Hexagram 18: Repairing Decay
Outer trigram (upper)
Cấn
Mountain · Earth
Inner trigram (lower)
Tốn
Wind · Wood
Judgment
蠱：元亨，利涉大川．先甲三日，後甲三日.
Translation
Decay: supreme success; it is favorable to cross the great river. Three days before the jia day, and three days after the jia day.
Commentary
Gen (Mountain) is above, representing stillness; Xun (Wind) is below, representing compliance. When stillness meets compliance, affairs stagnate and decay sets in. "Gu" pictures a vessel infested with insects — a thing gone to rot. Yet recognizing the need to repair what has decayed leads to great success. The reference to three days before and three days after the jia day means that careful planning is needed both before and after beginning the repair.
Line Readings
Line 1 (yin)
初六：幹父之蠱，有子，考无咎，厲，終吉.
Translation
Repairing the decay left by the father. Having a child capable of this means the father bears no blame. Though there is danger at first, it turns out well in the end.
Commentary
Line 1, yin, sits at the bottom and corresponds to Line 4, yang, above. The child (Line 1) correcting the father's mistakes (Line 4) is an act of filial devotion, though a difficult one. Despite the danger involved, the outcome is ultimately good.
Line 2 (yang)
九二：幹母之蠱，不可貞.
Translation
Repairing the decay left by the mother — one must not be too rigid about it.
Commentary
Line 2, yang, corresponds to Line 5, yin (the mother). Correcting a mother's mistakes calls for tact and warmth — one cannot be too forceful, but must proceed gently and skillfully.
Line 3 (yang)
九三：幹父之蠱，小有悔，无大咎.
Translation
Repairing the decay left by the father — there is some cause for regret, but no serious fault.
Commentary
Line 3, yang, is firm but off-center, so its correction of the father's mistakes goes somewhat too far, giving cause for mild regret; but because the intention is good, there is no serious fault.
Line 4 (yin)
六四：裕父之蠱，往見吝.
Translation
Being overly lenient about the father's decay — pressing forward under these terms leads to regret.
Commentary
Line 4, yin and yielding, is too accommodating and lacks the resolve to firmly correct the father's mistakes; acting this way leads to regret.
Line 5 (yin)
六五：幹父之蠱，用譽.
Translation
Repairing the decay left by the father, and earning praise for it.
Commentary
Line 5, yin, is centered in the position of honor and corresponds to Line 2. It repairs the father's decay and earns praise because it knows how to employ a worthy person (Line 2).
Line 6 (yang)
上九：不事王侯，高尚其事.
Translation
Not serving kings or lords, regarding one's own pursuits as noble in themselves.
Commentary
Line 6, yang, sits at the very top, free of all worldly ties. It refuses to serve as anyone's subject, and regards its own life of quiet withdrawal and cultivation of virtue as noble in itself. This is the line of the worthy person living in retirement.