Classical Text 古典文獻 · I Ching 易經
Hexagram 12 — Heaven over Earth (天地否) - Standstill
否
Upper Canon 上經
Hexagram Symbol & Trigrams
卦象與八卦
Judgment
卦辭
否：否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來。
Standstill. Evil people do not further the perseverance of the superior man. The great departs, the small approaches.
Image
象傳
象曰：天地不交，否；君子以儉德辟難，不可榮以祿。
Heaven and earth do not unite: the image of Standstill. Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth in order to escape the difficulties.
Interpretation
詮釋
否卦象徵閉塞與不通。天在上，地在下，氣息不交。暗示著黑暗時期，應隱忍退守，避免名利誘惑。
Stagnation and obstruction. Heaven and earth disconnected. Indicates a difficult period where one should withdraw and preserve inner integrity.
Six Lines
爻辭
Six at the beginning
初六
拔茅茹，以其彙，貞吉，亨。
When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it. Perseverance brings good fortune and success.
拔茅草連根而起，同類相隨。守正則吉通。賢人退隱以避禍。
Pulling grass brings roots along, like-minded follow. Maintaining correctness brings fortune. The worthy withdraw to avoid disaster.
Six in the second place
六二
包承，小人吉，大人否，亨。
They bear and endure. This means good fortune for inferior people. The standstill serves to help the great man to attain success.
包容承受，小人得志則吉，大人處否反而亨通。逆境磨煉品格。
Bearing and enduring, petty people prosper but the great man succeeds through adversity. Hardship refines character.
Six in the third place
六三
包羞。
They bear shame.
包藏羞恥。小人得勢心懷愧疚，但仍戀棧權位。
Harboring shame. Petty people in power feel guilty but cling to their positions.
Nine in the fourth place
九四
有命，無咎，疇離祉。
He who acts at the command of the highest remains without blame. Those of like mind partake of the blessing.
承天命而行，無咎。志同道合者共享福祉。轉機開始出現。
Acting according to heaven's mandate brings no blame. The like-minded share blessings. A turning point begins to appear.
Nine in the fifth place
九五
休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。
Standstill is giving way. Good fortune for the great man. What if it should fail, what if it should fail? Thus he ties it to a cluster of mulberry shoots.
閉塞將休止，大人吉。常懷危機意識，如繫於桑苗般穩固根基。
Stagnation ends, fortune for the great man. Always maintain crisis awareness, like being tied to mulberry shoots with firm roots.
Nine at the top
上九
傾否，先否後喜。
The standstill comes to an end. First standstill, then good fortune.
傾覆閉塞局面，先否後喜。黑暗終將過去，喜悅隨之而來。
Overturning the stagnant situation, first obstruction then joy. Darkness will pass, happiness follows.
Source: I Ching (易經), Hexagram 12