陽退讓、退守、隱居之卦
先看圖像，再讀文字。Read the image before the words.
天下有山，遯
(The trigrams for) heaven above and a mountain rising up below it form Dun.
君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴。
The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps small men at a distance, not by showing that he hates them, but by his own dignified gravity.
天之下有山—遯的圖象。君子仿此—遠離小人，不表現出厭惡但保持嚴肅。 （天在上退後的樣子而山在下接近它—距離拉開但不衝突。遠而不惡是退隱的智慧。）
(The trigrams for) heaven above and a mountain rising up below it form Dun. The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps small men at a distance, not by showing that he hates them, but by his own dignified gravity.
先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。The received text, then the Tuan commentary on it.
遯：亨，小利貞。
遯——通達；小事守正有利。 二陰從下升起，陽已退讓，但還沒到阻塞。隱居 / 退守是此時通達之道；大事不宜進，小事仍可守正。
Dun indicates successful progress (in its circumstances). To a small extent it will (still) be advantageous to be firm and correct.
「遯亨」，遯而亨也；剛當位而應，與時行也。「小利貞」，浸而長也。遯之時義大矣哉！
「遯亨」—退而通。剛居正位而與下相應，是隨時而行。「小利貞」—陰在浸潤上升。遯之時機與意義何其大啊！
'Dun indicates successful progress:'—that is, in the very retiring which Dun denotes there is such progress. The strong (line) is in the ruling place, (the fifth), and is properly responded to (by the second line). The action takes place according to the requirement of the time. 'To a small extent it will (still) be advantageous to be firm and correct:'—(the small men) are gradually encroaching and advancing. Great indeed is the significance of (what is required to be done in) the time of Dun.
六條線各有一句判斷。閱讀次序初→上；卦象由下而上，看左側的卦。One statement per line, read from the first line to the top. The figure is drawn bottom-up — watch the rail.
遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往。
退在尾巴上—危險，不要有所行動。 初六在退之末端，已經退不動了。此時動反增險。
The first SIX, divided, shows a retiring tail. The position is perilous. No movement in any direction should be made.
遯尾之厲，不往何災也。
退之末端之險—不動就沒災。
'There is the perilousness of the position shown by the retiring tail:'—but if no movement be made, what disaster can there be?
執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說。
用黃牛皮繩牢牢拴住—沒人能解開。 六二與九五相應，緊緊結合不可分離。在退的大趨勢中仍緊守自己該守的連結。
The second SIX, divided, shows its subject holding (his purpose) fast as if by a (thong made from the) hide of a yellow ox, which cannot be broken.
執用黃牛，固志也。
用黃牛皮拴—是堅固心志。
'He holds it as by (a thong from) the hide of a yellow ox':—his purpose is firm.
係遯，有疾厲，畜臣妾吉。
退而心中有牽掛—有病般的危險；不過養臣僕 / 家人的事上是吉。 退而不純，難處是有私情牽絆。
The third NINE, undivided, shows one retiring but bound,—to his distress and peril. (If he were to deal with his binders as in) nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him.
係遯之厲，有疾憊也；畜臣妾吉，不可大事也。
係遯之危—像有疾般疲憊。養臣妾吉—但不能做大事。
'The peril connected with the case of one retiring but bound' is due to the (consequent) distress and exhaustion. '(If he were to deal with his binders) as in nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him':—but he could not do great things with such (entanglements).
好遯，君子吉，小人否。
願意退—君子吉，小人不行。 君子識大局而退；小人不願退反致凶。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring notwithstanding his likings. In a superior man this will lead to good fortune; a small man cannot attain to this.
君子好遯，小人否也。
君子願退—小人不願。
'A superior man retires notwithstanding his likings; a small man cannot attain to this.'
嘉遯，貞吉。
美好地退—守正則吉。 九五是君位的退，退得美好而不失體面。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in an admirable way. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
嘉遯貞吉，以正志也。
嘉遯守正之吉—是因為心志正。
'He retires in an admirable way; through his firm correctness there is good fortune':—this is due to the rectitude of his purpose.
肥遯，无不利。
從容富餘地退—無不利。 上九在卦之終，退得最透徹 / 最自在。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject retiring in a noble way. It will be advantageous in every respect.
肥遯无不利，无所疑也。
肥遯無不利—沒有疑慮。
'Retiring in a noble way; in every respect it will be advantageous':—there is nothing to throw doubt on the course.
把象套到你的情境，取一個可行的下一步。Apply the image to your situation; take one practical step.
天在上緩緩退後，山在下不動—距離在拉開，但沒有衝突。
Heaven above slowly withdrawing, the mountain below unmoving — distance widens, no conflict.
遯與大壯為同一對力量在兩種方向。大壯是進、遯是退。讀遯同時想大壯—知道自己從哪裡來、要退到哪裡去。Dun and Great Strength (34) are the same force in two directions. Great Strength: advance. Dun: retreat. Reading Dun, simultaneously think of Great Strength — know where you're coming from and where the retreat leads.
遯卦教人怎麼退。先放下一個成見：退不算失敗，卦辭明明白白寫著「亨」，退本身就能通達，要緊的是退得好不好。六爻從「遯尾」到「肥遯」排出一把尺，等級分明，拿來量一量自己此刻退到哪一級，心裡就有數。大象「不惡而嚴」再叮囑一句：遠離某人某事，不必帶著仇視，保持莊嚴的距離就夠了。全卦最忌兩件事——拖到初六的「尾」才想退，或像九四說的小人那樣戀位不退。看到該退的信號，越早動身越好。
Dun teaches the wisdom of retreat. Three operations: (1) retreat is not failure — the judgment is explicit: there is progress. What matters is the quality of the retreat. (2) The six lines give you a 5-stage ruler: which stage are you on? (3) The Great Image 'distancing without aversion yet with dignity' — keeping distance is not animosity, it's holding dignified distance. The deepest failures: retreating only at the very end (line 1, retreating from the tail), or refusing to retreat (line 4's small man who cannot). Once you see the signal to retreat, earlier is better.
把遯讀成「我該拼命留住」—錯。彖傳直說「遯而亨」—退本身就是通達。九四「君子吉，小人否」明確：能退的是君子，戀位不退的是小人。最大的失誤是拖到初六「遯尾」才想退，那時已太晚。
Misreading Dun as 'I must hold on at all costs' — wrong. The Tuan is direct: 'in retreating itself there is progress.' Line 4 is explicit — good fortune for the gentleman, but the small man cannot do it: those who can retreat are gentlemen, those who cling are small men. The deepest failure is dragging until line 1's retreat from the tail — by then it's too late.
遯者，退也。陰浸而長，陽當退避。處遯之時，能去身遠害者吉，戀位不去者凶。「不惡而嚴」者，遠之以禮，不形於色。
Dun means 'retreat.' Yin moistens and grows; yang should withdraw and avoid. Dwelling in the time of retreat: those who can move themselves away from harm find good fortune; those who cling to position and refuse to leave find misfortune. Keeping small men at a distance without showing aversion, yet maintaining dignity, means keeping distance through propriety, not letting it show on the face.
二陰生於下，陽長者必須退也。然非畏避，乃所以全也。「小利貞」者，於小者尚可守正而行；於大事則須避其鋒。聖人於遯時能正其退之道——退而不亂，退而保體，是君子所以稱賢也。
Two yin lines emerge from below; the growing yang must retreat. Yet not from fear or flight — to preserve. 'Small advantage in correctness' means: in small matters one can still proceed with correctness; in great matters, avoid the front. The sage in the time of Dun rectifies the way of retreat — retreating without disorder, retreating while preserving substance — this is what makes the gentleman virtuous.
遯，退避也。為卦二陰浸長，陽當退避，故為遯。六月之卦也。陽雖盛而當退，故曰「亨」；不可大有所為，故曰「小利貞」。
Dun means 'retreat and avoid.' As a hexagram, two yin lines moisten and grow; yang should retreat and avoid — hence Dun. It is the hexagram of the 6th lunar month. Yang though abundant should retreat — thus 'progress' (in the very act of withdrawing); cannot accomplish great things — thus 'small advantage in correctness.'
遯排在六月，大暑前後：二陰從下面生上來，四陽還占著上位，勢頭卻已經轉了。卦辭直接給「亨」，退這件事本身就通，要緊的全在退的成色。六爻正好排成一張成色表：最差是初六「遯尾」，拖到隊尾纔被動地退，險；九三「係遯」，牽腸掛肚地退，帶著病氣。往上一級級鬆開，九四「好遯」，君子割捨得下，小人做不到；九五「嘉遯」退得漂亮；到上九「肥遯」，人徹底鬆開，寬綽自在，一絲疑滯都沒有。讀遯就對著這張表，問自己此刻站在哪一格。 大象「君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴」講退時的姿態：拉開距離，臉上不掛厭惡，分寸自在莊重裡。陶淵明歸田、明末遺民閉門著書，走的都是這條路。
Dun sits at the sixth lunar month, around Great Heat: two yin lines rising from below, four yang still holding the upper places, but the tide has turned. The judgment grants 'progress' outright — withdrawal is itself a way through, and everything hangs on the quality of the retreat. The six lines form a grading scale. Worst is line 1, 'retreating at the tail,' dragged out last and exposed; line 3, 'retreat while bound,' leaves with entanglements and a strain like sickness. From there the grip loosens: line 4's willing retreat the gentleman manages and the small man cannot; line 5 retreats admirably; by the top line, 'retreat in ampleness,' the letting-go is complete, roomy, without a trace of hesitation. To read Dun is to stand before this scale and ask which rung you are on. The Great Image — the gentleman keeps small men at a distance 'not with hatred but with dignity' — describes the posture of the season: open the distance without wearing contempt on your face. Tao Yuanming returning to his fields, the late-Ming loyalists writing behind closed doors — they walked this same road.
Retreat, flee, withdraw, hide. Same character as 遁. The image of orderly stepping back rather than panicked flight.
Tail, end. Line 1's '遯尾' = retreating from the rear, dangerous because there's nowhere left to retreat to.
Yellow ox. The hide of a yellow ox = the strongest leather, in classical metaphor. '黃牛之革' = an unbreakable bond.
To bind, tie, attach. Line 3's character — 'retreating but bound' — when retreat is right but personal attachments hold you in place.
Admirable, beautiful, exemplary. Line 5's '嘉遯' = a retreat done with grace; preserving dignity in withdrawal.
Plump, abundant. Line 6's '肥遯' — not 'fat retreat' but 'amply, abundantly' — retreat with full resources, no doubt, no regret.
遯對應 6月（未月，大暑前後）。從一陰的姤 → 二陰的遯 → 三陰的否—是陽退的開始階段。遯在這個序列中是 momentum 已經反轉但尚未全失的位置。
Dun corresponds to the 6th lunar month (Great Heat, around late July). From one-yin Gou (44) → two-yin Dun → three-yin Pi (12) is the early phase of yang's withdrawal. Dun in this sequence is where momentum has reversed but not yet fully lost.
遯與 34 大壯上下顛倒即為綜卦。大壯是四陽從下上行強盛；遯是同樣四陽退到上部隱退。同一個力量結構在「進 / 退」兩種狀態—讀遯必同時想大壯，才看清「強 / 退」是同一條線的兩個方向。
Dun and Great Strength (hexagram 34) read upside-down to each other — inverse hexagrams. Great Strength: four yang lines rising from below in full strength. Dun: the same four yang lines, now retreated above, withdrawing. One force-structure in two states (advance / retreat). Reading Dun always implies reading Great Strength — together they show 'strength' and 'retreat' as two directions on one line.
大象的「君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴」一語是中國隱士 / 遺民 / 退隱文化的經典引文。從莊子《消遙遊》到陶淵明、嵇康、王維的「半官半隱」、明末王夫之 / 顧炎武 / 黃宗羲的退居著述、近代王國維自沈 / 陳寅恪隱居嶺南—都在「不惡而嚴」的智慧裡。讀遯是進入這條文化脈絡。
The Great Image's 'distancing without showing aversion, yet maintaining dignity' is a classic citation in the Chinese tradition of hermits, loyalists-of-fallen-dynasties, and scholarly withdrawal. From Zhuangzi's 'Free and Easy Wandering' to Tao Yuanming, Ji Kang, Wang Wei's 'half-official, half-hermit' life, late-Ming loyalists Wang Fuzhi / Gu Yanwu / Huang Zongxi's withdrawn writings, modern Wang Guowei's suicide / Chen Yinke's southern exile — all stand within the wisdom of distancing without aversion yet with dignity. Reading Dun enters this cultural lineage.
彖傳結尾「遯之時義大矣哉」是《易經》中不多的強調句之一—在整部易經中只有七個卦用此種強調語：豫、隨、頤、大過、解、革、遯。這七個卦的共同點是「掌握時機比行動內容更重要」—遯也列其中，可見退的時機學在《易經》中的地位。
The Tuan Zhuan's closing 'great is the significance of Dun's timing' is among the rarer emphatic constructions in the Yijing — only seven hexagrams receive this 'time-and-meaning' emphasis: Enthusiasm (16), Following (17), Nourishing (27), Great Exceeding (28), Deliverance (40), Revolution (49), and Dun. These seven share the trait that 'grasping the timing matters more than the content of the action.' Dun's place among them shows the high status of timing-of-retreat in Yi study.
你此刻的一個該退而沒退的情境在哪？是在哪一爻？
Where in your life is something due to be let go but hasn't been? Which line are you on?
辨認：遯、尾、繫、係、嘉、肥。
Identify: 遯 (dùn), 尾 (wěi), 繫 (xì), 係 (xì), 嘉 (jiā), 肥 (féi).
「不惡而嚴」如何與「拒絕 / 排斥」區別？
How does 'keeping distance without aversion yet with dignity' differ from rejection or hostility?