6 · 訟

Hexagram 6, 訟. Original Chinese judgment: 有孚，窒。惕中吉。終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川。 Read the six line statements, commentaries and separately labeled editorial summaries.

Judgment

有孚，窒。惕中吉。終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川。

《周易》通行本

Line texts

  1. 初六：不永所事，小有言，終吉。
  2. 九二：不克訟，歸而逋，其邑人三百戶，无眚。
  3. 六三：食舊德，貞厲，終吉，或從王事，无成。
  4. 九四：不克訟，復即命渝，安貞吉。
  5. 九五：訟元吉。
  6. 上九：或錫之鞶帶，終朝三褫之。

Tuan commentary

訟，上剛下險，險而健，訟。訟，有孚，窒，惕，中吉，剛來而得中也。終凶，訟不可成也。利見大人，尚中正也。不利涉大川，入于淵也。

维基文库 · 周易 · 訟

Great Image commentary

天與水違行，訟；君子以作事謀始。

Small Images · bottom to top

  1. 不永所事，訟不可長也。雖小有言，其辯明也。
  2. 不克訟，歸逋竄也。自下訟上，患至掇也。
  3. 食舊德，從上吉也。
  4. 復即命渝，安貞不失也。
  5. 訟元吉，以中正也。
  6. 以訟受服，亦不足敬也。

Traditional source · editorial summary in Chinese

Working translation of this site’s Chinese summaries based on traditional sources, not verbatim quotations from the commentator or a translation of the classical text. Native-language review is incomplete. Traditional imagery is not medical, legal or other professional advice.

朱熹《周易本義》

維基文庫 · 周易本義（四庫全書本）卷一

Judgment exegesis

Zhu Xi explains Song through firmness in the outer trigram, danger in the inner trigram and mutual opposition. Remain vigilant in dispute and keep it within moderate bounds; do not push litigation to its extreme or advance into danger.

Traditional source · editorial summary in Chinese · Line texts

  1. Yielding yin below cannot sustain litigation to the end. Stop the dispute early; despite minor contention, matters can ultimately be clarified.
  2. Firm yang in a lower position cannot match the fifth yang line in the honored position in a dispute. Retreat and settle modestly below to avoid calamity.
  3. Yielding yin is not suited to contention. Preserve what was originally received and the proper way; even in the affairs of those above, follow rather than claim the achievement as one’s own.
  4. Firmness without the center has a contentious mind, but occupying a yielding position allows return to proper principle. Changing that mind and resting in correctness can be auspicious and without loss.
  5. Firm, centered correctness in the honored position hears and judges disputes fairly. A justified claim can be made clear through this centered, correct judgment.
  6. Firmness reaches the extreme of litigation. Even honors gained by winning cannot endure and will ultimately be lost, so they are not worthy of esteem.

Plain-language reading

Working translation of this site’s Chinese editorial reading, not an edition of the classical text, a verbatim quotation from a commentator or a prediction. Native-language review is not yet complete.

Judgment introduction

Song describes disagreement becoming contention. Even when confident of being right, stay alert and know when to stop. Pushing disputes to extremes or advancing recklessly amid conflict is not a fitting course.

Plain-language reading · Line texts

  1. Do not prolong the dispute. Even with brief verbal friction, stopping early is ultimately more fitting.
  2. When strength is insufficient to prevail, withdraw from conflict and return to one’s own sphere, avoiding the involvement of more people.
  3. Keep established virtue and responsibilities. Even in public affairs, do not claim the achievement for oneself.
  4. When contention cannot continue, return to fitting rules, change the contentious intention and rest in correctness.
  5. Handle disputes from a central, correct and impartial position so the justified side receives a clear judgment.
  6. Even honors won through contention are hard to retain. What extreme disputes gain is unreliable.

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