Hexagram 50

鼎 Dǐng

The Cauldron

☲ Fire above ☴ Wind

Judgment 卦辭

元吉。亨。

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron, crucible, sacrificial vessel

元yuánfirst-rate, excellent; a, the most

吉jípromise, opportunity; promising

亨hēngand fulfillment, satisfaction; offering

Commentary

Supreme good fortune. Success. The well relates to the social foundation of life; the caldron refers to the cultural superstructure. Wood serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible. The highest earthly values must be sacrificed to the divine. But the truly divine manifests in prophets and holy people. To venerate them is true veneration. Accept their revealed will in humility—this brings inner enlightenment and true understanding.

Classical Text

鼎巽下離上鼎，元吉，亨。

Ding (The Caldron), Xun below, Li above. The Caldron: Sublime Beginning, auspicious; Success.

Image 象

木上有火，鼎。君子以正位凝命。

Fire over wood. Consolidate your fate by making your position correct. The fate of fire depends on wood; as long as there is wood below, the fire burns above. In human life, there is likewise a fate that lends power to your life. If you assign the right place to life and to fate, bringing the two into harmony, you put your fate on a firm footing.

Lines 爻辭

鼎顛趾利出否得妾以其子無咎

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron('s)

顛diānwith upended, (up)turned (up), inverted

趾zhǐfeet, legs, stand

利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial, gainful

出chūto expel, remove; get, pour out; get rid of

否pǐthe stagnant(ating, ation), decay; inferior

得déto accept, acquire, receive, find (ing)

妾qièa, the concubine, mistress, handmaiden

以yǐfor (the sake of); in order, thereby (to have)

其qíher; an, another

子zǐa child, young one; heir

無wúno; is not; nothing; without, with no

咎jiùblame; is wrong; a mistake, an error

A ting with legs upturned. Furthers removal of stagnating stuff. Taking a concubine for the sake of her son. No blame. Turning the ting upside down before use clears it of refuse. In highly developed civilization, every person of good will can succeed. No matter how lowly, provided you're ready to purify yourself, you are accepted. You attain a station where you can prove yourself fruitful.

Classical commentary

初六，鼎顛趾，利出否，得妾以其子，无咎。

Initial Six: The Caldron overturns its feet. It is Beneficial to expel what is bad. One obtains a concubine through her son. No blame.

鼎有實我仇有疾不我能即吉

鼎dǐngwhen, the cauldron

有yǒuhas, holds, possesses, contains, retains; with

實shícontent(s), substance, results; the genuine

我wǒour, my

仇chóurival, adversary, counterpart, opponent (s)(')

有yǒuwill have, hold, possess, contain, retain (s)

疾jíanxiety(ies), distress; affliction, ailment (s)

不bùit, this is not, outside of

我wǒour, my

能néngin, within v power(s), range, scope

即jíto pursue; or reach; of pursuit(s); problem

吉jípromising, auspicious, opportune, timely

There is food in the ting. My comrades are envious, but they cannot harm me. Good fortune. In a period of advanced culture, achieving something significant is of the greatest importance. Concentrate on real undertakings, and you may experience envy and disfavor, but that is not dangerous. The more you limit yourself to actual achievements, the less harm the envious inflict.

Classical commentary

九二，鼎有實，我仇有疾，不我能即，吉。

Nine in the Second: The Caldron has substance. My counterpart has an affliction and cannot approach me. Auspicious.

鼎耳革其行塞雉膏不食方雨虧悔終吉

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with

耳ěrears, handles are, have been

革géchanged, altered, modified

其qíits, one's own

行xíngfunction, action, movement (s); performance

塞sèis, are impair, hinder, impede, hamper (ed)

雉zhìa, the pheasant's

膏gāorich, fat, juicy, delicate meat gravy

不bùis not; will not be; goes un-

食shíeaten, consumed, fed upon; food

方fānga sudden, quick; suddenly; right, just now

雨yǔrain

虧kuīwould diminish, decrease, lessen (s)

悔huǐthe regret(s), remorse

終zhōngat, in the end, eventually, ultimately

吉jípromising, fortuitous; an opportunity

The handle of the ting is altered. One is impeded in their way of life. The fat of the pheasant is not eaten. Once rain falls, remorse is spent. Good fortune comes in the end. No one notices or recognizes you. Good qualities and gifts of mind go to waste. But if you possess something truly spiritual, the time will come when difficulties resolve and all goes well. Rain symbolizes release of tension.

Classical commentary

九三，鼎耳革，其行塞，雉膏不食。方雨虧悔，終吉。

Nine in the Third: The Caldron's ears are altered; its movement is obstructed. The pheasant fat is not eaten. When rain is about to fall, regret diminishes. In the end, auspicious.

鼎折足覆公餗其形渥凶

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with

折zhéa broken, defective

足zúleg, stand, base, basis, support, footing

覆fùoverturning, spilling, upsetting

公gōnga, the duke's, prince's, lord's, high noble's

餗sùsimple meal, rice stew [w/ meat & veggies]

其qíhis

形xíngperson, form, visage, appearance, dignity

渥wòis soaked, soiled, smeared, stained

凶xiōngwoe, trouble; unfortunate, disappointing

The legs of the ting are broken. The prince's meal is spilled and his person is soiled. Misfortune. A difficult and responsible task to which you are not adequate. Moreover, you don't devote yourself to it with all your strength but go about with inferior people. Therefore the execution of work fails. Confucius says: 'Weak character coupled with honored place, meager knowledge with large plans, limited powers with heavy responsibility—this will seldom escape disaster.'

Classical commentary

九四，鼎折足，覆公餗，其形渥，凶。

Nine in the Fourth: The Caldron breaks its legs and overturns the duke's meal. Its form is soiled. Misfortune.

鼎黃耳金鉉利貞

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with

黃huánggolden, yellow, harvest gold, earth yellow

耳ěrears, handles

金jīnand metal, bronze, gilded

鉉xuàngrip, haft; carrying bar, pole

利lìit is worthwhile, rewarding, beneficial

貞zhēnto persist; be loyal, dedicated, steadfast

The ting has yellow handles, golden carrying rings. Persistence furthers. In a ruling position, a person who is approachable and modest in nature. This attitude helps find strong and able helpers who complement and aid the work. Having achieved this attitude requiring constant self-abnegation, it is important to hold to it and not be led astray.

Classical commentary

六五，鼎黃耳金鉉，利貞。

Six in the Fifth: The Caldron has yellow ears and a golden lifting bar. Beneficial to be Correct.

鼎玉鉉大吉無不利

鼎dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with

玉yùa jade

鉉xuàngrip, haft; carrying bar, pole

大dàmuch, great, full of, a lot of; very

吉jípromise, hope, opportunity; promising

無wúwithout; there is nothing

不bùnot

利lìworthwhile, (turned to) advantage(ous)

The ting has rings of jade. Great good fortune. Nothing that would not act to further. Jade combines hardness with soft luster. Counsel works greatly to the advantage of the one who is open to it. In imparting it, be mild and pure, like precious jade. The work finds favor and becomes pleasing to all.

Classical commentary

上九，鼎玉鉉，大吉，无不利。

Top Nine: The Caldron has a jade lifting bar. Greatly auspicious; nothing is not Beneficial.