The Young Sister's Unequal Marriage

This flow follows a woman's constrained marital position while revealing the book's wider analogy between domestic rank and political service.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Marriage Begins Out of Order

An Unequal Match A difficult arrangement The hexagram describes a younger sister being given in marriage under circumstances Legge considers improper. Its judgment says that action will be unfavorable. The setting is shaped by hierarchical marriage customs that the book presents rather than openly rejects. A political analogy Legge argues that marriage functions as an illustration for relations between ruler and minister. The subordinate partner's position mirrors an officer's limited but meaningful place in government. The woman's story is therefore both personal and political.

Service Continues From a Lesser Place

Function Within Constraint A secondary position The first line depicts a younger sister married in an ancillary position. Legge compares her to a person with one lame leg who can nevertheless continue walking. The imagery acknowledges limitation without denying all capacity. A qualified good outcome The line concludes that advancing can be fortunate despite the unequal starting point. In Legge's political reading, a capable officer may serve effectively from a subordinate station. The woman's fate shows adaptation within an inherited hierarchy rather than escape from it.

The Devoted Widow Holds to Her Course

Loyalty Under Disadvantage Limited influence The second line depicts a woman who sees imperfectly and cannot fully perform her role. Legge interprets her as devoted to the husband she has, rather than seeking another attachment. The image makes loyalty a response to constrained circumstances. A ministerial parallel Legge extends the analogy to an officer who remains devoted to a ruler despite disadvantages. The act of steadfast service may compensate for limited power. The figure values constancy but also reflects the restricted choices available within its social order.

A Worthy Marriage Is Delayed

Waiting for a Proper Time Refusal of haste The fourth line presents a younger sister who delays marriage. Legge reads the waiting as appropriate rather than unfortunate. The right time may arrive even when it cannot be commanded. Patience and political timing Within the larger analogy, a capable servant should not force advancement before the opportunity is sound. Delay can preserve both dignity and future possibility. The woman's waiting becomes a lesson in timing under constraints she does not control.

A Dignified Union Reaches Its End

Honor and Failure A model sister The fifth line recalls the sister of an ancient ruler and associates her with modesty and a favorable outcome. Legge finds a rare poetic quality in the comparison to a moon nearly full. The woman's modesty brings dignity to a constrained match. A ceremony without substance The final line shows ritual objects empty and sacrifice ineffective. Legge reads the broken ceremony as a marriage arrangement that fails to become complete. The arc contrasts an honored, patient union with a final failure in which form remains but substance is absent.

At the opening of The Marrying Maiden

At the first line of The Marrying Maiden

At the second line of The Marrying Maiden

At the fourth line of The Marrying Maiden

At the fifth and sixth lines of The Marrying Maiden