解 Xiè Release (Relief) [hexagram 40]
Thunder over Water
Wood element
Lunar month: 2 ; Host or Controlling line : 2
解: 利西南, 无所往, 其来复吉. 有攸往, 夙吉. Jiě: lì xī nán, wú suǒ wǎng, qí lái fù jí. yǒu yōu wǎng, sù jí.
In (the state indicated by) Jie advantage will be found in the south-west. If no (further) operations be called for, there will be good fortune in coming back (to the old conditions). If some operations be called for, there will be good fortune in the early conducting of them.
彖传: 解, 险以动, 动而免乎险, 解. 解利西南, 往得众也. 其来复吉, 乃得中也. 有攸往夙吉, 往有功也. 天地解, 而雷雨作, 雷雨作, 而百果草木皆甲坼, 解之时大矣哉! Tuàn zhuàn: Jiě, xiǎn yǐ dòng, dòng ér miǎn hū xiǎn, jiě. jiě lì xī nán, wǎng dé zhòng yě. qí lái fù jí, nǎi dé zhòng yě. yǒu yōu wǎng sù jí, wǎng yǒu gōng yě. tiān dìjiě, ér léi yǔ zuò, léi yǔ zuò, ér bǎi guǒ cǎo mù jiē jiǎ chè, jiě zhī shí dà yǐ zāi!In Jie we have (the trigram expressive of) peril going on to that expressive of movement. By movement there is an escape from the peril: - (this is the meaning of) Jie. 'In (the state indicated by) Jie, advantage will be found in the south-west:' - the movement (thus) intimated will win all. That 'there will be good fortune in coming back (to the old conditions)' shows that such action is that of the due medium. That 'if some operations be necessary, there will be good fortune in the early conducting of them' shows that such operations will be successful. When heaven and earth are freed (from the grasp of winter), we have thunder and rain. When these come, the buds of the plants and trees that produce the various fruits begin to burst. Great indeed are the phenomena in the time intimated by Jie.
象传: 雷雨作, 解; 君子以赦过宥罪 Xiàng zhuàn: Léi yǔ zuò, jiě; jūn zǐ yǐ shè guò yòu zuì(The trigram representing) thunder and that for rain, with these phenomena in a state of manifestation, form Jie. The superior man, in accordance with this, forgives errors, and deals gently with crimes.
初六: 无咎. Chū liù: wú jiù.
The first ‘six’, divided, shows that its subject will commit no error.
象传: 刚柔之际, 义无咎也. Xiàng zhuàn: Gāng róu zhī jì, yì wú jiù yě.The strong (fourth) line and the weak line here are in correlation: - we judge rightly in saying that ‘its subject will commit no error.’
九二: 田获三狐, 得黄矢, 贞吉. Jiǔ èr: tián huò sān hú, dé huáng shǐ, zhēn jí.
The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject catch, in hunting, three foxes, and obtain the yellow (= golden) arrows. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
象传: 九二: 田获三狐, 得黄矢, 贞吉. Xiàng zhuàn: Jiǔ èr: tián huò sān hú, dé huáng shǐ, zhēn jí.‘The good fortune springing from the firm correctness of the second ‘nine’, (undivided),’ is due to its subject holding the due mean.
六三: 负且乘, 致寇至, 贞吝. Liù sān: fù qiě chéng, zhì kòu zhì, zhēn lìn.The third ‘six’, divided, shows a porter with his burden, (yet) riding in a carriage. He will (only) tempt robbers to attack him. However firm and correct he may (try to) be, there will be cause for regret.
象传: 负且乘, 亦可丑也, 自我致戎, 又谁咎也. Xiàng zhuàn: Fù qiě chéng, yì kě chǒu yě, zì wǒ zhì róng, yòu shéi jiù yě.For ‘a porter with his burden to be riding in a carriage’ is a thing to be ashamed of. ‘It is he himself that tempts the robbers to come:’ - on whom besides can we lay the blame?
九四: 解而拇, 朋至斯孚. Jiǔ sì: jiě ér mǔ, péng zhì sī fú.(To the subject of) the fourth ‘nine’, undivided, (it is said), 'Remove your toes. Friends will (then) come, between you and whom there will be mutual confidence.'
象传: 解而拇, 未当位也. Xiàng zhuàn: Jiě ér mǔ, wèi dāng wèi yě.‘Remove your toes:’ - the places (of this line and of the third and first) are all inappropriate to them.
六五: 君子维有解, 吉; 有孚于小人. Liù wǔ: jūn zǐ wéi yǒu jiě, jí; yǒu fú yú xiǎo rén.The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows (its subject), the superior man (= the ruler), executing his function of removing (whatever is injurious to the idea of the hexagram), in which case there will he good fortune, and confidence in him will be shown even by the small men.
象传: 君子有解, 小人退也. Xiàng zhuàn: Jūn zǐ yǒu jiě, xiǎo rén tuì yě.When ‘the superior man executes his function of removing (whatever is injurious to the idea of the hexagram),’ small men will of themselves retire.
上六: 公用射隼于高墉之上, 获之, 无不利. Shàng liù: gōng yòng shè sǔn yú gāo yōng zhī shàng, huò zhī, wú bù lì.In the sixth ‘six’, divided, we see a feudal prince (with his bow) shooting at a falcon on the top of a high wall, and hitting it. (The effect of his action) will be in every way advantageous.
象传: 公用射隼, 以解悖也. Xiàng zhuàn: Gōng yòng shè sǔn, yǐ jiě bèi yě.‘A prince with his bow shoots a falcon:’ - thus he removes (the promoters of) rebellion.