Stagnation
Upper Trigram:Ch'ien, Creative Principle, Heaven
Lower Trigram:K'un, Passive Principle, Earth
Governing Ruler:Nine in the fifth place
Constitutional Ruler:Six in the second place

The Image
The trigrams of heaven and earth, not in intercommunication: the image of P'i. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains the manifestations of his virtue, and avoids the calamities that threaten him. There is no opportunity of conferring on him the glory of emolument.

Miscellaneous Signs
While P'i and T'ai their different scopes prefer, Ta Chuang stops here as right; withdraws Tun there.

The Judgement
Stagnation. There is want of good understanding between the different classes of men, and its indication is unfavourable to the firm and correct course of the superior man. We see the great gone and the little come.

Commentary
The 'want of good understanding between the different classes of men', in P'i, and its indication as unfavourable to the correct course of the superior man, with the intimation that the great are gone and the little come: all this springs from the fact that in it heaven and earth are not in mutual communication, and all things in consequence do not have free course; and that the high and the low are not in mutual communication; and that there are no well-regulated states under the sky. The inner trigram shows darkness, the outer light; the inner weakness, the outer strength; the inner the small man, the outer the superior man. Thus the way of the small man appears to be increasing, and that of the superior man decreasing.

The Lines and commentaries
Bottom six
Suggesting the idea of grass pulled up, and bringing with it other stalks of roots interconnected. With firm correctness there will be good fortune and progress.
The 'good fortune through firm correctness', as suggested by 'the pulling up of the grass', arises from the subject's will being bent on serving the ruler.
Six in the second place
Showing its subject patient and obedient. To the small man there will be good fortune. If the great man adapt to what distress and obstruction require, he will have success.
'The great man adapting to what distress and obstruction require, will have success': he does not allow himself to be disordered by the herd of small men.
Six in the third place
Showing its subject ashamed of the purpose folded in his breast.
That 'his shame is folded in his breast' is owing to the inappropriateness of his position.
Nine in the fourth place
Showing its subject acting in accordance with the ordination of heaven, and committing no error.
'He acts in accordance with the ordination of heaven, and commits no error': the purpose of his mind can be carried into effect.
Nine in the fifth place
We see him who brings the stagnation to a close, the great man and fortunate! But let him say 'We may perish! We may perish!', so shall the state of things become as if bound to a clump of bushy mulberry trees.
'The good fortune of the great man' arises from its correct position.
Top-most nine
Showing the overthrow and removal of distress and stagnation. Before this there was that condition. Hereafter there will be joy.
'The distress and stagnation having reached its end, it is overthrown and removed': how could it be prolongued?



1. Ch'ien
Creative Principle

2. K'un
Passive Principle

3. Chun
Initial Difficulties

4. Meng
Youthful Inexperience

5. Hsü
Delay

6. Sung
Conflict

7. Shih
The Army

8. Pi
Seeking Unity

9. Hsiao Ch'u
Minor Restraint

10. Lü
Treading carefully

11. T'ai
Peace

12. P'i
Stagnation

13. T'ung Jen
Companionship

14. Ta Yu
Great Possessions

15. Ch'ien
Modesty

16. Yü
Enthusiasm

17. Sui
Allegiance

18. Ku
Arresting Decay

19. Lin
Approaching

20. Kuan
Contemplation

21. Shih Ho
Biting through

22. Pi
Grace

23. Po
Disintegration

24. Fu
The Turning Point

25. Wu Wang
Innocence

26. Ta Ch'u
Restraining Force

27. I
Nourishment

28. Ta Kuo
Excess

29. K'an
The Abyss

30. Li
Clinging Brightness

31. Hsieh
Influence

32. Heng
Endurance

33. Tun
Withdrawal

34. Ta Chuang
Strength of Greatness

35. Chin
Progress

36. Ming I
Sinking Light

37. Chia Jen
The Family

38. K'uei
Opposition

39. Chien
Obstacles

40. Hsieh
Deliverance

41. Sun
Decrease

42. I
Increase

43. Kuai
Resolution

44. Kou
Coming on

45. Ts'ui
Congregation

46. Sheng
Moving upward

47. K'un
Exhaustion

48. Ching
The Well

49. Ko
Revolution

50. Ting
The Cauldron

51. Chen
Thunderclap

52. Ken
Inaction

53. Chien
Gradual Progress

54. Kuei Mei
Marriageable Maiden

55. Feng
Abundance

56. Lü
The Wanderer

57. Sun
Gentle Penetration

58. Tui
Joy

59. Huan
Dispersal

60. Chien
Restraint

61. Cung Fu
Inner Truth

62. Hsiao Kuo
Small Excess

63. Chi Chi
Completion and After

64. Wei Chi
Before Completion