The Army Hexagram

師，下坎上坤。二體為地中有水，聚眾之象。二卦之義，內險外順。險道而以順行，有師之義。六爻以一陽統眾陰，有大將率師之象。二剛居下，五柔居上任之，人君命將出師之象。故名為師。師次於訟。按《序卦》，訟必有眾起，故受之以師。師旅之興，由於有爭，所以次訟也。出師貴乎得正，而用將在乎得人。此全彖之大旨也。

The lower trigram of the Hexagram "Military Campaign" is "Kan" (Water), and the upper trigram is "Kun" (Earth). When viewed together, "Kun" represents Earth and "Kan" represents Water. Water is stored within the earth, gathering without dispersing, which is the image of gathering people. In terms of the virtues of the trigrams, the inner trigram "Kan" signifies danger, while the outer trigram "Kun" signifies compliance. The path taken is inherently dangerous, yet it is carried out with a gentle and compliant virtue, which aligns with the principles of military campaigns. Considering the six lines, the entire hexagram contains only one yang line, nine two, which leads the other five yin lines, like a general commanding the army. Nine two, a strong line in a lower position, and six five, a weak line in a higher position, entrusting the military command to nine two, is the image of a sovereign appointing a general to lead an expedition. Therefore, this hexagram is named "Military Campaign." The Hexagram "Military Campaign" follows the Hexagram "Contention." The "Sequence of Hexagrams" states: when contention arises, people naturally gather in response, hence the Hexagram "Contention" is followed by the Hexagram "Military Campaign." The origin of military campaigns lies in contention, which is why it comes after "Contention." The most important aspect of military action is the proper name or justification, and the most crucial part of appointing a general is selecting the right person—these two statements are the main points of the hexagram's statement.

九二以陽剛在下卦之中，為老成之將。六五相應，為任將之君。三四亦皆將兵之臣。二以居中持重而吉。三以躁妄而凶。四以柔自守，僅可無咎。初為出師之始，貴其紀律之明。上為行師之終，尤欲論功行賞之當。蓋六爻而行師之道備矣。

Nine in the Second, with its yang strength occupying the central position of the lower trigram, represents a mature and cautious general; Six in the Fifth is above it and corresponds with it, representing the monarch who entrusts the general; Six in the Third and Six in the Fourth are also officers leading troops. Nine in the Second, because it is in the central position, is able to be cautious and thus attains good fortune; Six in the Third, being impetuous and reckless, leads to misfortune; Six in the Fourth, by being gentle and compliant, maintains the entire army and retreats without error, achieving only the avoidance of mistakes; Six at the Beginning, located at the start of the military campaign, is valuable for its strict discipline; Six at the Top, located at the end of the military campaign, is most important for properly rewarding meritorious deeds. The six lines, arranged from beginning to end in this way, fully encompass the principles of military conduct.

又師與比反對，皆以一陽統眾陰，而義各有所取。蓋先王之制民，居則為比閭族黨，故比則眾在內，而一陽在上為之主，君象也。行則為伍兩卒旅，故師則眾在外，而一陽在下為之統，將帥象也。此又二卦取義之意也。

Furthermore, the hexagram "Military Campaign" (师) and "Following" (比) are "opposite" hexagrams, with their trigrams reversed. Both consist of a single yang line governing five yin lines, but their meanings emphasize different aspects. In ancient times, the sovereign organized the people: in times of peace, they were grouped into "bi" (比), "lv" (闾), "zu" (族), and "dang" (党), so the hexagram "Following" has five yin lines inside and one yang line at the top, symbolizing the ruler. When going out to fight, they were organized into "wu" (伍), "liang" (两), "cu" (卒), and "lv" (旅), so the hexagram "Military Campaign" has five yin lines outside and one yang line at the bottom, symbolizing the general. This is the meaning behind the distinct interpretations of these two hexagrams.

師：貞，丈人吉，無咎。師，兵眾也。下坎上坤。以卦象言，地中水聚，猶師之聚。以卦德言，坎險坤順，古者寓兵於農，伏至險於大順，藏不測於至靜之中。卦唯九二一陽在下卦之中，為將之象。上下五陰從之，為眾之象。又九二以剛在下統眾，六五以柔在上而應之，為人君命將出師之象。

The Hexagram Statement of "Military Campaign" says: To hold to the right path, and have an experienced and prudent elder in command of the army is auspicious, and there will be no mistakes. "Military Campaign" refers to the army and the people. The lower trigram is "Kan" (Water) and the upper trigram is "Kun" (Earth). From the image of the hexagram, water gathered in the earth is like the gathering of people into an army; from the virtue of the trigrams, "Kan" represents danger and "Kun" represents compliance. In ancient times, soldiers were embedded among farmers, which is like hiding extreme danger within a very gentle form, and concealing unpredictable danger within the quiet routine of daily life. The entire hexagram has only one yang line, nine two, in the middle position of the lower trigram, which represents the general; the five yin lines above are following it, representing the soldiers. Moreover, nine two, with its yang strength in a lower position, leads the people, while six five, with its yin softness in a higher position, corresponds with it, which is the image of a ruler appointing a general and sending troops into battle.

貞，正也，所謂仁義之師、師出有名者也。丈人，老成持重、眾所畏服者也。言行師之道，當以貞為本。而用將，又必得老成持重之人，乃有全師戰勝之吉，無窮兵黷武之咎。言吉而又曰無咎者，蓋動眾而無功，罪也。有功而貽患，亦非善也。故必吉乃無咎，而吉又貴於無咎也。

"Zhen" means "correct," referring to a righteous and virtuous army that has a just cause for going to war. "Zhangren" refers to an elder who is mature, steady, and respected and trusted by others. This means: in conducting warfare, one must take the correctness of name and position as the fundamental principle; and in appointing generals, it is essential to have the support of such elders, thereby ensuring the safety of the entire army and the ability to defeat the enemy, bringing auspiciousness rather than the calamity of unnecessary and excessive warfare. Although it has already said "ji" (auspicious), why is "wu jiao" (no blame) also mentioned? Because launching a military campaign without achieving any success is a fault; even if there is success but leaving behind future troubles, it is not considered good. Therefore, only when there is "ji" can there be "wu jiao," and the value of "ji" lies precisely in its ability to avoid faults.

彖曰：師，眾也；貞，正也。能以眾正，可以王矣。此以卦體釋師貞之義。以，能左右之也。坎以一陽而能統上下五陰，皆歸於正道，則順天應人，可以為王者之師矣。以之正則為王，微有不正則為霸。行一不義，殺一不辜，而得天下不為，所謂以眾正，而為王者之師也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Shi" means multitude, and "Zhen" means uprightness; being able to lead the multitude to follow the upright path can accomplish the imperial cause. This passage uses the "hexagram structure" -- that is, the yao arrangement of one yang line governing five yin lines -- to explain the hexagram name "Shi" and the hexagram statement "Zhen." "Yi" means to be able to control or guide: a yang line in Kan can govern the five yin lines above and below, bringing them all to the upright path. Thus, it accords with heavenly principle above and responds to human hearts below, qualifying as the army of a king. To use the multitude in uprightness is the way of the king; if even slightly deviating from uprightness, it falls into the way of the hegemon. To commit an unjust act or kill an innocent person in order to gain the world, a king would not do it -- this is called "using the multitude in uprightness," and only then can one be called the army of a king.

剛中而應，行險而順，以此毒天下而民從之，吉又何咎矣。以卦體言之，九二剛中而六五應之。剛而得中，恩威並濟。五與為應，則君之信任專矣。以卦德言之，坎險坤順，雖行危道而順人心。以此興師，雖勞民傷財，不無毒於天下，而民悅而從，則有吉而無咎矣。此釋丈人吉無咎之義也。

The Commentary on the Judgment continues: Yang strength is in the center with support above, proceeding along a dangerous path yet acting with gentleness. By doing so, the whole world suffers but the people still follow. Since it brings good fortune, where is there any fault? In terms of the structure of the hexagram, Nine in the Second is Yang strength in the center of the lower trigram, while Six in the Fifth is above and corresponds with it. Yang strength in the center means both benevolence and authority are exercised without bias. Six in the Fifth corresponds exclusively with it, indicating the ruler's trust is single-minded. In terms of the hexagram's virtue, "Kan" represents danger and "Kun" represents gentleness. Although the path taken is that of military action, which is dangerous, it follows the people's will. By employing such a method of warfare, even though it may cause hardship and harm to the people, it cannot be said to have no harmful effects on the world. However, since the people are pleased and follow, there is good fortune and no fault. This passage explains the hexagram statement "The elder man is auspicious, no fault."

象曰：地中有水，師。君子以容民畜眾。地中有水，有包容畜聚之象。古者兵出於民，容保其民，即以畜聚其眾。水不外於地，兵不外於民也。容民則無流民，畜眾則無叛眾。容之畜之於無事之時，而用之於有事之日。

The Image Commentary says: The earth contains water, which is the image of the卦 of Military Campaign. The gentleman takes this image as a model, to embrace the people and to gather the masses. The earth can contain water, and water can gather in the earth, thus forming the image of containment and gathering. In ancient times, the source of soldiers came from the people. To embrace and preserve the people is equivalent to gathering one's soldiers; water is not outside the earth, and soldiers are not outside the people. To embrace the people will prevent the existence of wandering and homeless people; to gather the soldiers will prevent the occurrence of rebellious troops. During times of peace, one embraces and nurtures them, and when there is a need, they can be used.

初六：師出以律，否臧凶。律即紀律。否臧謂不善，即無紀律之謂也。初，出師之始，出師之道當謹於始。以律則吉，不善則凶。蓋以初六才柔，故有否臧之戒。然以律不言吉，否臧則凶者，律令謹嚴，出師之常，勝負猶未可知。若失律，則凶立見矣。象曰：師出以律，失律凶也。按，《程傳》釋臧為勝，謂失律雖勝亦凶也。今按，《象傳》似竟以否臧為失律為是。

Initial Line Six: Military campaigns depend on orders and discipline; if discipline is poor, it will be disastrous. 'Law' refers to discipline; 'fu zang' means poor discipline, that is, no discipline. Initial Line Six is at the beginning of a military campaign, and the way of military action most requires caution at the start: with discipline it is auspicious, but with poor discipline it is disastrous. Because Initial Line Six is yin and weak, it is prone to disorder and slackness, so it specifically warns against 'fu zang'. However, the line statement does not grant a 'auspicious' judgment for 'using law', but directly states 'disastrous' for 'fu zang', because strict orders are just the usual aspect of military campaigns; even if they are present, victory is not certain, and the outcome is still uncertain; once discipline is lost, disaster comes immediately. The Image Commentary says: military campaigns depend on discipline; losing discipline brings disaster. According to the 'Cheng Transmission', 'zang' is interpreted as victory, meaning that even if losing discipline leads to aby chance victory, it is still disastrous. However, in today's view, it is more appropriate to directly interpret 'fu zang' as 'losing discipline' as the Image Commentary does.

九二：在師中，吉無咎，王三錫命。九二以剛居柔，在下卦之中，有在師中吉無咎之象。上應六五之柔，為君所寵任者也，有王三錫命之象。在師中吉無咎，竟作在師而得中，不必又云在師之中。蓋剛柔兼濟，故有克敵全師之吉，無躁妄逗撓之咎。此即彖之所謂丈人也。錫命至於三，言極其寵，故權無中制，所向得有功也。

Nine Two: Being in the army yet able to maintain the middle path brings good fortune and no blame. The king bestows three mandates. Nine Two, with a yang line in a yin position, is located in the center of the lower trigram, thus reflecting the image of 'being in the army and achieving good fortune without blame.' It is in harmony with the yin line of Six Five, indicating a person favored and entrusted by the sovereign, hence the image of 'the king bestowing three mandates.' The phrase 'being in the army and achieving good fortune without blame' can be directly understood as 'being in the army and maintaining the middle path,' without needing to interpret it as 'being in the center of the army.' Nine Two combines both yang and yin, thus achieving victory over the enemy while preserving the entire army, without the faults of rash action or hesitation. It is the 'elder man' mentioned in the hexagram statement. The repeated bestowal of mandates three times signifies extreme favor, implying that the general is stationed abroad without being controlled by the court, and wherever his forces go, they achieve success.

象曰：在師中吉，承天寵也；王三錫命，懷萬邦也。爻就二之剛中得吉，兼由上之寵任言。《象傳》專重人君任將之道言。言二之中而得吉，以承天之寵故也。人君三錫命於將，亦非徒私於一將也。蓋將以綏懷萬邦，必專其事權，以責其成功也。

The Image Commentary says: "It is auspicious to be in the army," because it receives the favor and trust of the sovereign; "The king bestows the mandate three times," in order to pacify and win over all the states. The Line Statement speaks of the auspiciousness of Nine in the Second, which is strong and in the center, and thus obtains good fortune, while also mentioning the sovereign's favor and appointment. The Image Commentary, however, discusses exclusively the way of the sovereign appointing a general. It says that Nine in the Second attains good fortune by maintaining the center, precisely because it receives the sovereign's favor and trust. The sovereign bestowing the mandate repeatedly is not merely favoring a single general. The purpose of bestowing the mandate is to pacify and win over all the states, and for this it is necessary to entrust the authority solely to him, so that he may be held accountable for success.

六三：師或輿尸，凶。六三眾陰在上，有積尸之象。坤為輿，坎為輪，有輿尸象。六三以陰居陽，不中不正，才弱志剛，輕躁以進，師徒覆敗，輿尸以歸也。此按，《本義》如此。又按，《程傳》《蘇傳》皆以輿為眾。尸，主也。小人掣肘，號令不一，必至敗也。今觀下文弟子輿尸，則程、蘇之說為順。象曰：師或輿尸，大無功也。本欲躁妄以圖功，而至於大無功，非徒小挫而已。

Six in the Third: The army may return by carriage carrying corpses, which is ominous. Above the Sixth in the Third, there are many yin lines stacked together, symbolizing a pile of corpses. "Kun" represents carriages, and "Kan" represents the wheels of a carriage, together forming the image of carrying corpses. The Sixth in the Third, with a yin line in a yang position, is neither in the center nor in the correct position. It has a weak quality but a strong and impetuous will, leading to reckless advances and the complete defeat of the army, which can only return by carriage carrying the dead. This is according to Zhu Xi's "Benyi." Alternatively, according to Cheng Yi's "Chengzhuan" and Su Shi's "Suzhuan," "yu" is interpreted as "the people" and "shi" as "the master": meaning that petty people interfere from the side, and everyone wants to be the master, leading to a lack of unified command and certain failure. Considering the following line, Sixth in the Fifth, "disciples carry corpses," Cheng and Su's interpretation is more coherent. Therefore, Chen Menglei presents both interpretations but prefers Cheng and Su's. The "Image Commentary" says: the army may return carrying corpses, which is a great effort with no result. The intention was to achieve military success through reckless and risky advances, but the result is no achievement at all, not just a minor setback.

六四：師左次，無咎。軍尚右。左次，退舍也。陰柔不中而居陰得正，故有左次之象。全師以退，賢於六三，故無咎。象曰：左次無咎，未失常也。恐人以退為怯，故云。知難而退，師之常也。

Six in the Fourth: The army retreats to the left, without fault. In ancient times, the right side was considered honorable and for advancing, so "retreating to the left" signifies the army withdrawing and taking up position. Six in the Fourth isyin softness and not in the central position, yet it occupies a阴 position and is correct, hence the image of "retreating to the left." It preserves the entire army before retreating, which is far superior to the situation in Six in the Third, where the army is defeated and the dead are carried away. Therefore, there is no fault. The Image Commentary says: Retreating to the left without fault is because it does not violate the usual principles of warfare. This is to prevent people from viewing retreat as cowardice, so it specifically points out that knowing when to retreat when unable to fight is itself a standard practice in warfare.

六五：田有禽，利執言，無咎。長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。六五用師之主，柔順而中，不為兵端者也。然敵加於己，不得已而應之。應坎為豕，為田中有禽害稼之象。言，語辭。利於摶執之，無窮黷之咎也。長子，九二也。弟子，三四也。長子即丈人，自眾尊之曰丈人，自爻象之曰長子。二互三四為震，長子之象。五獨與二為應，故有使長子帥師之象。

Six Five: There are wild animals in the fields causing damage, it is advantageous to capture them, there will be no fault; it is appropriate to entrust the experienced elder to lead the army, but if young men are involved together, they will return with corpses, even if the cause is pure, it will be dangerous. Six Five is the ruler who commands the military, it is gentle and occupies the central position of the upper trigram, originally not the one who initiates the war; only because the enemy attacks, it is forced to take up arms. It corresponds to Nine Two, which belongs to 'Kan', Kan represents pigs, so the image is of wild animals trampling the crops in the fields. 'Yan' is a grammatical particle with no real meaning. Since wild animals are damaging the crops, it is advantageous to capture them, thus avoiding the mistake of excessive warfare. 'Changzi' refers to Nine Two, 'disizi' refers to Six Three and Six Four. 'Changzi' refers to the 'zhangren' in the hexagram statement: from the perspective of being respected by the people, it is called 'zhangren', but from the perspective of the line, it is called 'changzi'—Nine Two together with Six Three and Six Four form 'Zhen', Zhen represents the elder son, so there is the image of 'changzi'. Six Five corresponds only with Nine Two, thus there is the image of entrusting the elder son to lead the army.

又因以戒之，言任將在審且專。設若任君子而使小人參，則使之輿尸以歸。出師之名義雖正，不免覆敗之辱矣。此彖既言貞，而又言必用丈人乃吉之意也。按，《本義》弟子輿尸句其解如此，未免弟子下費一轉折。不如程、蘇二傳，任長子而使眾弟子參之，雖正亦凶，於文義尤順也。

The line statement then proceeds to warn: appointing generals should be cautious and exclusive. If one has already appointed a gentleman but also sends commoners to interfere, then the result will be returning with corpses; even if the military campaign is justified in name, it will still lead to defeat and disgrace. This is exactly the meaning behind the hexagram statement which first mentions "uprightness" and then necessarily refers to "the elder brother" as being auspicious. According to the "Benyi" (Original Meaning), the explanation of the phrase "disciples carry corpses" is as above, though the term "disciples" requires an additional turn of phrase to make sense. It is better to follow the interpretations of Cheng Yi and Su Shi: if one has already appointed the eldest son but allows a group of disciples to interfere, then even if the cause is pure, it will still be ominous—this interpretation is more coherent in meaning.

象曰：長子帥師，以中行也；弟子輿尸，使不當也。長子所以可帥師者，以剛中之德行之也。弟子非不可使，使叅長子之權，則不當矣。眾之死生，國之存亡，在君之使，可不審哉。

The Image Commentary says: Assigning the eldest son to lead the army is because he can act in the middle way; sending a younger son back with the corpse is because the king's appointment is improper. The eldest son is able to lead the army precisely because he possesses the virtue of being strong and upright while maintaining the middle path. A younger son is not absolutely unfit for appointment, but if he is sent to divide the eldest son's military authority, then the appointment is inappropriate. The lives of all the soldiers and the survival of the entire country depend on how the king appoints people. How can this not be approached with caution?

上六：大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。上，師之終，論功行賞之時。坤為土，有開國承家之象。陽大陰小，陰爻重疊，小人之象。變艮為止，勿用之象。按，《本義》，小人雖有功，不可使有國土，但優以金帛可也。蓋以兵多詭道，立功不必皆君子，故小人之賞雖不可無，而用之使有國有家則不可。此說雖順，然論功封爵土，必無但賞以金帛以金帛之理。不如來注以用為任之以政事為是。蓋小人功大開國，功小承家，使之享有爵土，不必任以政事。如光武雲臺之將，鄧禹、賈復外不任以政是也。

Upper Six: The Son of Heaven issues an imperial decree, granting titles to those with great merit as feudal lords, and lesser titles to those with less merit as ministers. Commoners should not be appointed to office. Upper Six is at the end of the "Militant Force" hexagram, which is the time for rewarding merit. "Kun" represents land, so there is an image of granting fiefs and establishing families. Yang represents greatness, while Yin represents smallness. Here, the Yin lines are repeated, indicating the image of commoners. If Upper Six changes, the Upper Trigram becomes "Gen," which means stopping, hence the image of "not using" them. According to the "Ben Yi" interpretation: although commoners may have merit, they should not be given fiefs; instead, they should be rewarded with gold and silk. Because warfare often involves deceit, those who achieve merit may not all be virtuous, so rewards for commoners should not be omitted, but granting them states or families should not be allowed. This interpretation is reasonable, but if it is about rewarding merit with titles and land, there is no reason to merely give them gold and silk. It is better to follow Lai Zhide's interpretation, which takes "use" as "entrusting them with government affairs": even commoners with great merit are granted states, and those with lesser merit are granted families, allowing them to enjoy titles and land, but not entrusting them with government affairs. For example, the Han Guangwu Emperor's cloud platform generals, except for a few like Deng Yu and Jia Fu, were not allowed to participate in government affairs, which was exactly this method.

象曰：大君有命，以正功也；小人勿用，必亂邦也。論功行賞以正其功，君子小人皆在所錄也。但用之使豫國家之事，則邦必亂矣。出師本以綏懷萬邦，豈復容小人亂之哉。錫命於行師之始，專在丈人；有命於行師之終，戒在小人。用將不可不知人也。

The Image Commentary says: The Son of Heaven issues decrees to determine the merits of individuals; small persons should not be appointed, for employing them will surely bring disaster to the state. Appraising merit and rewarding accordingly is to evaluate the merits of each person properly, whether they are gentlemen or small persons, all are included in the scope of appointment; however, if small persons are allowed to participate in state affairs, the state will certainly be in great disorder. The purpose of military campaigns is originally to pacify and bring peace to all states, so how could it be that small persons are allowed to disrupt it? At the beginning of a military campaign, the decree is specifically given to the "elder statesman"; at the end of the campaign, the decree specifically warns against small persons. This shows that appointing generals must not fail to recognize people properly.

全卦於用師之道最為詳盡。王者之師在於得正，尤貴於擇人。專任君子而不以小人叅之，此人君御將之道也。行師者貴有剛中之德，而又得君之委任。師之出必紀律嚴明而後可以制勝。其或敵強我弱，則當知難而退，寧為四之左次，勿為三之輿尸，此為將之道也。至於論功行賞，則有開國承家茅土之封，而小人必不可豫家國之事。此聖人之垂戒深遠，非若後世權謀苟且之事。凡命將出師之道盡於斯矣。

Looking at the entire hexagram, it discusses the principles of warfare in the most detailed manner. The army of a sovereign ruler first requires proper moral standing, and especially emphasizes the selection of people: employing exclusively virtuous men and preventing the involvement of petty men, which is the way for a ruler to manage his generals. Those leading troops must possess the virtue of being strong yet moderate, and also receive exclusive appointment from the sovereign. When the army moves out, strict discipline is essential for victory. If the enemy is strong and we are weak, we should retreat when faced with difficulties, preferring to retreat to a single lodging place as in the fourth line, rather than suffering a complete defeat as in the third line—this is the way of being a general. As for rewarding merit, those with great achievements should be given land and titles, while those with lesser achievements should be entrusted with family matters. Petty men, no matter how capable, must never be allowed to participate in state affairs. The admonition conveyed by the sage here is extremely profound, far surpassing the petty and cunning strategies of later generations. All the principles concerning the appointment and deployment of generals are fully contained within this hexagram.

比卦，下坤上坎。以二體言之，水之在地上，親切無間，有比之象。又卦以九五一陽為上下五陰所親附，亦比之義，故曰比也。比卦次師。按《序卦》，眾必有所比，故受之以比。人類既多，必相親附而後能安，比所以次師也。

The lower trigram of the "Compare" hexagram is "Kun" (Earth), and the upper trigram is "Kan" (Water). Considering the two trigrams together, water lying on top of the earth, closely adhering to it without any gap in between, represents the concept of "compare" — which signifies closeness and mutual support. Furthermore, from the perspective of the lines, the entire hexagram is characterized by the single yang line, "Nine in the Fifth," being closely approached and attached by the five yin lines above and below. This also embodies the meaning of "compare," hence the name of the hexagram. The "Compare" hexagram follows the "Military" hexagram. According to the "Sequence of Hexagrams," when people gather together, they must have someone to rely on, hence the "Military" hexagram is followed by the "Compare" hexagram. When people come together in numbers, they must be close and supportive of each other in order to achieve stability, which is why the "Compare" hexagram comes after the "Military" hexagram.

卦以九五為君象，陽剛中正，為眾所歸，相親相輔。但當自審於先，不可失之於後。此全彖之大旨也。六爻以五為比之王，五陰皆求比之。初以先而吉，上以後而凶。二以應五為自內，四以承五為外比，故皆吉。唯三失其所比，離五既遠，而應於無位之上，所以傷也。此六爻之大略也。

This hexagram uses nine five as the image of a ruler: yang and strong, occupying the central position and being upright, everyone comes to rely on him, and the upper and lower are close and supportive of each other. However, if one wishes to rely on others, one should examine them clearly beforehand, and not wait until later to rely on them. These two points are the main idea of the hexagram statement. In terms of the six lines, nine five is the king who is relied upon by all the yin lines: the first six, because it was the first to rely, gains good fortune; the sixth at the top, because it was the last to rely, incurs misfortune; the sixth two, which corresponds with nine five, relies from the inner trigram; the sixth four, which closely follows nine five, relies from the outer trigram, so both are good. Only the sixth three has lost the object it should rely on—the distance from nine five is great, and it corresponds with the sixth at the top, which is an unoccupied line, so it suffers harm. This is the general idea of the six lines.

比：吉。原筮元永貞，無咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。比，親輔也。卦以九五一陰為上下眾陰所歸，以一人而撫萬邦，以四海而仰一人，故有親輔而吉之象。原筮，再筮也。蒙卦坎一陽在下曰初筮，比坎一陽在上曰原筮。比本坤卦，以再筮得乾之五，具乾之與坤之永貞，故有原筮元永貞無咎之象。水性流動，終有所歸，有不寧方來之象。九五一陽已為眾所歸，上後來以陰變陽，兩雄不併棲，有後夫凶之象。

The Hexagram of "Comparison" states: auspicious. If one again consults the oracle, as long as one possesses great virtue, enduringness, and firmness, there will be no fault. Originally unstable countries in all directions will come to submit, but those who come too late will be inauspicious. "Comparison" means to be close and assist. This hexagram has the line nine five as the common destination of all the yin lines above and below (the original text says "one yin," but according to the meaning, it should be "one yang"). With one person, the myriad states are pacified; with the four seas, all look up to one person, hence the image of being close and obtaining auspiciousness. "Original divination" means re-divination: the "Kan" in the Hexagram of "Meng" is one yang at the bottom, hence called "first divination"; the "Kan" in the Hexagram of "Comparison" is one yang at the top, hence called "original divination." The Hexagram of "Comparison" originates from the Hexagram of "Kun," and through re-divination, the yang line of the Hexagram of "Qian" enters the fifth position, thus combining the "origin" of "Qian" and the "enduring sincerity" of "Kun" (the original text says "combining the yang of Qian and the enduring sincerity of Kun," with a possible missing "origin" after "Qian"), hence the image of "original divination, origin, enduring sincerity, no fault." Water is flowing, and eventually it must have a destination, hence the image of "unresting countries coming to submit." The line nine five, with one yang, has already become the destination of all, but the line six at the top comes later and wants to change from yin to yang to claim leadership. Two strong males cannot dwell together, hence the image of "the one who comes late is inauspicious."

占者得此，則我當為人所親輔而吉。然人之歸我，歸於德也。必我有元善永長正固之德，然後可以當眾之歸而無咎。其未比於我而有所未安者，亦將來歸。若彼遲而後至，則此交已固，彼來已晚而得凶矣。

The person who draws this hexagram will find themselves being closely supported and assisted by others, resulting in good fortune. However, the reason others come to me is due to my virtue. I must possess great goodness, enduring strength, and firm integrity, so that I can bear the support of many without causing any mistakes. Those who have not yet come to support me and still feel uncertain will eventually come to me. If they arrive late, then by that time my alliances have already become solid, and their late arrival will bring misfortune.

卦就人比我言之。《本義》謂我比人，以是反觀。然玩彖意，則比人之占已在其中。蓋卦以坎五為比之主，故我有元永貞之德，則人自當速比於我，而彼之後至者凶矣。若我無其德，則必求有是德者比之，我不可自取後夫之凶。蓋卦具此象，筮者各隨所問以為占，不可執一而論也。

This hexagram is presented from the perspective of "others coming to attach themselves to me." Zhu Xi's "Benyi" interprets it as "I going to attach myself to others," urging people to think in reverse. However, upon careful consideration of the meaning in the "Tuan Zhuan," the idea of "I going to attach myself to others" is actually already included. Since the entire hexagram takes the nine five line of the upper trigram Kan as the main element of "comparison," if I possess the virtues of "origin," "eternity," and "uprightness," others should naturally come to attach themselves to me, and those who come late will be in danger. If I lack these virtues, I must seek out someone who has them and attach myself to him, and I must not fall into the danger of being the "late husband." In summary, the hexagram encompasses both aspects, and those who divinate should judge according to their own specific questions, without rigidly adhering to only one aspect.

彖曰：比，吉也。《本義》謂三字皆衍。《大全》謂衍「也」字，今從之。

The opening of the Commentary on the Judgment says "比，吉也." Zhu Xi's Benyi argues that these three characters are all later additions and should not have been included. The Zhou Yi Dianquan, however, believes only the character "也" is an addition, and the original text of the Commentary on the Judgment should read "比，吉" as a complete sentence, followed by "比，辅也" and so on. Chen Menglei follows the Zhou Yi Dianquan's view here, retaining "比吉" and deleting the "也" character.

比，輔也，下順從也。比之所以吉者，以比有輔之義，臣下皆順從之，所以吉也。順者，情不容己。從者，分不可逃。謂陽居尊而陰在下也。此以卦體釋卦名及比吉之義。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "To 'compare' or 'unite' means to assist. The many yin lines below are all obedient to the single yang line above. The reason the卦 of 'Comparison' is auspicious is because 'comparison' includes the meaning of close assistance. The line nine in the fifth position, being yang and strong, occupies the honorable position, and the five yin lines all obey and assist him, hence the auspiciousness. What is meant by 'obedience' is that there is a natural affection and eagerness to adhere; what is meant by 'following' is that by virtue of rank, one must obey and has no choice but to do so. This describes precisely the situation where a yang line is in a high and honorable position while the many yin lines are below. This sentence uses the 'structure of the hexagram,' that is, the arrangement of lines with one yang and five yin, to explain the name of the hexagram 'Comparison' and why it is auspicious.

原筮元永貞，無咎，以剛中也。不寧方來，上下應也。後夫凶，其道窮也。此亦以卦體釋卦辭也。剛謂五。以者，因也。因剛中則私無所留，所以為元。剛中則健而不息，所以為永。剛中則正固不偏，所以為貞。上下謂五陰。凡卦皆以剛柔兩爻相應，此則以五陰應五之一陽，又為一例。然師亦一陽五陰，以專以五為應者？師以君任將，則其任專。比以君臨下，則其分嚴也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The Hexagram Statement says "Original divination, great virtue, constant uprightness, no blame," because the Nine in the Fifth is yang and occupies the center; it says "Those who are not at peace will come," because all the yin lines above and below respond to it; it says "Those who come late will meet with misfortune," because the line at the top is already at the extreme. This section also uses the structure of the hexagram to explain the Hexagram Statement. "Yang" refers to the Nine in the Fifth, "because" is the reason. Yang occupying the center leaves no private thoughts in the heart, so it is called "great virtue" (yuan); yang occupying the center is vigorous and unceasing, so it is called "long-lasting" (yong); yang occupying the center maintains uprightness firmly without deviation, so it is called "uprightness" (zhen). "Above and below" refers to the other five yin lines. Usually, a hexagram has one yang and one yin line corresponding to each other in pairs. However, in this hexagram, five yin lines respond to one yang line, the Nine in the Fifth, forming a special case. However, the hexagram of "Military Campaign" also has one yang and five yin lines, yet it only takes the line at the Fifth position as the corresponding line. This is because the hexagram of "Military Campaign" represents a ruler entrusting military power to a general, appointing one person specifically, so only one line corresponds; the hexagram of "Following" represents a ruler personally visiting all the people under heaven, with clear distinctions, so all five yin lines must come to submit.

既曰上下應，又曰其道窮者。五陰皆有當應之道。獨上以一陰在最後，勢處於窮，所以凶也。乾上九曰窮之災，坤比上六皆曰道窮，皆以處上極窮故也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says both "the yin and yang correspond" and "its way is exhausted," which seems contradictory at first. In reality, the five yin lines originally all have the reasoning to correspond with nine five. However, the upper six is a yin line at the very end, and the situation has reached its limit, so it is judged as凶. The upper nine of the Qian hexagram is called "disaster of exhaustion" in the Wenyan; the upper six of the Kun hexagram and the upper six of the Bi hexagram both say "its way is exhausted": all these are because they are located at the top of a hexagram, have reached the extreme, and have no way to retreat.

象曰：地上有水，比。先王以建萬國，親諸侯。水比於地，不容有間。先王畫疆分國[文瀾本“國”作“野”]，使連屬相親。則諸侯知尊君親上，而天下從之矣。本義謂彖意人來比我，此取我往比人。然封建以治天下，使天下親於諸侯，即使諸侯親於天子，亦人來比我之意也。井田封建，先王治天下之大者也。於師得井田之法，使民自相合而無間。於比得封建之法，使君與民相合而無間。

The Image Commentary says: There is water on the ground, which is the image of the hexagram "Comparison." The former kings took this as a model, establishing the feudal system to enfeoff myriad states and to be close to the feudal lords. Water adheres to the ground, closely and seamlessly, leaving no space at all. The former kings set boundaries and enfeoffed states, making the states connected and close to each other. Thus, the feudal lords understood to honor the king and be close to their superiors, and the whole world would then follow accordingly. Zhu Xi's "Benyi" holds that the Commentary on the Judgment speaks of others coming to adhere to me, while the Image Commentary here takes the idea of me going to adhere to others. In reality, implementing the feudal system to govern the world and making the people adhere to the feudal lords is equivalent to making the feudal lords adhere to the Son of Heaven. It is still the meaning of others coming to adhere to me. The well-field system and the feudal system are the two major things the former kings used to govern the world. From the hexagram "Army," we derive the well-field system, making the people join together with no gaps; from the hexagram "Comparison," we derive the feudal system, making the ruler and the people unite with no gaps.

初六：有孚比之，無咎。有孚盈缶，終來有他吉。易六爻皆歸正應，獨比諸多皆以比五為義。他卦陽爻皆言有孚，此陰爻亦言有孚。程子所謂中實者信之質，中虛者信之本也。當比之始，虛中求比，意無他適，有有孚比之無咎之象。

The Line Statement for the initial line, Six at the Beginning: With sincere faith, one approaches others in intimacy, without fault; sincere faith is full like a jar, eventually bringing unexpected good fortune. In The Zhou Changes, the six lines generally take their conclusion from the proper correspondences between the first and fourth, second and fifth, and third and top lines. However, in the卦 of "Comparison," all lines are defined by their relationship with the nine in the fifth line. In other hexagrams, only the yang lines mention "sincere faith," but in this one, the yin line also mentions "sincere faith." This is exactly what Cheng Yi said: the solid line represents the essence of sincerity, while the hollow line represents the origin of sincerity. The initial line is at the beginning of intimacy, approaching others with a heart that is empty yet sincere, with no other intention, hence the image of "sincere faith in comparison, without fault."

坤為土。缶，土器。以陰變陽，又為仰盂。坎水下流，初變為屯。屯者，盈也。有水流盈缶之象。不與五應，而終比於五，有終來有他吉之象。言凡比之初，貴乎有信，則可以無咎。若誠信之心既充，則在我無他向之心。不但無咎，終且有他吉之來也。時解就人臣始仕者言，亦不必拘。凡事君交友有所資於人，皆從其占也。

In terms of imagery, the lower trigram is Kun (Earth), and the character 「fu」 (a vessel) is precisely a container made from clay; the first line, which changes from yin to yang, appears in the hexagram as an upturned basin. The upper trigram is Kan (Water), which flows downward; when the first line changes, the entire hexagram becomes Zun (Hexagram 1), and 「zun」 implies fullness, so there is an image of water flowing and filling the clay vessel. Originally, the first line corresponds with the fourth line rather than the fifth, yet ultimately it aligns with the fifth, hence the image of 「finally coming with additional good fortune」. This means that at the beginning of attachment, the most important thing is sincerity; with sincerity, there will be no mistakes. If sincerity is already full, one's heart will not be drawn elsewhere, not only avoiding mistakes but also eventually receiving additional good fortune. The ancient interpreters of the classics specifically applied this line to a minister's first appointment, but this need not be strictly adhered to; anyone serving a ruler or making requests of a friend can use this line for divination.

象曰：比之初六，有他吉也。言他吉，即於其初而信之，不待其終而見之也。六二：比之自內，貞吉。內外卦之分始見於此。以二應五，故曰比之自內。謂之自內，則涵養有素。道可格君，學可匡時。非以名求，以偽應者也。柔順而中正，故曰貞吉。

The Image Commentary says: The first line of the卦 of "Approach" has unexpected good fortune. Saying "he is auspicious" refers to having gained the trust of others from the beginning of attachment, without needing to wait until the end to see results. The line statement of the sixth line in the second position: it approaches the nine in the fifth from within the inner trigram, maintaining correctness and thus being auspicious. The distinction between the inner and outer trigrams becomes evident for the first time at this line. The sixth line in the second position resides within the inner trigram and corresponds to the nine in the fifth, so it is said "approaching from within." Saying "from within" shows that he has cultivated himself well: the principles he upholds are sufficient to correct the ruler, and the skills he possesses are enough to save the times. It is not someone who seeks advancement through reputation or uses false flattery. The sixth line in the second position is gentle and resides in the center and correctness, hence it is judged as "correctness brings auspiciousness."

象曰：比之自內，不自失也。陰柔恐自失其身，得正則不自失矣。已無所失，然後可以比人也。六三：比之匪人。六陰柔而居三，不中不正。承四乘二應上皆陰，所比皆非其人，不言凶而凶可知矣。

The Image Commentary says: To be closely attached to the inner trigram is to not lose oneself. A person with a yielding and weak nature is most afraid of losing their own conduct. If they can maintain uprightness, they will not lose themselves. Only when they do not lose themselves can they then go on to closely attach to others. The line statement of six three says: The one it is closely attached to is not the one it should be closely attached to. Six three, with a yielding and weak nature in the third position, is neither in the center nor does it occupy a yang position appropriately, as a yin is in a yang place. It is above six four, below six two, and corresponds to upper six. On all three sides, it is attached to yin lines, so the ones it is closely attached to are not appropriate. Although the line statement does not explicitly say 'misfortune,' misfortune is clearly implied.

象曰：比之匪人，不亦傷乎。比以求安也。上無首而三應之，所以傷也。承乘應皆陰。所應非人，尤重所應，如所事非人。所承所乘，如居之有鄰，學之有友，仕之有同寮皆是也。二、四皆吉，然皆陰爻，故統謂之匪人。

The Image Commentary says: To be close to the wrong person, is it not to invite harm? People seek closeness in order to seek security; now, the upper six 'compares without a leader,' and the six three goes to respond to it, thus suffering injury. The six three is supported by, rides upon, and responds to all yin lines. Among these, 'response' is most important, equivalent to serving an inappropriate person; as for the support and riding upon, they are like having neighbors at home, friends in study, and colleagues in officialdom. The six two and six four themselves both receive good fortune, but since they are both yin lines, they are here collectively referred to as 'wrong people.'

六四：外比之，貞吉。以柔居柔，外比九五為得其正，吉之道也。初不係四而比五曰他。四不係初而比五曰外。二曰自內，有以心許國之意。四曰外比，有公爾忘私之意。陰柔近君近於媚，故皆戒以貞吉。

The Line Statement for the Fourth Line: It approaches the Nine in the Fifth externally, maintains correctness and is auspicious. The Fourth Line, with its Yin and soft nature in a Yin position, is properly placed and correct. It approaches the Nine in the Fifth above, which is in accordance with the Way, thus indicating an auspicious path. The Initial Line does not cling to its proper corresponding Sixth Line but instead approaches the Nine in the Fifth, and the Line Statement calls this 'other auspiciousness'; the Fourth Line does not cling to its proper corresponding Initial Line but instead approaches the Nine in the Fifth, and the Line Statement calls this 'external alignment'. The Second Line says 'from within', implying sincere dedication to the state; the Fourth Line says 'external alignment', implying selflessness for the public good. Yin and soft lines close to the Sovereign's position are easily inclined towards flattery, so both lines use 'upright auspiciousness' to warn them to remain on the correct path.

象曰：外比於賢，以從上也。五以剛明中正之賢，又居君位。四外比之，豈徒以其賢哉。正以上下之分，有所必從，無所逃也。

The Image Commentary says: To attach oneself to a virtuous person externally is to follow the superior. Nine in the Fifth is a virtuous person who is strong, decisive, and upright, and holds the position of the sovereign. Six in the Fourth attaches itself to him externally; is it merely because he is virtuous? Rather, it is because the distinction between superior and inferior is established, and obedience is required, with no place to escape. The phrase 'to follow the superior' is emphasized here, clearly indicating that the meaning of the 'Comparison' hexagram does not lie in private friendship, but in the proper relationship between sovereign and subject.

九五：顯比。王用三驅，失前禽。邑人不誡，吉。五以一陽居尊，為眾陰所附，陽明光顯，有顯比之象。比為師之反。陽在上而統眾，有王用三驅之象。四陰皆順乎五。獨上背之，而五無容心，有失前禽之象。坤為土為邑為眾。五下四陰皆比，聽上之背去，邑人不誡之象。三驅宜從舊解，三度逐禽而射之也。

The line statement of the fifth line (nine five): To act with brightness and correctness, drawing the whole world to one's side. The king hunts and practices the ritual of driving animals three times, releasing those that run ahead; even those within his own territory are not guarded against, which is auspicious. The nine five, a yang line, occupies the exalted position, drawing all the yin lines to its side. The yang virtue is clearly visible, hence the image of 'manifesting comparison.' The hexagram of 'Comparison' is the reversed hexagram of 'Army.' In 'Army,' the single yang line is at the bottom, representing the general; in 'Comparison,' the single yang line is at the top, representing the king. The yang line at the top leading and commanding the people gives the image of 'the king driving animals three times.' All four yin lines are obedient to the nine five, except for the upper six, which is rebellious, yet the nine five does not mind, hence the image of 'losing the animals that run ahead.' The earth (kun) represents soil, territory, and the people. The four yin lines below the nine five all come to adhere, allowing the upper six to depart, which is the image of 'the people within the territory not being guarded against.' The 'three drives' should be interpreted as driving the animals three times and shooting them.

失前禽者。古田獵之禮。置旃以為門，刈草以為圍。獵者三面合圍，開其前門。天子自門驅而入，車三發，徒三刺謂之三驅。禽獸由門而出者皆免，惟在圍之中者殺之。圍三面而空其門，所謂天子不合圍，開一面之綱者此也。從門出者為前，故曰失前禽也。王用三驅句，不過言天子之田。失前禽句，中自有三面不合圍之意。若以三驅為三面驅禽以待射，則非矣。

When talking about "losing the birds that run ahead," one must first understand the ancient rituals of hunting. A flag was set up as a gate, and weeds were cleared to form the hunting ground. Hunters surrounded from three sides, leaving the front gate open. The Son of Heaven would drive in from the gate, with archers on the chariot shooting three arrows and infantry attacking three times. This was called "three drives." Animals that ran out through the gate were all let go, and only those remaining inside were killed. Surrounding from three sides while leaving one gate open was the meaning of the Son of Heaven not surrounding from all sides, but opening a way. Those that ran out through the gate were called "ahead," hence "losing the birds that run ahead." The phrase "the king uses three drives" merely refers to the usual hunting ritual of the Son of Heaven. The phrase "losing the birds that run ahead" naturally includes the meaning of not surrounding from three sides. If one interprets "three drives" as driving animals from three sides to shoot them, that would be a misunderstanding.

邑人不誡者，天子聽其去而不問。既無必得之心，則邑中之人亦無警備之意也。師比之五皆取禽象。然師之田有禽，害物之禽也。在師則執之，王者之義也。比之前禽，遠我之禽也。在比則失之，王者之仁也。然使邑人不喻上意，有唯恐失之之心，則禽無遺類，其仁不廣矣。故失前禽而邑人不誡，乃為吉也。此爻取象極得帝王之用心。蓋王者未嘗不欲萬國皆在綏懷之中，然惟順我撫而親之，其叛去者亦姑舍之。在內者安之，在外聽之。其心光明正大，在下亦相忘其化，王道所以隆也。

"The people of the town do not take precautions," means that the Son of Heaven allows fleeing animals to leave without pursuing them; since there is no determination to capture them above, the people in the town also do not think of being on high alert. Both the sixth line of the "Military Campaign" hexagram and the ninth line of the "Following" hexagram use animals as symbols, but the "Military Campaign" hexagram's "There are game in the fields" refers to animals that harm crops, which should be captured in "Military Campaign," representing the ruler's "righteousness"; the "Following" hexagram's "the game ahead" refers to animals that have moved away, which should be allowed to escape in "Following," representing the ruler's "benevolence." If the people of the town fail to understand the ruler's intention and everyone becomes anxious about losing them, then not a single animal would remain, and the ruler's benevolence would not be extended. Therefore, only when "the game ahead is lost" and "the people of the town do not take precautions" is it considered auspicious. This line's symbolism deeply reflects the ruler's mind: the ruler does not desire all states to be under his gentle influence, but he nurtures and draws close those who are obedient, and those who have left are left alone. Those within are made secure, while those outside are left to their own devices. The ruler's mind is broad and upright, and the people below are gradually influenced without realizing it, thus the way of the king flourishes.

象曰：顯比之吉，位正中也。舍逆取順，失前禽也。邑人不誡，上使中也。位在正中，心無偏黨，比之所以顯而得吉也。舍逆取順者。古人之獵，喜其向我而縱，惡其背我而殺之，似縱其順而殺其逆。今藉以為喻。但取往者不追，來者不拒之意。故以向我出圍者為逆，以縱之為舍。以背我入圍者為順，以殺之為取。舍逆取去，取其順者。順逆兩忘，德怨不任也。上使中者。王心無取舍，邑人亦無得失。共化於中，若上使之也。

The Image Commentary says: "Manifesting comparison" is auspicious because the Nine in the Fifth is both upright and central in its position; "abandoning the contrary and taking the harmonious" corresponds to "losing the bird before the net." "The people of the city are not warned" is because the sovereign governs them with the middle way. The Nine in the Fifth is central and upright, with no private favoritism, so the way of intimacy is clearly manifest and thus auspicious. As for "abandoning the contrary and taking the harmonious": in ancient times, when hunting, people favored those that ran toward them and let them go, while they disliked those that ran away and shot them. It seemed as if they were letting go of the harmonious ones and killing the contrary ones. Here, these two words are used as a metaphor, meaning "not pursuing those who leave and not refusing those who come." Therefore, those that run toward the hunter and break out of the net are called "contrary," and letting them go is called "abandoning." Those that run away from the hunter and remain in the net are called "harmonious," and killing them is called "taking." So "abandoning the contrary and taking the harmonious" means abandoning the contrary ones and taking the harmonious ones. Neither the harmonious nor the contrary occupy the mind, nor do grievances and kindnesses burden the heart. What is meant by "the sovereign governs with the middle way" is that the sovereign has no personal choice, so the people of the city have no sense of gain or loss, and both above and below are transformed by the middle way, as if the sovereign intentionally directed them.

上六：比之無首，凶。按，王注云，乾剛惡首，比吉惡後。五君元首之象，上六居五之後，比之不先，無首之象。即卦所謂後夫凶者也。本義謂陰柔居上，無以比下，為無首之象。蓋以卦畫之序言之，則上為後而初為先。以上下之體言之，則上為首而初為足。其才既不足以高人而為人之首，又不能自卑以後人而失其首。二意亦相貫也。乾以純剛盡變為柔曰無首，比以陰居上亦曰無首。而吉凶各異者。乾之無首，剛而能柔，不為首者也，故吉。比之無首，陰柔不足為首者也，故凶。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: being close but without a leader, it is凶 (unfavorable). According to Wang Bi's commentary, the Hexagram Qian consists entirely of strong lines, and it is to be avoided to compete for the leading position. The Hexagram Bi is primarily favorable, and it is to be avoided to be behind others. The line nine in the fifth is the ruler, symbolizing the head. The line six at the top is located after the line nine in the fifth, and its closeness is not early enough, which is the image of "without a leader," which is exactly what the Hexagram Statement says: "the one who comes later is凶 (unfavorable)." Zhu Xi's "Ben Yi" says: the line six at the top isyin softness (yin and soft) and is located at the highest position in the entire hexagram, so it lacks the strength to be close to the people below, hence the image of "without a leader." In fact, according to the order of the lines in the hexagram, the top is later and the first line is earlier; according to the positions of upper and lower parts, the top is the head and the first line is the foot. The line six at the top, due to its insufficient ability to surpass others and become the leader, and also unwilling to be humble and willing to be behind others, ends up losing even the position of the leader. The two interpretations can be connected. The Hexagram Qian, which is entirely strong lines and all six lines change to soft lines, is called "group of dragons without a leader." The Hexagram Bi, with a yin line at the top, is also called "without a leader," but the fortune is completely opposite. This is because: the "without a leader" in Qian is due to being strong yet flexible and voluntarily not taking the leading position, hence favorable; the "without a leader" in Bi is due to yin and soft nature being inherently insufficient to be the leader, hence unfavorable.

象曰：比之無首，無所終也。其德不足以為首，則其效不能以有終矣。全卦以一陽統眾陰，有君臨萬邦之象。故五陰皆以比五為義，而不論爻位之相應。五為人所比。貴於顯，顯則正大光明。取內四陰之比，而舍上之後比，不以為嫌。餘五爻皆比人者。惡其後，後則無始無終。故三以應上而傷。初以能比於先而吉。二以中正內比。四以得正外比。故皆有貞吉之占也。卦爻大意，取象於事君交友。而得此卦者，亦隨事以為占，不必泥也。

The Image Commentary says: If one is attached but lacks a leader, there will be no good outcome. If one's virtue is insufficient to be a leader, the result will naturally not be favorable. The entire hexagram is symbolized by a single yang line leading all the yin lines, representing a ruler governing all under heaven. Therefore, the five yin lines all take their meaning from their attachment to the nine in the fifth line, rather than according to their usual positional correspondences. The nine in the fifth line is the one being attached to, and its value lies in the word "manifest" — meaning upright and open. It accepts the attachment of the four yin lines within the inner trigram, yet does not mind the late attachment of the six at the top. The other five lines are those who are attaching themselves to others. They are most to be avoided if they lag behind, for lagging behind leads to an incomplete outcome. Thus, the six in the third line is injured because it corresponds to the six at the top. The six at the beginning gains good fortune because it was the first to attach. The six in the second line, by attaching from within with the virtue of being upright and correct, and the six in the fourth line, by attaching outwardly with the virtue of being properly positioned, both receive the divination of "upright good fortune." The general meaning of the line statements is taken from serving a sovereign or making friends. However, those who consult this hexagram should interpret it flexibly according to the specific question, without rigidly adhering to a single pattern.