Hexagram 26

大畜 Dà Xù

Great Taming

☶ Mountain above ☰ Heaven

Judgment 卦辭

利貞。不家食。吉。利涉大川。

大dàgreat, large; large, big, major

畜chùraising beasts; concerns, cares

利lìit is worthwhile, rewarding, beneficial

貞zhēnto be persistent, determined, resolved, resolute

不bùbut no, less; avoid, doing without; to not

家jiāat home; family, home, household

食shídine, eating; meals, fare

吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

利lìit is worthwhile, rewarding favorable

涉shèto cross, ford, ferry, venture, experience

大dàthe great, big, major

川chuānstream, river, current, waters

Commentary

Staying the course is beneficial. Not eating at home brings good fortune—take public responsibility rather than private comfort. Major undertakings can succeed. This is a time of gathering strength, storing energy, and building reserves for the work ahead.

Classical Text

大畜乾下艮上大畜，利貞。不家食，吉。利涉大川。

Da Xu (Great Accumulation), Qian below, Gen above. Great Accumulation. Benefit in Correctness. Not eating at home—auspicious. Benefit in crossing a great river.

Image 象

天在山中，大畜。君子以多識前言往行，以畜其德。

Heaven within the mountain—vast power contained. Study the words and deeds of the past to strengthen your character. History isn't academic; it's practical. The patterns repeat. Learning them makes you effective.

Lines 爻辭

有厲利已

有yǒuthis, things will get, become; there will be

厲lìhardship, harshness, severity; serious

利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial, better

已yǐto desist; end, stop, quit doing this

Danger ahead. Better to stop here. You want to advance but the situation blocks you. Forcing through leads to misfortune. Patience now; energy builds for later.

Classical commentary

初九，有厲，利已。

Initial Nine. There is danger. Benefit in stopping.

輿說輹

輿yúa, the carriage, wagon, sedan

說shuōis relieved, deprived of; with removed

輹fùits axle strut, housing, bracket, mounts

The axles are removed from the wagon. Forward movement stops entirely. This isn't defeat—it's strategic pause. Accumulated energy serves you when release finally comes.

Classical commentary

九二，輿說輹。

Nine in the Second. The cart sheds its axle straps.

良馬逐利艱貞日閑輿衛利有攸往

良liánga fine, good, desirable; an excellent

馬mǎhorse, steed

逐zhúgives chase, follows a lead, pushes, pursues

利lìworth, meriting, warranting, rewarding

艱jiāndifficult, hard, laborious, wearying

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, focus

日rìdaily, each day, every day

閑xiántraining, discipline; more versed, familiar

輿yúin, with at chariot; basics, fundamentals

衛wèiand, of defense, protection, martial arts

利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial

有yǒuto have, find, take on; if there is

攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose

往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead

A good horse follows another good horse. Danger remains, but the path opens. Practice what advances you and what protects you. Have a destination in mind. Movement with purpose, not aimless galloping.

Classical commentary

九三，良馬逐，利艱貞。曰閑輿衛，利有攸往。

Nine in the Third. Fine horses give chase. Benefit in difficult Correctness. It is said: practice guarding the chariot. Benefit in having a destination.

童牛之牿元吉

童tónga, the young, youthful, juvenile

牛niúbull

之zhī...'s; has

牿gùa pen, corral, stable, enclosure; confinement

元yuánmost, supremely; excellent, outstanding

吉jípromising, fortunate; promise, opportunity

The young bull's headboard. Attach the restraint before the horns grow. Preventing problems is easier than fixing them. Great success comes from this kind of foresight.

Classical commentary

六四，童牛之牿，元吉。

Six in the Fourth. A headboard on a young bull. Sublime Beginning of auspiciousness.

豶豕之牙吉

豶féna, the gelded, castrated

豕shǐboar, hog, pig, swine

之zhī...'s

牙yátusks, teeth, ivories, fangs, smile, grin

吉jípromising, auspicious, opportune, timely

The gelded boar's tusk. The danger is neutralized at its source. Don't fight wild force directly; change the nature that produces it. Good fortune.

Classical commentary

六五，豶豕之牙，吉。

Six in the Fifth. The tusks of a gelded boar. Auspicious.

何天之衢亨

何héwhat, where is; undertake, submitting to

天tiānheaven, higher nature; the sky, celestial

之zhī...'s

衢qúway, course, thoroughfare, crossroads; ...?

亨hēngthrough fulfillment, satisfaction, success

The way of heaven is attained. The obstruction ends. Energy stored through discipline now flows freely. Your principles shape the world because you earned that authority through restraint.

Classical commentary

上九，何天之衢，亨。

Top Nine. How vast the thoroughfare of Heaven! Success.