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the way of heaven. Reverence is the foundation of true culture.