The Hexagram of the Family

家人。家人，下離上巽。風自火出，有由家及外之象。又卦中二五有男正位乎外、女正位乎內之象。以六爻推之，有上父初子、五三夫四二婦、五兄三弟之象，故為家人。家人次明夷。按，《序卦》：傷於外者必反於家，故受之以家人。被傷於外必反於內，家人所以次明夷也。彖專言女而彖傳推之一家，內正而外無不正也。六爻內三爻多言女子之事，外三爻多言男子之事。其間內外剛柔皆有定位，所以為家道之善也。

The Hexagram of the Family has the Lower Trigram as Fire and the Upper Trigram as Wind. Wind arises from fire, symbolizing the extension from within the family to outside. Looking at the two lines, nine five and six two, there is an image of a man standing properly in the outer position and a woman standing properly in the inner position. According to the six lines, upper nine represents the father, initial nine represents the son, nine five corresponds to six two, and nine three corresponds to six four, indicating husband and wife. Nine five is the elder brother, nine three is the younger brother, hence the name 'Family'. The Hexagram of the Family comes after the Hexagram of Suffering in the External. The 'Commentary on the Judgment' says: 'Those who are injured outside must return to their family, hence it follows the Hexagram of Suffering in the External.' If one is injured outside, he must return home, hence the Hexagram of the Family follows the Hexagram of Suffering in the External. The Hexagram Statement only mentions women, but the Commentary on the Judgment extends it to the whole family, because if the inner part is proper, the outer part will not be improper. Among the six lines, the three lines of the inner trigram mainly discuss matters concerning women, while the three lines of the outer trigram mainly discuss matters concerning men. Between them, the yin and yang have definite positions, which is the reason for the beauty and perfection of family life.

家人。利女貞。家人，一家之人也。九五居外，六二居內，男女正位之象；長女居上，中女居下，尊卑有序之象；四陽二陰，陽強陰弱，夫唱婦隨之象；二柔皆居柔位，執柔不敢抗之象；內明外巽，處家之象；自初至五皆貞，尊卑安於其分之象。而卦曰利女貞，女先正乎內也。八卦正位，離在二，巽在四。此卦長女位四，中女位二，女之貞也。正天下莫難於一家，一家莫難於一婦。一婦正則內正，而外無不正矣。

The Hexagram Statement says: "Family, it is advantageous for the woman to be steadfast." "Family" refers to the members of a household. The Nine in the Fifth is in the outer trigram, and the Six in the Second is in the inner trigram, symbolizing that men and women each occupy their proper positions. The upper trigram is Xun (Wind), representing the elder sister at the top, and the lower trigram is Li (Fire), representing the middle sister at the bottom, symbolizing proper hierarchy and order. There are four yang lines and two yin lines, with yang being strong and yin being weak, symbolizing the husband taking the initiative and the wife following. The two yin lines are in soft positions, symbolizing adherence to gentleness and reluctance to challenge. The inner part is wise and clear, while the outer part is humble and compliant, symbolizing the management of a household. From the first line to the fifth line, each occupies its proper place, symbolizing that both the superior and inferior are content with their roles. However, the Hexagram Statement emphasizes "it is advantageous for the woman to be steadfast," because a woman must first be upright within. According to the proper positions of the Eight Trigrams, the proper position of Li (Fire) is the second line, and the proper position of Xun (Wind) is the fourth line. In this hexagram, the elder sister is at the fourth line and the middle sister is at the second line, which is exactly the proper position for women. To rectify the world, the hardest part is to rectify the family; to rectify the family, the hardest part is to rectify a woman. When a woman is upright, the inner part is upright; when the inner part is upright, the outer part cannot be wrong.

彖曰：家人，女正位乎內，男正位乎外。男女正，天地之大義也。卦專言女，此兼言男。蓋男女內外俱正，乃為治家之道，故即卦中九五六二二爻而推言之也。家人有嚴君焉，父母之謂也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "The Hexagram of the Family, the woman holds the proper position within, and the man holds the proper position outside. When male and female are in their proper places, this is the great principle of heaven and earth." The Hexagram Statement only mentions the woman, but here the Commentary on the Judgment includes the man as well. Because only when both male and female, and inner and outer positions, are properly arranged can the way of governing the family be achieved. Therefore, it extends the discussion to the two lines, nine five and six two, in the hexagram. The Commentary on the Judgment continues by saying: "The family has a strict sovereign, which refers to the parents." Within the family there is also a sovereign who exercises authority, and that is the parents.

嚴君，尊嚴之君長也。前既言男女之正，此又推本於父母之嚴。蓋父母者，一家之君長也。君長嚴則臣下肅，父母嚴則家道齊。必父母之嚴於其子，如君之嚴於臣，則倫理一定，上下截然整齊矣。或疑父嚴母慈而此皆稱嚴者，蓋母之不嚴則庇子弟之過，亂內外之別，家之不齊率由於此。

The term "strict ruler" refers to a ruler who upholds dignity. The previous passage has already mentioned that men and women each fulfill their proper roles, and now it traces back to the strictness of parents. Because parents are the rulers of the family: a ruler must have authority for his subjects to be respectful; parents must have authority for the family to be orderly. The strictness of parents toward their children must be like the strictness of a ruler toward his subjects, so that ethical standards are established and the hierarchy is clear. Some may wonder: usually it is said that fathers are strict and mothers are kind, so why are both parents called "strict" here? Actually, if the mother is not strict, she will cover up her children's mistakes and disrupt the distinction between inside and outside the family. The main reason a family becomes disorderly is often from this.

故亦稱嚴，正恐其過於慈也。此節《本義》謂亦指二五，然五剛二柔於嚴義未甚合。按，《大全》丘氏謂此卦內三爻女子之事，外三爻男子之事：初為人女，二為人妻，三為人母；四為人子，五為人夫，上為人父。三上皆剛，有合於嚴君之義。且前節言夫婦，此言父母，末又以六爻旁通，取象一家，意尤曲盡。

Therefore, the mother is also called "Yan" (strict), precisely to prevent her from being too indulgent. In this section, Zhu Xi's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" still interprets it as referring to the lines six-two and nine-five. However, nine-five is yang and six-two is yin, which do not match well with the meaning of "strict." Chen Menglei's commentary cites the view of Qiu as recorded in "The Complete Zhou Changes": in this hexagram, the inner three lines discuss matters concerning women, while the outer three lines discuss matters concerning men—initial nine represents a woman, six-two represents a wife, nine-three represents a mother; six-four represents a son, nine-five represents a husband, and upper nine represents a father. Nine-three and upper nine are both yang and correspond well with the meaning of "strict ruler." Moreover, the previous section discussed husband and wife, this section discusses parents, and the final section uses all six lines to symbolize a family, with each part corresponding to the other, making the meaning particularly comprehensive. Therefore, he chose Qiu's view instead of the "Original Meaning."

父父、子子、兄兄、弟弟、夫夫婦婦，而家道正。正家而天下定矣。上父初子，上下相去甚遠而其分嚴；五兄三弟，上下相去甚近而其情親；五夫四婦，三夫二婦，雖相比而亦未嘗無上下之分也。卦但言女貞，夫子即爻象旁通言外之意，而治家之道乃盡也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "A father is a father, a son is a son, a brother is a brother, a younger brother is a younger brother, a husband is a husband, and a wife is a wife, and thus the family is properly ordered. When the family is properly ordered, the world is at peace." The top line is the father, the first line is the son, and they are the farthest apart, so their roles are most clearly defined. The fifth line is the elder brother, and the third line is the younger brother, and they are closest to each other, so their feelings are most intimate. The fifth line and the fourth line are husband and wife, and the third line and the second line are also husband and wife. Although they are close to each other, there is still a distinction of superior and inferior. The Hexagram Statement only mentions "female constancy," but Confucius, based on the line images, extends and elaborates on the implied meanings. The principles of family management are fully explained here.

象曰：風自火出，家人。君子以言有物而行有恆。火熾則風生。君子觀風火之象，知凡事由家而出，而家之本又在乎身也。脩身莫大於言行。言必有物，實而不虛；行必有恆，常而不變，則身修而家治矣。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Wind arises from fire, symbolizing the family. The superior person learns to speak with substance and act with consistency." When fire is strong, wind naturally arises. The superior person observes this wind-fire image and understands that all things originate from within the family, and the foundation of the family lies in oneself. Cultivating oneself has nothing more important than words and deeds: speech must have real content and be grounded, not empty or superficial; actions must have consistency and stability, not wavering. By achieving these two, one's self is cultivated, and the family is thereby harmonized.

初九：閒有家，悔亡。離體中虛有家象；變艮為門為止，有防閒之之象。凡事謹始，初之時當閒，而九之剛明能閒之。蓋離則有先見之明，陽剛則有威如之吉。如男不入，女不出，皆所以閒之也。推此類，凡事閒之於初，悔可無矣。然能謹閒可免悔，不閒且如何哉。象曰：閒有家，志未變也。志未變而豫防之，則易；若已變而治之，則傷恩失義亦無及矣。

The first line statement says: "A man keeps his household in order, and there is no regret." "Xian" means to set boundaries and restrain. The lower trigram is Li, with the central line empty, symbolizing a house or family. When the first line changes, the lower trigram becomes Gen, which represents a gate and stopping, symbolizing setting boundaries and restraint. In any matter, one should be cautious at the beginning. At this time, the first line is appropriate for setting boundaries, and the yang line "Chu Ji" is strong, wise, and clear, capable of taking on the responsibility of setting boundaries. Because Li represents foresight, and the yang line has authority and brings good fortune. For example, a man not entering the inner chamber and a woman not lightly leaving the middle gate are both examples of "xian." By extension, if one establishes rules at the beginning of any matter, regret can be avoided. Conversely, if one is only cautious and sets boundaries but still only avoids regret, what happens if one does not set any boundaries at all? The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Keeping the household in order, the will has not yet changed." If one prevents bad intentions before they arise, the matter is easy to handle. But if one waits until the will has already changed, then it is too late to mend the relationship and restore righteousness.

六二：無攸遂，在中饋，貞吉。六二上應九五，有無遂事而順從其夫之象。在下卦之中，互坎為酒食，有居中唯酒食是議之象。柔順中正，女之正位乎內者也，故曰貞吉。象曰：六二之吉，順以巽也。柔順中正而上應九五也。

The line statement for line six-two says: "No pursuit, in the middle of the household, sincerity brings good fortune." Six-two corresponds with nine-five, showing the image of "not taking the initiative, but being obedient to the husband." It is in the middle of the lower trigram, and the interacting trigrams include kan, which represents food and drink, so it shows the image of "being content at home, only worrying about food and drink." It is gentle and proper in position, exactly the line that represents "a woman standing properly in the inner position," so it is said to gain good fortune by maintaining correctness. The Small Image Commentary says: "The good fortune of line six-two comes from being gentle and yielding." It is gentle, upright, and harmonizes with nine-five above, hence the good fortune.

九三：家人嗃嗃，悔厲吉。婦子嘻嘻，終吝。九三重剛不中，故有嗃嗃嚴厲之象；比乎二四兩柔之間，又有婦子嘻嘻之象。治家之道，過剛不中，不無悔厲，然以義勝情，猶可獲吉；若縱情敗度，則家道以壞矣，豈不終可吝乎。悔自凶趨吉，吝自吉趨凶。象曰：家人嗃嗃，未失也；婦子嘻嘻，失家節也。過嚴未失治家之道，失節則必亂矣。

The line statement for the third line says: "The family is stern and severe, there is regret and danger but still a good outcome. The wife and children laugh and joke, eventually leading to regret." "Stern and severe" refers to harsh words and expressions, while "laugh and joke" refers to unrestrained laughter without restraint. The third line, which is a yang line in a yang position, is strong and not in the center, thus showing an image of sternness. It is also sandwiched between the second line and the fourth line, both of which are yin lines, thus also showing an image of the wife and children laughing and joking without restraint. Governing the family, if one is overly strong and not in the center, there will inevitably be regret and danger, but as long as one can overcome personal feelings with principles and righteousness, one can still achieve a good outcome. If one indulges in personal feelings and breaks the rules, the family will eventually fall apart, is it not ultimately regrettable? One should know that "regret" is a transition from bad to good, while "regret" is a transition from good to bad, and the two directions are exactly opposite. The Small Image Commentary says: "The family is stern and severe, has not yet lost it; the wife and children laugh and joke, have lost the family's discipline." Being overly stern is still not losing the way of governing the family; once the family's discipline is lost, disorder is inevitable.

六四：富家，大吉。陽主義，陰主利。六四以陰居陰，得位之正，介乎九三九五之間，以柔得剛，以虛受實；又巽為利市三倍，故有能富盛其家之象，大吉之占也。《大全》以主家之婦言之，時解以言大臣理財，於家人之義未協，然為人臣者占得之，則以為理財之占亦可也。象曰：富家大吉，順在位也。以柔順而居陰之正位，能保其富者也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: "A wealthy household, great good fortune." A yang line represents principles and righteousness, while a yin line represents wealth and profit. The fourth line is a yin line in a yin position, which is proper. It is situated between the third line (nine) and the fifth line (nine), both yang lines. It uses its gentle and compliant nature to support the strong and vigorous, and remains empty and open to receive the full and abundant. Moreover, the upper trigram is Xun, which in the "Discourse on the Divination of the Changes" is associated with the image of "profitable trade with threefold gain." Therefore, this line conveys an image of a prosperous household, and the divination is great good fortune. The "Comprehensive Commentary on the Zhou Changes" interprets this line as representing a woman managing the household. The commonly accepted interpretation, however, sees it as a minister managing finances. This is not entirely consistent with the original meaning of "Family." Nevertheless, if a minister comes across this line, interpreting it as a divination about financial management is also acceptable. The "Small Image Commentary" states: "A wealthy household, great good fortune, because of compliance in position." By possessing the virtue of compliance and occupying the proper position of a yin line, one is able to maintain this wealth and prosperity.

九五：王假有家，勿恤，吉。假，至也。九五剛健中正，應六二之柔順中正，能修身以至於其家者。勿用憂恤，吉可知矣。初閒有家，家道之始；此有家，家道之成。中互坎為憂，此出坎外，故有勿恤之象。象曰：王假有家，交相愛也。五愛二之內助，二愛五之刑家，所謂假也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: "The king goes to his family, without worry, it is auspicious." "假" means to go to or to be moved by. The fifth line is strong and upright, occupying the central and proper position. It corresponds with the second line, which is gentle and upright. This is someone who can cultivate himself and spread his virtue throughout the family. Since there is no need for worry, auspiciousness is evident. The first line speaks of "a quiet family," which marks the beginning of family affairs; here, "the king goes to his family" represents the achievement of family affairs. The mutual structure of the hexagram contains Kan, which represents worry, but the fifth line is already outside of Kan, hence the image of "no need to worry." The Small Image Commentary says: "The king goes to his family, they love each other." The fifth line loves the second line, which supports him internally, while the second line loves the fifth line and sets an example to regulate the whole family. They mutually move and love each other, which is called "假," meaning that the virtue has reached within the family.

上九：有孚，威如，終吉。陽爻實，有有孚之象；以剛居上，有威如之象。有孚則至誠惻怛，可聯一家之心而不至於離；威如則整齊嚴肅，可振一家之事而不至於瀆。故長久得吉也。三以剛居剛，故有悔厲；上以剛居柔，又卦之終以威為正家之本，故終吉。象曰：威如之吉，反身之謂也。

The line statement for the topmost yao, Upper Nine: "With sincerity, there is dignity, and ultimately good fortune." A yang yao is substantial, thus symbolizing sincerity; a yang yang in the highest position of the entire hexagram signifies dignity. With sincerity, one can unite the hearts of the family with utmost sincerity and prevent them from scattering; with dignity, one can regulate and unify, revitalize the family affairs and prevent negligence. Therefore, it can achieve enduring good fortune. Nine Three, with a yang yao in a yang position, has strong yang on top of strong yang, thus causing regret and danger; Upper Nine, with a yang yao in a yin position, is strong yet flexible, and being at the end of the hexagram, uses dignity as the foundation for governing the family, thus ultimately achieving good fortune. The Small Image Commentary says: "The good fortune of dignity comes from self-restraint."

反身自治則人畏服，非作意以威之也。如言有物，物有恆是也。全卦以正家必先乎內，又上下卦為長女中女之象，故專言女貞。彖傳六爻，則推為一家之象。彖傳以上為父，初為子，五三夫，四二婦，五兄，三弟，而一家之長幼備矣。先儒又謂內三爻女子之事，外三爻男子之事。男女有定位，而爻之剛柔亦不可易。女子未嫁，律身宜嚴，故九居初以自閒也。

The idea of "authority bringing good fortune" refers to making efforts within oneself, improving one's own character, so that others naturally respect and obey. It is not about deliberately displaying power to intimidate others. Just as the Great Image says, speech should have real content and actions should follow a regular pattern (the original text here reads "things have a constant nature," with "things" likely being a mistake for "actions"). Overall, the hexagram emphasizes that to properly manage a household, one must start from within. Since the upper trigram is the trigram of the elder daughter and the lower trigram is the trigram of the middle daughter, the hexagram statement specifically mentions "female constancy." In the Commentary on the Judgment and the six lines, the hexagram develops into a complete family image. In the Commentary on the Judgment, the top line represents the father, the first line represents the son, the fifth line corresponds to the second line as husband and wife, and the third line corresponds to the fourth line as husband and wife. The fifth line is the elder brother, and the third line is the younger brother, thus completing the family hierarchy. Earlier Confucian scholars also said that the inner three lines deal with matters concerning women, while the outer three lines deal with matters concerning men. Men and women each have their proper positions, and the yao's yin and yang should not be reversed. Before marriage, women should be strict in self-discipline, so a yang line in the first position is used, symbolizing self-protection.

婦道宜順，故六居二，無遂事也。母道恐慈之過，故寧為九三之嗃嗃。此女正位乎內也。子道宜順，故六四為富家；夫道貴義，故九居五則刑家；上則為人父之事，嚴君一家之主，威如所以吉也。此男正位乎外也。蓋正家之道莫詳於此，而占者又隨事以求其義，未可泥也。

The way of a wife should be gentle and compliant, hence using a yao of yin in the second position, signifying "not taking the initiative." The way of a mother should avoid excessive indulgence, thus preferring the attitude of Nine in the Third, which is strict and resolute. These lines discuss "women maintaining proper position within the household." The way of a son should be gentle and compliant, hence the use of Six in the Fourth, signifying "bringing prosperity to the family." The way of a husband should emphasize upholding righteousness, thus a yao of yang in the fifth position can serve as a role model and maintain discipline throughout the family. The top line, Nine at the Top, represents the duty of a father as the authoritative head of the household, and his virtue of strictness brings good fortune. These lines discuss "men maintaining proper position outside the household." In summary, this hexagram thoroughly explains the principles of family conduct; however, those interpreting it should seek its meaning according to their own circumstances, rather than rigidly adhering to the pairing of yao positions.

睽。睽卦，下兌上離。火炎上而澤潤下，二體相違，睽之義也；又二女同居，志不同行，亦睽之義也。睽次家人。按，《序卦》：家道窮必乖，故受之以睽。睽者，乖也。睽綜家人。家人離陰在二，巽陰在四，皆得其正；睽則兌陰居三，離居五，皆居陽位，不得其正。家道之窮必乖，睽所以次家人也。全卦以卦德，內說外明；卦綜，柔進居剛；卦體，六五下應九二。

The Kui hexagram has the lower trigram Dui (Lake) and the upper trigram Li (Fire). Fire has an upward nature, burning intensely, while water from the Lake flows downward, soaking into the earth. The upper and lower trigrams are thus opposing each other, which is the meaning of "Kui," meaning separation or discord. Moreover, Dui represents a young woman, and Li represents a middle-aged woman; two women living in the same house but with different aspirations also illustrate the meaning of "Kui." The Kui hexagram comes after the Jia Shen hexagram. The "Xu Guan Zhuan" says: "When family affairs reach their limit, discord arises, hence it is followed by Kui. Kui means discord." Kui and Jia Shen are complementary hexagrams: in Jia Shen, the yin line of Li is in the second position, and the yin line of Xun is in the fourth position, both occupying proper positions. In Kui, the yin line of Dui is in the third position, and the yin line of Li is in the fifth position, both occupying yang positions and thus not in proper positions. When family affairs reach their limit, discord arises, so Kui follows Jia Shen. The entire hexagram should be viewed in three aspects: from the nature of the trigrams, the inner part is harmonious and the outer part is wise and bright; from the complementary relationship, the yin and soft lines advance and occupy the strong positions; from the structure of the hexagram, the sixth line responds to the second line.

故離不宜大事，而小事猶吉。六爻皆有始睽終合之象。初喪馬，至四遇元夫而初四合；二遇巷，至五往何咎而二五合；三輿曳牛掣，至上遇雨而三上合。內卦皆睽而有所待，外卦皆反而有所應。天下未有終睽而不合者也。

Therefore, this hexagram is not suitable for undertaking great affairs, but it is favorable for small matters. All six lines show the image of initial discord and eventual union: the line Initial Nine lost his horse, but at Nine in the Fourth he met the "original husband," and thus Initial Nine and Nine in the Fourth united; Nine in the Second met the sovereign in the alley, and later at Six in the Fifth he said "Go where there will be no blame," and thus Nine in the Second and Six in the Fifth united; Six in the Third saw the chariot dragged and the oxen pulled back, but at Upper Nine "meeting the rain" occurred, and thus Six in the Third and Upper Nine united. The three lines of the inner trigram are all in a state of discord and waiting, while the three lines of the outer trigram all respond in reverse. The world has never had a case where discord continued without eventual union.

睽。小事吉。睽，乖異也。上火下澤，性相違異；中女少女，志不同歸，故為睽。長女中女同居則為家人，而中女少女同居則為睽者，家人離陰在二，巽陰在四，得女之正；睽則兌陰在三，離陰在五，非女之正也。

The Hexagram Statement says: "Kui, small matters are auspicious." "Kui" means to be estranged or to differ. The Upper Trigram is Fire and the Lower Trigram is Lake, and their natures are opposite to each other. The Trigram Li represents the middle daughter and the Trigram Dui represents the young daughter, and their aspirations are not aligned, hence it is called "Kui." Someone may ask: Why is it that when two women live together, the elder daughter and the middle daughter living together form the Hexagram of Family, but the middle daughter and the young daughter living together form the Hexagram of Kui? This is because in the Hexagram of Family, the yin line of Li is in the second position and the yin line of Xun is in the fourth position, which are the proper positions for women. In the Hexagram of Kui, the yin line of Dui is in the third position and the yin line of Li is in the fifth position, which are not the proper positions for women.

離上兌下為睽，僅可小事；兌上離下為革，則曰元亨利貞者，革以九居五，六居二，剛柔得位，故為湯武之大事；睽以六居五而九居二，剛柔失位，是以為小事也。又凡卦陽剛為主，則可以大事。睽柔進乎五者也，小過柔過乎剛，故不可大事；睽柔進居剛，故小事吉也。

The trigram Li (Fire) on top and Dui (Lake) at the bottom forms the hexagram Kui, which can only handle small matters. Conversely, when Dui is on top and Li at the bottom, it forms the hexagram Ge. The hexagram Ge says "original enlightenment, favorable to all things, advantageous to maintain correctness, and beneficial to perseverance," because in Ge, a yang line is in the fifth position and a yin line in the second, so the strong and weak are properly placed, enabling great achievements like those of King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou. In contrast, Kui has a yin line in the fifth position and a yang line in the second, so both strong and weak are out of their proper places, hence it can only deal with small matters. Furthermore, any hexagram dominated by yang strength can accomplish great things. Kui is characterized by yin softness advancing to occupy the strong position, while Xiao Guo involves yin softness surpassing yang strength, so both are unsuitable for great endeavors. Since Kui is marked by yin softness advancing to occupy the strong position, it only speaks of small matters being auspicious.

彖曰：睽，火動而上，澤動而下。二女同居，其志不同行。火炎上而澤潤下，無相得之性；二女少則同處，長則各有夫家，有難合之情。此以卦象釋卦名義也。說而麗乎明，柔進而上行，得中而應乎剛，是以小事吉。以卦德言之，兌說麗乎離明，則心氣和平，明燭事機矣；以卦綜言之，家人下卦之離，進為睽之上卦，六居五尊位，有勢矣；以卦體言之，則以六五虛中之主，下應九二剛中之臣，得輔矣。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Kui, fire moves upward and water moves downward. Two women living together, their aspirations differ." Fire rises upward and water flows downward, which are inherently incompatible; two women living in the same house in childhood, later marrying different men, naturally have difficulties in uniting. This uses the image of the hexagram to explain its meaning. The Commentary on the Judgment also says: "Harmonious and attached to brightness, the flexible advances upward, occupies the center and corresponds with the strong, thus small matters are auspicious." From the nature of the hexagram, the joy of兑 (Lake) is attached to the brightness of离 (Fire), enabling a peaceful mind and clear understanding of matters. From the reverse hexagram, the lower trigram of the Family hexagram becomes the upper trigram of the Kui hexagram, with a yin line occupying the fifth position, a position of honor. From the structure of the hexagram, it is the sixth line, a humble and central ruler, corresponding with the ninth line, a strong and central minister, thus achieving support.

然三者皆柔之為也，故僅小事吉而已。柔進上行、得中而應乎剛，在鼎則為元亨，在睽僅為小事，則爻同而事異故也。天地睽而其事同也，男女睽而其志通也，萬物睽而其事類也。睽之時用大矣哉。天高地下，睽也，然陽降陰升而成化育之事，則同矣；男女異質，睽也，然男倡女隨，志則通矣；生物萬殊，睽也，然此感彼應，事則類矣。睽，小也，睽而終同，則其用大矣，故極贊之。

But these three things are all accomplished by the yin and flexible side, so we can only say that small matters are auspicious. Similarly, "the flexible advances upward and reaches the center, responding to the strong," in the Ding hexagram it is judged as "original prosperity," but in the Kui hexagram it is only considered auspicious for small matters. The reason is that although the structure of the lines is the same, the situations they are in are different. The Commentary on the Judgment continues: "Heaven and Earth are separated but their affairs are the same; men and women are separated but their aspirations are connected; all things are separated but their affairs are of the same kind. The use of Kui is great indeed." Heaven is high above, Earth is low below, which is separation; yet the yang energy descends and the yin energy ascends, together achieving the transformation and nurturing of all things, thus becoming the same. Men and women have different physical forms, which is separation; yet the man leads and the woman follows, and their aspirations are connected. All things are different, which is separation; yet when one side feels, the other responds, and the principles become of the same kind. "Kui" itself is small, but separation ultimately leads to unity, so its function is great, which is why the Commentary on the Judgment praises it greatly.

象曰：上火下澤，睽。君子以同而異。二卦合體而性不同。君子以此，於大同之中知所當異。和而不流，群而不黨是也。彖傳於睽言合，君子濟睽之功也；象於同言異，君子不苟同之性也。然惟有不苟同之君子，乃能合天下之睽。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Above is fire, below is marsh, forming the hexagram of睽 (Strife). The gentleman learns to be in harmony while being different." The two trigrams of fire and marsh combine into one hexagram, yet their natures are not the same. The gentleman thus understands that within great harmony, one must know where differences are appropriate. This is exemplified by the saying in the Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean) of being harmonious yet not yielding to the crowd, and the saying in the Lünyan (Analects) of being sociable yet not forming factions for personal gain, which is precisely this "being in harmony while being different." The Commentary on the Judgment discusses "harmony" in the context of discord, referring to the gentleman's achievement in reconciling discord. The Great Image Commentary discusses "difference" in the context of similarity, referring to the gentleman's character of not yielding to superficial agreement. However, only the gentleman who is unwilling to conform can truly reconcile the discord of the world.

初九：悔亡，喪馬勿逐自復，見惡人，無咎。初無正應，宜有悔也，然居睽之時，陽剛得正，悔亦可亡。下卦為兌為毀折，有所喪失之象；四互三五為坎為亟心之馬，有喪馬勿逐自復之象。坎又為盜，惡人之象，見惡人亦可無咎。所謂見者，不得已而遇之之詞，如孔子之於陽貨也；若往求見，則為逐矣。此爻言當睽之時，正應不可必得，不可強人之合。惟去者不追，聽其自還；來者不拒，雖惡人亦見。其善於處睽者也。

The line statement for the initial line, "Initial Nine": "Regret disappears, lost horse need not be pursued, it will return by itself; encountering an evil person, no blame." Initially, there is no proper correspondence, so regret is expected; however, in a time of discord, it is yang and in its proper position, maintaining correctness, so regret can vanish. The lower trigram is Dui, symbolizing destruction, indicating a loss; the line Nine in the fourth position interacts with lines three and five to form Kan, which represents a restless horse. Thus, there is the image of "a lost horse need not be pursued, it will return by itself." Kan also represents theft, which corresponds to the image of an evil person; encountering an evil person still brings no blame. Here, "seeing" refers to an unavoidable meeting, like Confucius meeting Yang Huo, whom he could not avoid; if one actively seeks out an evil person, it becomes "pursuing." This line teaches that in times of discord, proper correspondence may not be achieved, and one should not force others to align with oneself. If something has gone, do not pursue it, let it return by itself; if someone comes, do not refuse, even if they are an evil person, just meet them as is. This is how one skillfully handles discord.

象曰：見惡人，以辟咎也。此咎作殃咎之咎。九二：遇主于巷，無咎。二變互三四為艮為徑路，巷之象；二五正應，遇之之象。二五本正應也，以當睽之時，多所乖隔。二以剛中之才，具和悅之性，委曲相求，以得遇主而成濟睽之功，故無咎。象曰：遇主于巷，未失道也。正應，非有邪也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Seeing an evil person, to avoid calamity." Here, "calamity" refers to misfortune, meaning to use this as a way to avoid disaster. The line statement for Nine in the Second says: "Meeting the ruler in a lane, without blame." After the change of the second line, Nine in the Second forms the trigram Gen (Mountain) with lines three and four, and Gen represents a narrow path, which is the image of "lane." Nine in the Second and Six in the Fifth are in a proper correspondence, so there is an image of meeting. Originally, these two lines are in a proper correspondence, but because they are in a time of discord, there are many obstacles in between. Nine in the Second, with its strong yang and central position, combined with the harmonious nature of the trigram Dui (Lake), seeks union in a roundabout way, thus meeting the ruler and achieving the accomplishment of reconciling discord, hence there is no blame. The Small Image Commentary says: "Meeting the ruler in a lane, not losing the way." They were originally in proper correspondence, meeting in the lane does not mean anything improper.

六三：見輿曳，其牛掣，其人天且劓，無初有終。三互坎有輿象；二以剛在後，輿為曳之象。離有牛象，四以剛居前，其牛掣之象。天，去髮之刑，劓，去鼻之刑，皆傷於上者。天而又劓，重傷也。離為目，有見之象。三與上皆言見，非實有是事，而見為如此耳。

The Line Statement of the Sixth Line: "Seeing a cart dragged, its ox held back, the person shaved and his nose cut off, no beginning but a conclusion." The Sixth Line is in the Kan trigram, which represents a cart, so there is an image of a cart. The Nine in the Second Line is a yang line behind it, forming the image of the cart being dragged backward. The Li trigram has the image of an ox, and the Nine in the Fourth Line is a yang line in front, forming the image of the ox being held back. "Shaved head" is a punishment of cutting off hair, and "nose cut off" is a punishment of cutting off the nose, both injuries to the upper body. Being subjected to both punishments indicates severe injury. The Li trigram represents the eye, so there is the image of "seeing." Both the Sixth Line and the Top Nine mention "seeing," indicating that these events did not actually happen, but only appear to be so.

三與上本正應，而二在後，有見輿曳之象；四隔於前，有見牛掣之象；上九猜狠方深，見為被傷天且劓之象。二陽厄之如此，是無初也；終得正應，有終矣。三以不正之陰，承乘應皆不正之陽，故其象如此。

Six in the Third and Nine at the Top were originally in proper correspondence, but Nine in the Second is blocking behind, creating the image of 'seeing a cart stuck'; Nine in the Fourth is in the way ahead, creating the image of 'seeing an ox held back'. At this time, Nine at the Top is full of suspicion and harshness, so Six in the Third is like being subjected to the punishments of髡 and劓, suffering injury. Being trapped by two Yang lines in this way is 'no beginning', meaning the start is not smooth; yet ultimately it still reunites with the proper correspondence, which is 'a proper end'. Six in the Third, with an improperly positioned Yin line, is above supported by and below supported by, and corresponds to, Yang lines that are also improperly positioned, so the line image is like this.

象曰：見輿曳，位不當也；無初有終，遇剛也。以六居三，在二陽之間，不當也。遇剛，正應也。三雖善遇，非上之剛明，亦不得遇也。九四：睽孤，遇元夫，交孚，厲無咎。九四無應，上下皆陰柔小人，有睽孤之象；初九同德，有遇元夫交孚之象。元善之長，惡之友，初剛而得正，故為元夫。然當睽之時，惟恐交孚之不至，必以危厲處之，乃無咎也。初視四為惡人，四視初為元夫者，初得正而四不正也。不正而終有遇者，喜其陽剛之同德也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Seeing a cart being dragged, position is not appropriate; without beginning but with end, meeting a strong and wise person." A yao in the third position that is yin is in an inappropriate place, being between two yang yao. "Meeting a strong person" means finally meeting the proper corresponding yao. Although the six in the third is good at seeking a meeting, it cannot meet unless the upper nine is itself strong, wise, and enlightened. The line statement for the fourth yao says: "Being isolated in discord, meeting the great man, mutual trust, danger without blame." The fourth yao has no proper corresponding yao, and the adjacent ones are both yin and weak, so there is an image of being isolated in discord. The initial nine shares the same yang virtue, so there is an image of meeting a virtuous man and mutual trust. "Great" refers to the leader of all good qualities (the original text says "friend of evil," and the wording is possibly incorrect or missing). The initial nine is yang and in the proper position, so it is called "great man." However, during times of discord, the greatest danger is lack of deep mutual trust. One must approach with caution and awareness of danger to avoid mistakes. The initial nine sees the fourth yao as an evil person, while the fourth yao sees the initial nine as a great man, because the initial nine is in the proper position while the fourth yao is not. Although the fourth yao is not in the proper position, it can still meet because it appreciates the shared yang virtue of the initial nine.

象曰：交孚無咎，志行也。得人以濟睽也。六五：悔亡，厥宗噬膚，往何咎。睽時以陰居陽，有悔也，然居中得應，悔可亡矣。厥宗，指九二於五，猶宗臣也。二兌口有噬膚象。噬膚，《本義》謂其易合；《程傳》謂五雖陰柔之才，二輔以陽剛之道而深入之，如姬公之於周成，入之者深也。今兼用之：五柔易合，二入之者深，明良道合，往以濟睽，何咎之有。象曰：厥宗噬膚，往有慶也。傳推言之，言睽可濟天下之慶，豈但免咎已乎。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Mutual trust without blame, the will is carried out." One can only reconcile differences and carry out one's aspirations by finding like-minded people. The line statement for the fifth line says: "Regret disappears, the great minister bites flesh, going forward brings no blame." When there is discord, a yin line in a yang position should bring regret; however, since it is in the center and has a proper response, regret can be dispelled. "The great minister" refers to nine two. For six five, nine two is like a great minister of the same clan. Nine two belongs to Dui, which represents mouth, hence the image of biting flesh. Regarding "bite flesh," the original meaning says it symbolizes ease of union, like biting tender flesh which is effortless; the Cheng transmission says that although six five is only a weak and gentle talent, nine two supports it with strong and righteous action, like Zhou Gong to King Cheng of Zhou, entering deeply. Chen Menglei combines both interpretations: six five's gentleness makes union easy, and nine two enters deeply, thus the way of a wise ruler and a virtuous minister is in harmony. Thus, going forward to reconcile differences, how could there be blame? The Small Image Commentary says: "The great minister bites flesh, going forward brings celebration." This takes the meaning further: once differences are reconciled, the blessing of the whole world can be achieved, not merely avoiding blame.

上九：睽孤，見豕負塗，載鬼一車，先張之弧，後說之弧，匪寇婚媾，往遇雨則吉。上九六三正應，非孤而曰孤者，睽極多疑，孤生於所見也。三互四五為坎有豕象，又為水有塗象；三以陰居二陽之上，又坎為隱伏，有載鬼一車象。三見四，有牛掣象；上見三，為豕之負塗，且疑其汙我矣。三見二，有輿曳象；上見三，則為載鬼一車，且疑祟我矣。

The line statement for the top nine (上九) is: "Kui gu, xian shi fu tu, zai gui yi che, xian zhang zhi hu, hou shuo zhi hu, fei kou hun gou, wang yu yu ze ji." Although the top nine and the sixth three (六三) are originally in a proper correspondence and should not be isolated, it is said "gu" (solitary), because when there is extreme discord, there is great suspicion, and this sense of solitude arises from the illusions that the person perceives. The sixth three, together with the fourth and fifth lines, forms the trigram Kan, which represents pigs and water. Therefore, there is an image of a pig and mud. The sixth three, with a yin line occupying a position above two yang lines, and Kan also representing concealment, gives the image of "a cart full of ghosts." When the sixth three looks at the fourth line, it is an image of an ox being held back; when the top nine looks at the sixth three, it becomes an image of a pig covered in mud, and there is suspicion that it will soil itself. When the sixth three looks at the second line, it is an image of a cart being dragged; when the top nine looks at the sixth three, it becomes an image of a cart carrying ghosts, and there is suspicion that it will cause trouble.

弓矢本取象於睽，又坎為弓，又為狐疑。先張之弧，疑之也；後脫之弧，疑漸去矣。上變震為歸妹，有婚媾象。匪寇婚媾，知三非寇而實親也。坎又為雨，陰陽和則雨。遇雨則吉，遇六三也。言疑盡釋，睽終復合也。

The bow and arrow, as mentioned in the Great Treatise, are taken as symbols of the Guīguà (Strife) hexagram. The Kan line also represents the bow and signifies suspicion. Therefore, "first drawing the bow" indicates inner doubt, while "later putting down the bow" signifies the gradual disappearance of suspicion. When the top line (Upper Nine) changes, the entire hexagram becomes Guīmèi (Marriage), which is the hexagram of marriage and union. Thus, the image of marriage and union appears. "Not a bandit but a marriage partner" means that in the end, it is realized that the line six in the third is not a robber but a close relative. The Kan line also represents rain, and rain comes only when yin and yang are in harmony. The "meeting rain" in "if one meets rain, it is auspicious" refers to encountering the line six in the third. This means that all doubts are completely dispelled, and the discord is finally resolved into union.

象曰：遇雨之吉，群疑亡也。群疑，指上所見。全卦當睽之時，是以不可大有所為。而睽有終合之理，故小事猶可獲吉。六爻皆始睽終合。二五、三上以正應而終合。初四非應，以同德而亦終合。天下事未有終於乖違者，所以貴有濟睽之功也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Meeting rain brings good fortune, for all doubts are dispelled." The so-called "all doubts" refers to the series of illusions mentioned earlier—such as the mud pig and the ghost chariot. Overall, the hexagram depicts a time of discord, so great achievements are not possible; however, within this discord there is an inherent principle of eventual union, so small matters can still result in good fortune. All six lines follow the pattern of initial discord and eventual union: nine two and six five, six three and upper nine, are united through proper correspondence; initial nine and nine four, though not properly corresponding, eventually unite through their shared yang strength. There is no matter in the world that remains in discord forever, so the achievement of reconciling discord is especially precious.

蹇。蹇卦，下艮上坎。險在前而止不能進也，故為蹇。蹇卦次睽。按，《序卦》：睽者，乖也。乖必有難，故受之以蹇。蹇者，難也。睽乖之時，必有蹇難，蹇所以次睽也。全彖取後天八卦艮坎在東北方，離坤在西南方。艮坎為蹇，則對方為出蹇矣。又九五以剛健中正之君在上，而六二以柔順中正之臣在下，又有利見大人之象。此全彖之大旨也。六爻以五為濟蹇之君。

The hexagram Jian is composed of the lower trigram Gen (Mountain) and the upper trigram Kan (Water). Obstacles and difficulties lie ahead, yet the subject is stopped and unable to proceed, hence it is called "Jian," meaning to limp or move with difficulty. The hexagram Jian comes after the hexagram Kui. The "Xu Guan Zhuan" states: "Kui means separation. Separation inevitably brings difficulties, hence it is followed by Jian. Jian means difficulty." When there is separation and discord, difficulties are bound to follow, so Jian follows Kui. The entire hexagram statement is based on the Later Heaven Trigrams' directional arrangement: Gen and Kan are located in the Northeast, while Li and Kun are in the Southwest. Gen and Kan together form Jian, so the opposite direction is the way to escape the difficulty. Moreover, the fifth line is a strong and upright ruler in the upper position, and the second line is a gentle and upright minister in the lower position, thus presenting the image of "being beneficial to see a great man." This is the main meaning of the hexagram's statement. Among the six lines, the fifth line represents the ruler who helps overcome the difficulty.

二為同患之臣。餘四爻雖處蹇，而無濟蹇之責。唯三以剛實具濟蹇之才。獨以與五非近非應，而反就二以同往，故言喜。四以比三，故言連。上以應三，故言來碩。蓋蹇中非有陽剛之才不能濟。故五之所待者，三之來也。三反從二以來，則朋來矣。獨初六才柔位卑，故以來譽勉之。此六爻之大略也。

Six in the Second represents a minister who shares hardship with the sovereign. The other four lines, although in the same difficult situation, do not have the responsibility to help overcome the difficulty. Only Nine in the Third, with its strong yang quality, actually possesses the ability to help overcome the difficulty. Yet it is neither adjacent nor in harmony with Nine in the Fifth, so it turns back and joins Six in the Second nearby to assist together, hence the line statement says 'joy'. Six in the Fourth is adjacent to Nine in the Third, so it is said 'connected'. Upper Six is in harmony with Nine in the Third, so it is said 'comes with a great virtue'. One should know that without strong yang talent, one cannot help overcome the difficulty, so what Nine in the Fifth is waiting for is precisely the arrival of Nine in the Third. Nine in the Third, turning back, brings Six in the Second along with it, which is 'companions come'. Only Six at the Beginning is weak and in a low position, so it is only encouraged with 'comes with praise'. This is the general trend of the six lines.

蹇。利西南。不利東北。利見大人。貞吉。蹇，足不能進，行之難也。前有水之陷，後有山之阻。又為見險而止之義，故曰蹇。又睽卦盡反則為蹇。睽取目有所見，重離在前也；蹇取足不能進，重坎在前也。利西南不利東北，按，《本義》謂西南平易，東北險阻。《程傳》謂西南坤方，坤，地也，體順而易；東北艮方，艮，山也，體止而險。

The Hexagram Statement says: "Jian, advantageous to the Southwest, disadvantageous to the Northeast, advantageous to see a great man, and to maintain sincerity brings good fortune." "Jian" means that the feet cannot move forward, and walking is difficult. In front there is a water pit, and behind there is a mountain blocking the way. It also contains the meaning of "stopping when danger is seen," hence the name Jian. Furthermore, the Hexagram Jian is the complete reversal of the Hexagram Kui. Kui takes the meaning of "seeing with the eyes," because Li represents the eye, and it is placed in front in a double form. Jian takes the meaning of "the feet cannot advance," because Kan represents danger, and it is placed in front in a double form. As for "advantageous to the Southwest and disadvantageous to the Northeast," Zhu Xi in The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes explains that the Southwest is a flat terrain while the Northeast is a rugged terrain. Cheng Yi in Yichuan's Commentary on the Changes explains that the Southwest is the direction of Kun, which is earth, and has a nature of flexibility and ease, while the Northeast is the direction of Gen, which is mountain, and has a nature of stillness and ruggedness.

今按，卦象中無坤而言坤者，其說有二。以後天八卦言之。艮坎東北與西南離坤相對。艮坎合為蹇，不利東北。離坤合為晉，是為利西南矣。蹇卦無西南，就東北對方言之。猶坤卦言西南得朋，而兼言東北喪朋也。又以卦之六爻言之。蹇難之時，非有陽剛之才不可有為。卦中唯五與三為陽。

Chen Menglei commented that in the hexagram there was originally no Kun. Both schools used Kun to explain it, and there are two interpretations. The first is based on the Later Heaven Trigrams: the position of Gen and Kan in the Northeast is opposite to the position of Li and Kun in the Southwest. Gen and Kan together form Jian, hence "not favorable to the Northeast"; Li and Kun together form Jin, hence "favorable to the Southwest." The Jian hexagram itself does not contain the Southwest, but it refers to the opposite direction of the Northeast, similar to how the Kun hexagram mentions "gaining friends in the Southwest" and also mentions "losing friends in the Northeast" by implication. The second interpretation is based on the six lines of the hexagram: during times of difficulty, without strong yang lines, one cannot achieve anything. In this hexagram, only the lines nine in the fifth and nine in the third are yang lines.

五以陽剛為濟蹇之君。三非正應，然反而就二連四應上以輔乎五。五三變為純坤，則出東北之險阻，入西南之平易，蹇乃濟矣。故有利西南不利東北之象。六二柔順中正之臣，三反就之，遂與四上皆來互輔於五，以共濟蹇，有利見大人之象。六爻唯初不正，故宜見險待時。二以上皆正，可以濟蹇，故曰貞吉。占者得之，則見險者貴於能止，而不必終於止；處險者貴於能進，而又不可失其正也。

Nine in the Fifth is a yang strong ruler who takes on the responsibility of helping to overcome the difficulties of the蹇 (Obstruction) situation. Nine in the Third and Nine in the Fifth are not in a proper mutual response, yet Nine in the Third turns back to approach Six in the Second, connects with Six in the Fourth, and responds to Upper Six, all together assisting Nine in the Fifth. If both Nine in the Fifth and Nine in the Third change, the entire hexagram becomes a pure坤 (Earth) hexagram. This signifies moving out of the dangerous Northeast and entering the easy Southwest, thus alleviating the difficulties of Obstruction. Therefore, there is the image of 'favorable to the Southwest, unfavorable to the Northeast'. Six in the Second is a gentle and upright minister; Nine in the Third turns back to join with it, so Six in the Fourth and Upper Six also come together to assist Nine in the Fifth, jointly helping to overcome the Obstruction, hence the image of 'favorable to see a great person'. Among the six lines, only the first line is not in the proper position, so it is appropriate to see danger and stop waiting for the right time. The lines above Six in the Second are all in the proper position and can help overcome the Obstruction, so it says 'keeping firm and being auspicious'. When one gets this hexagram, they should understand: seeing danger, the important thing is to be able to stop, but not to stop completely; being in danger, the important thing is to be able to move forward, yet not to lose one's correctness.

彖曰：蹇，難也，險在前也。見險而能止，知矣哉。以卦德釋卦名義而贊之。蹇固足不能進之義。然知其不能進而不輕進，即知也。山水為蒙，水山為蹇。知者，蒙之友。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Jian means difficulty, with danger ahead. Seeing the danger and knowing when to stop, this is truly wise." This passage explains the meaning of the hexagram through its qualities and praises it. Although "Jian" literally means that the foot cannot move, knowing that one cannot proceed and thus refraining from rash action is itself wisdom. This can also be compared with the hexagram Meng: Mount Tai above and Water below is Meng, while Water above and Mount Tai below is Jian; wisdom is the opposite of ignorance (the original text says "friend of Meng," but "friend" is likely a mistake for "opposite").

蹇，利西南，往得中也。不利東北，其道窮也。利見大人，往有功也。當位貞吉，以正邦也。蹇之時用大矣哉。以卦綜言之，蹇卦綜解。解下卦之坎，往為蹇上卦之坎，九五得其中也。後天震在東，艮在東北。解上卦之震，下為蹇下卦之艮，正在蹇之方，其道窮也。以卦體言之，二五正應，三反四連而上來碩，皆可濟險，往有功也。自二至上，位皆得正。初雖不當，而陰柔在下亦正也。上下皆正，則邦可正，蹇可濟矣。坎睽蹇皆非順境，夫子以為此時，亦有可用者，故極贊其大。

The Commentary on the Judgment continues: "Jian is advantageous to go toward the Southwest, because it reaches the center; it is not advantageous to go toward the Northeast, because its path is blocked; it is advantageous to see a great person, because going forward brings merit; those in the correct position and maintaining uprightness will bring good fortune, because they will properly govern the state. The use of Jian at this time is indeed great." From the perspective of the reversed trigrams: Jian and Jie are reversed trigrams. In the Jie hexagram, the lower trigram Kan moves upward to become the upper trigram Kan in the Jian hexagram, so the nine five line is in the central position. In the Later Heaven trigrams, Zhen is in the East and Gen is in the Northeast. In the Jie hexagram, the upper trigram Zhen moves downward to become the lower trigram Gen in the Jian hexagram, which exactly falls in the direction of difficulty, so it is said "its path is blocked." From the structure of the hexagram: the six two line and the nine five line are in a correct response; the nine three line turns back, the six four line connects, and the upper six line comes forward to help, all of which can assist in overcoming danger, so it is said "going forward brings merit." From the second line to the top line, each position is correct; although the initial six line is not in the correct position, it is a yin and flexible line at the very bottom, which is also considered correct. If both upper and lower are correct, then the state can be properly governed, and the difficulty can be eased. The hexagrams Kan, Kui, and Jian are not in favorable conditions, yet Confucius believes that there is still usefulness in such times, so he strongly praises the great utility of Jian.

象曰：山上有水，蹇。君子以反身修德。水之蹇也，止而不流。君王之蹇也，反而自修。反身即思不出其位之義，艮象也；修德即常德行之義，坎象也。象傳言反身修德，五爻曰大蹇朋來。蓋得人心以反諸身為本，即孟子所謂（文瀾本「謂」作「雲」）其身正而天下歸之也。

The Great Image says: "Mountains with water above,蹇. The superior person thus turns inward to cultivate virtue." When water meets obstruction, it accumulates and does not flow; when a ruler meets difficulties, he turns inward and focuses on self-cultivation. "Turning inward" corresponds to the meaning of "thinking without overstepping one's position" in the Great Image of the Gen hexagram, taking the image of Gen; "cultivating virtue" corresponds to the meaning of "constant virtue being practiced" in the Great Image of the Kan hexagram, taking the image of Kan. The Great Image speaks of turning inward and cultivating virtue, while the line statement of the fifth line says "great difficulty with friends coming." When these two are considered together, it is clear that to gain the people's hearts, the fundamental lies in self-reflection. That is what Mencius said (the Wenlan edition reads "said"), when one's own conduct is upright, the world naturally follows.

初六：往蹇，來譽。

The line statement for the first line, "Initial Six," says: "Going forward meets difficulty, coming back brings praise." This means that moving forward encounters obstacles, while retreating brings commendation. This line follows the previous discussion that "Initial Six is weak and in a low position, so it is used to encourage it": in a time of difficulty, encountering obstacles leads one to know when to stop and not force forward. This self-awareness itself is commendable.

往，上進也。來，止而不進。蹇，行之難也。故諸爻皆以往來為言。他爻來字，指下一爻而言。初無可來，以不進為來。六非濟蹇之才，初非濟蹇之位。往則犯難，來則有見險能止之譽也。象曰：往蹇來譽，宜待也。待時而往，非終止也。

In the Line Statements of the Yi Jing, "往" refers to moving forward, while "来" refers to stopping and not proceeding further. The original meaning of "蹇" is difficulty in walking, so all six lines of the "Jian" hexagram are explained using "往" and "来". For other lines, "来" refers to retreating to the adjacent line below; however, since there is no line below the first line (初六), its "来" can only be interpreted as ceasing to move forward. In terms of the nature of the line, Six at the Beginning is yin and weak, lacking the ability to overcome difficulties. In terms of its position, it is at the very bottom and is not the appropriate position to take on the task of overcoming difficulties. Therefore, moving forward would be self-inviting danger, while retreating and not advancing would instead earn the praise of "seeing danger and being able to stop." The Small Image Commentary says "往蹇来誉，宜待也," meaning that this stopping is merely waiting for the right time to move forward, not giving up completely for life.

六二：王臣蹇蹇，匪躬之故。六二與五為正應，輔五以濟蹇者，有王臣之象。他爻外卦一坎而已，二互三四又得坎體，有蹇而又蹇之象。入難之深，致身王事，非為私也，故曰匪躬之故。他爻皆喜來惡往，二五獨不然。五乃濟蹇之君，二之柔順中正，濟蹇之臣也。當蹇之任，鞠躬盡力而已。成敗利鈍，皆非所計，故不言吉凶也。象曰：王臣蹇蹇，終無尤也。事雖不濟，亦無可尤也。二匪躬而不言濟蹇者，陰柔短於才故也。君子取其義而恕其才，故無尤。

"Six Two: The royal minister is resolute, not for his own sake." Six Two and Nine Five are in a proper response; with a gentle and compliant minister assisting Nine Five through difficulties, there is the image of "royal minister." The other lines have only the upper trigram Kan, representing danger, but Six Two itself forms another Kan through the interaction of trigrams three and four, indicating danger upon danger, hence the image of "difficulties compounded by difficulties." This shows that it is plunged into extremely deep hardship, yet still dedicates itself to the state and carries out royal affairs, not for its own benefit, hence the line statement says "not for his own sake." Other lines prefer "coming" and dislike "going," but Six Two and Nine Five are exceptions: Nine Five is the king who bears the responsibility of overcoming difficulties, and Six Two, being gentle and upright, is the minister who bears the responsibility of overcoming difficulties. Once appointed, there is only the duty to devote oneself wholeheartedly, regardless of success or failure, hence the line statement does not mention good or bad fortune. The Small Image Commentary says "in the end, there is no blame," meaning that even if the matter is not accomplished, there is nothing to blame. Six Two can "not for his own sake" but the line statement does not call it "overcoming difficulties," because the nature of the yin and soft is ultimately insufficient in ability; the gentleman takes its loyalty as a virtue and forgives its lack of ability, hence there is no blame.

九三：往蹇來反。三與五非正應，非當蹇之任者，故往則蹇。來，下就二也。此爻變為水地比，有親比於人之象。二有蹇之任，三有剛陽（文瀾本「剛陽」作「陽剛」）之才，下就二以圖共濟，則反而得所安矣。象曰：往蹇來反，內喜之也。內指二陰，喜從陽。三有濟蹇之才，雖未當其任，而匪躬之臣，有得人之喜矣。

"Nine in the Third: Going forward meets difficulty, returning brings reversal." Nine in the Third and Nine in the Fifth are both yang lines, and they do not form a proper mutual support relationship. Therefore, they are not the ones who should take responsibility for overcoming the difficulty. Going forward only leads to greater entanglement in the difficulty. "Coming" means retreating to be close to Six in the Second. This line changes from yang to yin, transforming the entire hexagram into "Water over Earth: Mutual Support," symbolizing the image of drawing close to others. Six in the Second bears the responsibility of overcoming the difficulty, and Nine in the Third, possessing strong yang strength, retreats to cooperate with Six in the Second to jointly overcome the difficulty, thus returning to a secure position. The "Small Image Commentary" says, "The inner trigram is joyful." "Inner" refers to the two yin lines in the inner trigram. Yin is naturally pleased to follow yang. Although Nine in the Third has the ability to overcome the difficulty but is not in the proper position, once it willingly submits to the position of Six in the Second, the "non-self-sacrificing" minister, Six in the Second naturally feels joy at having the assistance of a capable person.

六四：往蹇來連。六四已入險中，而陰柔不足以濟。往則益蹇，唯連於九三，則合力可以共濟矣。象曰：往蹇來連，當位實也。陰虛陽實，九三陽居陽位。言所以連於三者，以三之實，所居當位，可以共濟蹇也。

"Six in the Fourth: Go forward and encounter difficulty, come back and connect." Six in the Fourth has already entered the upper trigram Kan, which represents danger, and since it is a yin line, it lacks the strength to overcome the peril. Moving further forward would only lead to deeper entanglement. Therefore, it should retreat and connect with Nine in the Third, combining the strength of both lines to overcome the difficulty. The "Small Image Commentary" says, "It is in the proper position and solid." Yin lines are considered empty, while yang lines are considered solid. Nine in the Third is a yang line in a yang position, thus both "solid" and "in the proper position." This explains why Six in the Fourth needs to connect with Nine in the Third—because Nine in the Third is solid and properly positioned, and therefore reliable, enabling them to jointly overcome the difficulty.

九五：大蹇朋來。五君位而在險中，天下安危所繫。而有陽剛中正之德以居之，故曰大蹇。五變坤為眾，朋來之象。來者皆就二以輔五也。二與五為正應，既有匪躬之志。三於二能來反，復具濟蹇之才。四比三而上承五，協力以濟蹇。占者有其德，則有是助矣。象曰：大蹇朋來，以中節也。居位得中，可以節制聯屬之，故能成正邦之功也。

"Nine Five: Great Obstruction, Friends Come." Nine Five occupies the position of the ruler but is himself in the dangerous situation of the坎 (Water) trigram. The safety and peril of the world rest upon him alone. Since he possesses the virtue of yang strength and correctness, the burden he bears is the heaviest, hence it is called "Great Obstruction." If Nine Five changes from yang to yin, the upper trigram becomes坤 (Earth), which represents the people. This is the image of "Friends Come." The people who come are those who come to support Six Two to assist Nine Five. Six Two and Nine Five are in the correct responding position, and they have already expressed the determination to serve the country without regard for personal safety. Nine Three is able to step back and support Six Two, and also possesses the strength to overcome the obstruction. Six Four is close to Nine Three and above Nine Five, and also contributes to the effort together. If the person consulting the oracle truly possesses the virtue of Nine Five, he will naturally receive such assistance. The "Small Image Commentary" says "Because he maintains the middle and regulates," meaning that Nine Five occupies the central position and is in the correct position, thus being able to control and manage these people who come to assist, thereby achieving the accomplishment of rectifying the state.

上六：往蹇來碩，吉。利見大人。碩，大也。陽為大。《本義》《大全》皆作就九五以成大功。今按，六爻之義宜就三爻言之。蓋當蹇之時，非陽剛不足以濟。上以陰居蹇極，往則益蹇。唯來就九三之陽，可成大功。又蹇極將變為漸，則進矣，故許其吉。利見大人指九五言。就九三陽剛之才，利見九五之君，以濟其蹇也。

"Upper Sixth: Going on is difficult, coming back brings great success, auspicious. Advantageous to see a great man." "Shuo" means great, and in the Book of Changes, yang is considered great. Zhu Xi's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" and "The Complete Book of the Zhou Changes" both interpret "coming back to achieve great success" as returning to the Nine in the Fifth to accomplish great achievements. Now, the meaning of this line should be understood in relation to the Nine in the Third: when facing difficulties, only a strong yang can provide relief. The Upper Sixth, being a yin and flexible line, is at the extreme of difficulty, and proceeding further would only increase the difficulty. Only by retreating and returning to the yang of the Nine in the Third can great achievements be made. Moreover, when difficulty reaches its extreme, it will transform into "Zhan" (Gradual Progress), which signifies gradual advancement, precisely a time for moving forward. Therefore, the line statement allows for auspiciousness. As for "advantageous to see a great man," it refers to the Nine in the Fifth: the Upper Sixth, by utilizing the capable yang of the Nine in the Third, is also advantageous in seeing the sovereign of the Nine in the Fifth, thus being able to overcome the difficulty.

象曰：往蹇來碩，志在內也。利見大人，以從貴也。《大全》以在內指九五，時解從之。然於從貴之言似復複。今以在內，指內卦之九三言之。上柔無濟蹇之才，志在得內卦陽剛之才以共濟，而從九五之君也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Going through difficulty and coming to a great gain, the mind is within." "It is advantageous to see a great man, to follow the noble." The Zhou Yi Dian explains that "within" refers to the Nine in the Fifth. At that time, the common interpretation followed this. However, this leads to repetition between "the mind is within" and "to follow the noble." Now, we should understand "within" as referring to the Nine in the Third of the Inner Trigram. The Six at the Top is yin and weak, lacking the ability to overcome difficulty. Its mind is to obtain the yang strength of the Inner Trigram to jointly overcome difficulty, while also following the noble ruler, the Nine in the Fifth. One sentence refers to the strength relied upon, the other to the ruler followed, and the two sentences then have distinct meanings.

全彖以卦象，有利西南不利東北之占。以卦體二五相應，有利見大人之占。大抵當蹇之時，欲其知止以善處蹇之道，又欲其陽剛以大濟蹇之功。需眾爻以濟蹇者五，故曰朋來。在蹇而輔蹇者二也，故曰匪躬。君臣當蹇之任者，故不得言往來。餘四爻皆不任濟蹇之責，故皆喜來而惡往。

Taking the whole hexagram into account: from the symbolic meaning of the hexagram, there is a divination statement saying "favorable to the southwest, unfavorable to the northeast"; from the structure of the hexagram, with the second and fifth lines corresponding, there is another divination statement saying "favorable to see a great person." In general, when facing difficulties, one should understand when to stop, which is a good way to deal with difficulties; at the same time, one should have strong yang qualities, which can achieve great accomplishments in overcoming difficulties. In the whole hexagram, the line nine in the fifth position needs the help of many lines to overcome the difficulty, so its line statement says "companions come"; the line six in the second position, being in the difficulty and making every effort to assist in overcoming it, so its line statement says "not for oneself." These two lines are the ruler and the minister, bearing the responsibility of overcoming the difficulty, so their line statements do not use "going" or "coming" to express. The remaining four lines do not bear the responsibility of overcoming the difficulty, so they all favor "coming" and dislike "going."

然蹇之時，惟陽剛與五同德，乃能共濟。三有濟蹇之才者，反而就二，則可以共濟矣。四以比三而來，上以應三而來，皆濟蹇之朋，能輔五者也。惟初陰柔在下，則惟有待時而往耳。然則蹇之時，在下者貴於知止，而在上者貴於濟蹇，庶幾得其正乎。

However, in times of difficulty, only those with yang strength who share the virtue of the Nine in the Fifth can join him to overcome the hardship. The Nine in the Third has the ability to overcome the difficulty, and by retreating back to the Six in the Second, they can work together to overcome it. The Six in the Fourth comes because it is close to the Nine in the Third, and the Six at the Top comes in response to the Nine in the Third; these are all companions in overcoming the difficulty and can support the Nine in the Fifth. Only the Six at the Beginning, being yin and occupying the lowest position, lacks both virtue and position, so it can only wait for the right time to move forward. Thus, in times of hardship, those in lower positions are valuable for knowing when to stop and not advancing recklessly, while those in higher positions are valuable for taking on the responsibility of overcoming the difficulty. Only in this way can each person be in the right place.