Hexagram 23
剝 Bō
Splitting Apart
☶ Mountain above ☷ Earth
Judgment 卦辭
不利有攸往。
Commentary
It does not further one to go anywhere. Inferior forces push forward, crowding out the remaining strong. The time favors dissolution, not action. Wait. Give generously to those below to stabilize what remains.
Classical Text
剝坤下艮上 剝，不利有攸往。
Bo (Stripping). Kun below, Gen above. Stripping. It is not beneficial to have a place to go.
Image 象
山附於地，剝。上以厚下安宅。
The mountain rests on earth. Those above secure their position only by giving to those below. Without a broad base, the steep mountain topples. Generosity is structural, not optional.
Lines 爻辭
剝床以足蔑貞凶
The bed is split at the legs. Perseverance destroyed. Misfortune. The foundation breaks first. What rests on it cannot survive. Collapse begins below.
Classical commentary
初六，剝牀以足，蔑貞凶。
Initial Six. Stripping the bed by way of the legs. Correctness is obliterated—misfortune.
剝床以辨蔑貞凶
The bed is split at the frame. Perseverance destroyed. Misfortune. The support structure fails. The splitting continues upward, unstoppable now.
Classical commentary
六二，剝牀以辨，蔑貞凶。
Six in the Second. Stripping the bed by way of the frame. Correctness is obliterated—misfortune.
剝之無咎
Splitting among them. No blame. You can split from the decaying situation without incurring blame. Sometimes separation is the only right action.
Classical commentary
六三，剝之，无咎。
Six in the Third. Stripping it away—no blame.
剝床以膚凶
The bed is split to the skin. Misfortune. Now the person themselves is affected. The collapse has reached living flesh. Very bad.
Classical commentary
六四，剝牀以膚，凶。
Six in the Fourth. Stripping the bed by way of the skin—misfortune.
貫魚以宮人寵無不利
A string of fishes. Favor through the palace ladies. Nothing that does not further. Even in collapse, order can be restored through right sequence, like fish strung together, like court ladies in rank.
Classical commentary
六五，貫魚，以宮人寵，无不利。
Six in the Fifth. A string of fish. Through the favor of palace women, nothing is unfavorable.
碩果不食君子得輿小人剝廬
The large fruit is not eaten. The person of character gains a carriage. Small people split apart their huts. The seed remains—the great fruit that isn't consumed becomes the next cycle. The worthy survive; the petty destroy even their own shelter.
Classical commentary
上九，碩果不食，君子得輿，小人剝廬。
Top Nine. A large fruit is not eaten. The noble person obtains a carriage; the petty person strips the hut.