What is called Beginning, is the first and chief quality of goodness. What is called Flourishing, the assemblage of excellences. What is called Benefiting, the harmony of all that is right and proper. What is called Persisting, is the faculty for action.

The heaven  is the image of Qian.
Yi says, "In Change there is the Taiji/Axis/Supreme Polarity. This gives rise to the Two Modes; the Two Modes give rise to the Four Images; the Four Images give rise to the Eight Trigrams."  Click here to view the diagram.
Two modes means two halves of the year, two halves of ecliptic. Two halves of ecliptic are known as yang-path and yin-path. Four images means four seasons and the four celestial animals. Four images also means celestial phenomena of four seasons in YINYANG theory, they are young-yang, old-yang, young-yin and old-yin. The Eastern Azure Dragon is the celestial phenomenon in spring and is the first of four celestial animals. Accordingly, the dragon was used as symbolism for the hexagram Qian - Heaven.
The popular explanation says that, "Beginning" indicates spring, "Flourishing" indicates summer, "Benefiting" indicates autumn, "Persisting" indicates winter.
"Beginning" is the first and chief quality of goodness, because it is the beginning stage of an development, and brings development and accomplishment, and the finish brings another start of development and the next cycle. The sequence of hexagrams ended with hexagrams Jiji and Weiji, it means that each end is not a finish but another start of developments.
"The harmony of all that is right and proper" means that the heavan benefits all creatures justly.
"Persisting" indicates the movenment of heaven, heaven moves ceaselessly.

The superior man, embodying benevolence, is good enough to preside over men; having the assemblage of excellences, he acts spontaneously in conformity with the propriety; benefiting all creatures, he is good enough to harmonize all appropriateness; persistent, he is good enough to manage all affairs.

"Appropriateness" means that each is properly provided for, and each gets what he needs.

The superior man practices these four virtues. Accordingly we say "Qian; Beginning, Flourishing, Benefiting and Persisting."

The author use excellent moral of superior man to explain and to describe heaven. Confucian ask people to learn from modeling heaven.

What is the meaning of the words under the first Nine, "Hidden dragon, do not act." The Master said, "Dragon has virtues and hides himself. The influence of the world would make no change in him. He would do nothing merely to achieve fame. He can withdraw into himself from the world, without resentment. He can experience disapproval without vexation. He does what he thinks is right deeds. He would not do any deed which causes sorrow. He is resolute and unyielding in firmness, hidden dragon."

Before spring, the Eastern Azure Dragon is beneath the horizon, under the surface of the ground, and it does not appear at the southern sky at night. The dragon does not appear just only because it is not the proper time.

What is the meaning of the words under the Nine in the second place, "The dragon is appearing in the field. It will be advantageous to see the great man." The Master said, "Dragon has virtues, and acts by his uprightness and mean course. He is sincere even in his ordinary words, and is punctilious even in his ordinary deeds. He can prevent disorderly conduct because of he preserves his sincerity. He does good deeds to the world but he does not boast of it. His virtue is extensively displayed, influences on and transforms people. Yi reads "The dragon is appearing in the field. It will be advantageous to see the great man." These are monarchic virtues.

"Uprightness and mean course" is the image which is taken from the position of the second Nine. Please refer to studyingtool. Each hexagram has six lines, the earth qulaity consists of the bottom and second lines. The second line represents the top of earth therefore it says "appearing in the field". Also, the second line is courtier position therefore it says "these are monarchic virtues."

What is the meaning of the words under the Nine in the third place,"The superior man strives ceaselessly all day long, and in the evening is careful and still strives. There is danger, but there will be no fault." The Master said, "The superior man makes progress in vitrue, and cultivates himself. His loyalty and good faith leads making progress in vitrue. Using proper words and establishing sincerity leads occupying in his sphere. Knowing which is the utmost point and reaching it, thus he is the one worth to speak about the niceties. Knowing the end to be rested in and resting in it, thus he preserves the righteousness and appropriateness. Therefore he occupies a high position without pride, and a low position without anxiety. Thus he strives ceaselessly and is careful, he strives according to the proper time. Though there is danger, there will be no fault."

The images of "knowing the utmost point" and "knowing the end to be rested in" are taken from the position of the third line. The third line is the top of the lower trigram and is the low position of man quality.
"He is the one worth to speak about the niceties" means he is able to see the minutest opportunity. Many big businesses start from the minutest opportunity.

What is the meaning of the words under the Nine in the fourthplace, "Whether he leaps high or remains in the abyss, he will make no fault."The Master said, "He moves up and down not for wicked deed. He advance or recede  unpredictably not for leaving his fellows. The superior man makes progress in virtue and cultivates himself, he only wishes to advance at the proper time, and hence there will be no fault."

What is the meaning of the words under the Nine in the fifth place, "The flying dragon is up at the sky. It will be advantageous to meet with the great man." The Master said, "Notes of the same key respond to one another, creatures of the same nature seek one another. Water flows towards the place that is low and damp, fire rises up towards what is dry. Clouds follow the dragon, and winds follow the tiger. The sage arises, all men follow him. What is born of heaven feels related to what is above. What is born of earth feels related to what is below. Each follows its kind."

"The flying dragon is up at the sky" is the image which is taken from celestial phenomenon at mid-summer. The Eastern Azure Dragon rises to the highest location at southern sky at mid-night. The Yangyao (unbroken line) rises to the center position of the upper trigram. The fifth position is heaven position and monarch position.

What is the meaning of the words under the Nine in the top place, "The dragon in the highest station has regret." The Master said, "He is noble, but he is not in the proper station. He is on high, but he has no people. There is a man of virtue in the position below, but will not assist him. Hence whatever movement may cause repentance"

After summer, the Eastern Azure Dragon sinks toward west, the sun enters into yin-path. Summer end and the autumn begin. Accordingly, the statement of first line of hexagram Kun says "Hoarfrost apppears, the solid ice will come."
"He is noble, but he is not in the proper station" means that the position is the highest and there is no space for moving forward. When Yang expands to extrumity, it changes into Yin. Hence whatever movement may cause repentance. And, the sixth position is not the central monarch position.
No people and no assistance, it is because the third line is yang in nature and there is no responding between them.

Hidden dragon, do not act. The station is low.

The dragon is appearing in the field. He is content to stay in the position according to the proper time.

Strives ceaselessly all day long. He does his proper business assiduously.

Whether he leaps high or remains in the abyss. He is making trial of himself.

The flying dragon is up at the sky. He is on high and governs.

The dragon in the highest station has regret. When things have been carried to extremity, calamity ensues.

"Using Nine" is the primary virtue of Qian. All under heaven is kept in order.

When all things are kept in order, it is the proper time to the superior man to retire.

Hidden dragon, do not act. The Yang atmosphere is hid away.

Yang atmosphere means the warm atmosphere and vitality at spring and summer. By yin-yang theory, yang starts expanding after mid-winter, and emerges from earth at early spring.

The dragon is appearing in the field. All under heaven is being adorned and brightened.

Strives ceaselessly all day long.  Strives with the forward movement in time.

Whether he leaps high or remains in the abyss. The way of Qian (the heavens) is changing.

The flying dragon is up at the sky. He is situated with regard to the heavenly virtue.

The dragon in the highest station has regret, with the time has come to an end (to extremity).

"Using Nine" is the primary virtue of Qian. We see the regularity of the heavens.

The statment of "Using nine" is used to explain the reason why the yang line (unbroken line) was named after "nine", and the reason why we should change an broken line into unbroken line in divination.

The primary virtue of Qian is the development from Start to Prosperity. Benefiting and Persistence are its natures.

The heavens, from start, benefits all under the sky, and we have no way to tell how its benefits are conferred. Great!

How great is Qian! Strong and vigorous, upright and just; pure and unmixed quintessence.

The six lines bring forth and display their meaning and circumstance which the six lines stand for. Six stages of the course of Qian goad six dragons to manage the heavens. The clouds move and the rains fall, all under the heavens is at peace.

The superior man conducts himself with achieving virtue, his conduct can be seen in his way of acting. "Hidden" means that he withdraw into himself and does not show himself yet, he behaves himself well but does not achieve success yet. Therefore the superior man does not act; it is not the time for active doing.

The superior man learns and accumulates the results of his learning; puts questions and discriminates among those results; deals with affairs magnanimously with his whole heart; and carries it into practice with benevolence. Yi says "The dragon is appearing in the field. It will be advantageous to see the great man." These are monarchic virtues.

The third nine, it is in the twofold strength situation and its position is not central. It is not in heaven above, nor is in the field beneath. Therefore the superior man strives ceaselessly and does not slack up as the time requires; and though the position be perilous, there will be no mistake.

"Twofold strength" is the image which is taken from the position of the third Nine, and it means that the second and the third lines are Yang in nature.
Three qualities are Heaven, Man, and Earth. The first two lines of the hexagram represent the earth, the middle two represent man, and the top two represent heaven. The third Nine is in the man place, accordingly Yi reads "It is not in heaven above, nor is in the field beneath." Please refer to studyingtool.

The fourth nine, it is in the twofold strength situation and its position is not central. It is not in heaven above, nor is in the field beneath, nor is in the place of man. Therefore he is in perplexity; "perplexity" means proceeding with circumspection; hence there will be no mistake.

Monarch is he who match up to the heaven and earth in virtue; match up to the sun and moon in brightness; match up to the four seasons in orderly procedure; and match up to the expansion and contraction in fortune and calamity. He may precede heaven, and heaven will not act in opposition to him; he may follow heaven, but only to act as heaven at the time would do. If heaven will not act in opposition to him, how much less will men! how much less will the spirit-like operations of providence!

"The expansion and contraction", James Legge translated it as "in harmony with the spirit-like operations of providence". The  word-for-word translation of the original term guishen is "ghost and celestial being". Dictionary says "the expansion of qi is known as shen (celestial being) and the contraction of qi is known as gui (ghost)" and Shuowen says "celestial being brings out all creatures."

"In the highest station" means knowing to advance but not knowing to stop and to retreat; knowing things exist but not knowing what will perish; knowing to gain but not knowing what will lose.

Is he the sage? He knows when to advance and to retreat, what to gain and to let perish, and that without ever acting incorrectly. Yes, he really is the sage!


Kun is most gentle and soft, but is strong in activity. It is most quiet, but is upright and principled in virtue. After it got the guide, everything goes in regular course. It carries all creatures, and let them expand widely. Obedience is the way of Kun, and acts punctually according to the course of heaven.

Kun is the image of the earth.
The earth is gentle and quiet relative to the sun and stars moving ceaselessly in a regular way across the vault of heaven. "Strong in activity" means that the natural scenery changes with seasons.
"The guide" means worthy man. From spring, the sun enters the yang path and the dragon appears above the horizon at night. The earth get the guide, and everything goes in regular course. And the change keeps constant.
"In the northeast he will lose friend, in the southwest he will get friend." It indicates seeking worthy man. (The Property of Change, Mawangdui texts)
Yi says "Treading on hoarfrost; the strong ice will come." The Master said "This means to follow compliantly, the property of the year, to begin in the northeast and to mature in the southwest. (The Property of Change, Mawangdui texts)

The family that accumulates goodness is sure to have abundant happiness, and the family that accumulates evil is sure to have abundant misery. The murder of a ruler by his minister, or of his father by a son, is not the result of events of one morning or one evening. The causes of it have gradually accumulated, through the absence of early discrimination. Yi says "Treading on hoarfrost; the strong ice will come", it indicates to go with natural trend.

"To speak about the niceties" mentioned in the sixth paragraph indicates the start of waxing. This paragraph indicates the start of waning.

It is upright in righteousness, is principled in justice. The superior man acts deferentially on his inward uprightness, and acts justly on external principle. The deference and justice thus established, and his virtues are not isolated. "Uprightness, squareness and great, without studying, there is nothing not beneficial"; thus no one doubts what he does.

Although Yin has excellences, it does not display them but devotes them to king's business. It would not presume to accomplish success. This is the way of the earth, of a wife, of a courtier. The way of the earth is not to accomplish success, but on behalf of heaven to take the place of yang to complete the end.

All between heaven and earth changes with seasons, plants and trees grow luxuriantly. Heaven and earth close, like worthy man withdraws into himself. Yi says "A sack tied up. There will bring neither blame nor praise", it indicates caution.

The superior man emblemed here by the "yellow" in the heart and having veins in the whole, occupies the correct position, and has excellences in the heart, and diffuses them all over four limbs, and is manifested in his conduct of affairs, this is the perfection of excellence.

Please refer to Zuozhuan for how to explain a hexagram by images.

Yin can be compared favourably with yang and surely will expand. Becuase it is not satisfy that there is no yang, the term "dragon" is used. Because it has not leave his group, "the blood" is mentioned. The mention of that as being both "purple-black and yellow" indicates the mixture of heaven and earth. Heaven's colour is purple-black, the earth's is yellow.

Yin has the "yellow" in the heart and veins in the whole, its excellences can be compared favourably with yang and surely will change to Yang and expand.