Li
Radiant Clarity
When you receive Hexagram 30, Li, the I Ching turns your attention to radiant clarity. Li. Below is its judgment, its image, and the meaning of each changing line.
The Judgment
Li. Advantage in holding firm and correct. Success and free course. Let him nourish a docility like that of the cow. Good fortune.
Classical (Legge)Li indicates that, (in regard to what it denotes), it will be advantageous to be firm and correct, and that thus there will be free course and success. Let (its subject) also nourish (a docility like that of) the cow, and there will be good fortune.
The Image
Brightness doubled. The great one cultivates ever more brilliant virtue, and spreads its light across the four quarters.
Classical (Legge)(The trigram for) brightness, repeated, forms Li. The great man, in accordance with this, cultivates more and more his brilliant (virtue), and diffuses its brightness over the four quarters (of the land).
The Changing Lines
Footprints in confusion. With reverence, no error.
Classical (Legge)(The subject) shows a confused variety of footprints. But with due caution there will be no error.
In the place of yellow, the center. Great good fortune.
Classical (Legge)(The subject) is in the place (signified by) yellow (and central correctness). There will be great good fortune.
In the light of the declining sun. Instead of playing his earthenware drum and singing, he groans like an old man of eighty. Misfortune.
Classical (Legge)(The subject) is in a position like that of the declining sun. Instead of playing on his instrument of earthenware, and singing to it, he utters the groans of an old man of eighty. There will be evil.
How abrupt his coming. Burned, dead, thrown away.
Classical (Legge)How abrupt is (the manner of) his coming! (Unrecognised,) he would be burned, would die, would be thrown away.
Tears pour out in torrents, groaning in sorrow. Good fortune.
Classical (Legge)(The subject) pours out his tears in torrents, groaning in sorrow. There will be good fortune.
The king sends him on a punitive expedition. Achieving admirable merit, he breaks only the chiefs of the rebels. Prisoners who are not associates go unpunished. No error.
Classical (Legge)The king employs (the subject of this line) in his punitive expedition. Achieving admirable (merit), he breaks (only) the chiefs (of the rebels). Where his prisoners are not their associates, he does not punish. There will be no error.
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