Without Delusion: Thunder below, Heaven above.

無妄：元亨利貞。其匪正有眚，不利有攸往。

The hexagram statement of 《Wu Wang》 says: The primary hexagram possesses the four virtues of "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen" — Yuan is the origin of all things, Heng is the smooth flow of all things, Li is the suitability for all things, and Zhen is the firm adherence to correctness. If a person does not follow the right path, he will invite "Sheng," which refers to misfortune caused by himself. Such a person, no matter where he wishes to go or what he wishes to do, will not achieve success.

義曰：按《序卦》云「復則不妄矣」，言君子之人既能先復其性，邪惡不萌於心，而善道充積於內以發於外，無有非妄之事矣。然而具天地生成之四德者，蓋以四海至廣，生靈至眾，情偽萬狀，聖人在上必有天地四德之備，然後可使天下之人服而化之，無有非妄之行。故有仁以濟之，使皆遂其性而樂其生，以至有禮以節之，有刑以齊之，有政以正之，餘則乾卦言之備矣。以其具是四德而有天下，則天下信無非妄者也。

Hu Yuan explained that according to the "Xu Gua Zhuan," returning to one's true nature leads to the absence of false thoughts. A gentleman merely needs to first restore his original nature, and evil thoughts will not arise within him. The principles of goodness will accumulate and become full within him, then express themselves as words and deeds. Thus, all his actions will be genuine and not false. So why does this hexagram still require the four virtues of heaven and earth generating all things? Because the world is vast and the people numerous, with human feelings and circumstances constantly changing. A sage in a position of authority must possess these four virtues of heaven and earth in order to gain the people's trust and educate them, so that there will be no more false actions. Therefore, he should use benevolence to provide for them, enabling everyone to live in accordance with their nature and in peace and comfort; then use propriety to restrain them, punishment to regulate them, and government orders to correct them. Other principles have already been thoroughly explained in the "Qian" hexagram. Because the sovereign possesses these four virtues and holds the world, the world truly has no more false things.

「其匪正有眚，不利有攸往」者，言聖人在上，旣有四德以及於天下，則天下莫不一歸於正，而無敢有非妄之行者。然而上下之間或有一不正之人，欲以非妄之行而有所往，則必無所利，故有自招之眚所以致也。

The Hexagram Statement says, "If there is a wrongdoer who brings about misfortune, it is not advantageous to go on a journey." This means that the sage is in a position of authority and has already spread the four virtues throughout the world. Therefore, the whole world is on the right path, and no one dares to act recklessly. However, if there is still someone in the court or among the people who is not upright in his intentions and tries to achieve something through reckless actions, he will certainly not gain anything. The misfortune he encounters is called "sheng." "Sheng" is different from calamities sent by heaven; it is something he brings upon himself, so it is said to be self-inflicted.

彖曰：無妄，剛自外來而為主於內，動而健，剛中而應，大亨以正，天之命也。「其匪正有眚，不利有攸往」，無妄之往，何之矣？天命不佑，行矣哉！

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram Wuwang, has a yang line coming from the outer trigram to the inner trigram, becoming the main line of the inner trigram. The lower trigram Zhen has the nature of movement, and the upper trigram Qian has the nature of strength, so it is said 'movement and strength'. The line nine in the fifth position, being a yang line in the middle of the upper trigram, also corresponds with line six in the second, which is yin, so it is said 'strong and central with correspondence'. Therefore, it can be greatly smooth and conform to the right path, which is exactly the will of heaven. As for the hexagram statement, which says that not keeping to the right path brings disaster and is not favorable for going forward, when all under heaven are not being reckless, yet one still moves forward recklessly, where can one go? If heaven does not support such an action, how can such a thing still be possible?

義曰：剛卽陽也。無妄由否卦而來，是乾之一陽自外而來，居於內卦之初，是為主於內卦也。「動而健，剛中而應，大亨以正，天之命也」者，上乾為健，下震為動；剛中謂九五也，應謂六二也。夫有其君而無臣，則無妄之道不能行；有臣而無君，固不可得而行。今九五有剛明之德而為之君，六二有柔正之德而為之臣，君倡於上，臣和於下，相成以道，然後以元亨利貞之四德以被天下，其威命之行莫不懾服，而天下之人悚然不能為非妄，此天之威命也。

Hu Yuan explained that in the "Commentary on the Judgment," "yang" refers to a yang line. This hexagram is derived from the "Hexagram of Non-Communication": in the "Hexagram of Non-Communication," Heaven is on top and Earth is at the bottom. A yang line from the outer trigram descends to the lowest position of the inner trigram, becoming the line "Initial Nine." Therefore, it is said that yang strength comes from outside and becomes the master of the inner trigram. As for "movement and strength, yang in the center and responding, great prosperity with correctness, this is the mandate of Heaven," it is because each of the eight trigrams has its own "trigram virtue," which is the fundamental nature it represents: the virtue of the upper trigram, Heaven, is strength and vigor, and the virtue of the lower trigram, Zhen, is movement. "Yang in the center" refers to the nine at the fifth position, which is a yang line in the central position of the upper trigram. "Response" is a specific term in the Book of Changes, referring to the three pairs of corresponding lines: the first and fourth, the second and fifth, and the third and sixth, which are one yin and one yang and mutually responsive. Here, it refers to the pairing of the six at the second position with the nine at the fifth. One must know that there can be no effective governance without a wise ruler and capable ministers. If there are ministers but no ruler, there can be no implementation of policies. Now, the nine at the fifth position is strong and discerning, a qualified ruler; the six at the second position is gentle and upright, a qualified minister. The ruler above initiates, the minister below responds, and ruler and minister support each other through the correct path, thus spreading the four virtues of origin, prosperity, benefit, and constancy throughout the world. The ruler's decree reaches everywhere, and no one dares to defy it. All people are alert and cautious, and no longer engage in reckless actions. This is the mandate of Heaven.

「其匪正有眚，不利有攸往」者，言聖人有威德及於天下，雖父子昆弟之間、州閭鄉黨之內，莫敢有一於不正而非妄者。或有不正之人非妄而欲有所往，則無所利而災眚及之也。「無妄之往，何之矣？天命不佑，行矣哉」者，言無妄之世以有妄而行，復何所往哉？之即往也，佑福也。言君之威德被於下，所至無有敢犯之者，若其復有非妄不正之行，則是犯天之威命，而天必不福佑也，其可行之哉？

The Commentary on the Judgment reiterates "Its not being upright brings calamity, and it is not advantageous to go anywhere." This means that the virtue and prestige of the sage extend throughout the world, so that even among father and son, siblings, and neighbors, no one dares to act improperly or engage in deceit. If someone indeed has improper intentions and acts on false grounds, they will gain nothing and instead face calamity. As for "Going without being upright, where can one go? Heaven's mandate does not favor, how can one proceed?" This refers to acting with false intentions in an era where everyone is sincere. If one still acts with false intentions, where can one go? The word "之" here is equivalent to "go," and "佑" means to bestow blessings. This means that the ruler's virtue and authority cover the people, and wherever he goes, no one dares to offend. If there are still improper and deceitful actions, that would be an offense against Heaven's mandate. Heaven certainly will not bestow blessings upon such actions, so how can such things be possible?

象曰：天下雷行，物與無妄。先王以茂對時，育萬物。

The Great Image Commentary says: Thunder moves beneath the sky, shaking all things, and each thing is afraid of being false or deceptive. The former kings observed this image and therefore diligently followed such a trend, wholeheartedly nurturing all things under heaven.

義曰：夫雷之行於天下，萬物無不聳動兢懼而不敢為妄，如君之威德發於上而被於下，天下之人聳然聽從而無敢有妄也。是以先王茂對此無妄之時，則宜如何哉？固當盡仁愛之道以養育萬物，使天下各遂其所，各安其業，以至鰥寡孤獨皆得其所養。如此，則可以使天下之人久於無妄之道也。何則？蓋天既以無妄而在上者，苟不養育之，則未見使天下終久而不為非妄者也。

Hu Yuan explained that when thunder rolls over the world, all things are shaken and become cautious, restraining themselves and not acting recklessly. This is like the authority and virtue of a ruler issuing from above, covering the people below, causing all under heaven to obey with reverence, none daring to act recklessly. Therefore, the former kings, striving to follow such a situation, should naturally fully practice benevolence to nurture all things, allowing the people to each realize their own aspirations and each remain in their proper occupations. Even the elderly without a spouse, the widows, the orphans, and the elderly without children should all be cared for. Only when this is achieved can the people maintain the correct path without recklessness for a long time. Why? Because heaven has already established an authority that cannot be disregarded, and those in authority, if they do not provide care and nurture, have never seen the world remain free from recklessness for long.

初九：無妄，往吉。象曰：無妄之往，得志也。

The line statement for Chou Jiou says: Going forward without harboring false thoughts will result in吉祥. The Small Image Commentary explains: Going forward without false thoughts is auspicious because the mind's aspirations can be realized.

義曰：夫君子有剛明之才，足以致天下於無妄者，必得剛明之君，然後可以行己之道。今初九有剛明之才，而九五為剛明之君，若往而輔之，則施己之威德於天下，而天下之人不敢為非妄，自然成其治，以此而行，必其吉也。「象曰：無妄之往，得志也」者，夫賢人君子有兼濟天下之心，則必遭時遇主，日行其道，致天下於無妄，此君子之志也。今初九能然，是其志得行矣。

Hu Yuan explained that even if a gentleman possesses strong and enlightened abilities sufficient to lead the world to a state of sincerity and truth, he must encounter a strong and discerning sovereign before he can put his ideas into practice. Now, Chou Ji has the quality of strength and clarity, and Wu Wu is precisely a sovereign of strength and clarity. If Chou Ji goes forward to assist him, he can spread his prestige and virtue throughout the world, and the people will no longer engage in false actions, thus achieving a time of peace and order. To act in this way will certainly bring good fortune. The Small Image Commentary says, "Going without falsehood, attains one's aspirations," because virtuous gentlemen who hold the aspiration to benefit all under heaven must meet favorable times and encounter good sovereigns, and constantly promote their ideas, leading the world toward sincerity and truth. This is the true aspiration of a gentleman. Now Chou Ji has indeed achieved this, showing that his aspirations have been realized.

六二：不耕穫，不菑畬，則利有攸往。象曰：不耕穫，未富也。

The line statement for the second line says: Not rushing to till the fields yet enjoying the harvest, not rushing to clear the land yet enjoying the well-cultivated fields, this is favorable for going forward. The small image commentary explains: Not rushing to till the fields yet only taking in the harvest, is because one does not claim the merit and wealth for oneself.

義曰：耕者，田事之始也；獲者，收成之終。田一歲曰菑，三歲曰畬。今六二以柔順之質居中履正，上有剛明之君倡威令於天下，是待君倡而後和，令而後行。如此，謂不擅君之權，不竊君之美，是若農不耕而獲，不菑而畬，皆所以代事之終而成君之美，則所往而無有不利也。

Hu Yuan explained that plowing is the beginning of farming, and harvesting is the end of farming. Cultivating land for the first year is called "zi," and cultivating land for the third year to make it fertile is called "yu." Now, the line six in the second position has a gentle and compliant nature, residing in the middle of the lower trigram, and is a yin line in a yin position, which conforms to "zhongzheng" — occupying the central position and matching the yin and yang with the position. Above it is a strong and discerning ruler issuing commands to the world, so it waits for the ruler to initiate and then follows, waits for the command to be issued and then acts. By doing this, it is called not usurping the ruler's authority and not claiming the ruler's merit, just like a farmer not rushing to plow but only harvesting, not rushing to clear new land but only taking over the cultivated land — all are completing the final tasks for the ruler, fulfilling the ruler's merit, so no matter what one goes to do, there will be no obstacles.

「象曰：不耕穫，未富也」者，人臣之道，貴其成君之事而代君之終也。苟或居事之先，為物之倡，則是竊君之美而自居其富盛也。今二乃能不耕而獲，不菑而畬，是能待君倡而後和，以代君之終，是不居於富盛者也。

The Small Image Commentary says, "Not plowing and reaping, not yet rich," because the proper way of a minister is to complete the king's affairs and properly conclude the king's work. If one acts ahead of the time, always taking the initiative, that is to steal the king's merit and claim the rich rewards for oneself. Now, Six in the Second does not rush to plow but only attends to reaping, does not rush to clear new land but only takes over the well-cultivated fields. This is to wait for the king's initiative and then follow up, completing the king's final tasks, so it does not claim the rich rewards for itself.

六三：無妄之災，或繫之牛，行人之得，邑人之災。象曰：行人得牛，邑人災也。

The third line statement says: This is a calamity that comes without cause — someone tied up a cow there, a passerby took the cow by mistake, but the people of the town were wrongly blamed for the loss of the cow. The Small Image Commentary explains: The passerby gained the cow, while the people of the town suffered the disaster.

義曰：夫居無妄之時，必有剛明之德，履中蹈正，然後可以致天下於無妄也。今六三以不中不正之身處無妄之時，是有妄之人也。以有妄之人慾治於無妄之世，則上下所不容，故災害及之也，故曰「無妄之災」。「或繫之牛，行人之得」者，牛即治田之具也。六三既以不中不正，而又欲擅君之權，竊君之美，不待倡而和，不待令而行，乃如不獲而耕，不畬而菑，故為或人之繫其牛，以至行道之人皆可以奪而得之也。「邑人之災」者，六三以不中不正為非妄之人，雖父子昆弟之間有所不容，故不唯已有其災，至於己之所屬之人亦皆為其所累而受其災也。

Hu Yuan explained that in an era that cannot tolerate falsehood, one must possess strong and enlightened virtue, act in the middle and uphold correctness, in order to lead the world to a state free from falsehood. Now, the sixth line in the third position is neither in the central position nor in the correct position, yet it is in such an era. This is precisely the situation of someone who harbors falsehood. If someone who harbors falsehood attempts to govern affairs in an era free from falsehood, he will not be accepted by those above and below, and calamity will naturally come upon him. Therefore, the line statement says this is an unprovoked calamity. As for the phrase 'a man tied up a cow, and a passerby led it away,' the cow is an instrument for plowing fields. Since the sixth line in the third position is neither central nor correct, and yet it desires to seize the authority of the sovereign and take the credit of the sovereign, acting on its own without waiting for the sovereign's initiative, and acting without waiting for orders, it is like someone who should not reap but is eager to plow, and should not take over but is eager to cultivate. The result is that it is as if the cow is tied up, and passersby can lead it away. As for 'the calamity of the town,' it refers to the fact that this person who is neither central nor correct and harbors falsehood cannot even be tolerated by his own father and brothers. Therefore, the victim is not only himself, but also his entire family and the people of his town, all suffering together.

九四：可貞，無咎。象曰：可貞無咎，固有之也。

The statement of the fourth line says: One can hold to the right path and thus not commit mistakes. The Small Image Commentary explains: One can hold to the right path without making mistakes because this virtue is inherent in him.

義曰：夫居無妄之時，必有至正之德，則可以免咎。今九四以陽居陰，以位言之，未居其正也；然而以剛健而履以柔順之位，是尚謙也。如此，則是可守其正道而得免其咎也。何則？蓋已本有剛明之才，今雖履不正，然以尚謙，故可以從正而免咎。「象曰：固有之也」者，言九四以剛直免咎，蓋於己之德性素有之，故曰「固有之」也。

Hu Yuan explained that in such an era, one must possess extremely upright virtue in order to avoid mistakes. Nine Four is a yang line in a yin position. Considering only the "line position," that is, the position of a line and whether its yin or yang matches its position, it is not in the correct position. However, by possessing a strong and vigorous nature and residing in a flexible and yielding position, it demonstrates a preference for humility and retreat. Thus, it can remain on the correct path and avoid mistakes. Why? Because it originally possesses strong and enlightened ability. Although its line position is not correct, it still can follow the right path without error because it values humility and retreat. The "Small Image Commentary" says "it is inherent," meaning that Nine Four avoids mistakes through its strong and upright nature, and this virtue is originally inherent in it, hence it is said to be naturally possessed.

九五：無妄之疾，勿藥有喜。象曰：無妄之藥，不可試也。

The line statement of the fifth line says: This is a sudden illness that comes without cause; there is no need to take medicine, as it will naturally heal and bring good fortune. The small image commentary explains: For a disease not caused by oneself, one should not lightly try medicine.

義曰：藥所以疏決壅滯、攻治其疾者也。今九五以剛明之德居至尊之位，下有六二柔順之臣為己之輔，共致無妄之治，則君臣之間無不正，朝廷之上無不治，萬民無不安。若其間一有邪佞之幹紀，及邊鄙有小小之冦，皆非己之所招，亦不足興兵撓眾以動中原，但在得其人，則自然可平矣。如有小小之疾，不須用藥以攻治之，但保安其身，則疾自愈矣；若復以毒藥攻之，則是自取傷敗耳。如秦漢之君，竆兵黷武，長征遠伐，以至反被其害也。故無妄之時有其疾，不試其藥，則自獲其安而有喜也。

Hu Yuan explained that medicine is used to unblock obstructions and treat diseases. The Nine in the Fifth, with his strong and discerning virtue, occupies the supreme position, and below him is the Six in the Second, a gentle and obedient minister, assisting him. Thus, the ruler and minister work together to achieve a genuine era of governance, so that the relationship between ruler and minister is upright, the court is well governed, and the people are secure. At this time, even if there are occasional villains who violate the law or small bandits appearing at the borders, these are not caused by the ruler himself, nor is it necessary to launch a large-scale military campaign, involving the people and disturbing the central region. As long as the right people are appointed, everything can be pacified. This is like when a person has a minor illness, there is no need to use strong medicine to treat it; instead, by maintaining one's health, the illness will naturally recover. If instead, one uses toxic medicine to attack the illness, that would be self-inflicted harm. Some rulers of the Qin and Han dynasties, who engaged in excessive warfare and long-distance campaigns, ultimately suffered harm, which is exactly an example of this. Therefore, in such an era encountering such minor problems, not lightly trying remedies, one naturally attains peace and happiness.

上九：無妄，行有眚，無攸利。象曰：無妄之行，窮之災也。

The line statement for the topmost line says: To act recklessly in an era that cannot tolerate falsehood will bring calamity and bring no benefit. The Small Image Commentary explains: Such reckless actions lead to disaster because they have reached the end of the hexagram, and the calamity arises from being at the extreme.

義曰：無妄之世，無一民一物不以正相守而不敢為非妄。今上九居卦之極，在無位之地，失中正之道，於無妄之時為眾之所不容，行則有災，復何所利？

Hu Yuan explained that in a truthful and sincere era, there is no common person or thing that does not abide by its proper role and dares to be dishonest. The Nine at the Top is located at the very top of the hexagram, a position without any official rank, and has also lost the principle of maintaining the center and upholding righteousness. In such an era, this situation would be unacceptable to the people. Any action taken would bring calamity, so what benefit could there be?

大畜：利貞。不家食，吉。利涉大川。

The Hexagram Statement of Great Accumulation says: It is favorable to hold to the right path. The virtuous person does not remain at home seeking sustenance, but instead takes office and receives salary from the court, which is auspicious. At this time, it is also favorable to cross great rivers and lakes, meaning to overcome major difficulties.

義曰：按《序卦》云「有無妄然後可畜，故受之以大畜」。夫君子之人既能復其性、明其心，不為非妄而從於正道，然後可以大有所畜止於邪曲之人也。然小畜則巽在上、乾在下，巽為陰，其性柔順，故不能畜之於始而終止之，故為小畜之象；大畜則艮在上、乾在下，艮為陽，其性正靜，故能止畜於始而終有天衢之亨，是為大畜之卦也。

Hu Yuan explained that according to the "Xu Gua Zhuan," first there is the absence of false movement, and only then can there be accumulation. Therefore, after the "Wu Wang" hexagram comes the "Da Xu" hexagram. A gentleman first returns to his nature, clarifies his mind, does not engage in false actions, and follows the right path, and only then can he accumulate greatly and restrain those with perverse intentions. Now looking at the distinction between the two hexagrams: "Xiao Xu" has Xun on top and Qian below. Xun is yin, with a gentle and compliant nature, so it cannot restrain matters at the beginning, and only restrains them at the end, hence the image of "Xiao Xu." "Da Xu" has Gen on top and Qian below. Gen is yang, with a upright and calm nature, so it can restrain matters at the beginning, and finally reach the upper ninth line "Tian Qu Heng Tong," which is called "Da Xu."

「利貞」者，夫乾者剛健君父之象，夫以君雖尊，不能無邪曲之慾，而臣下能止畜之者，必有大正之德，然後可以輔歸於正道也。「不家食吉」者，夫人君之治天下，必有貴爵重祿養於賢者，使天下之賢皆進於朝廷，受祿於國而不食於家，故邪欲不行而正道日興，以樹成天下之治而獲其吉也。「利涉大川」者，人君既得天下大正之人進輔於已，而止畜已之邪欲，如此則固可以成天下之治，雖有大險大難亦得以共濟之也。

The Hexagram Statement says "favorable to uprightness," because the Lower Trigram Qian symbolizes a strong and vigorous sovereign and father. Although the sovereign is noble, he is not free from corrupt desires. Ministers must be able to restrain the sovereign's private desires; therefore, they themselves must possess great public and upright virtue, and only then can they assist the sovereign to return to the right path. It says "favorable to not eating at home," because when a sovereign governs the world, he must use noble titles and generous salaries to support virtuous talents, so that all the virtuous people in the world enter the court and live by the state's salary rather than seeking their own livelihood at home. In this way, the sovereign's corrupt desires cannot take effect, and the right path gradually becomes established, thus achieving good governance and bringing about auspiciousness. It says "favorable for crossing great rivers," because when the sovereign has already obtained virtuous people of great public and upright virtue to assist him and restrain his private desires, he is then capable of achieving good governance throughout the world. Even if he encounters great dangers and difficulties, the sovereign and ministers can unite to overcome them together.

彖曰：大畜，剛健篤實輝光，日新其德。剛上而尚賢，能止健，大正也。「不家食吉」，養賢也。「利涉大川」，應乎天也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The Great Accumulation hexagram has the Lower Trigram Qian (Heaven) which is strong and vigorous, and the Upper Trigram Gen (Mountain) which is solid and sincere. The combination of these two produces a brilliant radiance, and the virtue is renewed day by day. Yang strength is in a superior position and honors the virtuous, thus being able to restrain the vigorous sovereign. This is an expression of great impartiality and correctness. The Hexagram Statement says, "Not eating at home is auspicious," which refers to nourishing the virtuous talents. It says, "Beneficial to cross a great river," because the superior and inferior trigrams are in harmony, following the way of the Heaven Trigram.

義曰：因二體以釋大畜之名。剛健謂乾有剛健之德，篤實謂艮有篤實之德。言所以能大畜者，由君有剛健之德以接於下，臣有篤實之德以輔於上，君臣之間皆有如此之德，故其心志相同，道又相協。既能相交，則上雖有邪偽之心，亦莫由而發。夫如是，故正道日以行，治道日以廣，輝耀光明而其德日以増新也。

Hu Yuan explained that the Commentary on the Judgment explains the name of the hexagram "Great Accumulation" by referring to the virtues of the upper and lower trigrams. "Yang strength and vigorous" refers to Qian's virtue of being strong and vigorous, while "sincere and solid" refers to Gen's virtue of being sincere and solid. The reason for great accumulation is that the sovereign has the virtue of being strong and vigorous to accept subordinates, and the ministers have the virtue of being sincere and solid to assist the sovereign. Since both the sovereign and ministers possess these virtues, their aspirations are aligned and their paths are harmonious. When the sovereign and ministers can communicate with each other, even if the sovereign has perverse and false thoughts, they cannot be expressed. Therefore, the righteous path is gradually promoted, the way of governing the state is gradually expanded, its radiance shines forth, and virtue is gradually cultivated and renewed.

「剛上而尚賢」者，剛，艮也，蓋艮有剛陽之德。夫乾為至剛，本居於上，今反居下，是猶人君有至尊之勢、至嚴之威，而能崇尚有德及禮下賢人，使之畜己之邪欲，成己之治道，所以師尚而貴寵之也。故孟子曰：「湯之於伊尹，學焉而後臣之，故不勞而王；桓公之於管仲，學焉而後臣之，故不勞而霸。」然觀孟子之意，言人君之於臣有大正大賢之道，必當尊寵而禮下之，不以為臣而師事之，然後可以輔於己而歸正道也。

"The term 'gang' in the phrase 'gang shang er shang xian' refers to the upper trigram Gen, because Gen possesses the virtue of yang strength. Qian is originally the most yang and should be in the upper position, but it is now in the lower trigram. This is like a ruler who holds supreme power and great authority, yet is able to honor and treat virtuous people with courtesy, allowing them to restrain his own desires and achieve his governance. Therefore, the ruler shows great respect and esteem to the virtuous, treating them as teachers rather than ordinary ministers. Mencius once said: King Tang sought the wisdom of Yi Yin before appointing him as a minister, thus effortlessly achieving the mandate of heaven; Duke Huan of Qi sought the counsel of Guan Zhong before appointing him as a minister, thus effortlessly attaining hegemony. Understanding Mencius' intention here is to say that when a ruler encounters a minister with great public righteousness and profound virtue, he must honor and cherish him, humbly treat him with courtesy, not treating him as an ordinary minister but as a teacher, in order to obtain assistance and return to the right path."

「能止健大正」者，健謂乾。夫人君有威嚴之勢，而臣能止之，必有大正之道則可也。是故漢武不冠不見汲黯，夫以汲黯之才，但一直臣耳，然尚畏憚之如此，則其大正至賢之臣，其君之畏敬可知矣。「不家食吉，養賢也」者，人君旣禮下於賢而祿養之，使賢者皆進而願立於其朝，以輔翼於君，而止畜君之邪欲，以贊成其治道也。「利涉大川，應乎天也」者，應謂六四、六五之應於乾之初九、九二，猶君能接於臣，臣又應於君，君臣之間道義相同，一志而共濟天下之難也。

"The ability to restrain the strong and vigorous (Qian trigram) represents great uprightness." Here, "strong and vigorous" refers to the king symbolized by the Qian trigram. The king possesses formidable authority, and for ministers to be able to restrain him, they must themselves uphold the great principle of fairness and righteousness. Therefore, Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty would not receive Ji An unless he wore his hat properly; given Ji An's talents, he was merely an upright minister, yet Wu still felt apprehensive. If a truly upright and wise minister were to appear, how much more would the king respect and revere him, is evident. "The blessing of not eating at home is auspicious, for it signifies the cultivation of virtuous talents." This means that when a king humbly treats virtuous ministers with courtesy and provides them with salaries, virtuous men will be willing to enter the court and stand by the king, assisting him in restraining his private desires and helping to achieve the path of state governance. "In 'favorable for crossing great rivers, it responds to heaven,' the 'responds' refers to the sixth line of the upper trigram (Yi trigram) and the fifth line corresponding to the first line and second line of the lower trigram (Qian trigram), with yin and yang lines corresponding to each other. This is like the king being able to accept ministers and ministers being able to respond to the king. The moral principles between the king and ministers are consistent, their aspirations are aligned, and together they can overcome the difficulties of the world."

象曰：天在山中，大畜。君子以多識前言往行，以畜其德。

The Great Image Commentary says: Heaven is contained within the mountain, which is the image of Great Accumulation. The gentleman takes this as a model, widely recalling the words and deeds of past sages and virtuous persons, to cultivate his own virtue.

義曰：至髙至大者天也，而物不可畜，今山能包蘊之，故假象得大畜之義也。君子觀此之象，而多識前聖之言之行，以自蘊畜其己之德也。何則？君子之人雖有五常之性，苟不該博古道，亦不能成之，是必多聞博識，然後道業可以成也。夫以堯、舜、禹大聖人而稽古，孔子習於周公，是雖有聖人之資，未有不學而能至也。

Hu Yuan explained that nothing is greater than heaven, which originally has nothing that can contain it. Now, mountains can encompass heaven, so this hexagram is used to express the idea of great accumulation. The gentleman observes this hexagram and widely learns from the words and deeds of previous sages, to cultivate his own virtue. Why is that? Although a gentleman is born with the five constant virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness, if he does not thoroughly understand the teachings of the ancients, these virtues cannot be realized. One must have broad knowledge and rich learning so that his virtue can be cultivated. Even great sages like Yao, Shun, and Yu had to study ancient institutions, and Confucius still studied the rites of the Duke of Zhou. This shows that even with the talents of a sage, one cannot naturally reach perfection without learning.

初九：有厲，利己。象曰：有厲利己，不犯災也。

The line statement for the first line says: There is danger, and it is appropriate to stop. The small image commentary explains: Facing danger and stopping is to avoid offending misfortune.

義曰：夫乾，君之象也。以君之至尊，有天下之勢，必不能無邪欲侈縱之心；有邪欲侈縱而不戒之，則必至危厲。故《書》曰：「欲敗度，縱敗禮，以速戾於厥躬。」是言縱慾之事不可不戒。今初有剛明之才，而邪欲之情慾縱，是有危厲也。

Hu Yuan explained that Qian represents the symbol of a sovereign. The sovereign occupies the supreme position and holds the power to control the world, which inevitably gives rise to thoughts of private desires and indulgence. If there are private desires and indulgence without caution, it will certainly lead to danger. Therefore, the Book of Documents says: indulgence will ruin the laws and regulations, and unrestrained behavior will destroy the rites, which will soon bring calamity upon oneself. This is precisely saying that indulgence in private desires must not be neglected. Now, the initial nine possesses strong and enlightened abilities, yet the desire for private indulgence is just about to arise, so the line statement says "there is danger," meaning there is a risk.

「利己」者，已止也。言初九之剛將欲行，而上有六四為之正應，是大正之臣處君之左右，以止畜君之邪欲，故雖有剛欲驕侈之心，不得以萌以騁，使其所行之事皆從於正道，如是則無所不利。「象曰：有厲利己，不犯災也」者，言始雖有厲，而得大正之臣以止畜之，使己之邪欲不行而從於正，故不至犯於災害之事，而反從於吉也。

The Line Statement says "favorable to self," where "self" refers to stopping. Initially, the yang strength of the first line is about to act, and above it is the sixth line with yin, which corresponds properly with it. This represents a great and upright minister standing by the sovereign, restraining his private desires. Therefore, although the first line has thoughts of strength and arrogance, they cannot arise or be carried out. All actions must follow the correct path, so there is naturally no difficulty. The Small Image Commentary says "dangerous but favorable to self, not offending calamity," meaning that although there is initial danger, because the great and upright minister restrains the private desires, they cannot be expressed and turn toward the correct path, thus avoiding calamity and leading to auspiciousness.

九二：輿說輹。象曰：輿說輹，中無尤也。

The line statement for the second line says: The chariot has removed the fuxu from its axle and cannot move. The small image commentary explains: The chariot removes the fuxu and does not advance because nine two is in the center and has no fault.

義曰：輹，輪輹也。九二亦以剛明之質，又居卦之中，是人君有剛欲之心欲上行，而初已止畜之，又上應於大正之臣為之輔佐，故二能恐懼戒愼，其剛欲之心已止而不敢行，如車輿之說其輪輹而不能進也。「象曰：輿說輹，中無尤也」者，言二雖有剛欲之情，而已得大正之臣止畜之，且已本有剛明之才，能自思省於已，故由其中而無有尤過也。然則大凡人君不能無邪欲，但患其諂佞之臣逢迎其惡，導贊其非，則終不能反之於善。今初曰「有厲利己」，二曰「輿說輹」，是得其良臣而能反於善者也。

Hu Yuan explained that "fu" refers to the part connecting the axle and the carriage on a chariot. Nine in the Second is also endowed with strong and enlightened qualities, and it is located in the central position of the lower trigram, representing the ruler who has a strong desire to move upward. However, the first line has already been stopped, and Nine in the Second corresponds to Six in the Fifth, the virtuous minister who is upright and just. Therefore, Nine in the Second can be cautious and self-disciplined, and his strong desire stops without being acted upon, just like a chariot that has removed its "fu" and cannot move forward. The Small Image Commentary says, "The carriage detaches from the fu, there is no blame in the center," meaning that although Nine in the Second has strong desires, he has been restrained by the upright and just minister, and he himself possesses bright wisdom and can examine himself, thus acting out of inner awareness without error. Therefore, rulers are generally prone to private desires, but what is most dangerous is when flatterers and villains encourage their bad thoughts and lead them to do wrong, making it impossible to return to the righteous path. Now, the first line says "there is danger but it is beneficial to oneself," and the second line says "the carriage detaches from the fu," which is exactly a portrayal of having good ministers and returning to the good path.

上九：良馬逐，利艱貞，曰閒輿衛，利有攸往。象曰：利有攸往，上合志也。

This line statement says: Like a good horse galloping forward, it is advantageous to remain steadfast in difficulty; one should be familiar with the means of driving the chariot and having guards, thus facilitating movement. The Small Image Commentary explains: It is advantageous to move forward because it aligns with the mind of the superior. According to Hu Yuan's subsequent explanation, although the heading is marked as 'Nine at the Top,' the actual reference is to 'Nine in the Third.'

義曰：夫初欲上進，以其得大正之臣居於左右以止畜之，至於九二，其邪惡已不行，故此九三則言進退皆合於正道，以至凡所行之事無所不可，如馴良之馬馳逐於大道之上也。「利艱貞」者，言九三所為之事雖皆合於正道，然必常得大正之臣以居於左右而艱難守正，乃可以獲吉也。

Hu Yuan explained that the initial line, "Nine at the Beginning," originally intended to advance upward, because it had the great upright and correct ministers on both sides to restrain it. By the time it reached the second line, "Nine in the Second," the perverse desires had already become ineffective. Therefore, by the third line, "Nine in the Third," it says that whether he advances or retreats is in accordance with the right path; whatever he does is acceptable, like a well-behaved noble steed galloping freely on the main road. As for "beneficial to be in hardship and uphold uprightness," it means that although the actions of the third line are all in accordance with the right path, it still needs the presence of great upright and correct ministers around him, so that he can uphold the right path amidst hardship and thus achieve auspiciousness.

「曰閒輿衛，利有攸往」者，衛，侍從也，皆所以為行道之具也。言旣有賢正之臣以輔於君，而又能艱難守正，猶恐所為之事或有過失，故曰閒習其行道之具，使無有過差而一歸於正，故所行無不利也。疏謂「雖曰有人閒閡車輿」之意，非也。「象曰：利有攸往，上合志也」者，言此所以無往不利，由上九大賢之臣以至正之道贊輔於已，而能崇敬禮下之，其心志相合，道又相符契故也。

The term 「卫」 refers to attendants and bodyguards, along with the carriage, as tools and personnel used for travel and official business. This means: since there are already virtuous and upright ministers assisting the ruler, and the ruler can remain steadfast in righteousness even in adversity, there is still concern that affairs might be mishandled. Therefore, one should become proficient in these means of action in daily life, ensuring everything is accurate and aligned with the right path, so that whatever one goes on to do will be smooth and successful. The old commentary incorrectly interprets this sentence as meaning "although there are people blocking the carriage." The 「Small Image Commentary」 states 「利有攸往，上合志也」, meaning that the reason for success in all undertakings is that the superior wise minister, Nine at the Top, supports the ruler with the most upright principles. The ruler also respects him and humbles himself to treat him with propriety, resulting in mutual harmony of will and alignment of their ways of action.

六四：童牛之牿，元吉。象曰：六四元吉，有喜也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: Adding a crossbar to prevent the horns of a young calf that has not yet grown horns brings great good fortune. The Small Image Commentary explains that the reason for great good fortune in the fourth line is that there is something pleasing between the ruler and the minister.

義曰：童牛者，犢牛而無角者也。六四居艮之始，以陰居陰，居得其正，而下有初九之剛為己之應，而初居乾之體，是君有剛志而欲上行，已以大正之道居其左右以畜止之。然初九又有至剛之才、至明之性，而能服其義，故六四得以正道而止畜之，猶無角之牛而又制之於牢牿，言其易也。

Hu Yuan explained: "Tongniu" refers to a young ox that has not yet grown horns. The line six in the fourth is at the beginning of the upper trigram Gen, with a yao of yin in a yin position, which is proper. Below it is in correspondence with the yang line nine at the beginning. The line nine at the beginning belongs to the trigram Qian, representing the sovereign's strong will that is about to rise up. The line six in the fourth, by upholding the great public and correct principle, stays by the sovereign's side to restrain it. Fortunately, the line nine at the beginning also possesses extremely strong ability and extremely clear-mindedness, capable of embracing principles. Therefore, the line six in the fourth can restrain it with the right path, just like a young ox without horns, which is further restrained by a crossbar. This illustrates that restraining is very easy.

「元吉」者，言四既以大正之道使其君邪欲不行，故正道日舉而得其元大之吉也。「象曰：六四元吉，有喜也」者，言臣旣能制君之邪欲，君又樂從之而不行，故上下相得，交相喜悅也。故齊景公從晏子之言而大悅，孟子稱其詩曰「畜君何尤，畜君者好君也」，言景公欲騁遊樂而晏子以正道止之，是有愛君之心，故君臣相悅而無過也。

The Line Statement says "Original Good Fortune," because line six in the fourth position uses the great public and upright way to prevent the ruler's private desires from taking effect, and the righteous path grows day by day, thus attaining the greatest good fortune. The Small Image Commentary says "Line six in the fourth position has original good fortune, there is joy," meaning that the minister can restrain the ruler's private desires, and the ruler is willing to listen and no longer indulges, thus achieving harmony between ruler and minister, and both feel joy. Therefore, when Duke Jing of Qi listened to Yanzi's advice, he was greatly pleased. Mencius cited a contemporary poem saying: What is there to blame for restraining the ruler? Restraining the ruler is actually loving the ruler. Duke Jing originally intended to indulge in pleasure and travel extensively, but Yanzi used the right path to stop him, which was out of love for the ruler. Thus, the ruler and minister were pleased with each other and had no mistakes.

六五：豶豕之牙，吉。象曰：六五之吉，有慶也。

The statement of the fifth line says: A castrated boar is tied to a wooden post, which is auspicious. The Small Image Commentary explains that the auspiciousness of the sixth line in the fifth position is because there is fortune following.

義曰：豶豕者，豭豕而見豶者也。牙，牙杙也，所以繫物也。六五居艮之體，有大中之德、柔順之質，而應於九二。九二居乾之體，有其剛欲，而又有六五為大正之臣居輔左右，故二亦有大中之才、剛明之性，能服道知義，禮下於賢，其剛欲不行而從於正道，故六五畜止之易，如豶豕之牙也。夫豕者，蹢躅躁動之物，難於制畜者也，今見豶而又繫之牙杙之上，是其易制也。

Hu Yuan explained: "Fen Shi" refers to a castrated male pig. "Ya" is a wooden post used to tether animals. The six in the fifth position is located within the upper trigram Gen, possessing the virtue of maintaining a central position and upholding great principles, along with the quality of being gentle and compliant. It corresponds with the nine in the second position of the lower trigram. The nine in the second belongs to the trigram Qian, originally having strong desires, but because there is a great and upright minister, the six in the fifth, by its side, the nine in the second also possesses the ability to maintain a central position and uphold great principles, along with a clear and resolute mind. It can embrace principles, understand righteousness, and submit to the wise, thus the strong desires are unable to proceed and turn toward the right path. Therefore, the six in the fifth can easily restrain it, just as dealing with a castrated male pig, tethering it to a wooden post is sufficient. Pigs are by nature restless, running about, and difficult to control. Now that they have been castrated and tethered to a wooden post, they are naturally easier to manage.

「吉」者，言君之邪欲旣不能行，是吉之道也。然六四言「元吉」而此但言「吉」者，蓋初九邪欲萌而六四能制之，夫居事之始至難者也，而四能畜之，是以獲元大之吉；至於九二，則是其邪欲已止而不行，六五但安然以正道而輔之，故但言其吉，蓋其止之又易也。

The Line Statement says "auspicious" because the ruler's private desires have already become ineffective, and this itself is the way of auspiciousness. However, the line six in the fourth position says "great auspiciousness." Here it only says "auspicious" because at the beginning, when the private desires first arise, the line six in the fourth position is able to control them. But at the initial stage of things, it is most difficult to act, and the line six in the fourth position is able to do so, thus achieving the greatest auspiciousness. By the time of the line nine in the second position, the private desires have already been stopped from arising, and the line six in the fifth position merely steadily supports them with the right path, so it only says "auspicious" — because at this point, stopping them is even easier.

「象曰：六五之吉，有慶也」者，言四元吉而有喜，此但吉而言有慶者，蓋六四是事之始，其君之剛欲將萌而能畜之，故但有喜而已，蓋未知其久長之效也；至此六五，則是其邪欲已盡不行，故其正道日舉，而君至於無為，大興天下之治，不惟有喜，而至於有福慶也。

The Small Image Commentary says, "The good fortune of line six in the fifth position is due to a great celebration." Line six in the fourth position is described as great good fortune and says "there is joy," but here it is only said "good fortune" and "there is celebration." The reason is that line six in the fourth position is at the beginning of an affair, and the ruler's strong desires have just begun to arise but are immediately restrained, so it can only be considered a single joy, and its long-term results are not yet visible. By the time it reaches line six in the fifth position, the ruler's private desires have completely ceased and no longer arise, the righteous path is gradually established, the ruler has reached the state of governing without interference, and the achievements of the world are greatly flourishing. In this case, it is not only a single joy, but a celebration that extends to future generations.

上九：何天之衢，亨。象曰：何天之衢，道大行也。

The line statement for the topmost yao, Upper Nine, says: How vast and open the heavenly thoroughfare is, smooth and unimpeded. The Small Image Commentary explains: The heavenly thoroughfare refers to the great path being fully unobstructed.

義曰：按小畜以巽體居乾之上，故不能止畜於其始，而上九止極有旣雨之象；此大畜以艮體處乾上，故能止畜於始，初曰「有厲利己」，二曰「輿說輹」，三曰「良馬逐」，四曰「童牛之牿」，五曰「豶豕之牙」，至此上九，其正道已成而有天衢之亨，言其大正之道大行於天下，如天之有衢路，坦然可以通之。且經文有「何」字，推尋其義，殊無所適，蓋傳寫者因象辭有之，故遂加之也。「象曰：何天之衢，道大行也」者，「何」者，設問之辭，言上九何以得天之衢亨？蓋以其正道之大行通達於天下也。

Hu Yuan explained that the hexagram "Xiao Xu" has the trigram Xun covering Qian, so it cannot be constrained at the beginning, and only when the top line, "Shang Jiū," reaches its extreme does the image of "rain having fallen" appear. In contrast, the hexagram "Da Xu" has the trigram Gen covering Qian, so it can be constrained from the beginning. The first line speaks of "danger but advantageous to self," the second line of "the cart wheel comes off," the third of "a good horse follows," the fourth of "a young ox with a yoke," the fifth of "the teeth of a castrated pig," and so on up to the top line. The righteous path is thus fully established, leading to the smooth passage of the sky's great path, which signifies the universal and upright way being carried out throughout the world, like a great road in the sky that is open and unobstructed for all to travel. As for the character "he" in the text, after repeated consideration, its meaning is difficult to place. It is likely that the scribe included it along with the hexagram, because it appears in the "Xiao Xiang Zhuan." The "Xiao Xiang Zhuan" says, "What is the sky's great path? The way is widely practiced." Here, "he" is used in a questioning tone, meaning: Why does the top line achieve the smooth passage of the sky's great path? Because its righteous path is widely practiced and通行 throughout the world.