第 4 卦 · Hexagram 4

蒙

Meng · Youthful Folly (Mountain over Water)

山下出泉，物之穉也

上☶艮 · 山 / Mountain下☵坎 · 水 / Water

錯卦把每一爻都翻轉（陽↔陰）後得到的另一卦。Every line flipped, yang ↔ yin.Opposite49 · 革綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The whole figure turned upside-down.Inverse3 · 屯互卦由二、三、四爻與三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。Built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5.Nuclear24 · 復

象Image

先看圖像，再讀文字。Read the image before the words.

大象傳《大象傳》從上下卦的自然圖像推演全卦之象，再提出人事取法。The Great Image derives conduct from the two trigrams' natural images.Great Image

全卦成象Whole image
山下出泉，蒙
(The trigram representing) a mountain, and beneath it that of a spring issuing forth, form Meng.
人事取法Conduct
君子以果行育德。
The superior man, in accordance with this, strives to be resolute in his conduct, and nourishes his virtue.

山下湧出泉水——蒙之象。泉水雖小但志向已定，必流向大海。君子由此體會：要果決地行動以培育德性。

(The trigram representing) a mountain, and beneath it that of a spring issuing forth, form Meng. The superior man, in accordance with this, strives to be resolute in his conduct, and nourishes his virtue.

辭Words

先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。The received text, then the Tuan commentary on it.

經

卦辭對整個卦（六條線為一組）的總體判斷。The judgment on the hexagram as a whole.

Judgment

蒙：亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。利貞。

蒙卦——亨通。不是我去求蒙昧的童子（學者），是童子來求我（教者）。第一次卜問就告訴他答案；如果反復追問三次，那就是褻瀆，不再回答。利於守正。

Meng indicates that (in the case which it presupposes) there will be progress and success. I do not (go and) seek the youthful and inexperienced, but he comes to seek me. When he shows (the sincerity that marks) the first recourse to divination, I instruct him. If he apply a second and third time, that is troublesome; and I do not instruct the troublesome. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.

傳

彖傳十翼之一，直接解釋卦名、卦辭及其剛柔結構。Tuan Zhuan — explains the name, the Judgment and the line structure.

Commentary on the Judgment

蒙，山下有險，險而止，蒙。蒙亨，以亨行時中也。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我，志應也。初筮告，以剛中也。再三瀆，瀆則不告，瀆蒙也。蒙以養正，聖功也。

蒙卦：山下有險，遇險而止，所以為蒙。蒙亨，是因為以亨通之道在合宜的時機行中道。「匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我」是因為志向相應。「初筮告」是因為剛健而居中。「再三瀆」之所以不告，是因為褻瀆了蒙昧本身。以蒙養正，是成聖的功夫。

There is a (mysterious and attractive) obscurity in (the idea of) Meng. The trigram of mountain is above, and below is that of water and danger. Encountering peril and arresting one's steps — this is Meng.

爻Lines

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.

初六

發

啟蒙之始begin teaching

第 1 爻 · 陰line 1 · yin

發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏，以往吝。

啟發蒙昧——可用懲戒之法（讓人知道規則）；解開腳鐐手銬（給予自由）；但若一直如此前行，則吝。

The first SIX, divided, (has reference to) the dispelling of ignorance. It will be advantageous to use punishment (for that purpose), and to remove the shackles (from the mind). But going on in that way (of punishment) will give occasion for regret.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

利用刑人，以正法也。

用懲戒，是為了端正法度。

九二

包

容蒙之師embrace the ignorant

第 2 爻 · 陽line 2 · yang

包蒙吉。納婦吉，子克家。

包容蒙昧者，吉。娶妻吉。兒子能持家——剛中之德能容人、能成事。

The second NINE, undivided, (shows its subject) exercising forbearance with the ignorant, in which there will be good fortune; and admitting (even the goodness of) women, which will also be fortunate. (He may be described also as) a son able to (sustain the burden of) his family.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

子克家，剛柔接也。

兒子能持家，是因為剛柔相接（九二與六五相應）。

六三

失

失身之女loses self

第 3 爻 · 陰line 3 · yin

勿用取女，見金夫，不有躬，無攸利。

不要娶這樣的女子——她見到富貴男子就失了自己，不能守身——沒有甚麼利益。

The third SIX, divided, (seems to say) Do not marry a woman whose emblem it might be. She will, when she sees a man of wealth, not keep her person from him, and in no wise will advantage come from her.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

勿用取女，行不順也。

不要娶這樣的女子，因為行為不順正道。

六四

困

蒙而被困trapped in folly

第 4 爻 · 陰line 4 · yin

困蒙，吝。

被蒙昧所困——可惜。陰柔在陰位，又遠離剛健之師，無法啟發。

The fourth SIX, divided, (shows its subject as if) bound in chains of ignorance. There will be occasion for regret.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

困蒙之吝，獨遠實也。

被蒙困之吝，是因為獨自遠離了實在（剛中之師）。

六五

童

純真受教child-like, teachable

第 5 爻 · 陰line 5 · yin

童蒙，吉。

童子般的蒙昧，吉。柔順居尊位，能虛心受教，所以吉。

The fifth SIX, divided, (shows its subject as) a simple lad without experience. There will be good fortune.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

童蒙之吉，順以巽也。

童蒙之吉，是因為柔順而謙遜。

上九

擊

嚴而有度strike with restraint

第 6 爻 · 陽line 6 · yang

擊蒙，不利為寇，利禦寇。

擊打蒙昧——不利於主動侵犯（為寇），利於防禦（禦寇）。教育有時要用嚴厲的手段，但不可過度。

In the topmost NINE, undivided, we see one smiting the ignorant (youth). But no advantage will come from doing him an injury; advantage would come from warding off injury from him.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.

利用禦寇，上下順也。

利於防禦敵寇，是因為上下能順應。

用Use

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.

啟·包·養正

Awakening · embracing · cultivating uprightness

把象套到你的情境 · Apply the image to your situation

初六發新人入職——立規矩、給自由要平衡。Onboarding new hire — balance rule-setting with freedom.
九二包管理者要能包容下屬的不足，方為良將。A good manager embraces subordinates' shortcomings.
六三失見利忘本的合作對象，避之。Partner who loses self at sight of money — avoid.
六四困孤立於實踐之外的學習（純理論），事業上難用。Learning isolated from practice — useless in career.
六五童高位者保持「童心」虛心受教——大吉。Senior who keeps a beginner's mind — auspicious.
上九擊嚴管下屬要有度——禦其惡，不害其身。Discipline a report — guard against evil, don't harm the person.

可行的一步 · Practical move

蒙卦的核心應用：學的姿態與教的姿態。學者要有「童蒙求我」的真誠和「童蒙吉」的虛心；教者要有「包蒙吉」的容量和「初筮告」的規矩。任何學習場景（職場新人、產品引導、修身）都可以用蒙卦的六位來對照診斷。

The core application of Meng: the postures of learning and teaching. The learner must have line 1's sincere seeking and line 5's beginner mind; the teacher must have line 2's embracing capacity and the judgment's discipline of 'first inquiry receives the answer'. Any learning scenario can be diagnosed against these six positions.

失手之處 · Failure mode

六四「困蒙」是現代學習者最易犯的錯——讀很多書、看很多課，但不接近真實的師承與實踐，最後困於自己的理解。九二的「包蒙」之德也常被現代管理者忽略——以為嚴格才是領導，其實能包容才是真領導。

Line 4's 'trapped in folly' is the modern learner's classic failure — much reading, no real lineage or practice, ending trapped in private interpretation. Modern managers often miss line 2's 'embracing' virtue too — mistaking strictness for leadership.

義理Commentary4

三國·魏 (226–249 CE)王弼《周易注》Wang Bi · Commentary on the Zhou YiScholarly

王弼以蒙卦為「上下相需」的卦——師（九二之剛中）需要學者主動來求，才能教得通。學者若不誠心，再三求問，則不教。讀此卦最該記住的是「童蒙求我」一句——教育的根本不是強灌，而是受教者的真心。

Wang Bi reads Meng as a hexagram of mutual need between above and below: the teacher (the firm centrality of nine-in-the-second) can only teach when the learner comes seeking of his own accord. If the learner is insincere and presses the question again and again, no instruction is given. The line to remember is 'the young and unformed seeks me' — the root of education is not forced instilling, but the genuine heart of the one being taught.

北宋 · 11th c.程頤《伊川易傳》Cheng Yi · Yichuan Yi ZhuanScholarly

程子強調大象「君子以果行育德」一句——蒙之養正，是聖人功夫。蒙昧並非壞事，正因為蒙昧才有教育的可能。重要的是「養正」——在蒙昧的狀態下用正道培育，而不是用詭詐填充。彼以六五「童蒙吉」為全卦最重要——能保持童心受教者方為大吉。

Cheng Yi stresses the Great Image's line, 'the superior man is resolute in conduct and nourishes his virtue.' Cultivating uprightness in the unformed (meng 蒙) is the work of sages. Ignorance is not itself bad — it is precisely because of it that education becomes possible. What matters is 'nourishing uprightness': cultivating with the correct way while the state is still unformed, not filling it with cunning. He takes line 5, 'child-like openness is auspicious,' as the most important in the hexagram — only one who keeps the teachable heart of a child attains great fortune.

南宋 · 12th c.朱熹《周易本義》Zhu Xi · Original MeaningIntroductory

朱子直言：蒙卦結構為「險而止」——遇險（坎）則止（艮），所以才有蒙昧。九二為師，六五為弟子，二者相應，所以亨。蒙之卦辭以「初筮告」立教育之規矩——一次教過就要記住，反復追問是褻瀆。學者觀此知讀書求問之道。

Zhu Xi is direct: the structure of Meng is 'peril, then halting' — meeting danger (Kan) and stopping (Gen), which is exactly why there is ignorance. Nine-in-the-second is the teacher, six-in-the-fifth the student; the two respond to each other, hence the success. The judgment's 'the first inquiry receives the answer' lays down the rule of education: what is taught once must be retained, and pestering with repeated questions is a profanation. From this the student learns the proper way of study and inquiry.

21 世紀現代傳承·編輯組原創Modern lineage — original editorial proseIntroductory

蒙講教與學。卦辭先把主客擺正：「匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我」。教這件事，得等人來求纔成立，追著人灌輸，教不進去。這條在今天格外容易犯：滿網都是搶著要教你的人，肯真心受教的反而少了。爻裡最要緊的是六五「童蒙吉」——位置最尊，姿態卻是童子的虛心，不裝懂、不設防，學的底子全在這裡。彖傳收在「蒙以養正，聖功也」：啟蒙的目的在養正，中國教育思想裡最省字的一句總結。

Meng is about teaching and learning. The judgment sets host and guest straight first: 'It is not I who seek the young and unformed; the young and unformed seeks me.' Teaching only works when someone comes asking. Chase people down to instill it, and nothing goes in. This one is especially easy to violate today: the internet is full of people fighting to teach you, and genuinely teachable people have gotten scarce. Among the lines the crucial one is six-in-the-fifth, 'child-like openness is auspicious' — the highest position, yet the posture of a child's open mind: no pretending to know, no defenses. The whole foundation of learning is here. The Tuan Zhuan closes with 'cultivating uprightness in the unformed is the work of sages' — the purpose of awakening is to nourish what is upright, the most economical single-sentence summary in Chinese educational thought.

注解Annotation8

蒙méng

Unformed, not yet opened up. Not 'stupid' — 'not yet taught.' The name of the hexagram.

童蒙tóng méng

The child-like unformed one — the learner. Carries no contempt; it names the teachable state.

筮shì

To divine with yarrow stalks; here, to bring a question for consultation.

瀆dú

To profane, treat with careless disrespect. What repeated re-asking does to instruction.

桎梏zhì gù

Fetters and manacles — shackles on feet and hands. In line 1, the constraints to be removed.

穉zhì

Young, immature (same as 稚). The Xu Gua's word for things at their newborn stage.

禦yù

To ward off, defend against. The permitted use of force in line 6.

寇kòu

Bandit, aggressor. Line 6 permits defending against one, not becoming one.

歷史Context4

屯蒙成對·天地初生

Zhun and Meng — birth of the world

第 3 卦屯（萌動）與第 4 卦蒙（蒙昧）為一對綜卦——倒過來看就是對方。古人以此二卦置於乾坤之後，表達「天地初開，萬物始生」的順序：先是屯（萬物初萌之難），然後是蒙（萬物初生之蒙昧待啟）。

Hexagram 3, Zhun (sprouting), and Hexagram 4, Meng (unformed ignorance), form an inverse pair — turn one upside down and you get the other. The ancients placed these two right after Qian and Kun to express the sequence of 'heaven and earth just opened, the ten thousand things begin to be born': first Zhun (the difficulty of first sprouting), then Meng (the newborn's unformed state, waiting to be awakened).

山下有險之結構

Mountain above water — structural meaning

蒙卦上艮（山）下坎（險）。山下有險而止——如見險而不知如何穿越，故為蒙昧。但泉水（坎）終會流出山下匯成河，所以蒙是必然會被啟的。教育的工作就是順應這條泉水的流向。

Meng has Gen (mountain) above and Kan (peril / water) below. Danger below the mountain, and halting — like seeing the peril and not knowing how to cross it: hence the unformed state. But the spring (Kan) will in the end flow out from below the mountain and gather into a river, so the unformed is bound to be awakened. The work of education is to follow the direction of that spring's flow.

「蒙以養正，聖功也」

Cultivating uprightness in the unformed — the work of sages

彖傳結尾「蒙以養正，聖功也」六字，是中國教育思想最常被引用的一句。它的意思是：當人尚在蒙昧階段時，培育其正道，這就是成聖的基礎工作。對應的反面就是：在人蒙昧時用邪道污染他，這是最大的罪。

The six characters that close the Tuan Zhuan — 蒙以養正，聖功也, 'cultivating uprightness in the unformed is the work of sages' — are among the most quoted in Chinese educational thought. The meaning: to nurture a person in the correct way while they are still unformed is the foundational work of becoming a sage. The corresponding inverse is also implied: to contaminate a person with a crooked way while they are unformed is the greatest of crimes.

「初筮告，再三瀆」之禮

First inquiry receives the answer; persistent re-asking is profanation

卦辭「初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告」八字，立下了傳統中國教育的師生之禮：學者第一次認真問，老師認真答；如果反復不信、追問不休，則是對學問本身的褻瀆，老師可拒絕回答。此禮一直影響到後世孔門弟子之問學。

The judgment's formula — 'the first inquiry receives the answer; a second and third are profanation, and the profane receive no answer' — established the teacher-student etiquette of traditional Chinese education: when the student asks in earnest the first time, the teacher answers in earnest; but repeated disbelief and relentless re-asking profane learning itself, and the teacher may refuse to answer. This etiquette shaped the way Confucius's disciples posed questions in later ages.

練習Practice3

char-recall
「蒙以養正，聖功也」六字的意思？
What do the six characters 蒙以養正，聖功也 (meng yi yang zheng, sheng gong ye) mean? Give the English sense.
parse
為何「匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我」是教育的根本？
Why is 'I do not seek the youth, the youth seeks me' the foundation of education?
line-read
用六五「童蒙吉」評論一個你見過保持「初學者心態」而成事的人。
Use line 5 'child-like folly is auspicious' to comment on someone you've seen succeed by keeping a beginner's mind.