| Name | 明夷 Míng Yí, “Darkening of the Light” |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☷ 坤 Earth: receptivity and support |
| Lower trigram | ☲ 离 Fire: clarity and attachment |
The Judgment
利艰贞。
Wise to persevere through hardship by staying true.
The light is being suppressed. Stay clear inside even when the outside has gone dark. Don't reveal everything.
The Image
明入地中，明夷；君子以莅众，用晦而明。
The light sinks into the earth — Darkening of the Light. The wise govern the people by hiding their brilliance while remaining clear within.
Soft outside, sharp inside. Read the room — show only what serves the moment.
The six lines
If a line changes in your cast, read its text below. Lines are numbered from the bottom.
Line 1 · first (bottom) · Yang
明夷于飞，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。
Darkening of the light in flight. Lowers his wings. The noble one on the move does not eat for three days. He has somewhere to go. The host has words.
Pulling back fast, going hungry rather than compromise. Others won't get it — keep moving.
Line 2 · second · Yin
明夷于左股，用拯马壮，吉。
Darkening of the light wounds him in the left thigh. He gives aid with a strong, swift horse. Fortune.
Hit hard, but you have allies who move fast. Lean on them — fortune comes through the rescue.
Line 3 · third · Yang
明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾贞。
Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south. The great leader is captured. Do not be hasty in setting things right.
You uncovered the real problem. Big win — but don't rush to fix everything at once. Move carefully.
Line 4 · fourth · Yin
入于左腹，获明夷之心，于出门庭。
He enters the left side of the belly. He grasps the heart of the darkening. He leaves the gate and courtyard.
Deep inside the wrong situation, you finally understand it. Now: leave. Quietly, completely.
Line 5 · fifth · Yin
箕子之明夷，利贞。
Darkening of the light like Prince Ji. Wise to stay true.
Hide your wisdom to survive the dark season. Pretend less than you are — it's protection, not weakness.
Line 6 · top · Yin
不明，晦。初登于天，后入于地。
Not light, but darkness. First he climbed to the heavens, then he sank into the earth.
Someone who reached the top by hiding their evil. The fall is total. Don't be them.
Related hexagrams
- Inverted (turned upside down): Hexagram 35, Progress
- Complement (every line reversed): Hexagram 6, Conflict