Hexagram 61

中孚 Zhōng Fú · Inner truth

Legge: Kung Fu

☴ Wind, wood (Xùn) above ☱ Lake (Duì)

Scryway summary

Modern commentary written for Scryway. Not part of the classic text.

Sincerity at the centre. Trust that reaches even the hard-to-reach.

The judgment

Kung 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.

The image

(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and that for wind above it form Kung Fu. The superior man, in accordance with this, deliberates about cases of litigation and delays (the infliction of) death.

The lines, bottom to top

Bottom line, solid
The first line, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune. If he sought to any other, he would not find rest.
Second line, solid
The second line, undivided, shows its subject (like) the crane crying out in her hidden retirement, and her young ones responding to her. (It is as if it were said), 'I have a cup of good spirits,' (and the response were), 'I will partake of it with you.'
Third line, broken
The third line, divided, shows its subject having met with his mate. Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off. Now he weeps, and now he sings.
Fourth line, broken
The fourth line, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.
Fifth line, solid
The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject perfectly sincere, and linking (others) to him in closest union. There will be no error.
Top line, solid
The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject in chanticleer (trying to) mount to heaven. Even with firm correctness there will be evil.

Quoted from James Legge (trans.), The Yi King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1882. Public domain. The image is from Legge’s Appendix II. Words in parentheses are Legge’s additions.