Zhengyi says: This first section clarifies the virtue of The Receptive (Earth). From "A family that accumulates good" downward is the second section, separately explaining the meaning of the six lines.
"The Receptive (Earth) is utmost in yielding, yet its movement is firm": all six lines are yin, which is utmost yielding.
Although its substance is utmost in yielding, its movement is firm; yielding accumulates gradually until it becomes hard and firm, as seen above in "treading on frost, solid ice arrives."
Furthermore, the earth can generate things; initially weak and yielding, they later become hard and firm to reach completion. "Utmost in stillness, yet its virtue is square": the substance of the earth does not move, which is "utmost in stillness."
Generating things without crookedness means its virtue is square and upright. Zhengyi says: "Following attains the master and has constancy": yin governs humility and retreat; if it remains behind affairs and does not lead things, it "attains the master."
This is the constant principle of yin, hence called "having constancy."
"Containing all things, its transformation is luminous": this elucidates the phrase "containing, broad, luminous, and great" from the Commentary on the Decision, saying that containing and nourishing all things makes its virtuous transformation luminous and great.
"Is not the Way of The Receptive (Earth) compliant?
Bearing Heaven, it acts according to the season": saying that the Way of The Receptive (Earth) is yielding and compliant, serving Heaven and acting according to the proper season, not daring to lead things, always moving in accordance with the time.
"A family that accumulates good" down to "this speaks of compliance." Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six at the Beginning.
"A family that accumulates good will surely have an excess of blessings; a family that accumulates evil will surely have an excess of calamities": wishing to show that the evil of Six at the Beginning develops gradually, it first clarifies that the good and evil deeds one performs bring about future good fortune or misfortune through long accumulation.
"That which brought them about has developed gradually": saying that regicide and parricide do not arise abruptly in a single morning or evening; the origins of their calamity have accumulated over a long period.
"It arose because one did not discern them early": the reason ministers and sons harbor treacherous hearts for a long time is that rulers and fathers failed to discern matters early. This warns rulers and fathers to guard against the evil of ministers and sons.
"This speaks of compliance": saying that "treading on frost, solid ice arrives" speaks of compliantly habituating oneself to the way of yin evil, accumulating small things unceasingly until regicide occurs. Calling it "probably" (gai) is an expression of deduction.
In general, the rise of all affairs begins from small to large, from subtle to prominent; hence the text above mentions both good and evil, but here specifically mentions regicide and parricide developing gradually, because yin governs yielding compliance, and accumulating weakness unceasingly leads eventually to disaster and chaos.
Thus it is specially stated at Six at the Beginning of The Receptive (Earth), wishing to warn people to guard against the inception of weakness; and since yin represents assassination, this is used to clarify the meaning.
"'Straight' means its uprightness" down to "what one does." Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six in the Second Place. "'Straight' means its uprightness": the classic calls it straight because of its uprightness.
"'Square' means its righteousness": the classic calls it square because of its righteousness. Righteousness means fitness; attaining fitness in affairs is called righteousness.
"The noble person is reverent to straighten what is within": re-explaining "straight means its uprightness." Saying that the noble person uses reverence to straighten the interior—the interior refers to the heart-mind—using this reverence to straighten the internal pattern.
"Righteousness to square what is without": using this righteous action to rectify external things, saying that the noble person models himself on the uprightness of the earth in generating all things, allowing each to attain its proper place and become square and upright.
But since it previously said "straight means its uprightness, square means its righteousness," and below says "righteousness to square what is without," here it should properly say "uprightness to straighten what is within."
Changing it to "reverence to straighten what is within" is because being upright enables one to be reverent; hence "uprightness" is changed to "reverence."
"When reverence and righteousness are established, virtue is not solitary": possessing reverence and righteousness in oneself to treat others, others will also respond with reverence and righteousness, so virtue is not solitary.
Being straight means no crookedness; being upright means humble reverence; being righteous means no contention with things; being square means dignity without restlessness.
Having attained "without practice, nothing is unfavorable," what one does requires no doubt or anxiety, hence it is said "then one does not doubt what one does." "Although yin possesses beauty" down to "brings about an end on behalf of another."
Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six in the Third Place. Saying "Although yin possesses beauty, it conceals it so as to follow the king's affairs" explains the meaning of "concealing brilliance, one can persevere."
Saying that although the yin of Six in the Third Place possesses the virtue of containing beauty, if it follows the king's affairs, it does not dare to take the lead in completing them.
"The Way of the Earth, the way of a wife, the way of a minister": wishing to show that the Way of The Receptive (Earth) dwells in humility, waiting for the call before responding; hence these three affairs are listed, all of which involve the humble responding to the honored, and the subordinate complying with the superior.
"The Way of the Earth claims no completion, but brings about an end on behalf of another": the Way of the Earth is humble and yielding, not daring to initiate the completion of things, but must wait for yang to initiate, and thereafter brings an end to things on behalf of yang.
"When Heaven and Earth transform" down to "this speaks of prudence." Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six in the Fourth Place. "When Heaven and Earth transform" refers to the two qi interacting to nourish all things, so plants and trees flourish.
"When Heaven and Earth close up, worthy people withdraw into obscurity" means the two qi do not interact, Heaven and Earth are obstructed and closed, and worthy people withdraw into obscurity.
When Heaven and Earth communicate, plants and trees flourish; this shows that when Heaven and Earth close up, plants and trees do not flourish.
"When Heaven and Earth close up, worthy people withdraw into obscurity" shows that when Heaven and Earth communicate, worthy people emerge, the two mutually illuminating each other.
This is "tying the sack brings no blame," hence worthy people withdrawing into obscurity belongs to the closing of Heaven and Earth. "This speaks of prudence": prudence means caution, saying that worthy noble persons at such a time must be prudent and cautious.
"The noble person" down to "the utmost of beauty." Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six in the Fifth Place.
"Yellow within and penetrates the underlying pattern": taking yellow as dwelling in the center, combining the colors of the four directions and upholding the duty of a minister, this means penetrating the patterns of things.
"Occupying the correct position and abiding in the bodily garment": dwelling in the center and attaining correctness is occupying the correct position; dwelling in the center of the upper trigram is abiding in the bodily garment.
Yellow within and penetrating the underlying pattern is "beauty resides within." When beauty resides within, it must flow smoothly to the outside, hence saying "radiates through the four limbs."
The four limbs are like human hands and feet, compared to affairs in the four directions. When both inner and outer are good, it can manifest in great undertakings. What one manages is called an affair; when an affair is completed it is called an undertaking.
Nothing surpasses this beauty, hence it is called "the utmost of beauty." Zhengyi says: This section explains the line statement of Six at the Top.
"When yin rivals yang, it must fight": yin grows strong and is suspected by yang, so yang stirs, wishing to eliminate this yin; since yin is already powerful, it refuses to retreat, hence "it must fight."
Zhengyi says: Six at the Top is yin at its peak, resembling yang; fearing that pure yin might be mistaken for yang, it is called a "dragon" to make it clear.
Zhengyi says: Saying that although Six at the Top is yin at its peak resembling yang, it still cannot leave its yang category, so it is injured by yang and its blood is seen. Zhengyi says: Explaining the meaning of "its blood is dark and yellow."
Master Zhuang said: "The line Six at the Top combines the mingled qi of Heaven and Earth, so when Six at the Top is injured, 'its blood is dark and yellow.' The color of Heaven is dark, and the color of Earth is yellow, so the blood has the colors of Heaven and Earth."
Now Wang Bi's commentary says "it still fights with yang and they injure each other," meaning both yin and yang are injured. I fear Master Zhuang's words were not Wang Bi's original intent, and they are not adopted here.