Hexagram 7: Shī (The Army)
地水师 · 第 7 卦 · Earth over Water · 中文版
The Judgment
Shi indicates how, in the case which it supposes, with firmness and correctness, and (a leader of) age and experience, there will be good fortune and no error.
师：贞，丈人，吉无咎。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
(The name) Shi describes the multitude (of the host). The 'firmness and correctness' (which the hexagram indicates) refer to (moral) correctness (of aim). When (the mover) is able to use the multitude with such correctness, he may attain to the royal sway. There is (the symbol of) strength in the centre (of the trigram below), and it is responded to (by its proper correlate above). The action gives rise to perils, but is in accordance (with the best sentiments of men). (Its mover) may by such action distress all the country, but the people will follow him; - there will be good fortune, and what error should there be?
彖曰：师，众也；贞，正也。能以众正，可以王矣。刚中而应，行险而顺，以此毒天下，而民从之，吉又何咎矣。
The Great Image
(The trigram representing) the earth and in the midst of it that representing water, form Shi. The superior man, in accordance with this, nourishes and educates the people, and collects (from among them) the multitudes (of the hosts).
象曰：地中有水，师；君子以容民畜众。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first SIX, divided, shows the host going forth according to the rules (for such a movement). If these be not good, there will be evil.
'The host goes forth according to the rules (for) such a movement:' - if those rules be not observed, there will be evil.
In plain words: An army sets out according to its rules; without good order there is misfortune. "Rules" means military discipline and command. Zhu Xi reads the last phrase as "if not good", while Cheng Yi reads it as "even if it wins, there is misfortune". The first line is the army's setting out, when discipline comes first. The Small Image says losing discipline brings misfortune.
初六：师出以律，否臧凶。 象曰：师出以律，失律凶也。
Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows (the leader) in the midst of the host. There will be good fortune and no error. The king has thrice conveyed to him the orders (of his favour).
'He is in the midst of the host, and there will be good fortune:' - he has received the favour of Heaven. 'The king has thrice conveyed to him the orders (of) his favour:' - (the king) cherishes the myriad regions in his heart.
In plain words: In the midst of the army: good fortune and no fault; the king confers his commission three times. The second line is the only yang line in the hexagram and sits at the centre of the lower trigram: it is the commanding general, and it corresponds to the fifth line, which trusts it. The Small Image says its good fortune comes from receiving heaven's favour, and the king's repeated commissions are meant to win over all the states.
九二：在师中，吉无咎，王三锡命。 象曰：在师中吉，承天宠也。王三锡命，怀万邦也。
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, shows how the host may, possibly, have many inefficient leaders. There will be evil.
'The host with the possibility of its having many idle leaders:' - great will be its want of success.
In plain words: The army may come back carting corpses: misfortune. The third line is weak, neither central nor correct, yet stands in an attacking position; its ability does not match its place, and a rash campaign can only fail. Another reading takes "carting corpses" as many people giving orders at once. The Small Image says there is no achievement at all.
六三：师或舆尸，凶。 象曰：师或舆尸，大无功也。
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth SIX, divided, shows the host in retreat. There is no error.
'The host is in retreat; but there is no error:' - there has been no failure in the regular course.
In plain words: The army retreats and camps; there is no fault. Camping on the left means pulling back, since in ancient usage the right was the front and the left the rear. The fourth line is weak but correct; knowing it cannot win, it withdraws and keeps its troops safe. The Small Image says retreating is no fault and does not depart from the normal way of war.
六四：师左次，无咎。 象曰：左次无咎，未失常也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth SIX, divided, shows birds in the fields, which it will be advantageous to seize (and destroy). In that case there will be no error. If the oldest son leads the host, and younger men (idly occupy offices assigned to them), however firm and correct he may be, there will be evil.
'The oldest son leads the host:' - its movements are directed by him in accordance with his position in the centre. 'Younger men idly occupy their positions:' - the employment of such men is improper.
In plain words: There is game in the field damaging it; it is favourable to denounce it, and there is no fault. Let the eldest son lead the army; if younger sons share the command, they cart back corpses, and holding on brings misfortune. The fifth line is the ruler, yielding and central; it does not start wars and sends troops only when attacked. The eldest son is the able second line, and the younger sons are those like the third line whose ability does not match their place. The Small Image says the eldest son leads because he walks the middle way, and the carting of corpses comes from employing the wrong people.
六五：田有禽，利执言，无咎。长子帅师，弟子舆尸，贞凶。 象曰：长子帅师，以中行也。弟子舆尸，使不当也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost SIX, divided, shows the great ruler delivering his charges, (appointing some) to be rulers of states, and others to undertake the headship of clans; but small men should not be employed (in such positions).
'The great ruler delivers his charges:' - thereby he rightly apportions merit. 'Small men should not be employed:' - they are sure to throw the states into confusion.
In plain words: The great ruler issues his commands, founding states and establishing families, but petty people should not be employed. The top line is the end of the campaign, when merit is rewarded: some are made princes of states, others heads of noble houses. The Small Image says the commands are to reward merit correctly, and petty people should not be employed because they would bring disorder to the state.
上六：大君有命，开国承家，小人勿用。 象曰：大君有命，以正功也。小人勿用，必乱邦也。
Line positions
2 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; being one strong and one weak, they correspond.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 1 pair is made of one strong and one weak line.
| Line | Proper place | Central | Corresponds with |
|---|---|---|---|
| top (weak) | yes | — | 3rd line: no |
| 5th (weak) | — | yes | 2nd line: yes |
| 4th (weak) | yes | — | 1st line: no |
| 3rd (weak) | — | — | top line: no |
| 2nd (strong) | — | yes | 5th line: yes |
| 1st (weak) | — | — | 4th line: no |
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
Shi to Lin: founding a joint-stock company: Someone organising an industrial company, with shares subscribed and articles drawn up, asked whether it would succeed. The first line of Shi, "the army goes out in good order", led Takashima to say the articles alone could not decide it; everything depended on who became president.
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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.