Hexagram 61
Zhong Fu (Inner Truth) - Wind over Lake
中孚
Meaning and Overview
The hexagram Zhong Fu (Inner Truth) has the upper trigram Xun (Wind) and the lower trigram Dui (Lake). Wind over the lake represents the monsoons or trade winds over the ocean. Xun also symbolizes wood, and wood on the lake signifies a boat. To navigate a boat, one must grasp the seasonal patterns of the wind, thus Zhong Fu represents sincerity and trustworthiness. Additionally, the hexagram has two yin lines in the center (six in the third and fourth positions) and four yang lines on the outside (nine at the first, second, fifth, and top positions), resembling an eggshell: hard and yang on the outside, soft and yin inside. When the egg hatches, new life emerges. The Tuan Zhuan says: 'Zhong Fu: the soft within and the firm in the middle; joy and compliance; sincerity transforms the state.' Like a mother bird incubating her eggs with focused sincerity, one can transform the people of the state. 'Favorable to cross the great river' means riding on an empty wooden boat. The upper trigram Xun, representing wind and wood, also signifies a boat, so it is favorable to cross the great river. The hexagram statement says: 'Pigs and fish bring good fortune; favorable to cross the great river; favorable to be steadfast.' The reason Zhong Fu is favorable for steadfastness is that its resonance aligns with the natural laws of heaven. The Commentary says: 'Zhong Fu's benefit in steadfastness lies in responding to heaven.' The second line uses the mother crane's call and the young crane's response to illustrate mutual resonance between mother and child, where sincerity and emotion arise from the natural way of heaven, without any pretense. The fifth line also says: 'Having sincerity linked together, no blame.' With sincerity and close unity, there is no fault. The top line says: 'The sound of the sacrificial fowl rises to heaven; steadfastness brings misfortune.' The rooster used in sacrifice is called 'Han Yin'; its crowing at dawn is very punctual—first crow, second crow, and crow at daybreak—the ancients used rooster crows to tell time.
Chinese Interpretation
《中孚》卦上卦为巽为风，下卦为兑为泽，泽上有风，即是大洋上的季风、信风，巽为木，泽上有木，则是船，行船必须要掌握季风的时间规律，因此，《中孚》卦表示诚信。另外，《中孚》卦是中间两爻六三、六四为阴爻，外面四爻即初九、九二与九五、上九为阳爻，就像一个蛋壳一样，外面坚硬，是阳，里面蛋白蛋黄柔软，是阴。蛋孵化后就会诞生新的禽鸟等生命。《彖传》说：“中孚，柔在内而刚得中，说而巽，孚乃化邦也。”像孵化鸟蛋的母禽一样，专心诚实孵化百姓，那么也会感化邦国的百姓。“利涉大川”，乘木舟虚也”，上卦巽为风为木，也表示舟船，因此，利于渡过大河，卦辞说：“豚鱼吉，利涉大川，利贞。”《中孚》卦之所以利贞，是因为《中孚》卦的感应符合天道自然规律，《传》说：“中孚以利贞，乃应乎天也。”九二爻以母鹤鸣叫仔鹤呼应说明母子互相感应，其诚信与情感出于天道自然，没有丝毫虚伪与做作，九五爻也说：“有孚挛如，无咎。”有诚信，紧密团结，不会有过错。上九爻说：“翰音登于天，贞凶。”祭祀用的鸡称作翰音，公鸡的鸣叫报晓是非常准时的，头鸡叫、二鸡叫、天亮时鸡叫，古人就是根据鸡叫来判断时间。
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.
豚鱼吉，利涉大川，利贞。
士庶人用小猪小鱼的荐礼祭祀，获得吉祥，有利于渡过大河，有利于坚守正道。
Pigs and fish bring good fortune; favorable to cross the great river; favorable to be steadfast.
Common people offer pigs and fish in sacrifice, obtaining good fortune; it is favorable to cross the great river and favorable to adhere to the correct path.
初九，虞吉，有它不燕。
初九爻，举行虞祭之后易为吉祭，中间有其他祭事但无祭毕燕饮之事。
The first nine: Preparatory sacrifice brings good fortune; if there are other matters, there is no repose.
The first line: After the preparatory sacrifice, it becomes auspicious; though there are other sacrificial matters, there is no feast after the sacrifice.
九二，鸣鹤在阴，其子和之。我有好爵，吾与尔靡之。
九二爻，母鹤在树荫下鸣叫，呼唤小鹤，小鹤们纷纷应答着跑拢来。我有好酒，我愿与嘉宾们共同享用。
The second nine: A crane calling in the shade; its young answer it. I have a good cup of wine; I will share it with you.
The second line: The mother crane calls in the shade, summoning her young; the young respond and gather. I have fine wine; I wish to share it with honored guests.
六三，得敌，或鼓或罢，或泣或歌。
六三爻，碰上了劲敌，或者鸣鼓冒进，或者疲惫撤退，或者哭泣叹息，或者歌唱庆幸。
The third six: Encountering an enemy; now drumming, now stopping; now weeping, now singing.
The third line: Encountering a formidable enemy; sometimes beating drums and advancing, sometimes weary and retreating; sometimes weeping and sighing, sometimes singing in relief.
六四，月几望，马匹亡，无咎。
六四爻，月亮快要圆了，快要到望月了，马匹死了，根据马质等礼制规定，不会有过错。
The fourth six: The moon nearly full; the horse disappears; no blame.
The fourth line: The moon is nearly full, approaching the full moon; the horse dies; according to ritual regulations regarding horse quality, there is no fault.
九五，有孚挛如，无咎。
九五爻，有诚信牵系百姓之心，不会有过错。
The fifth nine: Having sincerity linked together; no blame.
The fifth line: Having sincerity that binds the hearts of the people; there is no fault.
上九，翰音登于天，贞凶。
上九爻，祭祀用的鸡，叫声闻于上天，占卜有凶险。
The top nine: The sound of the sacrificial fowl rises to heaven; steadfastness brings misfortune.
The top line: The rooster used in sacrifice, its cry reaches heaven; divination indicates danger.