Hexagram 7 of 64
師 Shī · The Army
上 坤 Earth (Kūn) over 下 坎 Water (Kǎn)
Where many gather, first set the rule.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: water within the earth.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Shī is water hidden deep within the earth, gathered into a concentrated force. Shī teaches that when many gather, clear rules must precede action: first establish who handles what and where handoffs occur, before discussing where to march. Without established order, more hands only cancel out each other’s effort, achieving far less than a small handful would.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“An army marches with discipline; if neglected, misfortune.” An army on campaign must follow military discipline and rules; lǜ refers to these standards. The next phrase is read as not good. Without discipline, even temporary victory cannot count as good, and the outcome remains misfortune, meaning an unfavorable result. This emphasizes discipline at the start of a campaign.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“An army marches under discipline; losing discipline brings misfortune.” Military expeditions depend on order and discipline; forfeiting discipline leads to misfortune.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“In the midst of the army, good fortune, no blame; the king thrice bestows awards.” The commander directs military affairs within the army, acting with balance and without partiality. The outcome is good fortune and no blame, meaning no fault. The king bestows commands three times, expressing approval and entrusting weighty responsibilities. This line describes a commander who can lead the army properly and also enjoys the king's trust.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“In the army, centered good fortune: receiving heaven's favor. The king confers decrees thrice to embrace myriad realms.” The commander gains good fortune within the army by receiving heaven's favor (ancient notes take heaven as the ruler); the sovereign repeatedly confers orders to win the allegiance of the myriad realms.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“The army may carry corpses in the cart; misfortune.” The army may return defeated, carting corpses: misfortune, an unfavorable outcome. Zhū Xī’s Běnyì (Original Meaning) reads carrying corpses as troops routed and returning with their dead. Chéng Yí’s Yìzhuàn (Commentary on the Changes) reads it as many taking command, with inconsistent orders, likewise ending in misfortune. The Xiàngzhuàn (Commentary on the Images) calls this a complete lack of achievement.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“The army may cart corpses: greatly lacking merit.” An army that may end up carting back corpses has no military merit at all.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“The army retreats to camp; no blame.” The army withdraws and makes camp rather than forcing an advance. Zuǒ cì is understood as retreating to camp. No blame means there is no fault and no cause for reproach. This line explains that military action also has times when withdrawal is appropriate; retreating and making camp are not in themselves a fault.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“Camping on the left, no blame: not departing from the constant.” Retreating to encamp without blame means not losing the ordinary rule of warfare.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“Game in the field; favorable to state reasons, no blame. Let the elder son lead the army; if the younger son cart corpses, steadfastness brings misfortune.” Birds and beasts damage the crops in the fields. It is favorable to go and capture them with words calling them to account; no blame means no fault. The capable eldest son should command the army. If an unfit younger son leads it, it will return carrying corpses (Chéng Yí reads this as many people taking command). Even steadfastness in the right course then brings an unfavorable outcome.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“The eldest son leads the army through acting with centrality. Younger sons cart corpses through improper appointment.” Appointing the eldest son to lead stems from his central action; younger sons carting corpses reveals improper assignment.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“The great ruler decrees: founding states and inheriting fiefs. Petty persons must not be employed.” After the war ends, the king issues commands, establishing states as rewards for merit or granting fiefs to high officials. Establishing states and granting fiefs refers to rewards and appointments. The instruction against employing petty people means that those of base character must not administer these places. Rewarding merit also requires discerning a person's character.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“The sovereign issues decrees to rectify merit. Do not employ petty people; they surely disrupt the realm.” The sovereign issues decrees of enfeoffment and reward to judge and commend military merit fairly; petty persons with military merit but devoid of virtue must not be appointed to power, because petty persons in governance will inevitably disrupt state affairs.
Zhouyi, hexagram 7, line 12. Koyonari translation.