At the top is the trigram Gen (Mountain), below is the trigram Li (Fire). The metaphorical image of this hexagram is the sun that has just risen at dawn or is setting at twilight, or a bonfire at the foot of a mountain, illuminating and emphasizing its beauty. Such natural beauty can bring immense benefit and inspiration, although we should not perceive only the external side — it’s important to remember about internal beauty as well.
True beauty is inside, as indicated by the interaction of trigrams – Fire under the Mountain. External decorations, both literally and metaphorically, should not receive more attention than internal beauty. Remember, a person possessing internal elegance and charisma will look natural and relaxed even in simple clothing, whereas internal emptiness cannot be masked by any external means.
In China, it is said: ‘If nature prevails over culture – a person is savage. If culture prevails over nature – a person is weak’. This hexagram points to the importance of a harmonious combination of form and content, external and internal substance. One should be adequate to the situation and one’s current environment both internally and externally.
As the ancient sages said: ‘The way of a man is manifest and easily seen. With some talent and intelligence, a person is capable of figuring it out. As for the Way of Heaven, a true mentor is needed to orally convey the tradition and pass it from heart to heart’. To be equal to oneself not only internally but also externally – that is what this hexagram talks about. The choice in favor of form or content, which we often have to make, should be replaced by the search for harmony of both. Form is no less important than content, and beauty is one of the main values in a person’s life.