Hexagram 36 of 64
明夷 Míng Yí · Darkening of the Light
上 坤 Earth (Kūn) over 下 離 Fire (Lí)
Light withdrawn is light still.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: light sinks into the earth.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Míng Yí is light sinking into the earth, brightness withdrawn within. Míng Yí speaks of restraint: not being visible outside does not mean it is gone; hold the light within, waiting until the time is right to shine. Today is not for self-display; write down what you must say, and save it for the fitting occasion.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“Darkening of light during flight, drooping its wings. The noble person is on the move, eating nothing for three days. With somewhere to go, the host finds fault.” Light is wounded, like a bird flying with drooping wings. The noble person leaves, even going three days without food; on reaching a destination, the host still voices suspicion and reproach. The “noble person” is someone who upholds what is right. This depicts the onset of darkness, when retreat brings both hardship and a lack of understanding from others.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“The noble person on the march rightfully eats nothing.” The line statement says the noble person travels for three days without eating. The Lesser Image commentary says they rightfully eat not, meaning that according to moral duty, one should not seek food now: anxious to leave, one refuses to delay for the sake of food.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“Darkening of light: wounded in the left thigh. Rescued with the strength of a horse. Good fortune.” Light is damaged, like someone whose injured left thigh hinders movement. Yí means “wounded” and gǔ means “thigh.” Rescue with the help of a strong horse can bring “good fortune,” a favorable outcome. Through the image of injury followed by rescue, this line describes escaping danger even amid adversity.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“Six in the second place brings good fortune through compliant standards.” Six in the second place is centered yielding yin. The line statement says its left thigh is wounded, but saved by a strong horse it gains good fortune. The Lesser Image commentary explains that compliance guided by proper standards yields good fortune.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“Darkening of light during the southern hunt: the great chief is captured. Do not hurry into rigidity.” When light is wounded, a hunt heads south and captures the leader. “Great chief” is understood as the chief wrongdoer; the southern hunt stands for advancing to remove harm. The warning against hasty correction means that restoring the right path must proceed gradually.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“The resolve of hunting in the south brings great attainment.” Hunting in the south means launching a punitive expedition toward the south. Nine in the third place is firm yang, capable of taking action in the darkness of Míng Yí. The Lesser Image commentary says this resolve achieves great gains, meaning the endeavor yields significant success: capturing the ringleader as stated in the line text.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“Entering the left side of the belly, apprehending the mind of darkening light, then stepping out the gate.” Entering a deeply hidden place is likened to entering the left abdomen. Zhū Xī suspects that obtaining the heart of the darkening light means fulfilling the wish to go far away; Wáng Bì takes it as gaining the dark ruler’s intentions through compliance, so that one is near yet not endangered and escapes trouble only as far as the gate and courtyard; Chéng Yí takes it as a soft, crooked person first winning over the ruler’s mind and then acting outside.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“Entering into the left belly: catching the true intent of the heart.” The left belly refers to a deep, concealed place; entering it means penetrating into the innermost core. The Lesser Image commentary says catching the intent means having fathomed the genuine intentions there. The line text then speaks of leaving the gate and courtyard; commentators differ on where one proceeds from there.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“The darkening of light of Prince Jizi. Favorable to persevere.” Like Jīzǐ, living where light is wounded and the world is dark, a person conceals abilities and insight while still holding to the right path. “Favorable for steadfastness” means that maintaining the right path in this way is favorable. The emphasis is on outward concealment while preserving inner integrity.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“The steadfastness of the Viscount of Jī: the light cannot be extinguished.” The line text cites the Viscount of Jī facing Míng Yí, where steadfastness is favorable. The Lesser Image commentary says his steadfastness proves light cannot be quenched: though obscured on the outside, inner brilliance never dies, enabling him to hold steadfast without wavering.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“Not light, but darkness. First rising to heaven, then sinking into the earth.” Darkness prevails without light: first rising into the sky, then falling beneath the earth. The top six symbolizes the person above who brings about darkness. Through the image of first rising high and then falling, it depicts someone without enlightened virtue eventually falling from a high position.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“First ascending to heaven, illuminating the four quarters; later plunging into earth, losing the standard.” Top Six is at the extreme of Míng Yí, representing a dark ruler. The Lesser Image commentary notes it first climbed to heaven, shedding light across the realm, but later plummeted underground because it lost principled standards.
Zhouyi, hexagram 36, line 12. Koyonari translation.