Hexagram 12

否 Pǐ

Standstill

☰ Heaven above ☷ Earth

Judgment 卦辭

之匪人。不利君子貞。大往小來。

否pǐseparating; denial, negation
之zhīoneself; refers to, is about
匪fěithe inferior, bad, negative, wrong
人rénpeople, human beings, individuals; humanity
不bùwho are not, of no; who do not
利lìworth to, of value to; merit, profit, reward
君jūnnoble, worthy, honored
子zǐyoung one's, heir's, disciple's
貞zhēnpersistence, focus, loyalty, integrity, resolve
大dàgreatness, the great, important
往wǎngdepart, go, leave; move, pass on
小xiǎosmallness, the small, mediocre
來láiarrive, come, approach, emerge

Commentary

Evil people do not further the perseverance of the superior person. The great departs, the small approaches. Heaven and earth are out of communion—everything is numbed. What's above has no relation to what's below. Confusion and disorder prevail.

Classical Text

否坤下乾上 否之匪人，不利君子貞。大往小來。

Pi (Standstill). Kun below, Qian above. Standstill: it is not of people. It does not benefit the steadfastness of the noble person. The great departs and the small arrives.

Image 象

天地不交，否。君子以儉德辟難，不可榮以祿。

Heaven and earth do not unite. The person of character withdraws into inner worth to escape difficulties, refusing to be honored with revenue. When inferior influence dominates, the superior retreats inward.

Lines 爻辭

1

拔茅茹以其彙貞吉亨

拔bápulling, drawing up, out, extracting
茅máothatch, mao grass; reeds
茹rúby the roots
以yǐthereby, thus, with this
其qíuprooting its, the, another
彙huìwhole cluster, group, bunch; kindred, sort
貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, focus
吉jípromising, auspicious, timely, hopeful
亨hēngfulfilling, satisfying, thorough

Pull up the grass—it comes with roots intertwined. Perseverance brings good fortune and success. In stagnation, hold to your kind. Retreat together with the like-minded.

Classical commentary

初六，拔茅茹，以其彙，貞吉亨。

Initial Six. Pulling up cogon grass, interlinked by its roots, together with its kind. Steadfastness brings good fortune and success.

2

包承小人吉大人否亨

包bāoembrace, accept, undertake, bear with
承chéngassignments, service; servitude, servility
小xiǎolesser, common, small, average
人rénone's, person's, man's, people's
吉jípromise, good fortune, hope, opportunity
大dàmature, complete, realized, great
人rénhuman being's, character's, one's, person's
否pǐnegated, denied, wrong, inferior, worthless
亨hēngfulfillment, satisfaction, success, triumph

Embrace and bear with things. Small people find good fortune here. The great person accepts standstill—and through acceptance, still succeeds. Endure what can't be changed.

Classical commentary

六二，包承，小人吉，大人否，亨。

Six in the Second. Embracing and serving. For the petty person, good fortune. For the great person, standstill—and thereby success.

3

包羞

包bāoembracing, accepting, tolerating
羞xiūthe shame, disgraceful, unworthy

Embracing shame. Inferiors attempt what they can't achieve. Their overreach contains its own humiliation. Watch them fail.

Classical commentary

六三，包羞。

Six in the Third. Embracing shame.

4

有命無咎疇離祉

有yǒuhaving, holding, assuming; there is
命mìnghigher purpose, mandate; higher law
無wúno, without; make no; not
咎jiùwrong, mistake, error; blameworthy
疇chóuthis category, class; kind of thing
離lídistinct, separate, apart; differs from
祉zhǐhappiness, gratification, blessings, prosperity

Following a higher command, no blame. Those of similar mind share in the blessing. Acting under proper authority during standstill brings no blame.

Classical commentary

九四，有命无咎，疇離祉。

Nine in the Fourth. Having the mandate, no blame. Companions cleave to blessings.

5

休否大人吉其亡其亡繫于苞桑

休xiūretiring from, stopping, relaxing, easing out of
否pǐthe separation, denial, negation, standstill
大dàmature, complete, realized, great
人rénhuman being, one, person, man
吉jípromise, opportunity, hope; promises
其qíthis
亡wángpasses, will pass, moves on
其qíthat
亡wángpasses, will pass, moves on
繫xìsecured; as surely, secure; bound
于yúwith; as; to
苞bāothe seedlings, saplings, sprigs, sprouts
桑sāngof mulberry

Standstill ends. The great person brings good fortune. 'What if it fails? What if it fails?' Tie it to a clump of mulberry shoots. The root holds even when all seems to collapse.

Classical commentary

九五，休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。

Nine in the Fifth. Bringing standstill to rest. Good fortune for the great person. 'It will perish, it will perish!'—bound to a clump of mulberry trees.

6

傾否先否後喜

傾qīngoverturn, reverse, overcome, upend
否pǐthe separation, denial, negation, standstill
先xiānbefore, at first, earlier
否pǐseparation, denial, negation, standstill
後hòuafter, and then, later
喜xǐrejoicing, joy, happiness, gratification

Standstill overturns. First standstill, then joy. The obstruction finally breaks. What was blocked now flows again.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：否終則傾，何可長也？

The Image states: When standstill reaches its end, it topples. How could it last long?