Hexagram 35

晉 Jìn

Progress

☲ Fire above ☷ Earth

Judgment 卦辭

康侯用錫馬蕃庶。晝日三接。

晉jìnexpansion, progress, advance, development
康kāngthe prosperous, exalted; ^Kang(shou Feng)
侯hóulord, governor, chief; Lord
用yòngpresent, offer, send; use, utilize (s, ed)
錫xīgrants, awards, rewards, gifts
馬mǎof horses
蕃fānin, to propagate, breed, multiply, increase (ing)
庶shùa, the multitude, large numbers; numbers
晝zhòuand (in, by) the light of
日rìa, one day
三sānthree times
接jiēmeet, receive, contact; grant(s, ed) audience(s)

Commentary

The powerful lord is honored with horses in great numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times. The sun rises over the earth—rapid, easy progress with widening expansion and clarity. A twofold condition: the leader has clarity not to abuse influence but uses it for the benefit of the ruler. The ruler is free of jealousy and showers rewards. Enlightened ruler, obedient servant—this is how great progress happens.

Classical Text

晉坤下離上 晉，康侯用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接。

Jin: Kun below, Li above. Jin (Advance). The prosperous lord is granted horses in abundant multitude, and in a single day is received three times.

Image 象

明出地上，晉。君子以自昭明德。

The sun rises over the earth, emerging from dark mists into pristine clarity. Brighten your own virtue. Human nature is originally good but becomes clouded by earthly things. Purification allows the native clarity to shine forth.

Lines 爻辭

1

晉如摧如貞吉罔孚裕無咎

晉jìn^expansion, advance; ^ far along, ahead
如rúit may seem that v; so, how (very) v
摧cuī^ overwhelmed; ^ frustrated, pressed
如rúis to be, the same as v; (and yet, to be) so v
貞zhēnbut persistence, dedication, commitment
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
罔wǎnguse wits; net, snare, trap, steal [by any means get]
孚fúfor trust, confidence, assurance, the true
裕yùand be tolerant, accepting, generous
無wúno; (this is) not; nothing
咎jiùblame; is wrong; a mistake, an error (s)

Progressing but turned back. If met with no confidence, remain calm. Persistence in what's right brings good fortune. Don't try to force trust. Refuse to be roused to anger. Freedom from mistakes comes through steady composure.

Classical commentary

初六，晉如摧如，貞吉。罔孚，裕，无咎。

Initial Six. Advancing, yet pushed back. Correctness brings good fortune. Without trust from others, if one remains generous and unhurried, there will be no blame.

2

晉如愁如貞吉受茲介福于其王母

晉jìn^ expansion, advance; ^ far along, ahead
如rúit may seem that v; so, how (very) v
愁chóu^ anxious, worried; ^ fearful, gloomy
如rúis to be, the same as v; (and yet, to be) so v
貞zhēnbut persistence, dedication, commitment
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
受shòuaccept, receive, take; be given; enjoy
茲zīthe, these present, given; these this
介jièboundary, border, limitation, constraint (s)
福fúas (if, one would) (a) blessing, favor, gift
于yúfrom, by, of
其qíone's (own)
王wánggrand-
母mǔmother [i.e. graciously and gratefully]

Progressing but in sorrow. Blocked from the authority you're connected to. Remain persistent through the grief; with maternal gentleness, happiness will come. Mutual attraction based on correct principles, not selfish motives.

Classical commentary

六二，晉如愁如，貞吉。受茲介福，于其王母。

Six in the Second. Advancing, yet sorrowful. Correctness brings good fortune. One receives this great blessing from one's royal mother.

3

眾允悔亡

眾zhòngmany, numerous; much; a multitude of
允yǔnpermission, allowance, grant, liberty (s) +
悔huǐregret(s), remorse
亡wángpass, disappear, dissolve (s)

All are in accord. Remorse disappears. Moving forward with others whose support encourages you. No regret about lacking independence—collective progress works.

Classical commentary

六三，眾允，悔亡。

Six in the Third. The multitude approves. Regret vanishes.

4

晉如鼫鼠貞厲

晉jìnadvancing, progressing, moving forward
如rújust, much like; as if, though
鼫shía, the squirrelly, long-tailed, skulking
鼠shǔrodent, rat
貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve
厲lìis harsh, dangerous, difficult; trouble

Progress like a hamster. Persistence brings danger. In times of progress, it's easy to amass possessions through dubious means. But such conduct shuns light. Times of progress are also when shady dealings get exposed.

Classical commentary

九四，晉如鼫鼠，貞厲。

Nine in the Fourth. Advancing like a hamster. Correctness brings danger.

5

悔亡失得勿恤往吉無不利

悔huǐregret(s), remorse; regret, repent (and)
亡wángpass, disappear, dissolve (s); move on
失shīabout, over loss; giving up; failure
得déand gain; receiving; attainment
勿wùare not to be; do not
恤xùtaken to heart; worry, be concerned
往wǎngsimply to go, move on, advance, progress
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
無wúwithout; (there is) nothing
不bùdoubt; (that) (is) not; (which) cannot be
利lìworthwhile; (turned to) advantage(ous)

Remorse disappears. Don't take gain or loss to heart. Gentle and reserved in an influential position, you might reproach yourself for not maximizing advantage. Let that regret go—what matters is securing opportunities for beneficial influence.

Classical commentary

六五，悔亡，失得勿恤，往吉，无不利。

Six in the Fifth. Regret vanishes. Do not worry about loss and gain. Going forward brings good fortune; nothing is unfavorable.

6

晉其角維用伐邑厲吉無咎貞吝

晉jìnadvancing, extending
其qíthe, one's, his, those
角jiǎohorns, antlers
維wéilimit, confine, constrain, restrain, hold
用yòngthe, this practice, application, use, exploit
伐fāto subjugate, subordinate, discipline (ing)
邑yìof the home town, community; locally
厲lìthat harsh, stern, strict (ness); severity
吉jíis promising, opportune, timely, positive
無wúis not; nothing
咎jiùto be blamed; wrong; a mistake, an error
貞zhēnbut persistence; to persist, continue
吝lìnis embarrassment; a disgrace, shame

Advancing with horns—permissible only when disciplining your own people. Offensive action is always dangerous. Avoid the mistakes that threaten; succeed in what you set out to do. Persistence in aggressive behavior toward outsiders brings humiliation.

Classical commentary

上九，晉其角，維用伐邑。厲吉无咎，貞吝。

Top Nine. Advancing to the horn. One resorts to attacking the city. Danger, then good fortune, and no blame. Yet correctness brings regret.