Hexagram 36
Darkening of the Light - Ming Yi
明夷
Meaning and Overview
The upper trigram of the Ming Yi hexagram is Kun, representing Earth, and the lower trigram is Li, representing the Sun. The sun sinking beneath the earth signifies nightfall, with light obscured—this is the image of Ming Yi. This hexagram is very inauspicious, indicating encountering a great crisis and falling into severe darkness. The text uses the dangers faced by King Wen and Jizi to illustrate how to respond to the immense crisis during the time of Ming Yi. Two methods are adopted: the first is 'inner brilliance with outer gentleness,' like King Wen, who, when his strength was far inferior to that of the Shang king and he was trapped in the Youli prison, could only first recognize the situation, cultivate the way of gentleness, show loyalty to the Shang king, wait for the right moment, and resolve the crisis. The second method is like Jizi, who feigned madness, i.e., 'obscuring his light,' hiding his intelligence and wisdom, pretending to be confused and foolish. Jizi's feigned madness preserved his life, and after King Wu overthrew the Shang, he was enfeoffed in Korea. The 'Great Plan' in the Book of Documents is the great governing law that Jizi presented to King Wu. 'Obscuring the light' means hiding one's brilliance and biding one's time. During the Three Kingdoms period, Sima Yi also used this tactic of feigning confusion to defeat Cao Zhen and seize the Cao family's regime. From the Ming Yi hexagram, it can be seen that sometimes deliberately showing weakness and foolishness to the enemy to numb and deceive them, and to slip through, is also a wise strategy for dealing with crises. The hexagram statement of Ming Yi is simple: 'Favorable to be firm and correct in difficult circumstances.' In fact, the correct way in difficult circumstances is 'obscuring the light,' i.e., hiding one's brilliance and biding one's time. Therefore, all six lines of Ming Yi revolve around this point. The first line (initial nine) adopts the strategy of hiding one's brilliance, traveling by night without being noticed.
Chinese Interpretation
《明夷》卦上卦是坤，为地，下卦是离，为日。太阳落入地下，就是晚上了，光明被掩盖，这就是《明夷》卦的卦象。《明夷》卦是很不好的卦，意味着遭遇到巨大危机，陷入严重的黑暗之中。辞以文王和箕子所遭遇到的危难来说明如何应对明夷之时的巨大危机。采取的方法有两个，一个方法是“内文明而外柔顺”，像文王一样，实力与商王相比严重不足时，陷入羑里之厄，只能首先认清形势，修柔顺之道，向商王表明忠心，等待时机，解除危机。第二个方法是像箕子一样，装疯作傻，即“晦其明也”，将聪明才智掩盖起来，装糊涂装傻，箕子佯狂，保全了自己，在武王伐纣后，被武王分封到朝鲜，《尚书·洪范》就是箕子向武王进献的治国大法，“晦其明”，即韬光养晦。三国时司马懿也是用装糊涂这一招战胜了曹真，夺取了曹氏政权。从《明夷》卦可以看出，有时故意向敌人示弱示愚，以麻痹、蒙蔽敌人，蒙混过关，也是一种高明的应对危机的策略。《明夷》卦辞简单，“利艰贞”，有利于在艰难困苦中坚守正道。实际上艰难困苦中的正道就是“晦其明也”，即韬光养晦。因此，《明夷》卦六爻都是围绕这点展开的。初九爻是采取韬光养晦策略，乘夜晚不被人发觉，赶路。
Line Interpretations
These passages include the core hexagram statement, the six moving line texts, and traditional commentary where available. Read them as layered guidance: the early lines describe the root of the situation, while later lines reveal development, pressure, and outcome.
利艰贞。
利于在艰难处境中坚守正道。
Favorable to be firm and correct in difficult circumstances.
It is beneficial to uphold righteousness in times of hardship.
初九，明夷于飞，垂其翼；君子于行，三日不食。有攸往，主人有言。
初九爻，太阳落山了，光线暗淡下来，鸟儿为了躲避灾祸，急匆匆地飞离开，低垂着翅膀，以免发出响声，让人发觉。君子要躲避灾祸，急匆匆地赶路，接连三天连饭都来不及吃。急于赶路往前走，主人不明白，讲了一些责怪君子的话。
The darkening of the light as in flight, with drooping wings. The superior man travels, for three days without food. Wherever he goes, the host speaks against him.
The first nine line: The sun has set, the light dims. Birds, to avoid disaster, hurriedly fly away with drooping wings to avoid making sounds and being noticed. The superior man, to avoid calamity, hurries on his journey, not even having time to eat for three days. In his haste to move forward, the host does not understand and speaks words of blame against the superior man.
六二，明夷，夷于左股，用拯马壮，吉。
六二爻，光明被遮蔽，左边大腿受了伤，用一匹健壮的马来救助伤者，吉祥。
The darkening of the light wounds the left thigh. He uses a strong horse to rescue, good fortune.
The second six line: The light is obscured, the left thigh is injured. Use a strong horse to rescue the injured, auspicious.
九三，明夷于南狩，得其大首。不可疾，贞。
九三爻，光明被遮蔽，去南方巡狩征讨，俘获了敌军最高首领；不能够急躁，应坚守正道。
The darkening of the light in the southern hunt, captures their great chief. Do not be hasty, be firm and correct.
The third nine line: The light is obscured, go on a southern hunt and capture the enemy's supreme leader. Do not be impatient; adhere to righteousness.
六四，入于左腹，获明夷之心，于出门庭。
六四爻，进入左边腹心里，获得了光明被遮蔽时的心里的真实意图，决定走出门庭。
He enters the left side of the belly, obtains the heart of the darkening of the light, and then leaves the gate and courtyard.
The fourth six line: Enter the left side of the heart, obtain the true intention during the darkening of the light, and decide to leave the gate and courtyard.
六五，箕子之明夷，利贞。
六五爻，箕子假装发疯，掩盖隐藏自己的聪明与智慧，利于坚守正道。
The darkening of the light of Jizi, favorable to be firm and correct.
The fifth six line: Jizi feigns madness, concealing his intelligence and wisdom. It is beneficial to uphold righteousness.
上六，不明晦，初登于天，后入于地。
上六爻，光明被遮蔽，黑暗一片。开始时升到了天上，后来就落到了地下。
Not light but darkness. First he ascended to heaven, later he entered the earth.
The top six line: The light is obscured, total darkness. At first it ascended to heaven, later it fell to the earth.