I Ching Hexagram 26 - Great Accumulation

Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 26 "Great Accumulation"

Nov 28, 2023

大畜 - Dà Xù
Sơn Thiên Đại Súc
Great Accumulation

Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☶ Gen, Mountain
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☰ Qian, Heaven

Other Titles: The Taming Power of the Great, Controlled Power, The Great Nourisher, Taming the Great Powers, Great Accumulating, Great Storage, Nurturance of the Great, Great Buildup, Restraint of the Great, Restraint by the Strong, Potential Energy, The Great Taming Force, Energy Under Control, Power Restrained, Sublimation, Latent Power.

English Translations & Interpretations

The Judgement

Wilhelm/Baynes: The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.

Legge: Controlled Power means being firm and correct. If its subject doesn't enjoy his family revenues at the expense of public service, there will be good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great stream.

Blofeld: The Great Nourisher favors righteous persistence. Good fortune results from not eating at home. It is a favorable time for crossing the great river (sea). [I.e. going on a long journey, perhaps abroad.]

Liu: Taming the Great Powers. Persistence benefits. Not to eat at home is good fortune. It is of benefit to cross the great water.

Shaughnessy: Great Storage: Beneficial to determine; not eating at home is auspicious; beneficial to ford the great river.

Cleary (1): In Nurturance of the Great it is beneficial to be chaste. It is good not to eat at home; it is beneficial to cross great rivers. [This hexagram represents incubation nurturing the spiritual embryo. On this path, it is beneficial to still strength, not to use strength. Therefore it says: “it is beneficial to be chaste.” Chastity here means quietude. Stilling strength is nurturing strength. It is good to be still, not active – if one is still, this preserves strength; if one is active, this damages strength. This is the work referred to as “nine years facing a wall.”]

Cleary (2): Great Buildup is beneficial if correct, etc.

Wu: Restraint of the Great indicates prosperity and perseverance. It will be auspicious not to have meals at home. It will be advantageous to cross the big river. [The character chu in the present context has two meanings: one is to accumulate and the other to restrain.]

The Image

Wilhelm/Baynes: Heaven within the mountain: the image of the Taming Power of the Great. Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity and many deeds of the past, in order to strengthen his character thereby.

Legge: Heaven in the midst of the mountain -- the image of Controlled Power. Thus, the superior man studies the words and deeds of ancient men in order to build his virtue.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes the sky visible amidst the mountain peaks. The Superior Man, acting from his profound knowledge of the words and conduct of the wise men of old, nourishes his virtue. [The arrangement of the component trigrams suggests glimpses of the sky among the peaks of the mountains. This points to something very far off and thereby indicates the advisability of setting out for some distant place. This is a time for going from home and giving concrete expression to our appreciation of what others have done for us or for the public good.]

Liu: Heaven within the mountain symbolizes Taming the Great Powers. The wise man studies ancient knowledge to improve his character.

Cleary (1): Heaven is in the mountains, great accumulation. Thus do superior people become acquainted with many precedents of speech and action, in order to accumulate virtue.

Cleary (2): …Leaders build up their virtues by abundant knowledge of past words and deeds.

Wu: Heaven is within the mountain; this is Restraint of the Great. Thus the jun zi accumulates his virtue by remembering past words and deeds.

Line 1

初九．有厲．利已．

Wilhelm/Baynes: Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.

Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject in a position of peril. It will be advantageous for him to stop his advance.

Blofeld: Trouble threatens -- it would be wise to bring activities to a halt.

Liu: When one meets danger, it is better to stop.

Shaughnessy: There is danger; beneficial to stop.

Cleary (1): There is danger; it is beneficial to stop.

Cleary (2): There is danger; help yourself.

Wu: There is danger ahead. It will be advantageous to stop here.

Line 2

九二: 輿說輹．

Wilhelm/Baynes: The axletrees are taken from the wagon.

Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows a carriage with the strap under it removed.

Blofeld: A broken axle.

Liu: The axletree separates from the wagon.

Shaughnessy: The cart throws off an axle-strut.

Cleary (1): A cart is divested of its axles.

Cleary (2): A cart has its axles removed.

Wu: The wooden pieces holding the axle firmly underneath a carriage come off.

Line 3

九三: 良馬逐; 利艱貞．日閑輿衛, 利有攸往．

Wilhelm/Baynes: A good horse that follows others. Awareness of danger, with perseverance, furthers. Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject urging his way with good horses. It will be advantageous for him to realize the difficulty of his course, and to be firm and correct, exercising himself daily in his charioteering and methods of defense. Then there will be advantage in whatever direction he may advance.

Blofeld: A fine steed galloping. Persistence under difficulties will win advantage. It is best to be occupied all day long with defensive measures. It is favorable to have a goal (or destination) in view.

Liu: Good horses compete with each other. It is of benefit to continue working hard and to keep the chariot safe. It is of benefit to go somewhere.

Shaughnessy: A fine horse follows; beneficial for determination about difficulty. It is called a barrier-cart [defense]. Beneficial to have someplace to go.

Cleary (1): A good horse gives chase. It is beneficial to struggle for right. Daily practicing charioteering and defense, it is beneficial to go somewhere.

Cleary (2): … To have somewhere to go.

Wu: Fine horses are chasing one another. It will be advantageous to remain persevering. Daily practice in charioteering and self-defense will benefit wherever he wants to go.

Line 4

六四: 童牛之牿, 元吉．

Wilhelm/Baynes: The headboard of a young bull. Great good fortune.

Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows the young bull, and yet having pieces of wood over his horns. There will be great good fortune.

Blofeld: The headboard of a young ox -- sublime good fortune! [The symbol is a piece of wood, not unlike a cangue, used for the same purpose as a rope and nose-ring. The suggestion is that one who has not yet attained his full strength benefits from being restrained.]

Liu: The headboard restrains the young bull. Great good fortune.

Shaughnessy: The young ox's restraint; prime auspiciousness.

Cleary (1): The horns of a young ox are very auspicious.

Cleary (2): The horn-guard of a young ox is very auspicious.

Wu: It is like putting a wooden crossbar over the horns of a young bull. There will be great fortune.

Line 5

六五: 豶豕之牙, 吉．

Wilhelm/Baynes: The tusk of a gelded boar. Good fortune.

Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows the teeth of a castrated hog. There will be good fortune.

Blofeld: A gelded boar's tusk -- good fortune! [This is an emblem of opportunity.]

Liu: The boar has a tusk but is gelded. Good fortune.

Shaughnessy: The crying pig's teeth; auspicious.

Cleary: The tusks of a gelded boar are auspicious.

Wu: It is like the teeth of a castrated pig. There will be fortune.

Line 6

上九: 何天之衢, 亨．

Wilhelm/Baynes: One attains the way of heaven. Success.

Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows its subject as in command of the firmament of heaven. There will be progress.

Blofeld: Carrying (i.e. according with) heaven's way.

Liu: One follows the way of heaven. Success.

Shaughnessy: How wary is heaven; receipt.

Cleary (1): Carrying the crossroads of heaven; development. [At the end of nurturance of the great, the achievement complete, the practice fulfilled, with a peal of thunder the real person emerges, startling the ignorant, amazing the mundane … When practitioners of the Tao reach liberation and attain reality, there is a body outside the body, beyond heaven and earth.]

Cleary (2): Carrying the crossroads of heaven is successful.

Wu: It is at the crossroads of heaven. There will be pervasiveness.