| Name | 蛊 Gǔ, “Work on What Has Been Spoiled” |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☶ 艮 Mountain: stillness and limits |
| Lower trigram | ☴ 巽 Wind: gentle, persistent influence |
The Judgment
元亨，利涉大川。先甲三日，后甲三日。
Supreme success. Wise to cross the great water. Three days before the beginning, three days after.
Something's been rotting and now it's your job to fix it. Take real time before and after to think it through — don't rush the repair.
The Image
山下有风，蛊；君子以振民育德。
Wind below the mountain — Work on the Spoiled. The wise stir the people and nurture their virtue.
Decay isn't only outside — it's in the culture. Fix the culture and the rest follows.
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
干父之蛊，有子，考无咎，厉，终吉。
Repairing the father's spoil. With a worthy heir, the deceased father has no blame. Danger — fortune in the end.
You're cleaning up something inherited. Honor where it came from, but fix it. The work is heavy but it ends well.
Line 2 · second · Yang
干母之蛊，不可贞。
Repairing the mother's spoil. Do not persist too rigidly.
Some inherited problems need a softer hand. Don't try to force-fix what asks for patience.
Line 3 · third · Yang
干父之蛊，小有悔，无大咎。
Repairing the father's spoil. Small regret. No great blame.
You might overcorrect a little. That's fine — it's still better than leaving it broken.
Line 4 · fourth · Yin
裕父之蛊，往见吝。
Tolerating the father's spoil. Going on brings shame.
Ignoring the rot doesn't make it go away. If you keep tolerating it, you become part of it.
Line 5 · fifth · Yin
干父之蛊，用誉。
Repairing the father's spoil. One is praised.
You did the hard quiet work, and now people see it. Recognition that you actually earned.
Line 6 · top · Yang
不事王侯，高尚其事。
He does not serve kings or princes. He sets himself higher goals.
Sometimes the work isn't the family business — it's something only you can build. Walk your own path with respect.
Related hexagrams
- Inverted (turned upside down): Hexagram 17, Following
- Complement (every line reversed): Hexagram 17, Following