离 Lí Shining (Brightness) [hexagram 30]
Fire element
Mid-Summer (Summer Solstice) ; Host or Controlling line : 2
离: 利贞, 亨. 畜牝牛, 吉. Lí: lì zhēn, hēng. chù pìn niú, jí.
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.
彖传: 离, 丽也; 日月丽乎天, 百谷草木丽乎土, 重明以丽乎正, 乃化成天下. 柔丽乎中正, 故亨; 是以畜牝牛吉也. Tuàn zhuàn: Lí, lì yě; rì yuè lì hū tiān, bǎi gǔ cǎo mù lì hū tǔ, chóng míng yǐ lì hū zhèng, nǎi huà chéng tiān xià. róu lì hū zhōng zhèng, gù hēng; shì yǐ chù pìn niú jí yě.Li means being attached to. The sun and moon have their place in the sky. All the grains, grass, and trees have their place on the earth. The double brightness (of the two trigrams) adheres to what is correct, and the result is the transforming and perfecting all under the sky. The weak (second line) occupies the middle and correct position, and gives the indication of 'a free and successful course;' and, moreover, 'nourishing (docility like that of) the cow' will lead to good fortune.
象传: 明两作离, 大人以继明照于四方. Xiàng zhuàn: Míng liǎng zuò lí, dà ren yǐ jìmíng zhào yú sì fāng.(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).
初九: 履错然, 敬之无咎. Chū jiǔ: lǚ cuò rán, jìng zhī wú jiù.
The first ‘nine’, undivided, shows one ready to move with confused steps. But he treads at the same time reverently, and there will be no mistake.
象传: 履错之敬, 以辟咎也. Xiàng zhuàn: Lǔ: cuò zhī jìng, yǐ bì jiù yě.'The reverent attention directed to his confused steps' is the way by which error is avoided.
六二: 黄离, 元吉. Liù èr: huáng lí, yuán jí.
The second ‘six’, divided, shows its subject in his place in yellow. There will be great good fortune.
象传: 黄离元吉, 得中道也. Xiàng zhuàn: Huáng lí yuán jí, dé zhòng dào yě.'The great good fortune (from the subject of the second line) occupying his place in yellow' is owing to his holding the course of the due mean.
九三: 日昃之离, 不鼓缶而歌, 则大耋之嗟, 凶. Jiǔ sān: rì zè zhī lí, bù gǔ fǒu ér gē, zé dà dié zhī jiē, xiōng.
The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject 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.
象传: 日昃之离, 何可久也. Xiàng zhuàn: Rì zè zhī lí, hé kě jiǔ yě.'A position like that of the declining sun:' - how can it continue long?
九四: 突如其来如, 焚如, 死如, 弃如. Jiǔ sì: tū rú qí lái rú, fén rú, sǐ rú, qì rú.The fourth ‘nine’, undivided, shows the manner of its subject's coming. How abrupt it is, as with fire, with death, to be rejected (by all)!
象传: 突如其来如, 无所容也. Xiàng zhuàn: Tū rú qí lái rú, wú suǒ róng yě.'How abrupt is the manner of his coming!' - none can bear with him.
六五: 出涕沱若, 戚嗟若, 吉. Liù wǔ: chū tì tuó ruò, qī jiē ruò, jí.The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject as one with tears flowing in torrents, and groaning in sorrow. There will be good fortune.
象传: 六五之吉, 离王公也. Xiàng zhuàn: Liù wǔ zhī jí, lí wáng gōng yě.'The good fortune attached to the fifth ‘six’, divided),' is due to its occupying the place of a king or a prince.
上九: 王用出征, 有嘉折首, 获匪其丑, 无咎. Shàng jiǔ: wáng yòng chū zhēng, yǒu jiā zhé shǒu, huò fěi qí chǒu, wú jiù.The topmost ‘nine’, undivided, shows the king employing its subject in his punitive expeditions. Achieving admirable (merit), he breaks (only) the chiefs (of the rebels). Where his prisoners were not their associates, he does not punish. There will be no error.
象传: 王用出征, 以正邦也. Xiàng zhuàn: Wáng yòng chū zhēng, yǐ zhèng bāng yě.'The king employs him in his punitive expeditions:' - the object is to bring the regions to a correct state.