Yijing CompassI Ching reading
All hexagrams

Hexagram 41 · King Wen sequence

Purposeful Decrease

損 · sǔn

Modern reflection

Deliberate decrease can restore balance and reveal priorities.

Lower trigram: 兌 Lake
Upper trigram: 艮 Mountain

Historical source

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.

(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.

James Legge, 1882, public domain. Historical wording is shown for source transparency, not as a guaranteed prediction.

Changing-line passages

  1. Line 1The first NINE, 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).
  2. Line 2The second NINE, 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
  3. Line 3The third SIX, divided, shows how of three men walking together, the number is diminished by one; and how one, walking, finds his friend.
  4. Line 4The fourth SIX, 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.
  5. Line 5The fifth SIX, 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.
  6. Line 6The topmost NINE, 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.

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