Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/49

Rh of 鷹 ying a falcon as phonetic. It means to respond, as to a call for services, etc. Read it means ought, proper.

Hu is composed of 兮 hsi an emphatic particle, with 丿 p'ieh (obsolete) as radical. It is defined as "language surplus" or expletive, is an interrogative particle, and has also several prepositional values.

Chung is an obvious ideogram, classed under the obsolete radical 丨 kun to pass through. Read it means to middle, i.e. to hit the middle, to attain.

[The above two lines have met with severe treatment at the hands of translators. Bridgman (1836) gave, "These are four points, which tend towards the centre;" Julien (1864), "These four sides of the world correspond to the centre of the earth;" Zottoli (1879), "Istae quatuor orae respondent cum centro;" finally Eitel (1892), "These are the four regions in mutual correspondence with regard to the centre." The idea however, according to the commentary, is simply this. The earth is the centre of the universe; the four points of the compass are associated with the four seasons, and, so to speak, supply these as required. At the same time it is difficult to escape from the belief that the real meaning of this line is "occupy fixed positions as regards any given centre," i.e. "fix the orientation around any given origin."]

Yüeh see.

Shui originally meant level. It is a picture of flowing water; it influences the north, and is the name assigned to the planet Mercury. It usually appears in composition as 氵 on the left.