Hexagram 37

家人 Jiā Rén

The Family

☴ Wind above ☲ Fire

Judgment 卦辭

利女貞。

家jiāfamily, familiar, home, living with, domestic
人rénmembers, people, folk, others, human beings
利lìworth; reward, merit, earn, optimize
女nǚ(a, the) (young) woman's, lady's; feminine
貞zhēnpersistence, resolve, loyalty, commitment

Commentary

The perseverance of the woman furthers. The laws within the household, transferred to outside life, keep the state and world in order. Influence works from within outward, like wind created by fire. Each position has its proper function. Strong leadership from the head, faithful management of the center. The family is society in embryo.

Classical Text

家人離下巽上 家人，利女貞。

Jia Ren (The Family): Li below, Xun above. The Family. Benefit in the woman's Correctness.

Image 象

風自火出，家人。君子以言有物，而行有恆。

Wind comes forth from fire. Substance in words, duration in conduct. Words have power only when based on something real, pertinent to specific circumstances. General admonitions accomplish nothing. Words must be supported by consistent conduct. If words and behavior don't accord, no effect.

Lines 爻辭

1

閑有家悔亡

閑xiándiscipline, restraint, control; boundaries
有yǒuhold, contain, maintain, retain
家jiā(a, the) family, home, household
悔huǐregret(s), remorse; regret, repent (and)
亡wángpass, disappear, dissolve; move on

Firm seclusion within the family. Remorse disappears. Each member knows their place from the start. Establish order before the child's will is directed elsewhere. Begin late when passions have grown strong and you'll face resistance. Breaking a child's will is easier avoided than accomplished.

Classical commentary

初九，閑有家，悔亡。

Initial Nine. Setting barriers for the household—regret vanishes.

2

無攸遂在中饋貞吉

無wú(having) no, without, with no (a, an-, other)
攸yōucause, purpose, direction, goal; special
遂suìto pursue, follow, adopt, go after; pursuits
在zàiremain, stay (ing); stationed (on the)
中zhōnginside, within; in the center, middle
饋kuìmaking, preparing food, meals; cooking
貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, loyalty
吉jí(is) promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

She should not follow whims but attend within to the food. Persistence brings good fortune. Great duties exist without having to look for them. The center of social and religious life of the family. In general: seek nothing by force; confine yourself to duties at hand.

Classical commentary

六二，无攸遂，在中饋，貞吉。

Six in the Second. She has nothing she pursues to completion; she is occupied with the food within. Correctness brings good fortune.

3

家人嗃嗃悔厲吉婦子嘻嘻終吝

家jiāthe family, familiar, home
人rénmembers, people, folk
嗃hè(are) sharply; (are) scolded; clamoring
嗃hèrebuked; severely; (and) shouting
悔huǐ(a) regrettable, repentable, thoughtless; regret
厲lìharshness, rigor, distress, severity; stress
吉jí(but, though, yet) opportune, timely
婦fù(but) wife
子zǐ(and) child
嘻xī(are) smirking, snickering, tittering
嘻xī(and) mocking, frivolous, giggling
終zhōng(this) concludes, results, ends in; leads to
吝lìndisgrace, humiliation, shame, embarrassment

When tempers flare in the family, too great severity brings remorse. Good fortune nonetheless. Laxity leads to disgrace. Build strong dikes within which freedom of movement is allowed. In doubtful cases, err toward strictness. Discipline preserves; weakness destroys.

Classical commentary

九三，家人嗃嗃，悔厲，吉。婦子嘻嘻，終吝。

Nine in the Third. When the family members are treated with harsh severity—regret and danger, but good fortune. When wives and children giggle and titter—in the end, distress.

4

富家大吉

富fùenriching, providing for; (a, the) prosperous
家jiā(the) family, home, household
大dàmuch, great, full of, a lot of
吉jípromise, hope, opportunity, well-being

She is the treasure of the house. Great good fortune. Well-being depends on sound balance between expenditure and income. The faithful steward whose measures further general welfare.

Classical commentary

六四，富家，大吉。

Six in the Fourth. Enriching the household—great good fortune.

5

王假有家勿恤吉

王wáng(as, when) (the) sovereign, king, ruler
假jiǎcomes, goes to, draws near to; approaches
有yǒuhis
家jiāfamily, home, household
勿wùdo not, don't (ever); never
恤xùbe anxious, concerned; worry(ied) (about)
吉jí(the) promise, hope, luck, opportunity, fortune

As a king he approaches his family. Fear not. Good fortune. The fatherly person richly endowed in mind. Nothing to make himself feared—the family trusts him because love governs. Character exercises the right influence without force.

Classical commentary

九五，王假有家，勿恤，吉。

Nine in the Fifth. The king arrives at possessing a household. Do not worry—good fortune.

6

有孚威如終吉

有yǒubeing, holding, staying; having, finding
孚fútrue, sincere, confident, assured; truth, etc.
威wēidignified, majestic, impressive, imposing
如rú(is) like, as good as, quite (being)
終zhōng(the) outcome, conclusion; in the end
吉jí(is) (just as) promising, auspicious, hopeful

His work commands respect. Good fortune in the end. Order depends ultimately on the master's character. Cultivate personality until it works through inner truth. In a ruling position, assume responsibility by your own accord.

Classical commentary

上九，有孚，威如，終吉。

Top Nine. There is sincerity, and a dignified bearing—in the end, good fortune.