Hexagram 11 of 64
泰 Tài · Peace
上 坤 Earth (Kūn) over 下 乾 Heaven (Qián)
When the way is open, go a few steps more.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: heaven and earth unite.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Tài shows earth above and heaven below; their energies move toward one another, establishing thorough communication. Tài encourages taking a few extra strides while the passage is clear: connect with those you meant to reach, and voice what you intended to say. Open passage does not linger indefinitely; the step spared today must be made with far greater toil on another day.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“Pulling up reeds by the intertwined roots according to their kind; setting forth brings good fortune.” When a clump of grass is pulled up, its connected roots draw up others of the same kind. Rú refers to the connected roots, and huì to the same kind. This symbolizes companions on the same path joining together and advancing as one. Setting out or taking initiative brings good fortune.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“Pulling reeds, advancing brings good fortune: will directed outward.” Pulling reeds pulls entangled roots along; advancing brings good fortune because aspirations aim outward. Initial nine joins second and third nine as kindred lines, all aiming to advance toward the outer trigram.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“Embracing the uncultivated. Crossing the river without a boat, not neglecting the distant, forgetting cliques; finding esteem in the central course.” Accepting rough and impure things, having the courage to ford a river on foot, not abandoning those distant from oneself, and shedding partisan self-interest allow one to accord with the central course, an impartial path. Píng hé means crossing a river on foot; shàng means matching or according. The second yang line holds the center with firmness, its conduct corresponding to this central course.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“Embracing the uncultivated, valued for moderation: through glorious greatness.” Embracing rough wilderness and according with moderation occurs because nine in the second is firm and centered, its virtue vast and bright.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“No plain without a slope, no going without a return. Steadfastness through hardship brings no blame. Do not grieve over sincere trust; find blessing in nourishment.” Level ground turns into a slope, and going forward turns into returning; ease and openness do not remain unchanged forever. Steadfastness in what is right amid hardship brings no blame, meaning no fault. Fú here refers to what one trusts will happen. There is no need to worry over this; blessings remain in enjoying food and drink.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“Nothing goes without returning: the border of heaven and earth.” Nothing only departs without returning, because nine in the third is right at the junction where heaven and earth meet: lower Qián is ending and upper Kūn approaches; peace reaches here, and whatever goes must eventually return.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“Fluttering down lightly, not boasting wealth over neighbors; unprompted trust without warning.” Moving lightly downward, one is joined by neighbors despite having no wealth. Without admonition, people follow one another through fú, meaning sincerity. Piān piān describes a light, easy movement. The fourth yin line portrays people naturally coming together without relying on wealth or admonitions.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“Fluttering, not wealthy: all have lost solidity. Sincere without warning: a desire from the heart.” Fluttering lightly and not wealthy occurs because all three yin lines of the upper trigram have lost solidity (ancient commentaries take yang as solid and yin as empty). Trusting without need of warning arises from genuine desire in the heart.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“Sovereign Yi gives his maiden in marriage; this brings blessing and supreme good fortune.” Dì Yǐ guī mèi refers to Dì Yǐ giving a woman in marriage, thereby receiving zhǐ, meaning blessings; this brings great good fortune, a highly auspicious outcome. The marriage image depicts someone in an honored position humbly engaging with those below, bringing higher and lower together and receiving blessings.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“Blessed, supreme good fortune: centered, carrying out desire.” Blessing and supreme good fortune come because holding the center enables fulfilling one's heart's desire. Six in the fifth is a yin line in ruler's position, responding to nine in the second below to fulfill its will along the central path.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“The city wall collapses back into the moat. Do not employ the army; announce orders within one's own settlement. Steadfastness brings distress.” The city wall collapses, and the earth used to build it returns to the ditch. Huáng means a dry moat. At this point, the army must not be used; orders can only be issued from one's own settlement. Even steadfastness in what is right brings humiliation, meaning distress. Tài has reached its end, and order is already difficult to maintain.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“The wall collapses into the moat: its ordinances are disordered.” The city wall collapses, falling back into the dry moat (huáng), meaning governance has fallen into confusion. Top six dwells at the peak of Tài, where peace has run its course.
Zhouyi, hexagram 11, line 12. Koyonari translation.