The Trigram of Greatness

泰。泰卦，乾下坤上。內陽外陰，天地氯交，萬物生成。君子進用，世道方亨。故為泰。泰次於履。按，序卦，履而泰，然後安，故受之以泰。蓋履得其所，乃得安舒，履所以次之以泰也。泰以中為善。故二為輔泰之臣。

The Tai hexagram has the Qian trigram as the lower trigram and the Kun trigram as the upper trigram. Inside it is yang, outside it is yin, and the energies of heaven and earth interact, thus generating all things. The gentleman is appointed to office, and the world is in a state of prosperity, hence the name Tai. The Tai hexagram comes after the Li hexagram. According to the Sequence of Hexagrams, after proper conduct and behavior, one reaches a state of Tai, and after Tai comes peace, hence the sequence of Li followed by Tai. When people are in their proper places, they can be at ease and secure, which is why the Li hexagram is followed by the Tai hexagram. The Tai hexagram values the middle as good, so the Nine in the Second is the minister who supports and maintains the state of Tai. (The original text says 'tian di lü jiao', meaning the energies of heaven and earth interact.)

五為保泰之君。皆得吉占。初為君子進用之始。四則過中欲否之時矣。三為消長之會，猶可有為。上則極盛而衰，不免於吝矣。自有天地人物以來，蒙以教之，需以養之，訟以平之，師以衛之，比以附之，畜以聚之，履以辨之，而後得泰。乃過中而否之幾伏矣。甚矣，致泰之難，保泰之不易。雖曰天數，不可無人事也。

Six in the Fifth is a ruler who maintains the stability of the state. Both these lines are favorable. Nine at the Beginning is the time when a gentleman begins to be employed; Six in the Fourth has already passed the central position and is approaching a turning point towards decline; Nine in the Third is at a critical point where the process of decline and growth is changing, and still has something to do; Six at the Top has reached its peak and is beginning to decline, inevitably leading to disgrace and regret. Since the beginning of heaven and earth and the emergence of people, the Book of Changes has been used to educate them, to nurture them, to resolve disputes, to protect them, to bring them together, to gather them, and to distinguish between superior and inferior positions, thus achieving the state of Tai. But once the central position is passed, the signs of decline are already hidden. This shows how difficult it is to bring about the state of Tai and how hard it is to maintain it. Although there is a heavenly order, human effort is indispensable at every moment.

泰：小往大來，吉亨。泰，通也，天地交而二氣通，故為泰。內卦三陽，正月之卦也。陰小陽大。坤往居外，乾來居內。以綜卦言之，有小往大來之象。占者有陽剛之德，則吉而亨也。蓋坤本在下之物，自下而上故曰往。陽本在上之物，自外而內故曰來。往者去而來者當時用事，故為吉亨。

The hexagram statement says: "Greatness" (Tai). The small goes out, the great comes in, resulting in a favorable and smooth situation. "Tai" means being open and unobstructed. When heaven and earth interact and the yin and yang energies flow smoothly, it is called "Tai." The inner trigram consists of three yang lines, which in the twelve lunar month trigrams corresponds to the first month. Yin represents smallness, and yang represents greatness: the earth (Kun) moves upward to the outer trigram, while the heaven (Qian) descends to the inner trigram. From the perspective of the inverted hexagram (the hexagram "Bu" reversed becomes "Tai"), there is an image of "the small going out and the great coming in." If the person who draws this hexagram possesses the virtue of yang strength, it will be favorable and smooth. This is because the earth, which was originally at the bottom, now ascends upward, hence called "going out"; the yang, which was originally at the top, now enters inward, hence called "coming in." What should leave has left, and what should arrive is now in charge, hence it is judged as favorable and smooth.

彖曰：小往大來吉亨，則是天地交而萬物通也，上下交而其志同也。內陽而外陰，內鍵而外順，內君子而外小人。君子道長，小人道消也。天地高卑之形不可交而氣可交，交則萬物化生。君臣上下之分不可交而心可交，交則君臣同德。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "When the small goes away and the great comes, it is auspicious and smooth." This means that heaven and earth interact and thus all things are harmonious; above and below interact and thus hearts and minds are aligned. Inside is yang, outside is yin; inside is strong and vigorous, outside is soft and compliant; inside is the gentleman, outside is the petty person. The way of the gentleman grows day by day, while the way of the petty person declines day by day. Heaven and earth are one high and one low, and cannot interact in form, but the two energies can interact; once they interact, all things are generated and nurtured. The sovereign and the minister are one above and one below, and cannot be confused in rank, but their hearts can interact; once they interact, the sovereign and the minister will be in harmony and share the same virtue. (The original text says "inner strength," i.e., "inner vigor.")

陰陽以氣言，順健以德言。此二句，造化之小往大來也。君子小人以類言。此三句，人事之小往大來也。內外釋往來之義。陰陽、健順、君子小人，釋大小之義。蓋陰陽不能相無者，天地之氣。而欲天下皆君子而無小人者，聖人之心。泰否之機歸宿於君子小人之消長，主持世運者所當知也。然小人必不能盡去。但使君子居中，而制其命。小人在外，不為無措。君子之氣已伸，天下已泰矣。

Yin and yang refer to the nature of qi, while being strong and healthy refers to virtue. The phrases "heaven and earth interacting" and "upper and lower interacting" discuss the small movement and great movement in the process of creation. The categories of君子 and小人 refer to classes, while the three sentences following "inner yang and outer yin" discuss the small movement and great movement in human affairs. The words "inner" and "outer" explain the meaning of "coming and going," while "yin and yang," "strength and gentleness," and "junzi and xiaoren" explain the meaning of "small and great." One must understand that yin and yang cannot be separated, as this is the actual situation of heaven and earth's qi; yet the wish for the world to be entirely composed of junzi and have no xiaoren is the wish of the sages. The key to Tai and Yu lies in the rise and decline of junzi and xiaoren, which is something those who guide the world's course should understand. However, xiaoren will never be completely eliminated. As long as junzi are placed in the inner position and hold power, and xiaoren are placed in the outer position without being left without a place, the strength of junzi will be extended, and the world will become harmonious.

象曰：天地交，泰。后以財成天地之道，輔相天地之宜，以左右民。天地之道，以形氣全體言。財成，在在其過也。如氣化流行相續，聖人分之以春夏秋冬。地形廣邈交錯，聖人限之以東西南北之類是也。

The Image Commentary says: When heaven and earth interact, this is the hexagram Tai; the ruler takes it as a model, regulates and completes the way of heaven and earth, assists and promotes the suitable transformation of heaven and earth, to help the people. "The way of heaven and earth" refers to the whole of form and qi. "Cai cheng" is actually "Cai cheng," meaning to regulate and correct excess. For example, when the process of qi transformation flows continuously, the sage divides it into spring, summer, autumn, and winter; when the terrain is vast and intersecting, the sage defines it as east, west, south, and north, all fall into this category. (The original text "zai zhi qi guo ye" should be "cai qi guo ye.")

天地之宜，以時勢所適言。輔相，以補其不及也。如春生秋殺，聖人使春耕秋斂。高燥下溼，聖人使高黍下稻之類是也。裁成輔相，皆所以左右輔助乎民。自乾坤以後，陰陽各三十畫而為泰。而泰之陰陽各三，是泰由陰陽無過不及而成。故既泰之後，裁其過，補其不及，所以保泰也。

"The suitability of heaven and earth" refers to what is appropriate according to the circumstances. "Auxiliary and supportive" means to supplement what is lacking; for example, in spring things grow and in autumn they wither, so sages teach the people to plow in spring and harvest in autumn; high places are dry and low places are damp, so sages teach the people to plant millet in high areas and rice in low areas, all of which fall into this category. Both "forming and shaping" and "auxiliary and supportive" are meant to assist the people. Counting from the "Qian" and "Kun" hexagrams onwards, up to the "Tai" hexagram, there are thirty yin lines and thirty yang lines respectively; and the "Tai" hexagram itself consists of three yin and three yang lines. This shows that the "Tai" hexagram is formed when yin and yang are neither excessive nor deficient. Therefore, after achieving a state of harmony and prosperity, it is still necessary to restrain excesses and supplement deficiencies, which is the proper way to maintain the state of Tai.

初九：拔茅茹以其彚，征吉。乾初變巽，坤初變震，皆屬木。三陰三陽皆相連以上，故泰否初爻皆有拔茅茹之象。茹，根之牽連者。三陽在下，初動則相連以進。眾君子同德以升，泰運初開之時。占者有陽剛之德，則往而得吉矣。初曰以其彚。

The first line statement of initial nine says: uprooting wild hemp, the roots are connected in clusters, going forward is auspicious. The first line of Qian changes to Xun, and the first line of Kun changes to Zhen. Xun and Zhen both belong to wood. The hexagrams Tai and Po both have three yin and three yang lines connected in a single flow, so both hexagrams have the image of "uprooting wild hemp." "Ru" refers to the interconnected roots. Three yang lines are at the bottom, and when the first line moves, it connects and moves together: the virtuous men act in harmony, which is the beginning of the prosperous time. If one who has yang strength draws this line, going forward will be auspicious. The first line of nine speaks of "by its kind," meaning by its like.

三陽欲進而以之者在初，君子與君子為類也。四曰以其鄰。三陰欲復而以之者在四，小人與小人為類也。初曰征吉，四則否者，易為君子謀也。象曰：拔茅征吉，志在外也。君子之志在天下，不為一身。故當泰之時，志欲上進也。

Three yang lines are advancing upward, and they are led by the line at the beginning (Chu Jiū), showing that gentlemen associate with other gentlemen. The line six in the fourth (Liù Sì) says "with its neighbor": three yin lines are returning downward, and they are led by the line at six in the fourth, showing that petty people associate with other petty people. It is the same kind of connection, but the line at the beginning is judged as "advancing is auspicious," while the line six in the fourth is not. This is because the Zhou Changes always consider the interests of the gentleman. The Image Commentary says: pulling up a wild grass and going forward is auspicious, because the mind is outward. The gentleman's aspiration is for the world, not just for himself; therefore, when the time is favorable, he is fully committed to advancing upward.

九二：包荒，用馮河，不遐遺，朋亡，得尚于中行。卦內君子而外小人。三陰在外荒穢，小人之象。九二當保泰之任，有宜包容荒穢之象。以九合五，成坎河象。健臨之，有馮河之象。五陰在外，隔三與四，遐遠之象。二應之，不遺遐遠之象。三陽朋象。二居中不偏，上應乎五。專意事君，不立朋黨，有朋亡之象。

The second line statement says: It encompasses disorder and filth, dares to walk across the river on foot, does not abandon distant people, does not form cliques, and can cooperate with the sovereign who is in the center. The inner part is the gentleman and the outer part is the petty person: three yin lines are outside, indicating a state of wilderness and filth, which is the image of petty persons. The second line bears the responsibility of maintaining the prosperous era, so it has the image of encompassing disorder and filth. The second line combines with the fifth line to form Kan, which represents water or a great river; the second line belongs to the Qian trigram, which is strong and vigorous, thus it has the image of walking across the river on foot. The fifth line is in the outer trigram, with the third and fourth lines in between, indicating a distant image; the second line still responds to it, so it has the image of not abandoning distant people. Three yang lines are of the same type, indicating a clique; but the second line is in the center without bias, focusing solely on responding to the fifth line and wholeheartedly serving the sovereign, thus it has the image of 'the clique vanishes'.

泰欲得中。二，大臣輔泰者，當使君子小人皆得其所。不能包荒，使小人無所容，則非中。然能包荒而無果斷，亦非中也。二以中上應乎五，有包容之德。以剛應柔，又有馮河之勇。遺棄疎遠，使小人不得效其力，固非中。然能不遺遠，而君子在近自成朋黨，亦非中也。

The Way of Tai values the principle of "center." Nine in the Second is a minister who supports the stability of Tai, and should ensure that both the virtuous and the petty are placed in appropriate positions. If it cannot tolerate disorder and allows the petty to have nowhere to take refuge, then it is not center. However, if it only tolerates without decisiveness, it is also not center. Nine in the Second, by virtue of its central nature, corresponds to Six in the Fifth above, demonstrating a refined capacity for inclusion. By a yang force responding to a yin force, it also shows courage like crossing a river on foot. To neglect distant people and prevent them from contributing is not center. Yet, even if it does not abandon those afar, but allows the virtuous nearby to form factions, it is still not center.

二遠應乎五，遠人在所懷。居中不倚，近者亦無可暱。剛柔相濟，無偏無黨。合四者言之，合中行之道也。然二居中，固為中行。今曰尚，則中行又指五也。五之象曰中以行願。蓋泰欲得中，上有中行之君，下非有中行之臣，不能上輔乎五而保泰矣。故二曰尚，五曰歸，所謂上下交而志同。曰得尚，喜之之辭也。以陰爻言，五取小人。以位言，又取君。此又不可為典要者也。象曰：包荒，得尚于中行，以光大也。二變為離，有光大象。人惟心胸光明正大，故能兼容果斷，不至遺遠而暱近。獨言包荒，舉一以該其餘也。

Nine Two is far from Six Five, yet all people in the distant lands are within its embrace; it resides in the center without leaning to one side, and those around it cannot be close or intimate. The strong and the gentle balance each other, neither partial nor forming factions. When we consider the four qualities—embracing the vast and the obscure, crossing rivers without hesitation, not neglecting the distant, and the absence of factionalism—together, they conform to the way of the middle path. However, Nine Two itself is in the center, and thus already embodies the middle path. Yet the line statement says "to be esteemed," indicating that "middle path" here refers to Six Five. The image commentary on Six Five says "centered in action with sincerity," which is exactly this meaning. The way of Tai (Peace) values the middle path; if above there is a sovereign who follows the middle path, but below there is no minister who also follows the middle path, then it will not be possible to support Six Five and maintain the state of Tai. Therefore, Nine Two says "to be esteemed," and Six Five says "to return," which is precisely what the commentary on the judgment calls "the upper and lower interact and their wills are the same." Saying "to be esteemed" expresses a tone of joy. From the nature of a yin line, Six Five is considered a small person; yet from its position, it is the sovereign. This is one of the reasons why the Zhou Changes cannot be treated as rigid rules. The image commentary says that being able to embrace the vast and the obscure while aligning with the middle path is due to a bright and upright heart. When Nine Two changes to Li (Fire), which represents brightness, there is an image of brightness and uprightness. A person can only be both inclusive and decisive, without alienating distant people or being overly familiar with those nearby, if his heart is bright and upright. The image commentary singles out the phrase "embracing the vast and the obscure" as a representative of the other qualities.

九三：無平不陂，無往不復，艱貞無咎，勿恤其孚，于食有福。九三將過於中，泰將極而否欲來之時也。陽居內為平，往外則為陂。陰出外為往，返內則為復。乾三朝乾夕惕，有艱貞象。變兌為口，食象。天下無常平而不陂者，無常往而不反者。唯艱危其思慮，正固其施為，則可以無咎。恤，憂也。孚，理之信然者也。食，享之也。

The third line statement says: There is no everlasting level ground that does not slope, and no departure that does not return. To remain steadfast in righteousness amidst hardship brings no fault, and there is no need to worry about this principle, for enjoying one's salary brings its own blessings. The third line is about to cross over the lower trigram, indicating that the time of prosperity is nearing its peak and the time of adversity is about to arrive. A yang line residing within the inner trigram is 'level,' but moving to the outer trigram becomes 'slope' (inclined). A yin line moving to the outer trigram is 'departure,' but returning to the inner trigram becomes 'return.' The third line of the Qian hexagram originally embodies the meaning of 'rising early and being cautious at night,' hence the image of 'difficult yet firm.' When this line changes, the lower trigram becomes Dui, which represents the mouth, hence the image of 'food.' The world has no level ground that does not slope, nor any departure that does not return. Only by placing one's thoughts on hardship and maintaining firm action can there be no fault. 'Xu' means worry; 'Fu' means something that is necessarily so and trustworthy; 'Shi' means to enjoy.

平陂往復，天運之必至而信然者也。若以此動其心，則不能艱貞矣。唯盡其處泰之道，而不以此為憂恤，則可以食享其福也。蓋平陂往復者，天運所不能無。艱貞勿恤者，人事所當自盡也。象曰：無往不復，天地際也。古本有無平不陂。天地際，謂陰陽交會消長之際也。

When things are level, they will eventually become uneven; when there is movement, there will be a return. This is an inevitable and certain occurrence of heaven's course. If one is shaken by this, they will not be able to remain steadfast in hardship. As long as one fulfills their duty in times of ease, without worrying about it, they can enjoy happiness and blessings. In summary: the alternation between level and uneven, movement and return, is an essential part of heaven's course; to remain steadfast in hardship without worry is what people should do. The Image Commentary says: there is no going without a return, this is the boundary where heaven and earth meet. The ancient text had the words "no level without uneven" above this sentence. "Heaven and earth's boundary" refers to the meeting point of yin and yang, where one decreases and the other increases.

六四：翩翩不富以其鄰，不戒以孚。六四已過乎中，有泰極為否之漸。六四一陰既動，則五上二陰同類，有翩然而下，不約而同之象。陽實陰虛，故曰不富。鄰指五上。以，四以之也。小人合謀，自外而內。不待戒令，自然相信。君子所當戒也。陽之升曰拔茅。以自下而上，升之難也。陰之復曰翩翩。以自上而下，復之易也。

The Line Statement for the Fourth Line (Six in the Fourth): It descends swiftly and lightly, though not rich itself, it can lead its neighbors. There is no need for prior agreement, yet mutual trust is established. The Fourth Line has already passed the central position, indicating the beginning of a change from prosperity to adversity. When this single Yin line moves, the two other Yin lines, the Fifth and the Top, follow, hence the image of a graceful descent and mutual agreement without prior arrangement. A Yang line represents richness, while a Yin line represents lack of richness, hence the statement 'not rich'. 'Neighbor' refers to the Fifth and the Top lines; 'with' indicates that the Fourth line leads them. Small people conspire, infiltrating from outside, without orders or admonitions, yet they naturally trust each other—this is precisely what the gentleman should be wary of. The ascent of a Yang line is called 'uprooting grass', because it rises from below, with difficulty. The descent of a Yin line is called 'gracefully falling', because it falls from above, with ease.

象曰：翩翩不富，皆失實也。不戒以孚，中心願也。失實謂陰虛也。以失實，恐不容於君子。欲傷正勢，必結於小人，乃中心所願也。六五：帝乙歸妹，以祉元吉。三四五互為雷，二三四互為澤，有歸妹象。史謂湯為天乙，左傳謂紂父帝乙。姑兩存之。程傳謂帝乙始制王姬下嫁之禮，本義謂帝乙歸妹時占得此爻。今從程傳。

The Image Commentary says: swift descent without richness is because of emptiness and loss of substance; not needing to make an agreement yet being trusted is because the heart is naturally willing. "Loss of substance" refers to the emptiness of the yao. Because of this emptiness and lack of substance, fear of not being accepted by the gentleman, wanting to damage the strength of the righteous, inevitably leads to joining with the petty people, which is what they naturally desire. The line statement for the fifth line: Emperor Yi married off his young daughter, thus gaining blessings, which is greatly auspicious. The third, fourth, and fifth lines together form Zhen (Thunder), and the second, third, and fourth lines together form Dui (Lake). Thunder above and Lake below form the hexagram "Returning to Marry," hence the image of "returning to marry." Historical records refer to Tang as "Tian Yi," while the "Zuo Zhuan" refers to Zhou Wang's father as "Di Yi." Both accounts are presented here. Cheng Yi's "Cheng Transmission" holds that it is Emperor Yi who first established the ritual of marrying off royal daughters, while Zhu Xi's "Ben Yi" holds that it is during the marriage of a sister by Emperor Yi that this line was obtained. Here we follow Cheng Yi's interpretation.

蓋以陰居尊為泰之主，柔中虛已下應九二。以柔中之君，倚任剛明之臣，可以保泰獲福，有帝女之貴下從其夫而受福之象。全卦三陰皆為小人。以五一爻言之，則保泰之君。不可執一論也。象曰：以祉元吉，中以行願也。居中應二，行其志願，非勉強也。

Since the line six in the fifth position is a yin and flexible line occupying a high position, it is the main line of the hexagram Tai. It is gentle, compliant, and in the center, humbly responding to nine two. As a ruler with a flexible and moderate character who relies on the strong and clear-minded minister, it can maintain the prosperous situation and gain blessings. Therefore, there is an image of a royal daughter who is noble but marries down to her husband and thus receives blessings. In the entire hexagram, the three yin lines are considered small people; but when considering only line six in the fifth position, it is the ruler who maintains prosperity. This shows that one cannot apply a single interpretation rigidly. The Image Commentary says: therefore, gaining blessings and great good fortune, because it is in the center and realizes its own will. Line six in the fifth is in the central position and responds to nine two below, promoting its own aspirations, which is not forced or artificial.

上六：城復于隍，勿用師。自邑告命，貞吝。坤土復反於下，有城復于隍之象。掘隍土積累以成城，如治道積累以成泰。及泰之終，將反於否如城土頹圯，復反於隍也。坤上為泰，坤下為否，以陰陽之氣言也。若言其質，則坤土本在下之物，在上有必頹之理。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: The city wall collapses and returns to the moat, do not use military force; only issue orders from one's own territory, even if one remains upright, there is still shame and regret. The trigram坤 represents earth, and earth returning to below gives the image of the city wall collapsing back into the moat. Digging up soil from the moat and piling it layer by layer to build the city wall is like gradually accumulating virtue to achieve peace and prosperity; when peace and prosperity reach their limit and turn to decline, it is like the earth collapsing back into the moat. When坤 is at the top, it is the trigram Tai (Peace), and when坤 is at the bottom, it is the trigram Po (Decline). This refers to the rising and falling of yin and yang energies; if we consider its physical nature, earth which naturally belongs to the lower position, when placed at the top, inevitably leads to collapse.

曰復者，反其初也。坤為眾，有師象。又為國土，有邑象。泰極而否，眾心已散，難以力爭。勞民傷財，必至散亂。窮守一邑，罪已下詔，收拾人心可也。然不能保邦未危，而播告之修不能及遠，雖正亦可羞矣。象曰：城復于隍，其命亂也。命，政令也。其命先亂，故至於否，不盡關天運也。告命，乃盡人事以治之，非付之不可為也。

The commentary on "Returning to the Original State" explains that it refers to returning to the original condition. The Earthly Element坤 represents the people, hence the image of an army; it also represents the land, hence the image of a city. When the prosperous era reaches its peak and turns into a time of decline, the people's hearts have already become scattered, and it is difficult to restore order through force. Resorting to military action forcefully would only burden the people and cause waste, eventually leading to chaos. At this point, the only feasible course is to defend a single city, issue an imperial decree of self-reproach, and gather the people's support. However, it is regrettable that the country was not preserved in time when it was still safe, and now the issued decrees cannot reach distant areas. Even if the actions taken are correct, it is still a source of shame. The Image Commentary says: The city walls return to the ditches, indicating that the imperial decrees have already become disordered. "Ming" refers to the imperial decrees. The disorder of the decrees first leads to the decline, and it is not entirely due to heavenly circumstances. "Self-reproach from the city to announce the decree" signifies making full use of human effort to remedy the situation, rather than passively accepting fate and believing that nothing can be done.

全卦以小往大來為義。故內三陽屬泰，外三陰屬否。初為泰運方開，君子並進。二為保泰之臣。三則陰陽消長之會也。四為過中將否之時。五為保泰之君。上則泰極為否之日也。泰以方中為幸，故二五皆能保泰。初陽始進則可幸。四陰方動則可憂。三陽已極則艱貞，猶可有為。上陰已復則命亂，已難於治。唯聖人保於方泰之時，而不敢自弛於泰極之日。雖天運有所必然，而人事無時不宜自盡也。

The entire hexagram is based on the concept of "small things receding and great things coming." Therefore, the inner trigram has three yang lines, representing Tai (Prosperity), and the outer trigram has three yin lines, representing Po (Obstruction). Initially, the first line, Nine at the Beginning, marks the beginning of the prosperous era when gentlemen advance together. The second line, Nine in the Second, represents the ministers who maintain prosperity. The third line, Nine in the Third, is the critical point where yin and yang change. The fourth line, Six in the Fourth, indicates that after passing the center, the trend is turning toward obstruction. The fifth line, Six in the Fifth, represents the ruler who maintains prosperity. The sixth line, Six at the Top, signifies the day when prosperity turns into obstruction. Prosperity is considered favorable because it is in the correct central position, so both Nine in the Second and Six in the Fifth can maintain the prosperous state. The first line, with yang energy just entering, is worth celebrating. The fourth line, with yin energy beginning to move, is a cause for concern. The third line, with yang energy reaching its peak, can still hold firm and act with difficulty. The sixth line, with yin energy returning downward, leads to disorder in governance, making it hard to manage. Only the sage, when prosperity is in order, takes care to preserve it, and even on the day of extreme prosperity, does not slacken. Although heavenly movement has its inevitable course, human affairs have no moment that does not require personal effort.

否。否卦，坤下乾上，天地不交，萬物不通，隔絕閉塞，故為否。否卦次泰。按，序卦，物不可以終通，故受之以否。通極必塞，氣化之常，否所以次泰也。否與泰反。故全彖之辭皆與泰反，而六爻大意亦然。內三爻為否，而外三爻漸極而為泰。初為小人用事之始。二則小人得志之時。三則小人有知羞之意。四則否過中，有將泰之極。五則人君休否之事。而上則否傾為泰矣。天運無終泰，亦無終否。此天人所以常相勝，而主持世道者，當盡人事以迴天心也。

The Hexagram of "Opposition" has the Lower Trigram as Kun (Earth) and the Upper Trigram as Qian (Heaven). The energies of Heaven and Earth do not interact, so all things are blocked and unable to flow smoothly, hence the name "Opposition." The Hexagram of "Opposition" comes after the Hexagram of "Prosperity." According to the "Sequence of Hexagrams," things cannot remain prosperous forever, so after "Prosperity" comes "Opposition." When prosperity reaches its peak, it inevitably turns to obstruction, which is the natural principle of change, hence "Opposition" follows "Prosperity." "Opposition" is the opposite of "Prosperity," so the entire Hexagram Statement is opposite to that of "Prosperity." The meaning of the six lines is also opposite: the three lines of the Inner Trigram indicate opposition, while the three lines of the Outer Trigram gradually reach their peak and turn to prosperity. The line "Initial Six" represents the beginning of small people gaining power; "Six in the Second" represents the time when small people are in power; "Six in the Third" indicates that small people have begun to feel ashamed; "Nine in the Fourth" is the time when the period of opposition has passed the middle and is about to turn to prosperity; "Nine in the Fifth" is the time when the ruler stops the period of opposition; and at "Nine at the Top," the period of opposition is overturned and turns to prosperity. The natural order has no permanent prosperity or permanent opposition, which is the reason why Heaven and humanity constantly influence each other. Those who govern the world should do their utmost to restore the will of Heaven.

否之匪人。不利君子貞。大往小來。否，閉塞也。三陰在內，七月之卦也。匪人，非人道也。天地交而萬物生，萬物唯人最靈。不交則不生，人道絕矣。其占不利於君子之正道。貞有何不利。但此時小人用事，不利於君子之貞。大往小來，謂陽生往居外，陰來居內也。泰先言小往大來。而後言吉亨。否先言不利君子貞，而後言大往小來。聖人以泰歸之天，否責之人也。

The Hexagram Statement says: In a time of blockage, human ways cannot be established, and it is not favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness. The great moves outward, and the small moves inward. "Blockage" means obstruction. Three yin lines are within, and in the twelve message hexagrams, this is the hexagram of the seventh month. "Not a person" means that human ways cannot be established: heaven and earth interact and all things are generated; among all things, humans are the most refined. If heaven and earth do not interact, all things will not be generated, and human ways will also be cut off. Therefore, the divination indicates it is not favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness. Why is maintaining uprightness itself unfavorable? It is only because at this time the petty people are in power, which is unfavorable for the gentleman's uprightness. "The great moves outward and the small moves inward" means that the yang energy moves upward to the outer trigram, and the yin energy moves inward to the inner trigram. The hexagram Tai first says "the small moves outward and the great moves inward" and then says "auspicious and smooth." The hexagram Po, however, first says "not favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness" and then says "the great moves outward and the small moves inward." This is because the sage attributes Tai to heavenly will and attributes Po to human affairs.

彖曰：否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來，則是天地不交而萬物不通也，上下不交而天下無邦也。內陰而外陽，內柔而外剛，內小人而外君子。小人道長，君子道消也。無邦，謂上下隔絕，雖有邦與無邦同也。陰陽以天道言，剛柔以地道言。君子小人以人道言。泰言健順，此言剛柔者。泰天地之氣交，故言其德。否氣既不交，則言其質而已。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: In a time of blockage and separation, human principles cannot be established, and it is not advantageous for the gentleman to maintain uprightness. The great things move outward, the small things move inward. This is the situation where heaven and earth do not interact and all things are not connected, and where above and below do not interact and the world is as if there were no states. Inside is yin, outside is yang; inside is soft and weak, outside is strong and firm; inside is the petty person, outside is the gentleman. The way of the petty person grows day by day, while the way of the gentleman declines day by day. What is meant by "no state" is that above and below are separated. Although there are states, they are as if there were none. Yin and yang refer to the heavenly way, while hardness and softness refer to the earthly way, and gentleman and petty person refer to the human way. The Tai hexagram speaks of "strength and compliance," but here it speaks of "hardness and softness." The difference lies in this: Tai is when the energies of heaven and earth interact, so it speaks in terms of its virtues; while Po is when the energies have ceased to interact, so it can only speak in terms of its physical qualities.

象曰：天地不交，否。君子以儉德辟難，不可榮以祿。收斂其德，不形於外，以免小人之忌。象坤陰之吝，收斂於內也。德既斂藏，人不知我，故不得以祿位榮之。象乾德之剛，遠避於外也。

The Image Commentary says: Heaven and Earth do not interact, which is the hexagram of "Obstruction"; the gentleman takes this as a model, restraining his virtue to avoid calamity, and does not take official rank as a source of glory. By keeping virtue hidden, not displaying it outwardly, to avoid the resentment of petty people — this is symbolized by the lower trigram Kun's meanness and restraint within. When virtue is already concealed, others do not understand me, so they cannot use official rank to honor me — this is symbolized by the upper trigram Qian's strength, which remains far away.

初六：拔茅茹以其彚，貞，吉亨。三陰在下，當否之時，小人連類而進，亦有拔茅茹以其彚之象。然初之惡未形，故許以貞則吉亨，欲其變為君子也。小人苟得，故戒之以貞也。然君子小人有何定名，能貞則君子矣。易為君子謀。否乃不利君子貞之時，乃戒小人以貞。為小人謀，正為君子謀也。

The line statement for the first line (initial line) says: uprooting wild hemp, the roots are connected in clusters; if one can maintain uprightness, it will be auspicious and smooth. Three yin lines are at the bottom, which corresponds to the time of 'no' (obstruction), when petty people are connected with their kind and rise together, hence the image of 'uprooting hemp with its roots in clusters'. However, the evil of the initial line has not yet shown, so it is allowed to say 'maintaining uprightness brings auspiciousness and smoothness', hoping for its transformation into a gentleman. Petty people are accustomed to seeking benefits through improper means, so the word 'zheng' (uprightness) is specifically used to warn them. In reality, there is no fixed distinction between gentleman and petty person; maintaining uprightness is what makes one a gentleman. The Zhou Changes always considers the gentleman's interests. The hexagram 'No' is a time when 'it is not favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness', yet here 'zheng' is used to warn the petty person. Considering the petty person's interests is also considering the gentleman's interests.

象曰：拔茅貞吉，志在君也。泰初九應六四。六，陰也民也。初陽志在澤民，不獨善其身，故曰志在外。否初六應九四。九，陽也君也。初六志在愛君，不自植其黨，故曰志在君。小人以愛君為念，則不計其私，變為君子矣。大抵小人初進，猶有君國之念。其後乃患得患失之心日勝，彌縫奔競日工。故此爻為始進者戒之。小人君子之分，視其志而已。

The Image Commentary says: pulling out the reeds while holding to the correct path brings good fortune, indicating that the mind is fixed upon the sovereign. In the卦 of Tai, the line Nine at the Beginning and the line Six in the Fourth correspond with each other. Six represents Yin, symbolizing the people, while Nine at the Beginning, being a Yang line, has the aspiration to benefit the people and refuses to focus only on self-cultivation. Therefore, it is said "the mind is outside." In the卦 of Po, the line Six at the Beginning and the line Nine in the Fourth correspond. Nine represents Yang, symbolizing the sovereign, while the line Six at the Beginning has the aspiration to care for the sovereign and does not seek to build private alliances. Therefore, it is said "the mind is with the sovereign." If a petty person genuinely cares for the sovereign, he will no longer calculate private gains, and thus becomes a gentleman. Generally, when a petty person is first appointed, he still retains some thoughts of serving the state; but later, his mind becomes increasingly preoccupied with gains and losses, and he becomes more skillful in covering up his faults and seeking favor. Therefore, this line serves as a warning for those who have just been appointed. The difference between a petty person and a gentleman lies solely in their aspirations.

六二：包承。小人吉。大人否亨。否包承與泰包荒同。否對外卦三陽言。六二為得位之小人，有欲包羅群陽，而以承順取之之象。小人能如是在小人為吉道也。然大人處此，則當身安於否而道可亨。不可以彼包承於我，而失其所守，妄意出否以求亨也。

The Line Statement for Line Two (Six Two): Encompassing and flattering. It is吉利 for the small person; for the great person, being in a state of blockage, their path is unimpeded. The 'encompassing and flattering' in the '否' hexagram corresponds in structure to the 'encompassing the vast' in the '泰' hexagram's Nine Two. Both are addressing the three yang lines in the outer trigram. Six Two is a properly positioned and central small person, who desires to include all the yang lines, using flattery and compliance to gain their favor. For the small person, this approach is a favorable path. However, for the great person in such a situation, they should remain content with their state of blockage and ensure their path remains unimpeded. They should not lose their position due to the flattery of others and foolishly attempt to escape the adverse situation in search of success.

初惡未形，故不曰小人。二則直以小人稱矣。初曰吉亨，猶望反否為泰。二則否亨，遂成否矣。小人不安於否，求亨何所不至。故否亨者，大人之事，非小人之所能也。象曰：大人否亨，不亂群也。三陰，小人之群也。大人妄意出否以求亨，則入於小人之群矣。身否道亨，乃不亂於其群也。

The evil of the first line has not yet taken shape, so the line statement does not call it "a petty person"; by the second line, it directly refers to it as "a petty person." The first line says "auspicious and smooth," still hoping to reverse the situation from obscurity to prosperity; the second line says "obscurity is smooth," indicating that the state of obscurity has become fixed. Petty persons cannot be content with obscurity and will do anything to seek success; therefore, "personal obscurity but the way is smooth" is the affair of a superior person, not something petty persons can achieve. The image commentary says: a superior person experiences personal obscurity but the way is smooth, not sharing the same path as petty persons. Three yin lines represent the group of petty persons; if a superior person foolishly tries to escape the condition of obscurity in search of success, he would fall into the group of petty persons. Only when one is personally in obscurity but the way is smooth can one be said not to mix with that group.

六三：包羞。以陰居陽，不中不正。欲包群陽，故有包羞之象。三，否之極，小人之在高位者。故亦欲包群陽。然二居柔，猶知承順乎君子。所居中正，故吉。三居剛，故不言承。所居不中正，則取羞而已。包承如彌子之於孔子，包羞則丁謂之拂須是也。三否已極矣。然世雖極亂，必無善類盡滅之理。

The third line statement says: "It is concealed shame." The third line is a yin line in a yang position, which is neither in the center nor in the proper position, yet it still tries to include all the yang lines, hence the image of "concealed shame." The third line is at the extreme of the inner trigram, representing the peak of the "no" situation. It is the position of a petty person in a high position, so it also tries to include the yang lines. However, the second line is in a flexible position and understands how to be submissive to the gentleman, and it is in the center and upright, so it is judged as favorable. The third line is in a strong position, so the line statement does not say "submission." Since it is neither in the center nor upright, it ends up bringing shame upon itself. "Concealed submission" is like the flattery of Mi Zi Xia to Confucius, while "concealed shame" is like the sycophancy of Ding Wei to his superior. At this time, the "no" situation has reached its extreme. However, even though the world is chaotic to the extreme, there is no reason for the virtuous to be completely exterminated.

君子有否亨之道，小人亦不能盡肆其惡，猶有所包藏。且君子終有有命之時，小人亦不能無愧於心，故猶懷羞恥。以其惡未肆而知羞也，故不言凶咎之戒。象曰：包羞，位不當也。小人所以包而取羞者，豈心之所甘哉。但以不中不正，所處之位不當故耳。開小人以悔過也。

A gentleman has his own way to achieve success through virtue, and a petty person cannot fully carry out his malicious intentions, for there is always something concealed. Moreover, a gentleman will eventually receive the favor of heaven's mandate, and a petty person's heart is not entirely free from guilt, so he still harbors shame. Precisely because his evil has not yet been fully expressed and he knows shame, the line statement does not issue a warning of calamity. The image commentary says: concealing and feeling ashamed, is due to an improper position. Why does a petty person desire to attract the other yang forces yet ends up bringing himself disgrace? Is it by his own will? No, it is only because he is not in the right position, neither proper nor upright. Thus, this explanation leaves a way for the petty person to repent.

九四：有命，無咎，疇離祉。程傳以命為君命，謂九四近君，凡事必由君命，以圖濟否也。本義以命為天命。泰極而否，否極泰來，天之所命，即泰三「平陂往復」之義也。今從本義為優。

The statement of the fourth line (nine in the fourth) says: "There is a mandate above, and there will be no mistake; all similar ones will share the blessing." The term "there is a mandate" is interpreted by Cheng Yi in his commentary "Yichuan's Commentary on the Changes" as the mandate of the sovereign, explaining that since the fourth line is adjacent to the fifth line, which represents the sovereign's position, all matters must be carried out in accordance with the sovereign's command in order to reverse the situation of stagnation and decline. Zhu Xi, in his "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes," interprets it as the mandate of heaven, stating that when the situation of prosperity reaches its peak, it turns into one of decline, and when decline reaches its peak, it turns back to prosperity. This cycle of movement and return is determined by heaven, which is the same principle as the statement in the third line of the "Tai" hexagram, "Without levelness there is slope, without going there is return." Comparing these two interpretations, the explanation from "The Original Meaning" is more appropriate, as the entire statement of this line discusses the shifting between prosperity and decline, attributing it to heaven, which is more coherent than limiting it to the sovereign's command.

九四以陽居陰，不極其剛。否過中而將泰之時，有「有命自天，我不致咎，疇類三陽皆可獲福」之象。蓋否泰之運皆天命也。泰變否易，故於內卦言之；否轉為泰難，故於外卦言之。泰之三必無咎而後有福，否之四必無咎而後離祉。蓋乾坤交接之會，陰陽消長之際，必我自立於無過，而後可為福，而後可為疇類之福也。泰三「平陂往復」，冀其艱貞，勉君子也。

Nine in the Fourth is a yang line in a yin position, strong but not overly so. At this point, the period of否 has passed its midpoint and is moving toward the period of泰. Therefore, there is an image of 'the mandate comes from heaven and I do not bring about misfortune; the three yang lines of the same kind can all gain blessings.' Both the periods of否 and泰 are governed by heaven's mandate. The transition from泰 to否 is easier, so the meaning of this is placed in the inner trigram's Nine Three of the卦泰; the transition from否 to泰 is more difficult, so the meaning is placed in the outer trigram's Nine Four of the卦否. In the卦泰, Nine Three must first avoid wrongdoing before there can be blessings; in the卦否, Nine Four must also first avoid wrongdoing before it can receive blessings. At the critical point where the heavens and earth meet and yin and yang change, one must first stand firm in a position of no wrongdoing before talking about blessings, and only then can one bring blessings to others. The卦泰's Nine Three says 'without levelness there is slope, without going there is return,' which is a hope that people will remain upright in hardship, and it is a encouragement to the gentleman.

否四有命無咎，喜其獲祉，戒小人也。君子有命自天，當否有可亨之道，否極有泰來之祉。小人之慾包君子者，不誠可羞哉！彌子謂孔子主我，孔子亦曰有命，即此意也。象曰：有命無咎，志行也。有命自天又必無咎者，人與天合，轉否為泰之志始行也。

The Nine in the Fourth of the Hexagram of "Non-Communication" says, "There is destiny, no misfortune," which expresses the joy of the gentleman receiving blessings, and also serves as a warning to the petty person. The gentleman carries the mandate of heaven upon him; even in times of blockage, there is a path through his difficulties and the way of success. When the period of non-communication reaches its end, there will be a return to prosperity and blessings. Those who try to entrap and conceal the gentleman are truly deserving of shame! The "Book of Mencius, Part Upper of Wan Zhang" records that the favored minister of the State of Wei, Mi Zi Xia, asked Zi Lu to convey a message to Confucius, saying that if Confucius would stay in his home, the position of minister of state in Wei would be his. Confucius simply replied with "There is destiny," which is exactly the meaning here. The "Image Commentary" says: having destiny without error, is the will to transform non-communication into prosperity that can be carried out. Having destiny from heaven, one must also not commit errors oneself. When human affairs and heavenly will are in harmony, the will to transform non-communication into prosperity can begin to take effect.

九五：休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。九五陽剛中正以居尊位，能休時之否，大人之事。占此爻者，大人遇之則吉也。然方欲休之，否未盡傾，故必常存危亡之心，乃有苞桑之固。

The Line Statement of the Nine in the Fifth: It brings a halt to the obstruction, and it is auspicious for a great person; one must constantly think, 'It is about to collapse, it is about to collapse,' in order to be as firm as a vine tied to the roots of a mulberry tree. The Nine in the Fifth, with its yang strength, occupies the central and correct position and holds the exalted position, thus being able to terminate the obstruction. This is something only a great person can accomplish. When one is just beginning to end the obstruction, the obstruction has not yet completely collapsed, so one must always remain vigilant about the imminent danger, in order to achieve the firmness of a vine tied to the roots of a mulberry tree.

桑根深固。苞，叢生者，其固尤甚也。三四五互為巽木，苞桑象。巽又為繩，繫之之象。二五皆以大人言。二有德無位，故守其否而道亨；五有德有位，則能休時之否矣。二時方否，故與小人並言；五否已過，則大人獨居其位矣。然非有戒懼之心，不能為休否之事，未可盡聽之天也。

The roots of the mulberry tree are deep and firm. "Bao" refers to growth in clusters, with roots intertwined, making it even more secure. The third, fourth, and fifth lines of the primary hexagram form the trigram Xun, which represents wood, hence the image of "bao sang" (clustered mulberry roots). Xun also represents a rope, matching the image of "xi" (binding). Both lines six in the second and nine in the fifth use the term "da ren" (great man): line six has virtue but no position, so it can only remain steadfast in times of blockage, allowing its path to be clear; line nine has both virtue and position, thus able to end the blockage. Line six is in the midst of blockage, so the line statement mentions both great and small men; when line nine is in position, the great man alone occupies it. However, without a cautious and respectful attitude, one cannot accomplish the task of ending the blockage, and one cannot leave everything to heaven's arrangement.

象曰：大人之吉，位正當也。唯有位故能休否。與二之大人否亨者，德同而位不同也。無位時不能否亨，得位未有能休否者。

The Image Commentary says: The reason why the great man is auspicious is because his position is appropriate. Because he holds this exalted position, he is able to end the condition of blockage. Comparing him with the person in the second line who is 'in a blocked position but with a smooth path,' both have the same virtue, but they are in different positions. If a person, when not holding an office, cannot achieve a smooth path while being in a blocked situation, then when he does obtain a position, he will never be able to end the condition of blockage.

上九：傾否，先否後喜。以陽剛居否極，能傾時之否者也。不曰否傾而曰傾否，不恃天運而貴人事也。變兌為悅，有喜象。先否後喜，先有其亡之懼，則終有傾否之喜也。

The line statement for the Upper Nine: Remove the obstruction and overturn the situation of blockage, first there is blockage, then there is joy. The Upper Nine, with its yang strength, is at the end of the period of obstruction, and is the one capable of overturning the adverse situation. The line statement does not say 'the obstruction is overturned' but 'overturn the obstruction,' indicating that one does not rely on natural improvement of heaven's fortune, but rather values human initiative — the active force lies with people, not heaven. When the Upper Nine changes, the upper trigram becomes Dui, which represents joy, hence the image of joy. 'First obstruction then joy' means: first there is the anxiety of 'its demise, its demise' as in the Nine in the Fifth, and finally there is the joy of overturning the adverse situation.

象曰：否終則傾，何可長也。天下無終否之時，必有陽剛之才以傾之也。全卦以大往小來之義。內三陰皆屬否，外三陽則漸為泰。初小人之惡未形，猶可不至於否；二則小人得志，否之成；三則小人知羞，否之極矣；四之有命，否已過中，有欲泰之極；五之休否，則有轉泰之事；至傾否，則否極為泰矣。泰以三陰在外為小人，而六五居尊應二，又為保泰之主；否以三陰在內為小人，而六二中正，可言否亨之大人。則因爻起義，不可執一也。

The Image Commentary says: When the state of opposition reaches its extreme, it will collapse, how can it last long? The world has no time when it is always blocked, there must be a man of yang strength who will overturn it. The whole hexagram takes the meaning of "great going out and small coming in": the inner trigram has three yin lines which belong to opposition, while the outer trigram has three yang lines which gradually turn to prosperity. At the beginning line, the evil of the small person has not yet shown, it is not yet opposition; when the second line the small person gains power, the state of opposition is formed; when the third line the small person feels ashamed, opposition has reached its extreme; when the fourth line there is heavenly favor, the state of opposition has passed its midpoint, and there is already a trend towards prosperity; when the fifth line ends opposition, there will be achievements turning to prosperity; when the top line overturns opposition, opposition reaches its extreme and becomes prosperity. The hexagram of Tai has three yin lines outside as small persons, while the fifth line holds the noble position and responds to the second line, being the main line that maintains the prosperity. The hexagram of Pǐ has three yin lines inside as small persons, while the second line holds the central position and is upright, thus it can be called "body in opposition but the way is smooth" as a great person. It is evident that interpreting the Book of Changes should follow the movement of each line, and not stick to a fixed rule.

同人 同人，離下乾上。離一陰麗於二陽之間，其德為麗為文明，其象為火為日為電。天在上而火炎上，有同之象。上乾為天為君。下離六二一爻在離之中，居人之位。卦中上下五陽同欲二之一陰，而二五又以中正相應，有以天同人、以君同人之義，故曰同人。

The hexagram "Tong Ren" (Union with People) has the trigram Li (Fire) below and Qian (Heaven) above. The trigram Li consists of a yao (line) that is yin attached between two yang lines, and its virtue is attachment and civilization, symbolizing fire, the sun, and lightning. Heaven is above and fire ascends, so both elements move upward together, giving the image of "union." The upper trigram Qian represents Heaven and the ruler; the lower trigram Li's second line, six two, is located in the center of the trigram, corresponding to the position of "human" in the three elements. All five yang lines in the hexagram desire to be the same as the single yin line, six two. Moreover, six two and nine five are both in the center and upright, and they correspond with each other above and below. This contains the meaning of Heaven and human being the same, and the ruler and human being the same, hence the name of the hexagram is "Tong Ren."

同人次否。按，序卦，物不可以終否，故受之以同人。天地不交則為否，上下相同則為同人。又世既否，必與人同力乃濟，同人所以次否也。同人取其大公，不欲其狹小。大公至正，乃可以有為。此全彖之大旨也。

The hexagram Tong Ren comes immediately after the hexagram Po. According to the "Xu Gua Zhuan," since all things cannot remain closed off forever, the hexagram Po is followed by Tong Ren. When the energies of heaven and earth are not in communication, it becomes Po; when above and below recognize and agree with each other, it becomes Tong Ren. Moreover, when the world is closed off, one must unite with others to overcome difficulties, which is why Tong Ren follows Po. The virtue of Tong Ren lies in great public spirit, not being confined to narrow and partial interests. Only by upholding great fairness and justice can one achieve something. This is the main idea of the hexagram's statement.

六爻雖以二為成卦之主，然以私繫而吝，反不如初之無私，猶無所咎也。三四與五爭二而不克同者，然三怯於力，不如四之反於理為得吉也。五雖為三四所隔，然終以正應而得同。上雖免於三四之爭，然以遠而終未遂同之志。合六爻而論之，欲與人同，貴於公正，又可見矣。

Among the six lines, although the second line (six two) is the main line for forming the hexagram, it receives the character "lìn" (meaning hardship or difficulty) due to its private and self-serving nature, making it less commendable than the first line (nine at the beginning), which lacks private motives and thus does not commit errors. The third line (nine in the third) and the fourth line (nine in the fourth) both vie for the second line, but ultimately fail to achieve harmony. The third line gives up due to its inferior strength, while the fourth line is able to reflect and correct itself, thus attaining good fortune. The fifth line (nine in the fifth), although separated from the third and fourth lines, ultimately achieves harmony with the second line through proper correspondence. The top line (nine at the top) although free from the struggle with the third and fourth lines, fails to fulfill its desire for harmony due to its distant position. When considering all six lines together, the desire to harmonize with others is most valued when it is based on fairness, a point that becomes even clearer.

同人于野。亨。利涉大川。利君子貞。天火性同。二五中正德同。五陽喜陰情同。天與火，其性光明正大，其勢曠遠無私，有同人于野而得亨通之象。乾性健行，同則可以濟險，有利涉大川之象。內文明而外剛健，中正有應，君子之正道也。有利君子貞之象。

The Hexagram Statement says: In the wilderness, it is the same as people, hence it is smooth and favorable for crossing a great river, and favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness. Heaven and fire share the same nature. The line six in the second and the line nine in the fifth both occupy the central position and are upright, with the same virtue. The five yang lines all favor the one yin line, sharing the same sentiment. Heaven and fire, with their nature of brightness and uprightness, have a vast and impartial momentum, hence the image of being the same as people in the wilderness and thus being smooth. Heaven is strong and vigorous, and when people are the same, they can jointly overcome dangers, hence the image of being favorable for crossing a great river. The inner trigram is civilized, and the outer trigram is strong and vigorous. The lines six in the second and nine in the fifth occupy the central position and are upright, and they correspond with each other, which is exactly the proper path of the gentleman, hence the image of 'favorable for the gentleman to maintain uprightness'.

同人于野，其同也大。利君子貞，其同也正。人能大同有亨之道，故大川可涉。然有所同大而未必正者矣，故又戒以正為本。占者能大公至正，則可亨而大有所為矣。

"The Great Harmony in the Wild" indicates that the scope of harmony is extensive; "Beneficial for the Noble Man to Uphold Correctness" indicates that the stance of harmony is pure. When a person can harmonize with the whole world, there is a path to success, so even a great river can be crossed. However, there are cases where harmony may be extensive but not necessarily pure, so the Hexagram Statement warns to take "correctness" as the fundamental principle. Those who divinate this hexagram, if they can achieve complete impartiality and correctness, will find success and achieve great accomplishments.

又按，夫子言君子周而不比，和而不同，卦名取比與同者何也。蓋比以一陽為眾陰所比。獨坎五一陽得正，故彖有元永貞。則其比所以為君子之周也。

Again, it is noted that Confucius said, "The superior man is inclusive but not partisan," and "The superior man is harmonious but not uniform." Since both "partisan" and "uniform" are condemned by him, why does the Zhou Changes still use them as names of hexagrams? The hexagram "Bi" consists of a single yang line being attached by many yin lines, but in the upper trigram Kan, the line nine in the fifth is a yang line in the center that is correct and upright, hence the hexagram statement contains the judgment "original, enduring, sincere." Such "Bi" is precisely what Confucius refers to as the "Zhou" of the superior man, meaning universal affinity without forming factions.

同人以一陰為五陽所同。唯二五之應以正，故彖言利君子貞。其同所以為君子之和也。至兩卦六爻之中，兼正不正言之。唯正則為君子。此夫子贊易之外，又有周而不比、和而不同之說也。

The Hexagram of Tongren (Union) consists of one yao that is yin being recognized by five yang yao. Only the correspondence between line six in the second position and line nine in the fifth position is pure, hence the Hexagram Statement says "It is advantageous for the gentleman to be steadfast." This kind of "union" is precisely what Confucius refers to as the "harmony" of the gentleman. Regarding the six lines in these two hexagrams, both those that adhere to the correct position and those that do not are present. Only those that adhere to the correct position are considered gentlemen. This is why Confucius, in addition to his commendations in the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary, made the remarks "to be just without partiality" and "to be harmonious yet different."

彖曰：同人，柔得位得中而應乎乾曰同人。柔謂六二。乾指五。此以卦體釋卦名義。同人[文瀾本“同人”作“同人曰”]。舊作衍文。來注謂敘述卦辭而釋之語氣，謂六二應乾，固名同人矣。然卦辭曰「同人于野，亨，利涉大川」者何也？起下「乾行」句為是。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Tongren" means that the yao of the flexible line is in the correct position and in the center, and corresponds above to the Qian trigram, hence it is called "Tongren." "Flexible" refers to the line six in the second position, and "Qian" refers to the line nine in the fifth position. This is an explanation of the meaning of the hexagram name based on the structure of the hexagram. The text then again mentions the term "Tongren" (the edition from Wenlan Pavilion reads "Tongren Yu"). Old interpretations considered these two characters to be redundant words added during transmission. However, Lai Zhide in his Collected Commentaries on the Zhou Changes suggested that this is a way of first restating the hexagram statement and then adding an explanation: meaning that since the line six in the second position corresponds above to the Qian trigram, it can indeed be called "Tongren," but the hexagram statement also says "Tongren Yu ye, Xing, Li she da chuan," so why is that? This is used to lead into the next sentence "Qian Xing Ye." We follow Lai's interpretation.

同人于野，亨，利涉大川，乾行也。文明以健，中正而應，君子正也。唯君子為能通天下之志。乾行句，釋利涉大川之由。二為同人之主，應乾固亨矣。至於利涉大川，非二所能。乃乾以剛健之天德，同乎人以涉險，故曰乾行也。文明以健二句，合二體言之，釋利君子貞之意。內文明則能燭理，明乎大同之義。

The Commentary on the Judgment continues: "In the wilderness, being the same as people, it is smooth and advantageous for crossing a great river," which refers to the nature of the Trigram Heaven. Civilized yet strong and vigorous, residing in the center and maintaining uprightness while harmonizing with above and below, this is the pure virtue of the gentleman. "The movement of Heaven" explains the reason for "advantageous for crossing a great river." The second line, six two, is the main line of the Hexagram Tongren, and since it corresponds with the Trigram Heaven, it is naturally smooth. However, crossing a great river is not something that six two can undertake; rather, it is the Trigram Heaven, with its strong and vigorous Heavenly Virtue, that acts in harmony with people to face difficulties. Therefore, it is said "the movement of Heaven." The phrase "civilized with strength, centered and responding" combines both the upper and lower trigrams to explain the meaning of "advantageous for the gentleman to be upright." The inner trigram being civilized allows for the illumination of matters, understanding the great principle of universal harmony.

外剛健則能克己，盡乎大同之道。二五皆居中得正，內無私心而外合天德。凡此四者，皆君子之正道也。正者，人心所同。然君子唯以正，而天下之志已在吾心，所以利君子貞也。

The outer trigram is strong and vigorous, capable of overcoming one's private desires and carrying out the great path of universal harmony to its fullest. Both the second line and the fifth line are in the center and upright, with no private thoughts within and in harmony with the Heavenly Virtue externally. The four qualities of civilization, strength, uprightness, and correspondence are all the correct paths for the gentleman. The term "uprightness" is originally something universally acknowledged by all people; when the gentleman adheres solely to uprightness, the hearts and minds of all under heaven are already within him. Therefore, it is said "beneficial for the gentleman to be upright."

象曰：天與火，同人。君子以類族辨物。天在上而火炎上，同而異，異而同也。類族者，天之生物各族殊分，法乾之無私者，於殊分之族，而類聚其所同，異中之同也。辨物者，火之所及，凡物畢照，法離之有辨者，於均照之物，而辨析其異，同中之異也。

The Image Commentary says: Heaven and fire represent the image of the hexagram "Following." The gentleman takes this as a model, gathering together similar tribes and distinguishing differences among things. Heaven is above and fire ascends, both being similar yet different, and different yet similar. What is meant by "gathering tribes": Heaven nurtures all things, and each tribe is originally distinct. The gentleman models himself after Heaven's impartiality, gathering together similar tribes from among these distinct ones, thus seeing sameness within difference. What is meant by "distinguishing things": The light of fire reveals all things, and the gentleman models himself after fire's ability to discern, distinguishing differences among things that are all illuminated, thus seeing difference within sameness.

初九：同人于門，無咎。兩戶為門。初變艮為門，有門象。同於門外，雖非野之可比，然亦所同者廣而無私。同人之初，未有私主。以剛在下，上無繫應。占可無咎。

Initial Nine Line Statement: Going out to the gate and being the same as others, there will be no mistake. Two doors closing together are called 'gate'; the Initial Nine changes the lower trigram to Gen, which represents a gate, hence the image of a gate. Being the same as others outside the gate, although not as extensive as 'harmonizing with people in the wild,' the scope of being the same is still broad and impartial. Being at the beginning of the Hexagram of Harmonizing with People, there is still no private attachment; also, a Yang line is in the lowest position, and there is no corresponding line above it. If this line is divined, there will be no mistake.

象曰：出門同人，以誰咎也。門以內，家人也，於宗是也。門以外，天下之人也。雖未至於野，而非私暱矣。必出門而所同乃大，人自無咎之者。他卦又誰咎，有在我取禍無所歸咎者。此則謂其無私，人不得而咎之也。

The Image Commentary says: Going out and being the same as others, who would blame him? Within the door is a family, so the line 'harmonizing with relatives' in the second line belongs to this category. Outside the door is the world. Although the first line has not yet reached the extent of 'the wild', it is no longer private and intimate. Only when one goes out and harmonizes with a wide range of people does one's conduct become truly extensive, and others naturally have no grounds for blame. In other hexagrams, the phrase 'who would blame him' often refers to misfortune caused by oneself, for which others are not to blame. Here, however, the phrase 'who would blame him' indicates that he has no private intentions, so others have no grounds for blame.

六二：同人于宗，吝。宗，黨也。乾為諸卦之祖。離中變為乾，有同於宗之象。六二中正，有應於上。在一卦為同之主，宜得吉占。然同之道，貴乎大公。二既專有所應，則不能大同矣。又以陰從陽，臣妾順從之道也，故吝。易之悔自凶趨吉，吝則自吉趨凶。本以相應為善，反以過於私暱而得吝。蓋全卦取大同之義，於爻義又示阿黨之戒也。象曰：同人于宗，吝道也。狹而不公，有可吝之道也。

The Line Statement for the Second Line (Six in the Second): It only shares similarity within its own clan and faction, which is regrettable. "Clan" refers to one's own group or faction. The trigram Qian is the ancestor of all trigrams, and the middle line of the trigram Li changes into Qian, hence the image of sharing similarity within one's own clan. The line Six in the Second is in the center and in the correct position, with the line Nine in the Fifth above it corresponding. In the whole hexagram, it is the main line representing "sameness," so it should be a favorable judgment. However, the way of sameness is valued for its universal impartiality. Since Six in the Second is specifically corresponding to one thing, it cannot achieve universal harmony. Moreover, it is yin and soft, following yang and strong, which is the way of a servant following a master. Therefore, it is judged as "regret." In The Zhou Changes, "regret" refers to a transition from misfortune to fortune, while "regret" here refers to a transition from fortune to misfortune. Originally, being in correspondence is a good thing, but because of excessive private affection, it results in "regret." This shows that the whole hexagram emphasizes the principle of universal harmony, while in the line meaning it specifically warns against factionalism and partiality. The Image Commentary says: sharing similarity only within one's own clan is the way of regret. The scope is narrow and cannot be universally impartial, naturally containing a path that is regrettable.

狹而不公，有可吝之道也。九三：伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三歲不興。離為戈兵，有戎象。二三四互為巽木，有莽象。二與五為正應。三剛而不中，欲同於二，懼五見攻，伏於下以伺五之隙，有伏戎于莽之象。三變陰互為（文瀾本「為」作「得」）艮，有高陵象。三居下卦之上，下窺二之動，有升其高陵之象。自三至上三爻，上無正應，有三歲不興之象。

Continuing from the previous text, the line statement for six two says: it is only in close proximity, with limited interaction that cannot be made public, hence there is a sense of shame and regret. The line statement for nine three says: troops are hidden in the grasslands, and from a high hill they look out, for three years they dare not take military action. In terms of symbolic imagery, the upper trigram 'Li' represents weapons, hence the image of military force; the second, third, and fourth lines together form 'Xun', which represents wood, hence the image of the grasslands. Six two and nine five originally form a correct correspondence. Nine three is yang but not in the central position, eager to align with six two, yet fearing an attack from nine five, so it hides below, watching for the opportunity to strike at nine five's weakness, which is the image of 'hiding troops in the grasslands'. If nine three becomes a yin line, the interacting trigrams form 'Gen', which represents mountain, hence the image of a high hill (here the word '为' is in the Wenlan edition '得'). Nine three is at the top of the lower trigram, looking down to observe the movements of six two, hence the image of 'ascending to the high hill'. Counting from nine three to upper nine, there are three lines, and upper nine does not correspond with nine three, with no external support, hence the image of 'three years without action'.

三欲同二，而二非正應，則理不直。五居尊位，勢又不敵，故三年之久不敢動。此強同而不得者也。象曰：伏戎于莽，敵剛也；三歲不興，安行也。敵剛指五。安行，言上無應必不可行，至於三歲之久，又安能行乎。

Nine in the Third is like Six in the Second, but Six in the Second is not its proper corresponding line, which by nature is not straightforward. Nine in the Fifth is in a position of authority and its power is not something Nine in the Third can match. Therefore, it hesitates for three years before taking action. This is a case of forced conformity that ultimately fails. The Image Commentary says: "The army is hidden in the grass and thorns because the enemy is a strong Nine in the Fifth; the three years of hesitation show that there is no way forward." The term "enemy is strong" refers specifically to Nine in the Fifth, while "no way to move forward" indicates that Upper Nine and Nine in the Third are not in correspondence, so there is no path to take, and how could they move forward after three years?

九四：乘其墉，弗克攻，吉。四則不中正，欲同六二而為三所隔。自三欲下取二，故有乘墉以攻之象。然以剛居柔，知二非正應，故有自反不克攻之象。能改過可以得吉，則賢於三矣。蓋三伏於莽，自下而伺五也；四之乘墉，乘三以攻二也。三惡五之親二，故有犯上之心；四惡二之比三，故有陵下之志。然三以剛居剛，懼五之攻，屈於勢也；四以剛居柔，終不克攻，反於義也。反義，得吉道矣。此始強同而終能改過者也。

The statement of the fourth line says: "He climbed the city wall but ultimately did not attack, which is auspicious." The fourth line is neither central nor properly positioned, wanting to align with the second line, but is blocked by the third line. It intends to cross over the third line to seize the second line, hence the image of climbing a city wall to attack. However, it is a yang line in a yin position, and it is aware that the second line is not its proper match, so it reflects inward and does not attack, hence the image of "not being able to attack." Being able to change and correct oneself brings auspiciousness, which is wiser than the third line. The third line is a hidden army in the grass, watching from below for the fifth line; the fourth line is climbing the city wall to attack the second line. The third line resents the fifth line's closeness to the second line, hence its rebellious intent; the fourth line resents the second line's favor towards the third line, hence its desire to dominate below. However, the third line is a yang line in a yang position, fearing an attack from the fifth line, and thus submits to the situation; the fourth line is a yang line in a yin position, and ultimately does not attack, returning to the path of righteousness. Returning to righteousness brings the way to auspiciousness. This is a case where one initially forces conformity but eventually is able to change and correct oneself.

象曰：乘其墉，義弗克也；其吉，則困而反則也。已乘其墉，則力非不足也，斷以義而弗克攻耳。義者，天則不可逾。志欲攻而知義不可攻，困於心而反於法則，能改過者，所以吉也。與人同，善事也，乃三四皆有爭奪之象。四乘墉有其意，三伏莽則已見其形矣。四惡二三，所欲攻者臣；三敵五，則欲攻其君矣。涉世者不可不知。而三四有吉否之不同，又好剛強同者所宜戒也。

The Image Commentary says: Climbing the city wall signifies that according to principle, one should not attack; yet it is auspicious because one is constrained by inner distress and returns to the principle. Having already climbed the city wall, it shows that strength is not lacking, but one refrains from attacking because of principle. Principle is the natural law, which cannot be transgressed. One may desire to attack, yet knows it is against principle, thus being constrained within and returning to the principle, which allows for repentance, hence the auspiciousness. Being similar to others is a good thing, but both nine three and nine four show signs of contention: nine four climbing the wall is merely an intention, while nine three has hidden troops in the wilderness and has already revealed its form. Nine four resents six two and nine three, yet still intends to attack as a subject; nine three and nine five are enemies, meaning it is about to attack the sovereign. Those who engage in the world must not fail to understand this distinction. The great difference between the misfortune of nine three and the auspiciousness of nine four is precisely what those who are inclined to be stubborn and force conformity should take as a warning.

九五：同人先號咷而後笑，大師克相遇。五剛中正，二柔中正，本正應也，而為三四所隔，不得其同。然正應者終不得而問也。隔於三四，號咷之象。五變為離，互三四又為兌說，又火無定體，故有先號咷而後笑之象。離為戈兵，有大師象。三四剛強，九五以陽剛之德勝之，故有大師以克之象。二五終為正應，相遇之象。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line says: It is the same as others, first wailing and weeping, then laughing and rejoicing, using a great army to overcome those who block the way, thus meeting the person it should meet. The Fifth Line is Yang and strong, upright, and the Second Line is Yin and soft, upright, originally a proper correspondence, but it is blocked by the Third and Fourth Lines, so they cannot be the same. However, since it is a proper correspondence, it cannot be separated or interfered with. Because it is blocked by the Third and Fourth Lines, there is the image of wailing. When the Fifth Line changes, the upper trigram becomes Li (Fire). The mutual trigrams of the Third and Fourth Lines also form Dui (Lake), which represents joy. Moreover, fire has no fixed form, so there is the image of first wailing and then laughing. Li represents weapons and soldiers, so there is the image of a great army. The Third and Fourth Lines are strong and firm, but the Fifth Line uses its Yang strength to overcome them, so there is the image of mobilizing a great army to defeat the enemy. The Second Line and the Fifth Line are ultimately a proper correspondence, so there is the image of meeting.

九五大君，三四以臣隔君，大逆也，故興大師以克強暴，而後遇正應也。然人君宜與天下相孚於大同，乃不免於先號後笑，用師以克，如敵國之爭，何也。蓋以全卦言之，以大同為亨；而就二五一爻言之，終未免於私吝，故不得言吉也。象曰：同人之先，以中直也；大師相遇，言相剋也。中，理直，故不勝其忿，先至於號咷也。直，即君子之正也。相遇必由於中直乃克，非至正，無以通天下之志也。

Nine Five represents the great sovereign of the country. Nine Three and Nine Four, as ministers, separate the sovereign from the ministers, which is a great rebellion, so they must raise a large army to suppress the strong and violent, and then meet with the correct corresponding line. However, the sovereign should naturally be in harmony with the people of the world, achieving great unity. Now, it is unavoidable to first wail and then laugh, and even resort to military victory, like rival states at war. Why is this so? Because, in the entire hexagram, achieving great unity is the way to success. But when considering only the lines Six Two and Nine Five, there is still a tendency towards partiality and stinginess, so it cannot be considered a favorable outcome. The Image Commentary says: The reason for the initial wailing is because the line is in the center and has the right reason. The mention of a great army meeting is to indicate that only after a confrontation can victory be achieved. 'Center' means having the right reason, so one cannot restrain anger and thus wails first. 'Righteousness' refers to the virtue of the gentleman. To achieve victory in a meeting, one must rely on being centered, upright, and righteous. Without the extreme of uprightness, one cannot unify the hearts of the people.

上九：同人于郊，無悔。乾有郊象。居外無應，去陰已遠，物莫與同，故有同人于郊之象。野遠而郊近。但野遠而郊近。但野乃大眾往來之道，無人不同；郊在郭外荒僻之處，無人可同也。然無所爭，可以無悔。象曰：同人于郊，志未得也。

The line statement of Upper Nine says: To be with others in the outskirts, there is no regret. The upper trigram Qian represents the outskirts. Upper Nine is located outside the hexagram and has no responding line. The Yin line Six Two is far away, so there is nothing to be the same as. Therefore, there is the image of "being with others in the outskirts." The wild is a common path where people travel, and no one cannot be with others; the outskirts are beyond the outer city in a remote place where no one can be with others. However, since there is no competition, there can be no regret. The Image Commentary says: To be with others in the outskirts, indicates that the mind has not yet been realized.

爻曰無悔，以其無爭於人喜之；夫子則以不能同於人病之。唯君子能通天下之志，今無人可同，則於同人之志，亦未得遂也。易卦有以此爻為主，而吉凶與彖同者，如屯之初、比之五是也；有成卦在此爻而不得為主，吉凶與彖異者，則此卦之二五是也。

The line statements only mention the absence of regret, indicating joy in not competing with others; however, Confucius in the Image Commentary regards the inability to be in harmony with others as a flaw. Only a gentleman can unify the hearts of all people. Now, with no one to share the same aspirations, the aspiration of "harmonizing with others" cannot be realized. In the Book of Changes, some hexagrams have a particular line as their main focus, and the fortune of that line agrees with the Tai Cai. For example, the initial line of the Zun hexagram and the fifth line of the Bi hexagram. There are also hexagrams where although the hexagram is formed by a particular line, that line does not serve as the main line, and its fortune differs from the Tai Cai. The second line and the fifth line of the present hexagram are like this.