Classical Text 古典文獻 · I Ching 易經
Hexagram 36 — Earth over Fire (地火明夷) - Darkening of the Light
明夷
Lower Canon 下經
Hexagram Symbol & Trigrams
卦象與八卦
Judgment
卦辭
明夷：利艱貞。
Darkening of the Light. In adversity it furthers one to be persevering.
Image
象傳
象曰：明入地中，明夷；君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。
The light has sunk into the earth: the image of Darkening of the Light. Thus does the superior man live with the great mass: He veils his light, yet still shines.
Interpretation
詮釋
明夷卦象徵光明受傷。明入地中，光明被掩蔽。君子應韜光養晦，內明外暗以自保。
Darkening of light, brightness injured. Light enters earth, brilliance obscured. The noble should conceal brightness, inwardly wise outwardly plain for self-preservation.
Six Lines
爻辭
Nine at the beginning
初九
明夷於飛，垂其翼。君子於行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。
Darkening of the light during flight. He lowers his wings. The superior man does not eat for three days on his wanderings. But he has somewhere to go. The host has occasion to gossip about him.
光明受傷於飛行中，下垂其翼。君子出行，三日不食，有所往，主人有議論。避難倉皇，雖困苦但有目標。
Light injured in flight, wings droop. Noble on journey, three days without food, somewhere to go, host gossips. Fleeing in haste, though hardship there is purpose.
Six in the second place
六二
明夷，夷於左股，用拯馬壯，吉。
Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh. He gives aid with the strength of a horse. Good fortune.
光明受傷，傷於左腿，用強壯的馬來拯救，吉。得中正之位，雖受傷仍能救助他人。
Light injured, wounded in left thigh, using strong horse for rescue brings fortune. In balanced position, though injured still can help others.
Nine in the third place
九三
明夷於南狩，得其大首，不可疾貞。
Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south. Their great leader is captured. One must not expect perseverance too soon.
光明受傷於南方狩獵，捕獲其首領，不可急於求成。時機將至，但不可操之過急。
Light injured during southern hunt, captures the leader, must not be hasty. Time will come, but cannot rush.
Six in the fourth place
六四
入於左腹，獲明夷之心，於出門庭。
He penetrates the left side of the belly. One gets at the very heart of the darkening of the light, and leaves gate and courtyard.
進入左腹，獲得明夷的核心，出離門庭。深入了解黑暗本質，決定離去。
Enters left abdomen, grasps the heart of darkening light, departs gate and courtyard. Deeply understanding darkness's nature, decides to leave.
Six in the fifth place
六五
箕子之明夷，利貞。
Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi. Perseverance furthers.
箕子的明夷，利於堅守。如箕子佯狂自保，韜光養晦守正道。
Prince Ji's darkening of light, benefits perseverance. Like Prince Ji feigning madness for self-preservation, concealing brilliance while maintaining righteousness.
Six at the top
上六
不明晦，初登於天，後入於地。
Not light but darkness. First he climbed up to heaven, then he plunged into the depths of the earth.
不是光明而是昏暗，初升於天，後入於地。極盛必衰，高處不勝寒，終將墜落。
Not brightness but darkness, first ascends to heaven, then falls to earth. Extreme prosperity leads to decline, heights are cold and lonely, eventually will fall.
Source: I Ching (易經), Hexagram 36