Hexagram 9, line 4
六四Line 4 of Small Accumulation
Six in the fourth place · 小畜 xiǎo chù
爻辭 The line text
有孚，血去惕出，无咎。The fourth line, divided, shows its subject possessed of sincerity. The danger of bloodshed is thereby averted, and his (ground for) apprehension dismissed. There will be no mistake.
有孚惕出，上合志也。'He is possessed of sincerity; his (ground for) apprehension is dismissed:'—(the subjects of the lines) above agree in aim with him.
In plain words
The fourth line is the ruler: the single yin that holds back five yang lines, which is what the Tuan means by 'the soft gets its place and above and below respond to it.' Its text is 'sincere; blood goes away, fear comes out; no blame.' A weak line checking so much strength is in real danger, and only sincerity sees it through: bloodshed is averted and the anxiety is released. The small Image explains how — the lines above (五 and 上) 'share its aim' (上合志也). The restraint works because the ruler at five backs it, not because four is strong.
If this line is changing
You are holding back something stronger than yourself; rely on honesty and on the support of those above you, not on force, and the danger passes.
Where the line stands
- A broken line, yin — written 六 (six), the number of an old yin line that moves when cast.
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands.
- It belongs to the upper trigram 巽 Xun (the Gentle) (wind).
- It corresponds (應) with line 1: one yin and one yang, the two lines answer each other across the hexagram.
之卦 When this line moves
小畜 Small Accumulation becomes ䷀ 1 乾 Heaven
Pure yang, six unbroken lines: heaven in ceaseless motion. Creative force and leadership, pictured as a dragon rising stage by stage — hidden, in the field, flying, and finally overreaching.
What it becomes1 · 乾 HeavenqiánThe six lines of 小畜 Small Accumulation
- 初九Nine at the beginningreturning · one's own path · no blame
- 九二Nine in the second placedrawn back · central · not losing oneself
- 九三Nine in the third placespokes fall out · averted eyes · forcing it
- 六四Six in the fourth placesincerity · ruler of the hexagram · fear departs
- 九五Nine in the fifth placebound together · shared wealth · neighbour
- 上九Nine at the toprain has fallen · moon nearly full · do not advance
Read 小畜 Small Accumulation for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six in the fourth place of hexagram 9, Small Accumulation, mean?
- The fourth line is the ruler: the single yin that holds back five yang lines, which is what the Tuan means by 'the soft gets its place and above and below respond to it.' Its text is 'sincere; blood goes away, fear comes out; no blame.' A weak line checking so much strength is in real danger, and only sincerity sees it through: bloodshed is averted and the anxiety is released. The small Image explains how — the lines above (五 and 上) 'share its aim' (上合志也). The restraint works because the ruler at five backs it, not because four is strong.
- What does hexagram 9 become when line 4 changes?
- Small Accumulation becomes hexagram 1, 乾 Heaven: Pure yang, six unbroken lines: heaven in ceaseless motion. Creative force and leadership, pictured as a dragon rising stage by stage — hidden, in the field, flying, and finally overreaching.
- Is line 4 of Small Accumulation in its correct place?
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).