Zhōng fú Truth Sincerity [hexagram 61]

Yang line Yang - controlling line Yin line Yin line Yang line Yang line

Confidence, inner strength
Wind over
Lake
Wood Wood element

Wood Mountain
Xiǎo guò [62] Overstep; Small preponderance
Opposite
Wind Lake
Zhōng fú [61] Truth; Sincerity
Inverse
Mountain Wood
[27] Nutrition; Nourishment
Mutual

Lunar month: 11 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
For all about the history of the I Ching / Yi Jing click here and for a description of the methods of divination click here. To get your own reading of the Yi Jing online click here. For a guide to what all this means click:
Show Key

: 豚, , . Zhōng fú: tún yú jí, lì shè dà chuān, lì zhēn.

Zhong Fu (moves even) pigs and fish, and leads to good fortune. There will be advantage in crossing the great stream. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.

: , . , , . 豚, . , . , . Tuàn zhuàn: Zhōng fú, róu zài nèi ér gāng dé zhòng. shuì ér xùn, fú, nǎi huā bāng yě. tún yú jí, xìn jí tún yú yě. lì shè dà chuān, chéng mù zhōu xū yě. zhōng fú yǐ lì zhēn, nǎi yìng hū tiān yě.

In Zhong Fu we have the (two) weak lines in the innermost part (of the figure), and strong lines occupying the central places (in the trigrams). (We have the attributes) of pleased satisfaction and flexible penetration. Sincerity (thus symbolized) will transform a country. ‘Pigs and fish (are moved), and there will be good fortune:’ - sincerity reaches to (and affects even) pigs and fishes. ‘There will be advantage in crossing the great stream:’ - (we see in the figure) one riding on (the emblem of) wood, which forms an empty boat. In (the exercise of the virtue denoted by) Zhong Fu, (it is said that) ‘there will be advantage in being firm and correct:’ - in that virtue indeed we have the response (of man) to Heaven.

: , ; 议狱缓. Xiàng zhuàn: Zé shǎng yǒu fēng, zhōng fú; jūn zǐ yǐ yì yù huǎn sǐ.

(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and that for wind above it form Zhong Fu. The superior man, in accordance with this, deliberates about cases of litigation and delays (the infliction of) death.

young yang young yang young yin young yin young yang changing yang
I Ching transform
Wind
Water
Huàn [59] Dissolution; Dispersion
Change
: 虞, 燕. Chū jiǔ: yú jí, yǒu tā bù yān.

The first ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune. If he sought to any other, he would not find rest.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Chū jiǔ yú jí, zhì wèi biàn yě.

'The first ‘nine’, (undivided), shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune:' - no change has yet come over his purpose.

young yang young yang young yin young yin changing yang young yang
I Ching transform
Wind
Wood
[42] Increase; Gain
Change
: , , 爵, 吾. Jiǔ èr: míng hè zài yīn, qí zǐ hé zhī, wǒ yǒu hǎo jué, wú yú ěr mí zhī.

The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject (like) the crane crying out in her hidden retirement, and her young ones responding to her. (It is as if it were said), 'I have a cup of good spirits,' (and the response were), 'I will partake of it with you.'

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Qí zǐ hé zhī, zhōng xīn yuàn yě.

‘Her young ones respond to her:’ - from the (common) wish of the inmost heart.

young yang young yang young yin changing yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Wind
Heaven
Xiǎo xù [9] Taming; Small accumulation
Change
: 敌, 罢, . Liù sān: dé dí, huò gǔ huò bà, huò qì huò gē.

The third ‘six’, divided, shows its subject having met with his mate. Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off. Now he weeps, and now he sings.

: 罢, . Xiàng zhuàn: Kě gǔ huò bà, wèi bù dàng yě.

‘Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off:’ - the position (of the line) is the appropriate one for it.

young yang young yang changing yin young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Heaven
Lake
[10] Slow advance; Fulfillment
Change
: 望, , . Liù sì: yuè jī wàng, mǎ pǐ wáng, wú jiù.

The fourth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.

: , 绝类. Xiàng zhuàn: Mǎ pǐ wáng, jué lèi shǎng yě.

‘A horse the fellow of which disappears:’ - he breaks from his (former) companions, and mounts upwards.

young yang changing yang young yin young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Mountain
Lake
Sǔn [41] Diminution; Reduction
Change
: , . Jiǔ wǔ: yǒu fú luán rú, wú jiù.

The fifth ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject perfectly sincere, and linking (others) to him in closest union. There will be no error.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Yǒu fú luán rú, wèi zhèng dāng yě.

‘He is perfectly sincere, and links others to him in closest union:’ - the place (of the line) is the correct and appropriate one.

changing yang young yang young yin young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Water
Lake
Jié [60] Regulation; Restriction
Change
: 翰, Shǎng jiǔ: hàn yīn dēng yú tiān, zhēn xiōng

The topmost ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject in rooster (trying to) mount to heaven. Even with firm correctness there will be evil.

: 翰, . Xiàng zhuàn: Hàn yīn dēng yú tiān, hé kě cháng yě.

‘Rooster (tries to) mount to heaven:’ - but how can (such an effort) continue long?

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also