20 觀 Contemplation
Judgement
Picture someone who has washed their hands before the offering but has not yet offered anything: this is the moment of greatest attention. That is how you are meant to be now, with sincerity and a calm dignity that earns respect without imposing. Contemplating is not just looking: it is stopping to see what is in front of you and what is inside. Ask yourself what you need to see calmly before taking the next step.
Image
The wind sweeps over the earth and touches everything: nothing escapes it. The ancient kings traveled through the different regions to see how people lived, and only then gave their teachings. First observe, then speak. This order still serves today: before you advise, correct or decide for others, see how they really live. Ask yourself how much of what you believe you have seen with your own eyes.
Lines
Line 1
You look like a boy: from far away and without fully understanding. For someone with no responsibility, that is not blameworthy; for someone who should see more, it is a cause for regret. Ask yourself whether you are glancing over something that deserves more attention.
Line 2
You look through a crack in the door: you see only a part. It suits someone withdrawn into their own affairs with firmness, but it is little for someone who must see more. Ask yourself whether your point of view has narrowed, and what you would see if you opened the door a little wider.
Line 3
You observe the course of your own life and decide from that whether to advance or step back. Instead of going on from inertia, you ask where you stand. Look at what you have lived, what it gave you and what it cost you, and decide from there. Ask yourself where what you have done so far is pointing.
Line 4
You contemplate the splendor of the kingdom, and it helps to approach whoever leads it, as a guest. You stand before something great and can learn from it. Let someone who does things well teach you what you do not know. Do not be ashamed to ask for a seat at that table.
Line 5
You contemplate the course of your own life, and you are unlikely to go wrong. Someone who looks at themselves honestly does not get lost. This look is more demanding than the last: you also ask what you have made of where you are. Ask yourself what surprises you when you see yourself from outside.
Line 6
You contemplate your character to see whether it is truly that of a person of worth. You are unlikely to go wrong. It is the hardest contemplation: examining yourself without defending what you are or punishing yourself. Ask yourself which of your qualities you would stand behind before anyone, and which you prefer not to look at.
Reflection
- What do you need to see calmly before taking the next step?
- Which part of your situation are you looking at only through a crack?
- Which quality of yours would you stand behind before anyone, and which do you prefer not to look at?