明夷
Míng Yí · Darkening of the Light
When the light is wounded, hide the flame and keep the sight.
The judgment
明夷：利艱貞。
Darkening of the light. It is favorable to stay true through hardship: the light is wounded, and survival is the first task.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex36.judgment.
The image
象曰：明入地中，明夷。君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。
Light goes into the earth: darkening. A capable person leads people by seeming dim while seeing clearly.
Received text; plain English after the Chinese. Source: 周易經傳 (public-domain). Passage: hex36.image.
When the light is wounded, hide the flame and keep the sight.
The six lines
Each line is a stage, from the bottom of the hexagram to the top. Open any line to read it in plain English.
初九 明夷於飛，垂其翼。 君子於行，三日不食， 有攸往，主人有言。 The bird flies with wings drooping; the capable person goes three days without food. There is somewhere to go, but the host will have words.
The bird flies with wings drooping; the capable person goes three days without food. There is somewhere to go, but the host will have words.
六二 明夷，夷於左股，用拯馬壯，吉。 The light is wounded in the left thigh. Rescue with a strong horse: good fortune. Get help fast.
The light is wounded in the left thigh. Rescue with a strong horse: good fortune. Get help fast.
九三 明夷於南狩，得其大首，不可疾貞。 Darkening in the southern hunt: you catch the chief. Do not rush the correction; even a right win needs time.
Darkening in the southern hunt: you catch the chief. Do not rush the correction; even a right win needs time.
六四 入於左腹，獲明夷之心，出於門庭。 You enter the left side of the belly, get the heart of the darkening, and come out through the gate. You finally understand what is really driving it.
You enter the left side of the belly, get the heart of the darkening, and come out through the gate. You finally understand what is really driving it.
六五 箕子之明夷，利貞。 The darkening of Jizi: it is favorable to stay true. He hid his light inside and survived to be useful.
The darkening of Jizi: it is favorable to stay true. He hid his light inside and survived to be useful.
上六 不明晦，初登于天，後入於地。 Not light but dark. First it climbs to heaven, then it falls into the earth: a brightness that had no root.
Not light but dark. First it climbs to heaven, then it falls into the earth: a brightness that had no root.