37 story

The image of hexagram 37
Jiā Rén, Family of Man

Hexagram 37 has trigram Xún, Wind, below or inside, Lí, Fire, above or outside. Xún gives you the choices how to fill in your place in life, Lí makes it clear and ordered and shows it to the world.

What does it mean, 'inner' and 'outer trigram' (popup)

When trigram Wind is below (popup)

When trigram Fire is above (popup)

Xún below Lí: when the base of a person or situation is Xún, there is a choice involved. Maybe you got here without any say on your part, like being born into a family. But only if you answer to its demands, it becomes a meaningful place, and then Lí will show it clearly to anyone. Skilled musicians form an orchestra, followers of Dao are daoists and create daoism, dedicated family members form a strong household.

The old diviners gave this combination of trigrams a name: Jiā Rén. It is the family of relatives, or the family of like-mindeds. With common needs, ideas or ideals every member can find a niche where she is in her rightful place and helps the community.

Ideogram of the hexagram name: the first character, Jiā (top), is a pig under a roof. The second character, (bottom) is a person. Jiā means a 'dwelling': family members living together and where they live, residence, domestically raised, livestock, people who run a certain industry or have a certain identity: wine ~, farm ~, a class of people, eg those who possess a specialized knowledge or experience and engage in certain specialized activities, like sciencists, daoists, violinists, lawyers, the elderly.

The 'Great Image' says: Wind emerges from fire: family. The noble one has substance in words and perseverance in actions.

Hex.37 is the contrast of 40, when nothing is predefined, it is the moment which decides about the best action.
Hex.37 is being and acting according to the place in life where you belong and to your abilities.

Story:
The foundation of a family is dedication. Not blood-ties, not love, not sense of duty. All these things can only come to life because there is a solid foundation and so the family is a family. Love is not strong enough to keep them together. But the pig they raise together, the farm they run, the skills they all bring in. When surviving is tough, families are strong. When people adhere to a conviction or master, the disciples become a strong community together. When an enemy threatens, people become fervent nationalists. Always when people need each other to survive, they become families.

The image of hexagram 37 Jiā Rén, Family of Man

The image of hexagram 37
Jiā Rén, Family of Man