#36 明夷 Darkening – Taking Cover

 

#36 明夷 Darkening – Taking Cover & Keep Integrity

明夷  地火明夷  坤上离下

This hexagram has the Earth trigram covering the Fire trigram. The light of Fire is covered by the Earth meaning darkness. 夷 means barbarian.  明 means clear and bright. The hexagram represents the barbarians are in charge. It is the time of darkness. While the external is darkness, the inside is brightness showing the need for the righteous wise men to take cover at this time and wait for the right opportunity in the future.

Description:

1. 利艰贞: Beneficial for perseverance in righteousness in spite of the tough situation,

Textual Commentary:

彖曰：明入地中，明夷。 内文明而外柔顺，以蒙大难，文王以之。 利艰贞， 晦其明也， 内难而能正其志， 箕子以之。

Brightness entering the earth is called 明夷 Darkening. The internal is civilized while the external is showing obedience. This is to take cover under great distress. This is the situation experienced by King Zhou Wen Wang (He was imprisoned by the Shang Dynasty last King Zhou (紂王; Zhòu Wáng – a bad king that brought about the downfall of Shang). The others that opposed King Zhou openly were executed). It is beneficial to persevere in righteousness in spite of the tough times. Covering one righteous brightness is needed. Difficult situations train the strength of one’s determination and will. This is the example of Ji Zhi (a wise man of good moral character too. His proposals and corrections were rejected by King Zhou and he acted like a madman to escape execution.)

Pictorial Commentary: 象曰：明入地中，明夷；君子以莅众，用晦而明。
Brightness entering the earth is called 明夷 Darkening. Wise men do likewise in living with a mass of people. They cover their capabilities (literally they darken themselves) and yet maintain their righteous character (literally brightness and understanding).

Moral Teaching:

1. When the situation is dominated by barbarians (people without good moral characters and understanding), in time of darkness, we should
   1. take cover (i.e. We don’t join them in their evil practices and hence we will most likely to demoted, put in cold storage, or even asked to leave)
   2. still, maintain our good moral character in whatever small ways possible.
2. We persevere in righteousness.
3. We are at peace with ourselves even though we are being put in cold storage.

Stage 1 Begin Nine: The darkness has come during the flight. We lower our wings. Wise men in their travel did not take food for three days. There is a place to go to. The host complained. 初九：明夷于飞，垂其翼。 君子于行，三日不食， 有攸往，主人有言。

The pictorial commentary explains that wise men do not want to join their company and earn their pay (literally eat). 象曰：君子于行，义不食也。

Since the darkness has come, it is not a good time to travel and do things. Wise men rather forgo good food and a high salary than participate in the work of darkness.

Stage 2 Second Six: Darkness has come, in the form of injury, into the left thigh. Rescues come with the strength of a horse. It is a blessing – good fortune. 六二：明夷，夷于左股，用拯马壮，吉。

The pictorial commentary explains that the fortune of this stage comes from being obedient and following the right example.  象曰：六二之吉，顺以则也。

If we keep on the righteous path, in spite of the darkness, then there will come a time of breakthrough. The breakthrough comes not because we fight back but because we did not. We in fact suffer injury. We don’t pay back evil with evil but overcome evil with good.

Stage 3 Third Nine: Darkness falls on the southern hunting ground. Capture the big chief.  Should not expect a quick return to righteousness. 九三：明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾贞。
The pictorial commentary explains that the purpose of going south for the hunt is to achieve big gains. 象曰：南狩之志，乃大得也。

This is a big step forward with the bad Chief being captured. But because of corruption has been in existence from top to bottom, it still takes time to recover and transform the whole organization.

Stage 4 Fourth Six: Enter into the left abdomen to capture the heart of darkness and then get out of the courtyard. 六四：入于左腹，获明夷之心，出于门庭。
The pictorial commentary explains that entering the left abdomen is to gain the will of the heart. 象曰：入于左腹，获心意也。

To truly complete a transformation, we must gain the hearts of the people. We must have the willingness and commitment to follow righteous behaviors.

Stage 5 Fifth Six: Follow the example of Ji Zhi in handling darkness. Beneficial to persevere in righteousness. 六五：箕子之明夷，利贞。
The pictorial commentary explains that the purity and righteousness of Ji Zhi demonstrate that brightness cannot be overcome and stopped. 象曰：箕子之贞，明不可息也。

We explained above the story of Ji Zhi trying to persuade his relative, the bad King Zhou, to change his ways without success. He later feigned madness so that he could stay in the King's Court and hoped that one day King Zhou would change and he could serve again. King Zhou was later overthrown by King Wen to set up a new dynasty of Zhou. Ji Zhi, being loyal to the Shang Dynasty did not want to serve in Zhou and left to build a country in Korea. The teaching of this stage line is that the light of righteousness will come back. Light cannot be overcome by darkness.

Stage 6 Top Six: The darkness first reaches up to the sky and then goes into the earth. 上六：不明晦，初登于天，后入于地。
Pictorial Commentary explains that the darkness that reaches up the sky and covers the four countries, in the beginning, will go back into the ground. This is because it has lost the right ways.  象曰：初登于天，照四国也。 后入于地，失则也。

Summary:

In times of darkness and evil taking control, we must maintain our righteousness. We don’t join in the bad and evil practices. We accept the demotion and are at peace with that. We try to do in whatever small ways we can in righteous behavior.

Wisdom from the Stage Lines:

1. Don’t earn a living in the work of darkness.
2. Overcome evil with good. This is the more powerful way.
3. Capture the Chief as the first step to transformation.
4. Transform the hearts of people from bad to good.
5. The light of righteousness will overcome darkness. Continue the transformation.
6. Complete the transformation – Darkness is gone completely.

Lim Liat (c) 20/5/2010