Hexagram 4
蒙 Méng
Youthful Folly
☶ Mountain above ☵ Water
Judgment 卦辭
亨。匪我求童蒙。童蒙求我。初筮告。再三瀆。瀆則不告。利貞。
Commentary
The student seeks the teacher, not the other way around. Ask once and receive an answer. Ask repeatedly out of anxiety and you'll get nothing—that's not inquiry, it's neediness. Success comes through staying the course.
Classical Text
蒙卦坎下艮上 蒙，亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。 利貞。
Hexagram Meng: Kan below, Gen above. Youthful Folly. Success. It is not I who seek the young fool; the young fool seeks me. At the first consultation I give instruction. If he asks two or three times, it is importunity. If he importunes, I give no instruction. Beneficial to be steadfast.
Image 象
山下出泉，蒙。君子以果行育德。
A spring emerges at the mountain's base—it doesn't know where it's going yet, just that it must flow. Fill each hollow completely before moving forward. Character develops the same way: thoroughness in small things before attempting large ones.
Lines 爻辭
發蒙利用刑人用說桎梏以往吝
Discipline awakens the fool—but only enough to start. Remove the fetters once the lesson takes hold. Continuing to punish after understanding arrives creates resentment, not growth.
Classical commentary
初六，發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏，以往吝。
Initial Six. Dispelling folly. It is beneficial to discipline people and to remove fetters and shackles. To proceed in this way brings regret.
包蒙吉納婦吉子克家
You can work with fools if you're patient. You can work with the inexperienced if you don't condescend. The capable child can run the household—competence isn't about age.
Classical commentary
九二，包蒙，吉。納婦吉，子克家。
Nine in the Second. Embracing the fool — good fortune. Taking a wife brings good fortune. The son is capable of managing the household.
勿用取女見金夫不有躬無攸利
Don't pursue someone who abandons themselves at the sight of wealth or status. When a person loses their center that easily, nothing good can come from the connection.
Classical commentary
六三，勿用取女。見金夫，不有躬，无攸利。
Six in the Third. Do not take this woman. She sees a man of bronze and does not keep her person — nothing is beneficial.
困蒙吝
Isolated in fantasy, cut off from reality—this is the most hopeless form of ignorance. The cure requires contact with the actual world, not more thinking.
Classical commentary
六四，困蒙，吝。
Six in the Fourth. Entangled in folly — regret.
童蒙吉
Childlike openness brings good fortune. The key word is childlike, not childish. No arrogance, genuine curiosity, willingness to not-know. This is the right attitude.
Classical commentary
六五，童蒙吉。
Six in the Fifth. Youthful folly — good fortune.
擊蒙不利為寇利禦寇
Sometimes a fool must be stopped, not taught. But the punishment should prevent future harm, not avenge past wrongs. Defense, not attack.
Classical commentary
上九，擊蒙，不利為寇，利禦寇。
Top Nine. Striking at folly. It is not beneficial to act as a marauder; it is beneficial to defend against marauders.