sǔnAlso known as “Decrease” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Sun” (Legge)
decreasesacrificesimplification
In plain words
The lake at the foot of the mountain giving up its moisture: decrease. Sincerity makes even decrease supremely fortunate — two bowls of simple food suffice for the offering.
The attitude it asks for
Cut what is excessive — anger, desire, expense — and give willingly; what is lost below strengthens what is above.
In (what is denoted by) Sun, if there be sincerity (in him who employs it), there will be great good fortune:—freedom from error; firmness and correctness that can be maintained; and advantage in every movement that shall be made. In what shall this (sincerity in the exercise of Sun) be employed? (Even) in sacrifice two baskets of grain, (though there be nothing else), may be presented.
In Sun (we see) the lower (trigram) diminished, and the upper added to. (But) the method (of action) implied in this operates also above (or, mounts upwards (also) and operates).
'If there be sincerity in this method of diminution, there will be great good fortune; freedom from error; firmness and correctness that can be maintained; and advantage in every movement that shall be made. In what shall this (sincerity in the exercise of Sun) be employed? (Even) in sacrifice, two baskets of grain, (though there be nothing else), may be presented:'—for these two baskets there ought to be the fitting time. There is a time when the strong should be diminished, and the weak should be strengthened. Diminution and increase, overflowing and emptiness:—these take place in harmony with the conditions of the time.
The Image
山下有澤，損；君子以懲忿窒欲。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and beneath it that for the waters of a marsh form Sun. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains his wrath and represses his desires.
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
上九Nine at the top
弗損益之，无咎，貞吉，利有攸往，得臣无家。
The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject giving increase to others without taking from himself. There will be no error. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. There will be advantage in every movement that shall be made. He will find ministers more than can be counted by their clans.
Its symbolism
弗損益之，大得志也。
'He gives increase to others without taking from what is his own:'—he obtains his wish on a grand scale.
The fifth line, divided, shows parties adding to (the stores of) its subject ten pairs of tortoise shells, and accepting no refusal. There will be great good fortune.
Its symbolism
六五元吉，自上佑也。
'The great good fortune attached to the fifth line, divided,' is due to the blessing from above.
The fourth line, divided, shows its subject diminishing the ailment under which he labours by making (the subject of the first line) hasten (to his help), and make him glad. There will be no error.
Its symbolism
損其疾，亦可喜也。
'He diminishes the ailment under which he labours:'—this is matter for joy.
The second line, undivided, shows that it will be advantageous for its subject to maintain a firm correctness, and that action on his part will be evil. He can give increase (to his correlate) without taking from himself.
Its symbolism
九二利貞，中以為志也。
'It will be advantageous for (the subject of) the second line, undivided, to maintain his firm correctness:'—his central position gives its character to his aim.
The first line, undivided, shows its subject suspending his own affairs, and hurrying away (to help the subject of the fourth line). He will commit no error, but let him consider how far he should contribute of what is his (for the other).
Its symbolism
巳事遄往，尚合志也。
'He suspends his own affairs and hurries away (to help the subject of the fourth line):'—the (subject of that) upper (line) mingles his wishes with his.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Questions about this hexagram
What does Hexagram 41, Diminishing, mean?
The lake at the foot of the mountain giving up its moisture: decrease. Sincerity makes even decrease supremely fortunate — two bowls of simple food suffice for the offering.
Which trigrams form Diminishing?
艮 above 兌 — mountain over lake. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 復 Returning.
What happens when a line of Diminishing changes?
A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.
How do I get Diminishing in a reading?
Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern — — - - - - - - — is Diminishing. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.