蠱Corruption
gǔAlso known as “Work on What Has Been Spoiled” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Kû” (Legge)
In plain words
Wind below the mountain: stagnation that has bred corruption, like a bowl of worms. Great success for the one who steps in to repair what earlier generations spoiled.
The attitude it asks for
Diagnose carefully, act, then follow up; mending the inherited mess is honourable work.
Structure
卦辭 The Judgment
蠱：元亨，利涉大川。先甲三日，後甲三日。Kû indicates great progress and success (to him who deals properly with the condition represented by it). There will be advantage in (efforts like that of) crossing the great stream. (He should weigh well, however, the events of) three days before the turning point, and those (to be done) three days after it.
蠱，剛上而柔下，巽而止，蠱。蠱，元亨，而天下治也。利涉大川，往有事也。先甲三日，後甲三日，終則有始，天行也。In Kû we have the strong (trigram) above, and the weak one below; we have (below) pliancy, and (above) stopping:—these give the idea of Kû (a Troublous Condition of affairs verging to ruin). 'Kû indicates great progress and success:'—(through the course shown in it), all under heaven, there will be good order. 'There will be advantage in crossing the great stream:'—he who advances will encounter the business to be done. '(He should weigh well, however, the events of) three days before (the turning-point), and those (to be done) three days after it:'—the end (of confusion) is the beginning (of order); such is the procedure of Heaven.
山下有風，蠱；君子以振民育德。(The trigram for) a mountain, and below it that for wind, form Kû. The superior man, in accordance with this, (addresses himself to) help the people and nourish his own virtue.
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
- 上九Nine at the top
不事王侯，高尚其事。
The sixth line, undivided, shows us one who does not serve either king or feudal lord, but in a lofty spirit prefers (to attend to) his own affairs.
Its symbolism 不事王侯，志可則也。
'He does not serve either king or feudal lord:'—but his aim may be a model (to others).
- 六五Six in the fifth place
幹父之蠱，用譽。
The fifth line, divided, shows (a son) dealing with the troubles caused by his father. He obtains the praise of using (the fit instrument for his work).
Its symbolism 干父用譽；承以德也。
'He deals with the troubles caused by his father, and obtains praise:'—he is responded to (by the subject of line two) with all his virtue.
- 六四Six in the fourth place
裕父之蠱，往見吝。
The fourth line, divided, shows (a son) viewing indulgently the troubles caused by his father. If he go forward, he will find cause to regret it.
Its symbolism 裕父之蠱，往未得也。
'He views indulgently the troubles caused by his father:'—if he go forward, he will not succeed.
- 九三Nine in the third place
幹父之蠱，小有悔，无大咎。
The third line, undivided, shows (a son) dealing with the troubles caused by his father. There may be some small occasion for repentance, but there will not be any great error.
Its symbolism 幹父之蠱，終无咎也。
'He deals with the troubles caused by his father:'—in the end there will be no error.
- 九二Nine in the second place
幹母之蠱，不可貞。
The second line, undivided, shows (a son) dealing with the troubles caused by his mother. He should not (carry) his firm correctness (to the utmost).
Its symbolism 幹母之蠱，得中道也。
'He deals with the troubles caused by his mother:'—he holds to the course of the due mean.
- 初六Six at the beginning
幹父之蠱，有子，考无咎，厲終吉。
The first line, divided, shows (a son) dealing with the troubles caused by his father. If he be an (able) son, the father will escape the blame of having erred. The position is perilous, but there will be good fortune in the end.
Its symbolism 幹父之蠱，意承考也。
'He deals with the troubles caused by his father:'—he feels that he has entered into the work of his father.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Read 蠱 Corruption for a question about
古籍
From the classics
Two of the Ten Wings speak of every hexagram: the Sequence (Xù Guà) says why it follows the one before, the Miscellany (Zá Guà) sums it up in a phrase. Here is what they say of 蠱 gǔ · Corruption.
以喜隨人者，必有事，故受之以蠱；蠱者事也。Those who gladly follow others are sure to have affairs; therefore Gǔ follows. Gǔ means affairs.
iching.tools translation (from the Chinese)
隨无故也，蠱則飭也。Suí lets go of the old; Gǔ sets things right.
iching.tools translation (from the Chinese)
The classical Chinese is the authoritative text. Translations are iching.tools' own from the Chinese unless another translator is named; several attributions are traditional rather than historical (託名).
Questions about this hexagram
- What does Hexagram 18, Corruption, mean?
- Wind below the mountain: stagnation that has bred corruption, like a bowl of worms. Great success for the one who steps in to repair what earlier generations spoiled.
- Which trigrams form Corruption?
- 艮 above 巽 — mountain over wind. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 歸妹 Marrying the Younger Sister.
- What happens when a line of Corruption 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 Corruption in a reading?
- Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern - - — — - - - - — is Corruption. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).