Hexagram 59
渙 Huàn
Dispersion
☴ Wind above ☵ Water
Judgment 卦辭
亨。王假有廟。利涉大川。利貞。
Commentary
Success. The king approaches his temple. It furthers one to cross the great water. Persistence furthers. When vital energy is dammed up within, gentleness serves to break up and dissolve the blockage. Religious forces are needed to overcome the egotism that divides people. Sacred rites and music arouse a strong tide of emotion shared by all hearts in unison, awakening consciousness of the common origin of all creatures. In this way disunity is overcome and rigidity dissolved. Cooperation in great undertakings sets a high goal for the will of the people; in the common concentration on this goal, all barriers dissolve.
Classical Text
渙坎下巽上 渙，亨。王假有廟，利涉大川，利貞。
Huan (Dispersion). Kan below, Xun above. Dispersion. Success. The king approaches the ancestral temple. It is beneficial to cross the great river. Beneficial to be correct.
Image 象
風行水上，渙。先王以享於帝，立廟。
The wind drives over the water. The kings of old sacrificed to the Lord and built temples. In autumn and winter, water begins to freeze into ice. When the warm breezes of spring come, the rigidity is dissolved and elements dispersed in ice floes are reunited. It is the same with the minds of people. Through hardness and selfishness, the heart grows rigid, leading to separation from all others. The hearts of people must be seized by a devout emotion, shaken by religious awe in face of eternity, united through the strong feeling of fellowship.
Lines 爻辭
用拯馬壯吉
He brings help with the strength of a horse. Good fortune. It is important that disunion should be overcome at the outset, before it has become complete—that the clouds be dispersed before they have brought storm and rain. At such times, take quick and vigorous action to dissolve misunderstandings and mutual distrust.
Classical commentary
初六，用拯馬壯，吉。
Initial Six. Using rescue, the horse is strong. Auspicious.
渙奔其机悔亡
At the dissolution he hurries to that which supports him. Remorse disappears. When you discover within yourself the beginnings of alienation from others, of misanthropy and ill humor, set about dissolving these obstructions. Rouse yourself inwardly, hasten to that which supports you. Such support is never found in hatred, but always in moderate and just judgment of others, linked with good will.
Classical commentary
九二，渙奔其机，悔亡。
Nine in the Second. In Dispersion, one rushes to the bench. Regret vanishes.
渙其躬無悔
He dissolves his self. No remorse. Under certain circumstances, your work may become so difficult that you can no longer think of yourself. Set aside all personal desires and disperse whatever the self gathers about it to serve as a barrier against others. Only on the basis of great renunciation can you obtain the strength for great achievements.
Classical commentary
六三，渙其躬，无悔。
Six in the Third. Dispersing one's own self. No regret.
渙其群元吉渙有丘匪夷所思
He dissolves his bond with his group. Supreme good fortune. Dispersion leads in turn to accumulation—something ordinary people do not think of. When working at a task that affects the general welfare, leave all private friendships out of account. Only by rising above party interests can you achieve something decisive. He who has the courage to forego what is near wins what is afar.
Classical commentary
六四，渙其群，元吉。渙，有丘匪夷，所思。
Six in the Fourth. Dispersing the group—Sublime Beginning auspiciousness. In Dispersion, there are hills that are not level—something to ponder.
渙汗其大號渙王居無咎
His loud cries are as dissolving as sweat. Dissolution! A king abides without blame. In times of general dispersion and separation, a great idea provides a focal point for the organization of recovery. Just as an illness reaches its crisis in a dissolving sweat, so a great stimulating idea is true salvation in times of general deadlock. It gives the people a rallying point.
Classical commentary
九五，渙汗其大號，渙，王居无咎。
Nine in the Fifth. In Dispersion, one sweats forth the great proclamation. In Dispersion, the king dwells here—no blame.
渙其血去逖出無咎
He dissolves his blood. Departing, keeping at a distance, going out, is without blame. The dissolving of that which might lead to bloodshed and wounds—avoidance of danger. But here the thought is not that you avoid difficulties for yourself alone, but rather that you rescue your kin, helping them to get away before danger comes, or to keep at a distance from an existing danger, or to find a way out. In this way you do what is right.
Classical commentary
上九，渙其血，去逖出，无咎。
Top Nine. Dispersing the blood. Departing, going far away and out. No blame.