| Name | 否 Pǐ, “Standstill” |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☰ 乾 Heaven: strength and initiative |
| Lower trigram | ☷ 坤 Earth: receptivity and support |
The Judgment
否之匪人，不利君子贞。大往小来。
Standstill of evil people. The wise do not prosper by staying true. The great departs, the small arrives.
Wrong people are running the show right now. Playing their game won't work. Hold your integrity and wait.
The Image
天地不交，否；君子以俭德辟难，不可荣以禄。
Heaven and earth do not unite — Standstill. The wise withdraw their virtue to avoid danger, refusing to accept honor or wealth.
When the system is broken, opt out gracefully. Don't accept rewards from a corrupt source.
The six lines
If a line changes in your cast, read its text below. Lines are numbered from the bottom.
Line 1 · first (bottom) · Yin
拔茅茹，以其汇。贞吉，亨。
Pull up grass by the roots — each strand brings the others. Stay true — fortune. Success.
When you step back, the right people step back with you. Group integrity wins.
Line 2 · second · Yin
包承。小人吉，大人否亨。
They bear and endure. For the small-minded, fortune; for the wise, standstill — but success.
The shallow thrive in this mess. You won't — and that's actually the win. Stay out.
Line 3 · third · Yin
包羞。
They bear shame.
The wrong choices are catching up to them quietly. Don't gloat — just stay clear of it.
Line 4 · fourth · Yang
有命无咎，畴离祉。
Acting on the fate of heaven — no blame. Companions enjoy the blessing.
The moment turns when one person aligned with truth steps up. Your circle benefits with you.
Line 5 · fifth · Yang
休否，大人吉。其亡其亡，系于苞桑。
Standstill subsides. Fortune for the great person. 'What if it fails, what if it fails?' Tie it to a mulberry shoot.
The tide is turning, but stay cautious. Tie things down. Confidence and care, together.
Line 6 · top · Yang
倾否，先否后喜。
Overturning the standstill. First standstill, then joy.
You flipped it. The bad chapter ends, and what follows is real joy. Stay humble through the shift.
Related hexagrams
- Inverted (turned upside down): Hexagram 11, Peace
- Complement (every line reversed): Hexagram 11, Peace