I Ching Hexagram 40 - Releasing
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 40 "Releasing"
解 - Xiè
Lôi Thủy Giải
Releasing
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☵ Kan, Water
Other Titles: Deliverance, Liberation, The Symbol of Loosening, Release, Eliminating Obstacles, Taking-apart, Untangling, Unloose, Solution, Dissolution, Relief, Unloose, Release of Tension.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Deliverance. The southwest furthers. If there is no longer anything (Sic) where one has to go, return brings good fortune. If there is still something (Sic) where one has to go, hastening brings good fortune.
Legge: Liberation finds advantage in the southwest. When the operation is completed, a return to stability brings good fortune. If operations are incomplete, it is best to finish them quickly.
Blofeld: Release. The west and south are favorable. Those with nothing to gain from going forward will find good fortune by turning back; those who do have much to gain from going forward must hasten to be sure of doing well. [This is not a time to stay where we are. If we have no good reason to advance, it is best to retreat.]
Liu: Liberation. The southwest benefits. If there is nothing for one where one has to go, then returning brings good fortune. If there is something in a place where one can go, then going quickly leads to good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Untangled: Beneficial to the southwest; there is nowhere to go; his coming in return is auspicious; there is someplace to go to spend the night; auspicious.
Cleary (1): For liberation, the southwest is beneficial. When going nowhere, the return brings good fortune; when going somewhere, promptness brings good fortune.
Cleary (2): For solution, the southwest is beneficial. Going nowhere, coming back is fortunate, etc.
Wu: Relief indicates advantage in the southwest. If he undertakes to do something without a cause, it will be auspicious for him to return to his former station. If he undertakes to do something with a cause, it will be auspicious for him to do it early.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder and rain set in: the image of Deliverance. Thus the superior man pardons mistakes and forgives misdeeds.
Legge: Liberation shows a thunderstorm clearing the atmosphere. The superior man, in accordance with this, forgives errors and deals gently with crimes.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes thunder and rain bringing release. The Superior Man tends to forgive wrongs and deals leniently with crimes. [The component trigrams suggest that a certain amount of forceful action is required.]
Liu: Thunder and rain come, symbolizing Liberation. The superior man forgives errors and pardons criminals.
Cleary (1): Thunder and rain act, dissolving. Thus do superior people forgive faults and pardon crimes.
Cleary (2): Thunder and rain – solution. Etc.
Wu: There come thunder and rain; this is Relief. Thus the jun zi pardons inadvertent transgressors and extenuates (Sic) criminal offenders.
Line 1
初六: 无咎.
Wilhelm/Baynes: Without blame.
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows that its subject will commit no error.
Blofeld: No error!
Liu: No blame. [If you receive this line you can expect success in your undertakings.]
Shaughnessy: There is no trouble.
Cleary: No blame.
Wu: No error.
Line 2
九二: 田獲三狐, 得黃矢, 貞, 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: One kills three foxes in the field and receives a yellow arrow. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows its subject catch, in hunting, three foxes, and obtain the yellow (golden) arrows. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: With one yellow arrow, he killed three foxes in the field. [Three birds with one stone.] Righteous persistence will bring good fortune.
Liu: One catches three foxes in the field and gains a yellow (golden) arrow. To continue brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: In the fields bagging three foxes, and getting a yellow arrowhead; determination is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Catching three foxes on a hunt, having golden arrows, correctness brings good fortune.
Cleary (2): Catching the third fox on a hunt, finding a yellow arrow, etc.
Wu: The hunter bags three foxes and finds a yellow arrow. It will be auspicious with perseverance.
Line 3
六三: 負且乘, 致寇至．貞吝．
Wilhelm/Baynes: If a man carries a burden on his back and nonetheless rides in a carriage, he thereby encourages robbers to draw near. Perseverance leads to humiliation.
Legge: The third line, magnetic, shows a porter with his burden, yet riding in a carriage. He will only tempt robbers to attack him. However firm and correct he may try to be, there will be cause for regret.
Blofeld: Traveling with both luggage-bearers and a carriage, he attracted the attention of robbers. To persist would bring misfortune. [This could mean that someone bearing luggage on his back rides in a carriage. In any case, the Chinese additional commentaries explain that the passage refers to those who usurp privileges to which they are not entitled by rank or merit.]
Liu: A man carries goods on his back and rides in a carriage – thus invites robbers to come. To continue brings humiliation.
Shaughnessy: Carrying on the back and riding in a cart brings robbers to arrive; determination is distressful.
Cleary (1): Riding bearing a burden causes enemies to arrive. Even being righteous one is humiliated.
Cleary (2): Carrying and riding brings on enemies. It is right to be humiliated.
Wu: A man bearing a load rides in a carriage. What he swaggers is conducive to robbery. Even though he does nothing wrong, he will be humiliated.
Line 4
九四: 解而拇, 朋至斯孚．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Deliver yourself from your great toe. Then the companion comes, and him you can trust.
Legge: To the subject of the fourth line, dynamic, it is said: "Remove your toes. Friends will then come, and there will be mutual confidence between you."
Blofeld: A fumbled release. Put your trust in the friend(s) who will come. ["A fumbled release" is the result of my attempt to make something of three Chinese words -- "release" and "thumb" (or "big toe") joined by a grammatical particle with various possible meanings. Whether my guess is right or not, the commentary on the line makes it clear that the omen is not a fortunate one. Happily, an awkward situation will be relieved by the arrival of a friend (or friends).]
Liu: Loosen your big toe. When your friend comes, you can trust each other.
Shaughnessy: Untangling his hemlock; a friend arrives and returns this.
Cleary (1): Releasing your big toe, when the companion comes, then trust.
Cleary (2): Remove your big toe. When a companion comes, then you trust.
Wu: He unties his big toes. This will bring the trust of his friends.
Line 5
六五: 君子維有解, 吉．有孚于小人．
Wilhelm/Baynes: If only the superior man can deliver himself, it brings good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows the superior man (the ruler) executing his function of removing whatever is injurious to the idea of liberation, in which case there will be good fortune, and confidence in him will be shown even by the inferior men.
Blofeld: Only the Superior Man brings release. Good fortune! It is up to lesser men to put their trust in him. [This could also mean "He has confidence in lesser men."]
Liu: Only the superior man can liberate himself from entanglement. Good fortune. Thus the inferior man trusts him.
Shaughnessy: The gentleman only is untangled; auspicious; there is a return among the little men.
Cleary (1): In this the superior person has liberation, which is fortunate; there is earnestness in regard to the inferior person.
Cleary (2): The developed person has a solution, which is fortunate. There is sincerity toward a petty person.
Wu: The jun zi is relieved of what has implicated him. This is auspicious. It would be a lesson to the little men.
Line 6
上六: 公用射隼于高墉之上．獲之, 无不利．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The prince shoots at a hawk on a high wall. He kills it. Everything serves to further.
Legge: In the sixth line, magnetic, we see a feudal prince with his bow shooting at a falcon on the top of a high wall, and hitting it. The effect of this action will be in every way advantageous.
Blofeld: The prince shot an arrow and killed a hawk perching on a high wall. Everything is favorable!
Liu: A duke shoots a hawk on the high wall and catches it. Everything is beneficial.
Shaughnessy: The duke herewith shoots a hawk on the top of a high wall, bagging it; there is nothing not beneficial.
Cleary: The prince shoots at a hawk on a high wall and gets it, to the benefit of all.
Wu: The duke aims his arrow at a hawk perching on a high city wall. He bags the predator. Nothing is disadvantageous.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 40 means the removal of obstacles, difficulties, and burdens. A period of tension and complication is over. Progress has been blocked but the conditions now favour progression in your projects.
However, any unresolved issue needs to be addressed, for that’s the only true way that progress can be made. It is time to settle any existing conflicts and disputes.
If changes are required, do not hesitate to move quickly. The period of hardship is finally over now.
