Hexagram 7: The Army
Hexagram
7. The Army · Schï
Structure of the sign
The hexagram is composed of the primary trigrams K'an, water, and K'un, earth. This symbolizes the groundwater that gathers within the earth. In the same way, military strength gathers within the masses of a people: invisible in times of peace, yet always available as a source of power. The attributes of the primary trigrams are: danger within and devotion without. This points to the essence of an army, which is in its innermost nature something dangerous, while outwardly discipline and obedience must prevail. Looked at from the standpoint of the individual lines, the ruler of the hexagram is the strong nine in the second place, to which the other, yielding lines subordinate themselves. This line designates the commander, since it stands in the center of one of the two primary trigrams. But because it stands in the lower trigram, not in the upper, it is not the image of the sovereign, but of the capable general who keeps the army in obedience through his authority.
The Judgment
The Army requires perseverance and a strong man. Good fortune without blame. An army is a mass that, in order to become an army, requires organization. Without firm discipline nothing can be achieved. This discipline, however, cannot be enforced by violent means alone; it requires a strong man to whom hearts turn, who awakens enthusiasm. In order that he may unfold his powers, he needs the unconditional trust of his sovereign, who must entrust him with full responsibility as long as the war lasts. Yet war is always something dangerous and brings damage and devastation in its train. Therefore it must not be undertaken lightly, but only like a poisonous medicine as a last resort. The just cause and a clear, comprehensible goal of war must be made plain to the people by an experienced leader. Only when there is a definite goal for which the people can consciously exert themselves does that unity and strength of conviction arise that leads to victory. But the leader must also ensure that in the passion of war and the intoxication of victory nothing unjust occurs that fails to find general approval. Justice and perseverance are the basic conditions for everything to turn out well.
The Image
In the midst of the earth is water: the image of the Army. Thus the superior man increases his masses through generosity toward the people. Groundwater is present invisibly in the midst of the earth. In like manner the military power of a people is invisibly present within its masses. Every peasant becomes a soldier when danger threatens, and returns to his plow after the end of the war. Whoever is generous toward the people wins the love of the people, and a people living under a mild rule grows strong and vigorous. Only an economically strong people can be of significance as a military power. One must therefore foster power by promoting the economic relations of the people and by humane government. Only where this invisible bond between government and people exists, so that the people are sheltered beneath it like the groundwater within the earth, is it possible to wage war victoriously.
The lines
Line 1
An army must set forth in good order. If it is not good, misfortune threatens. At the beginning of a military enterprise order must prevail. A just and valid cause must be present, and the obedience and coordination of the troops must be well organized; otherwise failure is the inevitable consequence.
Line 2▶ ruling line
In the midst of the army! Good fortune! No blame! The king confers a triple decoration. The leader must be in the midst of his army. He must maintain contact with it and share good and evil with the masses he leads. Only in this way is he equal to the heavy demand resting upon him. At the same time he requires recognition by the sovereign. The decorations he receives are justified, since it is not a matter of personal favoritism, but rather that the entire army is honored in the leader in whose midst he dwells.
Line 3
The army perhaps carries corpses in the wagon. Misfortune! One explanation points to a defeat resulting from someone other than the appointed leader interfering in the command. The other explanation agrees with this in meaning, except that the expression 'carrying corpses in the wagon' is interpreted differently. At burials and ancestral sacrifices in China, it was the custom that the deceased to whom sacrifice was offered was represented by a boy of the family, who sat in the place of the corpse and was honored in stead of the deceased. From this, that explanation derives the meaning that a 'corpse-boy' sits in the wagon—that is, that authority does not proceed from the rightful source, but is usurped by others. Perhaps the whole difficulty can be resolved by assuming a scribal error (fan = all, for shih = corpse). Then the meaning would simply be: If within the army the crowd sets itself up as master (rides in the wagon), that is disastrous.
Line 4
The army retreats. No blame. When facing a superior enemy with whom combat is hopeless, an orderly retreat is the only correct course, because through it the army is preserved from defeat and disintegration. It is by no means a sign of courage or strength to insist upon accepting a hopeless struggle under all circumstances.
Line 5▶ ruling line
There is game in the field. It furthers one to catch it. Without blame. Let the eldest lead the army. The younger carries corpses; then perseverance brings misfortune. The game is in the field—that is, it has abandoned its haunt, the forest, and has broken destructively into the fields. This points to an incursion by the enemy. In this case energetic combat and punishment are entirely justified. But the struggle must be conducted according to rule. It must not become a wild confusion in which everyone defends himself on his own account. That would lead to misfortune despite the greatest perseverance and bravery. Rather, the army must be guided by an experienced leader. Warfare must be waged. The crowd must not simply slaughter whatever falls into its hands; otherwise a defeat is suffered, and despite all perseverance misfortune threatens.
Line 6
The great prince issues commands, founds states, enfeoffs families. Inferior people should not be employed. The war has ended victoriously. Victory is won, the king distributes fiefs and family estates among his faithful followers. Here, however, it is important that inferior people must not come to power. If they have helped, they may be rewarded with money. But territorial domains and sovereign rights must not be bestowed upon them, lest abuses occur.
Lower ☵ Water (Kan)
- Direction
- N
- Element
- Water · Moon
- Attributes
- Abysmal · Dangerous · Penetrating · Profound
- Family
- Middle Son
Upper ☷ Earth (Kun)
- Direction
- SW
- Element
- Earth
- Attributes
- Receptive · Yielding · Nourishing · Supporting · Dark
- Family
- Mother