Hexagram 36

明夷 Míng Yí

Darkening of the Light

☷ Earth above ☲ Fire

Judgment 卦辭

利艱貞。

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

夷yíobscured, repressed, covered, covert, wounded

利lìworth, meriting, warranting, rewarding

艱jiāndifficult, hard, laborious, wearying

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, focus

Commentary

In adversity, persistence furthers. The sun sinks beneath the earth. A person of dark nature holds authority and harms the wise. Don't be swept along by unfavorable circumstances. Maintain inner light while remaining outwardly yielding. Hide your light to make your will prevail despite hostile environment. Perseverance dwells in inmost consciousness, invisible from without.

Classical Text

明夷離下坤上明夷，利艱貞。

Ming Yi (Brightness Wounded): Li below, Kun above. Ming Yi (Brightness Wounded). Benefit in arduous Correctness.

Image 象

明入地中，明夷。君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。

Light has sunk into the earth. Live among the masses: veil your light, yet still shine. Caution is essential. Don't awaken overwhelming enmity through inconsiderate behavior. Don't fall in with bad practices; don't censuriously expose them either. Let many things pass without being duped.

Lines 爻辭

明夷于飛垂其翼君子于行三日不食有攸往主人有言

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

夷yíobscured, repressed, covered, covert, wounded

于yúin, during; on, while on

飛fēiflight; the wing

垂chuílet drag, drop, droop, hang, lower (ing)

其qíone, one's, that

翼yìwing

君jūna, the noble, worthy, honored

子zǐyoung one, heir, disciple

于yúin, while, when

行xíngpassing, going, traveling, moving (on)

三sānis, goes (for) three

日rìdays

不bùwithout; with no

食shíeating; a meal; taking nourishment, food

有yǒuhaving; (if, when, where) there is

攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose

往wǎngto go; in going; ahead, beyond

主zhǔ^(in) authority, charge, power; ^(the)

人rénthose; (the) people, ones v; } authorities

有yǒuwill, would, could, might (have)

言yántalk, gossip; things, something to say

Darkening of the light during flight. Lowering wings. Going without food for three days on wanderings, but having somewhere to go. The host speaks ill of you. You retreat and evade, hurrying without permanent abode, remaining true to principles despite deprivation. Fixed goal, regardless of being misunderstood.

Classical commentary

初九，明夷于飛，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食。有攸往，主人有言。

Initial Nine. Brightness Wounded in flight, drooping its wings. The noble person is on the move—for three days without eating. When there is somewhere to go, the host has words of reproach.

明夷夷于左股用拯馬壯吉

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

夷yíobscured, repressed, covered, covert, wounded

夷yíand wounded, injured, hurt

于yúin

左zuǒthe left, [spare, back up, auxiliary]

股gǔthigh, leg

用yòngbut use, avail of, rely (ing) on, upon

拯zhěngrelief, help, aid, assistance, a lift

馬mǎa, the horse

壯zhuàngis strong, mighty, powerful (enough)

吉jípromising, auspicious, opportune, timely

Wounded in the left thigh. Aid given with the strength of a horse. Good fortune. The injury is not fatal—only a hindrance. Give no thought to yourself; think only of saving others also in danger. Acting according to duty brings good fortune.

Classical commentary

六二，明夷，夷于左股，用拯馬壯，吉。

Six in the Second. Brightness Wounded—wounded in the left thigh. Using a rescue horse of great strength, auspicious.

明夷于南狩得其大首不可疾貞

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

夷yíobscured, repressed, covered, covert, wounded

于yúon, while on, during; while

南nánthe southern; (in the) south

狩shòuwinter hunt, inspection tour; hunting

得définding, capturing, catching, taking, seizing

其qítheir; the others'

大dàgreat, big, important, major, mighty

首shǒuhead, chief, leader

不bùthis (is) no, (does) not

可kěa, an, the call(ing) for, invitation to; allow

疾jía hasty, hurried, rushed, urgent

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolution

Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south. The great leader is captured. Victory achieved as if by chance—you seize the ringleader of disorder. But don't expect perseverance too soon. Abolishing long-standing abuses requires patience.

Classical commentary

九三，明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾貞。

Nine in the Third. Brightness Wounded on a hunt in the south, capturing the great chief. One must not be hasty in Correctness.

入于左腹獲明夷之心于出門庭

入rùentering; penetrating; going

于yúby, through; within, into, inside

左zuǒthe left (side)

腹fùof the belly, gut, viscera

獲huòseize, take, capture, gain, get, steal (ing)

明mínga, the intelligence, perception, vision (of)

夷yía, an, the obscure(ity), dark, hidden (ness)

之zhīone's; (in, of) its, their

心xīnheart, mind (s); intentions, motives, desires

于yúbefore, besides; while, along with

出chūexit, leave, quit, depart; go, get (ing) out

門ménby, through (the) door, gate (way); ^ gate

庭tíngand, of the court(yard); (the) courtyard v

Penetrating the left side of the belly. You get at the very heart of the darkness and discover the secret thoughts. There is no hope of improvement. Leave the scene of disaster before the storm breaks.

Classical commentary

六四，入于左腹，獲明夷之心，于出門庭。

Six in the Fourth. Entering into the left belly, one obtains the heart of Brightness Wounded, and goes out through the gate and courtyard.

箕子之明夷利貞

箕jī^(of) Ji (ancient Shang state); ^

子zǐthe prince, son v; } Jizi *

之zhīheld, kept his; in, with his; resorted to

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

夷yíobscured, hidden, repressed, covert

利lìit is, was worth(while); (^) reward (ed, ing)

貞zhēnto persist, be determined; (the) persistence (v) "

Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi, who feigned insanity at the tyrant's court. He could not withdraw, so he concealed his true sentiments. Held as a slave but not deflected from convictions. For those who cannot leave their posts: invincible perseverance of spirit, redoubled caution.

Classical commentary

六五，箕子之明夷，利貞。

Six in the Fifth. The Viscount of Ji's Brightness Wounded. Benefit in Correctness.

不明晦初登于天後入于地

不bùnot, no, without; instead of, rather than

明míngbrightness, light, clarity, intelligence, vision

晦huìbut darkness, obscurity, shadow, gloom

初chūat first; to begin (by, with)

登dēngto rise, ascend, climb, scale (ing) (upwards)

于yúinto, to, towards, before; to the place of

天tiānthe heavens, sky, skies

後hòuand, but at last; then; and end (by, with)

入rùto enter, go (ing); received, admitted

于yúinto, within, inside; by, in

地dìthe earth, ground, land, soil

Not light but darkness. First climbing to heaven, then plunging into earth's depths. The dark power reaches its climax, wounding all who side with good and light. But evil must fall at the moment it has wholly overcome good—consuming the energy to which it owed its duration.

Classical commentary

上六，不明晦，初登于天，後入于地。

Top Six. Not bright but dark. At first ascending to heaven, afterward entering into the earth.