Hexagram 35: Advance
Outer trigram (upper)
Ly
Fire · Fire
Inner trigram (lower)
Khôn
Earth · Earth
Judgment
晉：康侯用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接.
Translation
Advance (moving forward): a worthy lord is granted many horses by the king, and is received in audience three times in a single day.
Commentary
Li above represents light, Kun below represents yielding. Light paired with yielding brings advancement. Line 5, yin, holds the central position at the place of honor, yet in turn yields to line 2, yin, below (which itself holds the center). Advancing follows the pattern of the sun rising into the sky. The lord's virtue is in harmony with the king's, and so he is richly rewarded.
Line Readings
Line 1 (yin)
初六：晉如，摧如，貞吉，岡孚，裕，无咎.
Translation
Advancing, yet held back; holding to what is correct brings good fortune. Though not yet trusted, remaining calm and unhurried avoids blame.
Commentary
Line 1, yin, sits at the bottom, wanting to advance but held back. By staying correct and waiting patiently, one avoids blame even while not yet trusted.
Line 2 (yin)
六二：晉如，愁如，貞吉；受茲介福于其王母.
Translation
Advancing, yet anxious; holding to what is correct brings good fortune. Great blessing is received from the queen mother.
Commentary
Line 2, yin, holds both the center and the correct position. It advances with anxiety, since line 5 (also yin) cannot respond to it in the usual way. Yet by holding to what is correct, it receives blessing from the queen mother, line 5.
Line 3 (yin)
六三：眾允，悔亡.
Translation
Trusted by everyone; regret vanishes.
Commentary
Line 3, yin, is not in its correct position, but receives support from lines 4 and 5. Trusted by everyone, its regret disappears.
Line 4 (yang)
九四：晉如，鼫鼠，貞厲.
Translation
Advancing like a field rat, driven by greed; even holding to what is correct brings danger.
Commentary
Line 4, yang, holds neither the center nor the correct position. It advances with the greed of a field rat, and danger remains even if it tries to stay correct.
Line 5 (yin)
六五：悔亡，失得勿恤，往吉，无不利.
Translation
Regret vanishes; do not worry over gain or loss. Advancing brings good fortune — nothing is unfavorable.
Commentary
Line 5, yin, holds the central position at the place of honor. Unconcerned with gain or loss, it simply advances according to its centered, correct virtue — nothing is unfavorable.
Line 6 (yang)
上九：晉其角，維用伐邑，厲吉，无咎，貞吝.
Translation
Advancing to the horns, fit only for disciplining one's own town. Danger, yet good fortune; no blame, though holding to what is correct brings some regret.
Commentary
Line 6, yang, sits at the very top, advancing to its extreme like the horns of an animal. Its strength should be used only within a small scope, such as disciplining one's own town — not extended further.