Dǐng Containment Creation [hexagram 50]

Yang line Yin - controlling line Yang line Yang line Yang line Yin line

Cooking vessel, cauldron
Fire over
Wind
Fire Fire element

Water Wood
Zhūn [3] Inhibition; Beginning
Opposite
Lake Fire
[49] Revolution; Renewal
Inverse
Lake Heaven
Guài [43] Eruption; Breakthrough
Mutual

Lunar month: 6 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
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鼎: , . Dǐng: yuán jí, hēng.

Ding gives the intimation of great progress and success.

: 鼎, . , . , 贤. , , , . Tuàn zhuàn: Dǐng, xiàng yě. yǐ mù xùn huǒ, hēng rèn yě. shèng rén hēng yǐ xiǎng shàng dì, ér dà hēng yǐ yǎng shèng xián. xùn ér ěr mù cōng ming, róu jìn ér shàng xíng, dé zhòng ér yìng hū gāng, shì yǐ yuán hēng.

In Ding we have (symbolically) the figure of a caldron. (We see) the (symbol of) wood entering into that of fire, which suggests the idea of cooking. The sages cooked their offerings in order to present them to God, and made great feasts to nourish their wise and able (ministers). We have the symbol of) flexible obedience, and that (which denotes) ears quick of hearing and eyes clear-sighted. (We have also) the weak (line) advanced and acting above, in the central place, and responded to by the strong (line below). All these things give the idea of 'great progress and success.'

: , 鼎; . Xiàng zhuàn: Mù shǎng yǒu huǒ, dǐng; jūn zǐ yǐ zhèng wèi níng mìng.

(The trigram representing) wood and above it that for fire form Ding. The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps his every position correct, and maintains secure the appointment (of Heaven).

young yang young yin young yang young yang young yang changing yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Heaven
Dà yǒu [14] Profusion; Great harvest
Change
: 鼎颠趾, 否, , . Chū liù: dǐng diān zhǐ, lì chū pǐ, dé qiè yǐ qí zǐ, wú jiù.

The first ‘six’, divided, shows the caldron overthrown and its feet turned up. (But) there will be advantage in its getting rid of what was bad in it. (Or it shows us) the concubine (whose position is improved) by means of her son. There will be no error.

: 鼎颠趾, . 否, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dǐng diān zhǐ, wèi bèi yě. lì chū pǐ, yǐ cóng guì yě.

‘The caldron is overturned, and its feet turned upwards:’ - but this is not (all) contrary (to what is right). ‘There will be advantage in getting rid of what was bad:’ - thereby (the subject of the line) will follow the more noble (subject of the fourth line).

young yang young yin young yang young yang changing yang young yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Mountain
[56] Wandering; Journeying
Change
: 鼎, 疾, 即, . Jiǔ èr: dǐng yǒu shí, wǒ chóu yǒu jí, bù wǒ néng jí, jí.

The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows the caldron with the things (to be cooked) in it. (If its subject can say), 'My enemy dislikes me, but he cannot approach me,' there will be good fortune.

: 鼎, 慎. 疾, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dǐng yǒu shí, shèn suǒ zhī yě. wǒ chóu yǒu jí, zhōng wú yóu yě.

‘There is the caldron with the things (to be cooked) in it:’ - let (the subject of the line) be careful where he goes. ‘My enemy dislikes me:’ - but there will in the end be no fault (to which he can point).

young yang young yin young yang changing yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Water
Wèi jì [64] Unfinished; Almost complete
Change
: 鼎革, 塞, 雉膏, , . Jiǔ sān: dǐng ěr gé, qí xíng sāi, zhì gào bù shí, fāng yù kuī huǐ, zhōng jí.

The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows the caldron with (the places of) its ears changed. The progress (of its subject) is (thus) stopped. The fat flesh of the pheasant (which is in the caldron) will not be eaten. But the (genial) rain will come, and the grounds for repentance will disappear. There will be good fortune in the end.

: 鼎革, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dǐng ěr gé, shī qí yì yě.

‘There is the caldron with (the places for) its ears changed:’ - (its subject) has failed in what was required of him (in his situation).

young yang young yin changing yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Mountain
Wind
[18] Corruption; Decay
Change
: 鼎折, 覆餗, 形渥, . Jiǔ sì: dǐng zhé zú, fù gōng sù, qí xíng wò, xiōng.

The fourth ‘nine’, undivided, shows the caldron with its feet broken; and its contents, designed for the ruler's use, overturned and spilt. Its Subject will be made to blush for shame. There will be evil.

: 覆餗, . Xiàng zhuàn: Fù gōng sù, xìn rú hé yě.

‘The contents designed for the ruler’s use are overturned and spilled: ‘ - how can (the subject of the line) be trusted?

young yang changing yin young yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Heaven
Wind
Gòu [44] Reaction; Encountering
Change
: 鼎, 铉, . Liù wǔ: dǐng huáng ěr, jīn xuàn, lì zhēn.

The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows the caldron with yellow ears and rings of metal in them. There will be advantage through being firm and correct.

: 鼎, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dǐng huáng ěr, zhōng yǐ wéi shí yě.

‘The caldron has yellow ears:’ - the central position (of the line) is taken as (a proof of) the solid (virtue of its subject).

changing yang young yin young yang young yang young yang young yin
I Ching transform
Wood
Wind
Héng [32] Perseverance; Endurance
Change
: 鼎铉, , . Shàng jiǔ: dǐng yù xuàn, dà jí, wú bù lì.

The sixth ‘nine’, undivided, shows the caldron with rings of jade. There will be great good fortune, and all action taken will be in every way advantageous.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Yù xuàn zài shàng, gāng róu jié yě.

‘The rings of jade’ are at the very top: - the strong and the weak meet in their due proportions.

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also