Hexagram 40 of 64
解 Xiè · Deliverance
上 震 Thunder (Zhèn) over 下 坎 Water (Kǎn)
Loosen one knot.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: thunder and rain set free.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Xiè is thunder and rain setting free: heavy tension held long at last dispersing. Xiè speaks of loosening a single knot: you need not untangle everything at once; release the tightest knot first, and the rest will loosen on their own. Today suits resolving that long-suspended matter—not by adding force, but by letting go.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“No blame.” 'No blame' means no fault or reproach. Jiě concerns resolving difficulties. At its beginning, the yielding first yin line occupies a low position, corresponding with the firm fourth yang line and receiving the judgment of no blame.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“At the junction of firm and yielding, rightness warrants no blame.” The Line Image explains freedom from blame. 'At the junction of firm and yielding' means yielding Initial Six borders and connects with firm Nine in the second place. With firm and yielding properly meeting, moral rightness naturally admits no blame.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“Hunting takes three foxes; gaining a yellow arrow. Perseverance brings good fortune.” Three foxes are caught in a hunt, and a yellow arrow is obtained. Here the foxes represent wicked flatterers; yellow symbolizes being centered, and the arrow symbolizes uprightness. 'Good fortune through steadfastness' means holding to the right course brings good fortune. The line describes removing the wicked while remaining centered and upright.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“The steadfastness and good fortune of Nine in the second place comes from attaining the central way.” The Line Image explains why expelling cunning flatterers and upholding steadfastness brings good fortune. Nine in the second place is firm in the inner center. Removing deceitful elements while maintaining upright virtue, it adheres to the balanced Golden Mean, thereby attaining good fortune.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“Bearing a burden on the back yet riding in a carriage: inviting bandits to strike. Perseverance brings regret.” Someone whose role is carrying heavy loads rides in a carriage used by the high-ranking. The mismatch between status and position attracts bandits. 'Humiliation despite steadfastness' means that even keeping to the right course cannot prevent humiliation. Through the contradiction between carrying loads and riding in a carriage, this line explains the consequences of occupying an inappropriate position.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“Carrying a burden and riding in a carriage is indeed shameful; bringing armed hostility upon oneself, whom else can one blame?” The Line Image shows that lacking virtue for one's station inevitably invites disaster. When a burden-bearing petty person rides in a noble person's carriage, virtue and position clash disgracefully. Bandits and warfare are provoked entirely by one's own overstepping; having brought about one's own misfortune, whom else could one blame?
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“Release your big toe; then the companion arrives, bringing mutual trust.” Only after freeing oneself from an entanglement like an attached toe will like-minded companions arrive and place their trust in one. Ér stands for ěr, 'you'; mǔ is the big toe, here a metaphor for the first yin line; fú means trust. The fourth yang line must first break free of an improper connection.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“Release your big toe: one is not yet in place.” The Line Image explains 'release your big toe.' The big toe is at the lowest, humblest place. Commentaries by Wang Bi and Kong Yingda take it as Six in the third place clinging below Nine in the fourth, which must be released before the corresponding companion (Initial Six) can arrive; Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi take the big toe to mean Initial Six itself. Because Nine in the fourth is a yang line in a yin position, its seat is improper, causing this entanglement.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“The noble person alone accomplishes release. Good fortune. There is sincerity even among inferior persons.” The jūnzǐ, a virtuous person who holds to the right course, can break free from entanglement with petty people, bringing good fortune. Whether this has truly been achieved can be verified by those people's withdrawal; this is the meaning of yǒu fú yú xiǎo rén. Fú here means reliable evidence, emphasizing the actual results of breaking free from wicked flatterers.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“The noble person achieves release: petty people withdraw.” The Line Image explains 'the noble person achieves release.' When the noble person effects release, petty people retreat on their own. Six in the fifth place occupies the honored seat; the line statement says that the noble person's ability to effect release brings good fortune, leading petty people to withdraw.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“The prince shoots a falcon on the high wall, taking it. Nothing that is not favorable.” A lord shoots the falcon on a high wall and captures it, with nothing unfavorable in the outcome. Yōng means a city wall; sǔn is a bird of prey, here representing a petty person who occupies a high position and creates obstacles. The final line of Jiě describes removing this obstacle and completing the resolution of difficulties.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“The prince shoots the falcon: to resolve rebelliousness.” The Line Image explains why the prince shooting the predatory bird brings advantage in every way. The falcon symbolizes wicked villains entrenched in high places. The prince shooting down the bird of prey atop city walls aims to eliminate the rebellious root of disorder, thereby stabilizing the realm.
Zhouyi, hexagram 40, line 12. Koyonari translation.