Oracle on dark forces

Although some authors would like us to believe that ghosts, evil spirits and other dark forces were actually written in the original Zhouyi, one doubts such proposition(s) to be true. The proposition proves easy and simple to refute. The other four ancient Chinese classics, four Confucian books and the Daoist texts seldom mention about dark forces except in passing. The ancients would not have wanted to frighten students and scholars by elaborating on these unseen and at times malevolent forces in their teachings. What could the ancients possibly gain from writing about these dark forces?

After all, similar to the Zhouyi, the ancient classics, books and texts teach virtuous and proper conduct, the Light and the Tao. What we consider ancient wisdom. If students and scholars are not ready to know about light and dark forces, unless they can see or feel these unseen forces, how could they know?

As an illustration, Confucius answered questions on serving ‘spirits of the dead’ and on death respectively with this: “While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits (kuei/ghosts)?” And this: “While you do not know life, how can you know about death?” [Analects 11. 11]

However depending on your own divinatory and interpretation skills, the Yi does answer to questions on phenomena such as light forces (shen - gods, immortals and good spirits) and dark forces (kuei - ghosts and evil spirits). That’s why the Yi is profound and we still have much to learn.

In line with this thought on Yi studies, one will just write down the oracle from the Yi in reply to my recent question on dark forces, for readers to ponder on. I will write my interpretation in another entry and see whether we have read the oracle in the same way.

The question put to the Yi was on why the dark forces had wanted to harm my two children. The oracle came in the form of Hexagram 31 Xian / Influence with a changing first line and a resultant Hexagram 49 Ge / Revolution:

Judgment:
Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.

Six at the beginning means:
The influence shows itself in the big toe.

Judgment:
Revolution. On your own day you are believed. Supreme success, furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears. [W/B]

Over the past three decades, this was only the second time I had asked about these dark forces. The first such oracle had been posted in the Light and dark forces Apr 23 entry.

Have fun pondering and trying to interpret this oracle on dark forces.