順德積小以高大
Judgment and its commentary
先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。Read the received text first, then its Tuan commentary.
升，元亨，用見大人，勿恤，南征吉。
升卦——大為亨通，宜於見大人，勿須憂愁，向南行則吉。柔順以時而升，不躁不抑。
Sheng indicates that (under its conditions) there will be great progress and success. Seeking by (the qualities implied in it) to meet with the great man, its subject need have no anxiety: advance to the south will be fortunate.
柔以時升，巽而順，剛中而應，是以大亨。用見大人，勿恤，有慶也。南征吉，志行也。
柔順依時而升，巽（謙遜）而順從，剛健中正而上下相應，所以大為亨通。「用見大人勿恤」是有慶事。「南征吉」是志可行。
The weak (line) ascending in accordance with the time. There is humility joined to flexible obedience. The strong (line) is in the central place, and there is response to it. Hence (the assurance of) great progress and success.
Great Image Commentary
上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct
地中生木，升
(The trigram representing) the earth and in the midst of it that representing wood, form Sheng.
君子以順德，積小以高大。
The superior man, in accordance with this, pays careful attention to his virtue, and accumulates the small developments of it till it becomes high and great.
地中生木——升之象。君子由此體會：以順從之德，積累小事以成高大之業。木之生長無聲無息卻終至參天，是升之真義。
本站導讀，不屬《大象傳》原文；用來預覽本卦六爻由初至上的意象變化。An editorial preview of the six line images, not part of the Great Image Commentary.
允升，大吉。
誠允地升，大吉。陰柔在最下而能順從上行，得九二、九三之引——升之始最佳。
The first SIX, trusted in by those above it, is advancing upwards. There will be great good fortune.
允升大吉，上合志也。
誠允地升大吉，是與上面的志向合。
孚乃利用禴，無咎。
有誠信則利於用簡薄的禴祭，無咎。陽剛中正而與六五相應——以誠相通，雖位不當（剛居陰位）也無咎。
The second NINE shows its subject with that sincerity which will make even the (small) offerings of the vernal sacrifice acceptable. There will be no error.
九二之孚，有喜也。
九二之誠信，是有喜慶。
升虛邑。
升入空虛的城邑——無阻擋。陽剛得正在巽之上，外卦坤虛無物——升之最暢。但「虛邑」之喻含警示：太順時須防鬆懈。
The third NINE shows its subject ascending up into an empty city.
升虛邑，無所疑也。
升入虛邑，是沒有疑阻。
王用亨於岐山，吉，無咎。
君王在岐山行祭享之禮，吉，無咎。陰柔得正而近九五尊位，效古周王在岐山祭祖之事——以禮承上，以德守下。
The fourth SIX shows its subject employed by the king to present his offerings on mount Qi. There will be good fortune; there will be no error.
王用亨於岐山，順事也。
君王在岐山行祭，是順事的表現。
貞吉，升階。
守正則吉，沿階而升。陰柔居尊位但有九二之應——非急升而是循序漸升，故吉。
The fifth SIX shows its subject firmly correct, and therefore enjoying good fortune. He ascends the stairs (with all due ceremony).
貞吉升階，大得志也。
守正則吉、沿階而升，是大得其志。
冥升，利於不息之貞。
昏冥地升——升之極而失明，利於不停息地守正。升之終，盲目向上則危，須以「不息之貞」自正。
The topmost SIX shows its subject advancing upwards blindly. Advantage will be found in his maintaining a ceaseless firm correctness.
冥升在上，消不富也。
盲升於上，是耗散而不能豐厚。
To rise, ascend — the growth of a tree from within the earth: unhurried, unforced, unceasing.
Trusted, found true — rising because those above have confidence in you.
The summer sacrifice — the sparest of offerings. Sincerity makes even this acceptable.
An empty city — no one bars the way. Figure for unresisted advance, which carries its own risk of slackness.
Mount Qi — cradle of the Zhou people, the Western Zhou's sacred site of ancestral sacrifice.
Steps, stairs — figure for rising in due order, one stair at a time.
Dark, unseeing — figure for blind ascent: still climbing after sight of the way is lost.
Unceasing — the same word as in 'self-strengthening without cease' (zi qiang bu xi 自強不息); here, ceaseless correctness.
