Hexagram 36: Míng Yí (Darkening of the Light)

The Judgment

Ming Yi indicates that (in the circumstances which it denotes) it will be advantageous to realise the difficulty (of the position), and maintain firm correctness.

明夷：利艰贞。

Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)

(The symbol of) the Earth and that of Brightness entering into the midst of it give the idea of Ming Yi (Brightness wounded or obscured). The inner (trigram) denotes being accomplished and bright; the outer, being pliant and submissive. The case of king Wen was that of one who with these qualities was yet involved in great difficulties. 'It will be advantageous to realise the difficulty (of the position), and maintain firm correctness: - that is, (the individual concerned) should obscure his brightness. The case of the count of K? was that of one who, amidst the difficulties of his House, was able (thus) to maintain his aim and mind correct.

彖曰：明入地中，明夷。内文明而外柔顺，以蒙大难，文王以之。利艰贞，晦其明也，内难而能正其志，箕子以之。

The Great Image

(The trigram representing) the earth and that for the bright (sun) entering within it form Ming Yi. The superior man, in accordance with this, conducts his management of men; - he shows his intelligence by keeping it obscured.

象曰：明入地中，明夷；君子以莅众，用晦而明。

The six lines

1. Line 1 (first): The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming Yi, flying, but with drooping wings. When the superior man (is revolving) his going away, he may be for three days without eating. Wherever he goes, the people there may speak (derisively of him).

   'The superior man (is revolving his) going away:' - (in such a case) he feels it right not to eat.

   In plain words: When the light is wounded, the bird in flight droops its wings. The noble person on the road goes three days without eating; wherever he goes, his host has words for him. The first line is at the bottom; seeing the signs, it leaves early, going hungry rather than accept a stipend it should not. Tradition points to Bo Yi leaving the tyrant Zhou. The Small Image says by what is right it does not eat.

   初九：明夷于飞，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。 象曰：君子于行，义不食也。

2. Line 2 (second): The second SIX, divided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming Yi, wounded in the left thigh. He saves himself by the strength of a (swift) horse; and is fortunate.

   'The good fortune of (the subject of) the second SIX, divided,' is due to the proper fashion of his acting according to his circumstances.

   In plain words: The light is wounded, wounded in the left thigh; rescued by a strong horse: good fortune. The second line is central and correct; the wound is not fatal and help comes in time. Tradition points to King Wen held prisoner at Youli. The Small Image says its good fortune comes from being yielding and following the rule.

   六二：明夷，夷于左股，用拯马壮，吉。 象曰：六二之吉，顺以则也。

3. Line 3 (third): The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming Yi, hunting in the south, and taking the great chief (of the darkness). He should not be eager to make (all) correct (at once).

   With the aim represented by 'hunting in the south' a great achievement is accomplished.

   In plain words: When the light is wounded, hunting in the south, one captures the great chief; one must not be too hasty. The third line is strong and correct and corresponds to the top line: it is the force that removes the darkness. Tradition points to King Wu overthrowing the tyrant. The Small Image says the aim of the southern hunt at last gains much.

   九三：明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾贞。 象曰：南狩之志，乃大得也。

4. Line 4 (fourth): The fourth six, divided, shows its subject (just) entered into the left side of the belly (of the dark land). (But) he is able to carry out the mind appropriate (in the condition indicated by) Ming Yi, quitting the gate and courtyard (of the lord of darkness).

   'He has (just) entered into the left side of the belly (of the dark land):' - he is still able to carry out the idea in his (inner) mind.

   In plain words: Entering the left side of the belly, one learns the heart of the wounding of the light, and leaves by the gate. The fourth line is close to the dark ruler at the top, knows his mind, and so departs. Tradition points to Weizi leaving the tyrant. The Small Image says it has learned what is in his heart.

   六四：入于左腹，获明夷之心，出于门庭。 象曰：入于左腹，获心意也。

5. Line 5 (fifth): The fifth six, divided, shows how the count of K? fulfilled the condition indicated by Ming Yi. It will be advantageous to be firm and correct.

   'With the firm correctness of the count of K?,' his brightness could not be (quite) extinguished.

   In plain words: Jizi in the wounding of the light: it is favourable to be steadfast. Jizi was the tyrant's uncle, who feigned madness and became a slave, keeping himself and the light alive. The fifth line is closest to the top line and in the hardest position: it can only keep its light within while appearing dim outside. The Small Image says the light cannot be put out.

   六五：箕子之明夷，利贞。 象曰：箕子之贞，明不可息也。

6. Line 6 (sixth (top)): The sixth six, divided, shows the case where there is no light, but (only) obscurity. (Its subject) had at first ascended to (the top of) the sky; his future shall be to go into the earth.

   'He had at first ascended to (the top of) the sky:' - he might have enlightened the four quarters of the kingdom. 'His future shall be to go into the earth:' - he has failed to fulfil the model (of a ruler).

   In plain words: Not light but darkness: first it climbs to heaven, then it goes into the earth. The top line is the ruler of darkness in this hexagram, traditionally the tyrant: first raised to the throne, then brought down for losing the way. The Small Image says climbing to heaven meant it could have lit the four quarters, and going into the earth means it lost its rule.

   上六：不明晦，初登于天，后入于地。 象曰：初登于天，照四国也。后入于地，失则也。

Line positions

5 of the six lines stand in their proper place (strong lines in odd places, weak lines in even places).

The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; both are weak, so they do not correspond.

Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 2 pairs are made of one strong and one weak line.

Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.

These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.

Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces

Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Kan palace runs: Kǎn (head), Jié (1st change), Zhūn (2nd change), Jì Jì (3rd change), Gé (4th change), Fēng (5th change), Míng Yí (wandering soul), Shī (returning soul).

A recorded case from Takashima

Ming Yi to Bi (Grace): reading the making of cement in a line: In 1888 Takashima co-founded a cement works at Atsuta with Sakata and Hattori. Casting on the company two years later, he got the top line of Ming Yi, "not bright but dark; first it rose to heaven, then it went into the earth", and matched it step by step to making cement: clay dug from the ground, fired as if rising to heaven, then laid into walls and floors, back into the earth.

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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.

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