Hexagram 26: Dà Chù (Great Taming)
山天大畜 · 第 26 卦 · Mountain over Heaven · 中文版
The Judgment
Under the conditions of Da Xu it will be advantageous to be firm and correct. (If its subject do not seek to) enjoy his revenues in his own family (without taking service at court), there will be good fortune. It will be advantageous for him to cross the great stream.
大畜:利贞,不家食吉,利涉大川。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
In (the trigrams composing) Da Xu we have (the attributes) of the greatest strength and of substantial solidity, which emit a brilliant light; and indicate a daily renewal of his virtue (by the subject of it). The strong line is in the highest place, and suggests the value set on talents and virtue; there is power (in the upper trigram) to keep the strongest in restraint: - all this shows 'the great correctness' (required in the hexagram). 'The good fortune attached to the subject's not seeking to enjoy his revenues in his own family' shows how talents and virtue are nourished. 'It will be advantageous to cross the great stream:' - (the fifth line, representing the ruler,) is responded to by (the second, the central line of Qian, representing) Heaven.
彖曰:大畜,刚健笃实辉光,日新其德,刚上而尚贤。能止健,大正也。不家食吉,养贤也。利涉大川,应乎天也。
The Great Image
(The trigram representing) a mountain, and in the midst of it that (representing) heaven, form Da Xu. The superior man, in accordance with this, stores largely in his memory the words and deeds of former men, to subserve the accumulation of his virtue.
象曰:天在山中,大畜;君子以多识前言往行,以畜其德。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject in a position of peril. It will be advantageous for him to stop his advance.
'He is in a position of peril; it will be advantageous for him to stop his advance:' - he should not rashly expose himself to calamity.
初九:有厉利已。 象曰:有厉利已,不犯灾也。 · 单爻页
Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows a carriage with the strap under it removed.
'(He is as) a carriage from which the strap under it has been removed:' - being in the central position, he will incur no blame.
九二:舆说輹。 象曰:舆说輹,中无尤也。 · 单爻页
Line 3 (third): The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject urging his way with good horses. It will be advantageous for him to realise the difficulty (of his course), and to be firm and correct, exercising himself daily in his charioteering and methods of defence; then there will be advantage in whatever direction he may advance.
'There will be advantage in whatever direction he may advance:' - (the subject of) the topmost line is of the same mind with him.
九三:良马逐,利艰贞。曰闲舆卫,利有攸往。 象曰:利有攸往,上合志也。 · 单爻页
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth six, divided, shows the young bull, (and yet) having the piece of wood over his horns. There will be great good fortune.
'The great good fortune indicated by the fourth six, (divided),' shows that there is occasion for joy.
六四:童牛之牿,元吉。 象曰:六四元吉,有喜也。 · 单爻页
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth six, divided, shows the teeth of a castrated hog. There will be good fortune.
'The good fortune indicated by the fifth six, (divided),' shows that there is occasion for congratulation.
六五:豮豕之牙,吉。 象曰:六五之吉,有庆也。 · 单爻页
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The sixth NINE, undivided, shows its subject (as) in command of the firmament of heaven. There will be progress.
'In command of the firmament of heaven:' - the way is grandly open for movement.
上九:何天之衢,亨。 象曰:何天之衢,道大行也。 · 单爻页
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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, checked against ctext.org. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.