The ROOTS of the category of Mountain in the universal IC is in a generic sense of contractive
bonding, to share space with another/others 'within'. The overall focus
is on use of discernment, of blocking X to bring out Y etc. Emotionally there is a link to grief and sadness, and
so suffering, out of which we learn quality control - discernment, loyalty etc.
15 - levelling-out (unconditional removal
of highs/lows and so exaggerations)
52 - discerning (also stopping, blocking -
conditional bias to QA focus)
39 - obstructing (unconditional, go against
the flow, also by pass obstructions)
53 - maturing (conditional 'obstructing' in
that change is delayed)
62 - portraying (unconditional focus on loyalty)
56 - loyalty (conditional loyalty issues e.g.
at a distance)
31 - wooing, (unconditional enticement)
33 - tempting, 'retreating' (conditional enticement)
ALL of these can be interpreted negatively or positively - e.g. 39 is treated by Wilhelm with a negative aire:
"This hexagram pictures a dangerous abyss lying before us and a steep, inaccessible mountain rising behind
us. We are surrounded by obstacles...." p151
This is a 'poor' comprehension of what is represented universally in that the focus is on (a) avoiding obstacles,
but also (b) being an obstacle to 'mindless' flow. IOW there is also a cooperative, positive aire present. 39 pairs
with is 'opposite' of 38 and BOTH cover a theme of (a) avoidance and (b) exploitation of the 'barriers' etc.
The trigram interpretations for 39 are "with stopping/blocking comes control" - a perspective in favour
of going against the mindless flow. Furthermore, the 39 pairs with 53 with a focus on maturing, on a developing
relationship and so again a focus on going against the mindless flow where things cannot develop without 'fighting'
the flow; forming into a symbiotic relationship and so surviving, maturing. The differences here are in 39 being
unconditional, 53 conditional.
39 has its skeletal form
in 37 and so a generic influence on rigid structuring.
53 has its skeletal form in 63 and so a generic influence on getting a sequence 'right', on completion.
For the structural opposites, so:
38 (opposition, mirroring) has its skeletal form in 40 and so a generic influence of relaxed structuring. The core
influence therefore is on some form of tension release for both 38 and 39.
54 (immaturing) has its skeletal form in 64 and so a generic focus on remaining open, on mis-sequencing, getting
the steps, sequence, 'wrong'.
In the above pairs of the mountain octet, the first hexagram is unconditional in its manner, the second is conditional.
Thus, since this octet reflects in a microcosm the macrocosm so the 'opposites' dynamics of the macro apply. Thus
we have pairs of hexagrams reflecting the unconditional/conditional expressions of the five lines each hexagram
shares with the other:
15, 52
39, 53
62, 56
31, 33
As well as the mapping of POTENTIALS/ACTUALS, or more so the seeming 'balanced' as compared to their exaggerated
format:
15 - 33 (basic levelling-out vs competitive form)
52 - 31 (discernment intensified into wooing - use of 'quality')
39 - 56 (standing against in general to expressing a stand in particular)
53 - 62 (gradual development vs exaggerating such (trying to keep the collective together possibly past its 'best
before/use by' date))
All have a sense of dealing with issues of stopping/blocking/discerning as a 'fundamental' element.
The skeletal forms (27-ness) of all of these hexagrams are found in the octet
of fire.
The PAIRS themselves form into quartets of meaning ((15,52),(39,53) Vs (62,56),(31,33)) and so on. (e.g. more pairs
such as 62,56 vs 31,33 - meaning in meaning in meaning - all due to the method of derivation)