50 THE COOKING POT

A fire for preparing food.

	Fire Clarity
	Wind(wood) Gentle

The Ting was used in religious ceremonies as well as being a pot for cooking.

A pot changes and improves the food, by cooking it, in order to feed people better.
Subtle changes over a period of time can lead to a transformation and bring success.

This chapter is about a continuous effort at improvement that results in long term gains.

50 LINES

1) 6 at the start

a) The cooking pot falls off its feet.
Helpful in removing what is unwanted.
You employ a maid out of concern for her welfare.
No blame.

b) This is not wrong.

Sometimes something happens and at first it seems unhelpful and not what you would have wanted. Such events can turn out to be unexpectedly helpful in some cases; so you should not pre-judge the results at the outset.

2) 9 in 2nd throw

a) There is food in the pot.
My companions are jealous but cannot harm me.
Good fortune.

b) Careful and not excessive.

You have some connections starting to form with more influential people. This brings some improvements in your situation but there are people who dislike seeing someone else doing well. Since you are in a good position, providing you are careful, they can do you no harm.

3) 9 in 3rd throw

a) The handles of the pot have been removed so that it cannot be used.
The fat of the pheasant goes uneaten.
Once the rains fall all around sorrows will decrease.
Good fortune comes in the end.

b) A cooking pot without handles is not right.

You are sad because difficulties, and dangers, prevent you from doing the things that you should be doing. This will not be permanent, the dangers will pass, like the rain, and you will be able to set things right.

4) 9 in 4th throw

a) The legs of the pot are broken.
The prince's food is spilled and his clothes are stained.
Misfortune.

b) Who would demonstrate their trustworthiness like this?

This is a misfortune that could be avoided but a lack of seriousness, due to not really caring, suddenly becomes obvious when things go unexpectedly wrong.

5) 6 in 5th throw

a) The cooking pot has yellow handles and metal rings.
Perseverance will be favourable.

b) A central position makes it full.

Here there is a good quality pot; it is full of food and is being used for cooking. This means that your life is correct and you should carry on with your work.

6) 9 at the top

a) The pot has rings of jade.
Great good fortune.
Nothing that will not be favourable.

b) Rings of jade; words of wisdom.

Like a holy-man advising a prince, you can help God, in His work in the world; by helping good men with their work. If you do this properly, as with a high quality cooking pot, then things will go very well.