Hexagram 61, Zhōng Fú (Inner Truth): Line 4

中孚卦六四 · 风泽中孚 · 中文版

六四:月几望,马匹亡,无咎。

The line (Legge)

The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.

Small Image commentary

'A horse the fellow of which disappears:' - he breaks from his (former) companions, and mounts upwards.

象曰:马匹亡,绝类上也。

In plain words

The moon nearly full; the horse's mate is lost: no fault. The mate is the first line, its partner. The fourth line is yielding and correct, close to the ruler in the fifth place; it lets go of its own kind to serve the one above wholeheartedly. The Small Image says it breaks from its kind to follow the one above.

Applying it to your situation

If you want to commit fully to something, this line suggests sometimes letting go of old ties. To focus, what are you willing to set down?

Position

A broken (yin) line in the fourth place, which is a yin (even) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 1; one is yin and the other yang, so they respond to each other.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Zhōng Fú changes into Hexagram 10 Lǚ (Treading). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·中孚之履.

The hexagram

Hexagram 61 Zhōng Fú (Inner Truth). The Judgment: Zhong Fu (moves even) pigs and fish, and leads to good fortune. There will be advantage in crossing the great stream. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.

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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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