Hexagram 60 of 64
節 Jié · Limitation
上 坎 Water (Kǎn) over 下 兌 Lake (Duì)
Set the measure just so.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: water above the lake.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Jié is water above the lake: the lake's capacity determines how much can be held. Jié speaks of setting a fitting measure—not scarcity, but boundaries. Boundaries make what follows sustainable; the measure you set today will spare you tomorrow from much needless depletion.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“Not stepping out of the courtyard: no blame.” Remaining within the courtyard just outside the house door brings no blame, meaning no fault. Jié means restraint. Its first yang line is at the beginning, when rash action is not yet appropriate. Keeping within the limits of activity at this point is restraint suited to the moment.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“Not going out of the inner courtyard: knowing what is open and blocked.” Not stepping out of the courtyard means one discerns openness and blockage, knowing when to halt.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“Not stepping out of the gate courtyard: misfortune.” Still remaining within the courtyard at the main gate brings misfortune, meaning an outcome that is not auspicious. For the second yang line, the time to act has already arrived, yet it remains confined and misses the opportunity. Restraint must also suit the time; it cannot mean endlessly staying still.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“Not going out of the gate’s courtyard: missing the proper time to the utmost.” Not stepping beyond the courtyard gate means failing to go forth when one should, missing opportunity to the utmost degree (another view glosses jí as zhōng, missing opportune timing).
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“Not observing limitation brings sighing and lamentation: no blame.” Acting without restraint leads to sighs and regret afterward. No blame here means that no one else can be blamed, since the consequences are self-inflicted. The third yin line connects lack of restraint with subsequent lamentation, indicating that the fault is to be sought in oneself.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“Lamenting lack of restraint: who else is to blame?” Lacking restraint and ending in sorrow, whom else can one blame?
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“Content with limitation: success.” Practicing restraint at ease brings success, meaning that things can proceed smoothly. The restraint of the fourth yin line suits its position and the bounds it ought to observe, so putting it into practice feels unforced. This concerns being at ease with appropriate limits.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“Peaceful limitation brings success: it receives the way above.” Contented restraint succeeds because it compliantly follows the way above.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“Sweet limitation brings good fortune; advancing earns esteem.” Restraint kept within appropriate bounds is something people willingly accept and brings good fortune, an auspicious result. Continuing in this way earns praise. Gān jié describes limits that are fitting and cause no hardship; wǎng yǒu shàng means that this approach deserves esteem.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“Good fortune of sweet limitation: dwelling in the center.” Sweet, fitting restraint brings good fortune because this line holds the central position.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“Bitter limitation: perseverance brings misfortune, yet remorse disappears.” Excessive restraint causes suffering. Persisting in this approach brings misfortune through steadfastness: the outcome is not auspicious. Yet strict restraint can also prevent the regret caused by indulgence, hence regret disappears. The top yin line presents both the drawbacks of excessive strictness and the faults that restraint can prevent.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“Bitter limitation persisted in brings misfortune: its course is exhausted.” Stubbornly clinging to bitter limitation brings misfortune because that path has completely run out.
Zhouyi, hexagram 60, line 12. Koyonari translation.