I Ching vernacular full translation

Chapter 20 Gu Gua
The Gu (ɡǔ) hexagram is composed of the lower Sunda and the upper Gen, and the shape of the hexagram is "", which symbolizes "rescue evil and rule chaos". The word "Gu" means "chaos".Zhu Xi interpreted it as "extremely bad and troublesome", that is, the meaning of "rescue evil and rule chaos" taken from the name of the hexagram.The upper hexagram "Gen" is the mountain, and the lower hexagram "Xun" is the wind: it is like a strong wind blowing from the bottom of the mountain, and everything is destroyed, waiting to be governed, so it is a metaphor for the situation of "rescue evil and rule chaos".The whole hexagram reveals the principle of how to save things prudently and set things right when things are in chaos.

Gu: Yuan Heng.Li involved Dachuan.First A for three days, and then A for three days.

"Xuan" said: Gu, just go up and then go down softly, stop when it is flat, Gu. "Gu, Yuan Heng", and the world is governed. "Benefits involved in the great river", there are always things going on. "First Jia for three days, and then Jia for three days", the end has a beginning, and the sky moves.

"Xiang" said: There is wind at the foot of the mountain, Gu.A gentleman cultivates morality by invigorating the people.

In the translation, the hexagram Gu symbolizes the elimination of evils and the governance of chaos: it is the most prosperous, which is conducive to wading through great rivers and huge currents.Within three days before the event starts (requires investigation and research, careful planning), and within three days after the event starts (requires supervision and implementation, remedial deficiencies).

"Zhuan Zhuan" said: Gu chaos, because the upper and lower rigidity and softness do not intersect, and the suppleness meets resistance, it forms Gu chaos.Eliminate evils and rule chaos, and achieve prosperity, which means great order in the world.It is beneficial to ford the big river, which shows that the treatment of Gu must go forward bravely and make a difference.Within three days before the event starts (careful planning is required), and within three days after the event starts (supervised execution), it means that the old end is the new beginning, which is the law of nature.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: The strong wind blowing from the foot of the mountain symbolizes the rectification of Gu chaos.The gentleman thus inspires the spirit of the people and cultivates morality.

Interpretation Gu hexagrams above are gen and mountain, and below are gen and wind, which is exactly the image of wind traveling down the mountain.The strong wind blows, turning back when encountering the mountain, its force is swift and fierce, unstoppable, and the dead branches and leaves are swept away.A gentleman is in a chaotic world. Looking at this hexagram, he thinks that he should arouse the hearts of the people, cultivate their virtues, save the corrupt social atmosphere, clean up the corruption like a strong wind sweeps away the fallen leaves, use the advantages to eliminate the disadvantages, and abandon the old to create the new.

Sixth day of the lunar month: The Gu of godfather, there is a test for son.No blame, severe, final auspiciousness.

"Xiang" said: "The Gu of godfather, the meaning is inherited and tested."

Translation: Sixth day of the lunar month: correcting the abuses and chaos of the father's generation, the son can achieve the first career, there will be no harm, although there is danger, it will eventually be auspicious.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: "Correcting the abuses and chaos of the father's generation is intended to inherit the legacy of the father's generation."

Interpretation Su Shi said in "Dongpo Yizhuan": "The disaster of Gu is not a one-day event, it must be seen later, so all the lines are based on father and son." It often takes a generation to fully express itself.The disadvantages caused by the previous generation often cannot be corrected until the next generation.Therefore, this hexagram often uses father and son as a metaphor when talking about curing malpractice, and this line uses the dead father and son as a metaphor.Besides, the disadvantages mostly start from the top, "what is good on the top will be worse on the bottom."This hexagram uses father and son as a metaphor in the treatment of malpractice, and it also has the meaning of advocating that the son cure the father's malpractice.On the sixth day of the sixth day, the soft line is in a humble position, inheriting the yang of ninety-two and ninety-three, and the yang of yin, just like the inheritance of the father by the son. In this sense, the sixth day of the first day is in the position of "son". The meaning of "drying father's voodoo is to be tested", the meaning of this sentence is that if there is something wrong with the established method of the father's generation, the disadvantages have been revealed after the test of time and practice, and the children's generation will correct and rectify it accordingly. "Father's Gu" is to make up for the faults of the father, so that the father's generation can avoid more faults, and the cause passed down from generation to generation can be saved from more losses. Only in this way can it be regarded as truly inheriting the father's ambition.

Ninety-two: The Gu of godmother, do not be chaste.

"Xiang" said: "Dry the mother's Gu, and get the middle way."

Translation Ninety-two: To rectify the evils and chaos of the mother's generation, when the situation is difficult, you can't force it, and you must stay upright and wait for the time.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: To rectify the abuses and chaos of the mother's generation, one should grasp the principle of moderate hardness and softness.

It is interpreted that the ninety-two is the yang line at the bottom, and the corresponding six-five is the yin line at the top, which is the image of mother and child.The ninth line of the first day is called "father" and also "kao", while the ninth line of the second line is only called "mother" and not "concubine", which shows that the father is dead and the mother is alive.Sixth Five-Year is based on yin and loses integrity. Here it symbolizes the senior leaders who are still in power. Their personality is yin and it is difficult to listen to correct opinions.In [-], correcting the shortcomings of such senior leaders, of course, should not be too hasty, and we should not simply stick to the righteousness and forcibly reverse it, so as not to make things stiff.Instead, it is necessary to play around and fight, and strive for the best results in the treatment of malpractice under possible circumstances.This is the meaning of "not being chaste" and "getting the middle way".This line warns that appropriate strategies should be mastered in the treatment of malpractice.

Nine Three: The Gu of godfather, there is little regret, but no big blame.

"Elephant" said: There is no blame for the insanity of the father.

Translation Nine Three: To rectify the abuses and chaos of the father's generation, although there will be small remorse, but there will be no major mistakes.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: Correcting the abuses and chaos of the father's generation, there will be no fault after all.

Interpretation of Jiu San's rectification of the ills of the parents will be too hasty, there must be something inappropriate, and some setbacks will be encountered, and a little regret will be felt.But after all, Jiusan is in the right position (Yang is at the center of Yang), and "the Gu of the father" is the way to be upright; at the same time, Jiusan is in the sundae body, which means that it is too aggressive to cure Gu, and it is too late. Able to retreat moderately and adjust its strategy.Therefore, although there are some deviations and some small regrets, in the final analysis, there is no major fault, so there is no need to shrink back and lose your vigor.It is extremely rare for a humble person to rectify the long-standing abuses of a high-ranking person with an upright spirit. Of course, it needs enthusiastic encouragement and vigorous promotion.Sometimes it is even necessary to ignore "little regrets" and go through difficulties.

June [-]th: Yufu's Gu, often sees stinginess.

"Xiang" said: Yu's father's Gu has never been obtained.

Translation: To appease and tolerate the ills of the parents, there will inevitably be regrets in the future.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: To appease and tolerate the ills of the parents, in the long run, there will be no way to cure the ills.

Interpreting the cowardly and slack descendants, blindly appeasing the ills of the parents, can only add to the disaster, and it is impossible to save the current ills.If things go on like this, the situation will get worse and worse, that's why it is said "see me stingy".

Sixth Five-Year: The Gu of godfather, use reputation.

"Xiang" says: Godfather uses reputation and inherits virtue.

Translation Six Five: Kuang rectifies the abuses and chaos of his father's generation, and is highly praised.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: Kuang rectified the abuses and chaos of his father's generation and won praise, which shows that the Sixth Five-Year Plan can use morality to inherit the cause of his predecessors.

Interpreting this line puts forward higher requirements for future generations who rectify and avoid chaos.The accumulated disadvantages of the predecessors are difficult problems that future generations cannot avoid. How to properly solve them will test the virtue and wisdom of future generations.Sixty-five ranks in the middle, has the talent of dry Gu, and at the same time it is feminine, with the virtue of obedience.So it can solve the problem of Gu.And safeguard the reputation of the parents.It does so, which shows that it inherits its father from virtue, not from talent.

Upper Nine: Don't be a prince, be noble.

"Xiang" said: "If you don't care about princes and princes, if you have aspirations, you can do it."

Translation Upper Nine: Do not seek a princely career, and regard this behavior (retiring after success) as noble.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: Not seeking a princely career, this kind of noble ambition is worth imitating.

Interpretation of the nine lines of Gu Gua is quite special. It talks about "no princes" and does not talk about curing Gu. It seems to be off topic. In fact, it is not the same. That's all.The upper nine is at the end of the Gu hexagram, and the lower nine has no response, it is outside the Gu.Just like a person who doesn't care, it seems that he can't make a difference when there is nothing in the world.Yao Ci said, "Don't do things for princes, but do things for noble people."This "don't be a prince, be a noble thing" means that "not being a prince" is a matter in itself.However, this matter is not an ordinary matter, but a "noble" matter.Shangjiu doesn’t care about princes. On the surface, it looks like a person who is detached from reality. It doesn’t care about the problems of the world’s evil. In fact, it is also curing the evil. What it cures is the human heart, not the world Gu, not a temporary Gu, but a Gu that cures everything.Noble things, that is, what Mencius said is based on benevolence and righteousness.That's why it inspires people's hearts for a lifetime, and preserves the famous teachings of the ages, but the heart of loyalty and love is never forgotten in a day, so it is said that the ambition can be correct.

(End of this chapter)