Pi
Judgment
否之匪人 不利君子貞大往小來
It is not the man that should be blocked, but the divination of the gentleman will not be beneficial. Losing is big and getting is little
Interpretation
The Pi (Obstruction) Hexagram consists of the upper trigram Qian (Heaven) and the lower trigram Kun (Earth). Qian represents the sky, while Kun represents the earth. In this hexagram, the energy of the sky does not descend downward, and the energy of the earth does not rise upward. As a result, heaven and earth do not unite. The image of this hexagram signifies a lack of harmony between heaven and earth. When heaven and earth fail to unite, all things become blocked. Pi (否) means obstruction or blockage.
In the hexagram statement, "Pi" (否, bì) signifies obstruction, rejection, or being sealed off. It can also be read as "Pi" (非, fēi), meaning "not" or "negation." "The obstruction of the non-obstructed" (否之匪人, bì zhī fěi rén) refers to a situation where someone who should not be obstructed is nonetheless blocked. The noble person in this context refers to King Wen of Zhou, who is the one experiencing obstruction.
After King Zhou (Di Xin) of the Shang Dynasty expelled his daughters back to their parental home, the one who should not have been blocked was King Wen, yet he was obstructed. This was not beneficial for King Wen. In this situation, both King Zhou and King Wen suffered great losses and gained very little.
If a person casts divination and receives this hexagram, they should reflect on the hexagram's imagery and meaning. This is a time when the world is blocked, and one's will cannot be freely expressed. One must exercise patience and restraint. Since heaven and earth are not in harmony, all things are obstructed, and even fate itself does not flow smoothly. In such a time, it is crucial to remain calm, self-disciplined, and wait for the right moment to safely pass through this period of obstruction.
At this urgent and difficult moment, losses will be great, while gains will be small. Therefore, the matter inquired about in this divination will not be beneficial.
初六 拔茅茹以其彙,貞吉,亨
Initial Six: Pulling the grass to its roots, persistence brings good fortune, smooth progress.
'Mo' is a type of reed, and 'Ye' is the root of the reed. 'Moye' refers to reed roots and is used as a metaphor for the daughter of Jie. 'I' means together with, and 'Hwi' means of the same kind, referring to her younger sister. King Wen sends Jie’s daughters back to their parental home, which is auspicious and prosperous. A person who receives this line in divination is in a situation where King Wen is sending Jie’s daughters away. Undesirable elements must naturally be removed, so the matter inquired about in divination will be auspicious and prosperous.
六二 包承,小人吉,大人否,亨
Six Second: Accepting, small people bring good fortune, great people bring misfortune, progress.
The character "Packing unit" refers to embracing. "Win" is borrowed from a term meaning to guard or be cautious. "Predisposition" refers to King Wen, and "Interpersonal" refers to Ji, King Wen's state. King Wen, after expelling Ji's daughters, guards against the Shang dynasty. This shows that King Wen's situation is prosperous, while Ji is blocked. The person drawing this hexagram should not be careless with their vigilance. The work they are asking about will be successful if they proceed with caution.
六三 包羞
Six Third: Accepting shame.
The person feels humiliated, and this situation will likely lead to disgrace. The matter in question is unlikely to succeed, and a sense of shame will persist.
九四 有命,无咎,疇離祉。
Nine Fourth: Command received, no blame, the field receives blessings.
The term "Yumeong" refers to the command of the great army. The hexagram speaks of the situation where a king has ordered an attack. The person asking about the hexagram is in a situation where they are receiving the king’s command to strike, a dangerous situation but one where they will restore their dignity. The task will be prosperous.
九五 休否,大人吉.其亡其亡,繫于苞桑
Nine Fifth: Rest in misfortune, great people bring good fortune, misfortune disappears, connected to mulberry trees.
Though Jie vows to destroy Zhou, he fears disrupting ties, which remain as firm as mulberry trees. The task at hand will be auspicious, for after the rain, the ground hardens, and intentions may not align with reality.
上九 傾否,先否後喜
Top Nine: Rejecting misfortune, first misfortune then happiness.
Relations sour briefly after Jie’s daughters return home but soon mend between the states. The task at hand will see a momentary block clear quickly, like a storm that passes, bringing joy in resolution.