Hexagram 43, Guài (Breakthrough): Line 6 (top)

夬卦上六 · 泽天夬 · 中文版

上六:无号,终有凶。

The line (Legge)

The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject without any (helpers) on whom to call. His end will be evil.

Small Image commentary

'There is the misery of having none on whom to call:' - the end will be that he cannot continue any longer.

象曰:无号之凶,终不可长也。

In plain words

No more calling out: misfortune in the end. The top line is the only yin line of the hexagram and is being removed by the five yang lines; it has nowhere to go. The Small Image says it cannot last in the end.

Applying it to your situation

This line is a reminder that holding out alone against the whole tide cannot last. Is there something you have been forcing yourself to hold on to that you could set down?

Position

A broken (yin) line in the top place, which is a yin (even) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 3; one is yin and the other yang, so they respond to each other.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Guài changes into Hexagram 1 Qián (The Creative). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·夬之乾.

The hexagram

Hexagram 43 Guài (Breakthrough). The Judgment: Guai requires (in him who would fulfil its meaning) the exhibition (of the culprit's guilt) in the royal court, and a sincere and earnest appeal (for sympathy and support), with a consciousness of the peril (involved in cutting off the criminal). He should (also) make announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms. (In this way) there will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to.

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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. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

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