一陰始生·不期而遇·夏至之卦
Judgment and its commentary
先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。Read the received text first, then its Tuan commentary.
姤：女壯，勿用取女。
姤——一個強勢的女子。不應該娶這樣的女子。 夏至一陰始生—看似強勢的陽已經開始衰退，那條剛起的陰雖微但將大。卦辭用「女壯」這個比喻警告：不要接受 / 結合一個看似弱但將強的力量。
Gou shows a female who is bold and strong. It will not be good to marry (such) a female.
姤，遇也，柔遇剛也。「勿用取女」，不可與長也。天地相遇，品物咸章也。剛遇中正，天下大行也。姤之時義大矣哉！
姤—相遇。柔遇剛。「勿用取女」—不可與之長久。天地相遇，萬物都顯現出來。剛遇中正之道，天下大行。姤的時機與意義何其大啊！
In Gou we have (the symbol of) meeting; the weak meeting the strong. 'It will not be good to marry the female':—it would not be possible to live with her long. Heaven and earth meeting together, (as here is intimated), all the variety of natural things become fully displayed. (Where) the strong (line) is met and responded to by (those representing) the due Mean and correctness, (good government) will greatly prevail all under the sky. Great indeed is the significance of what has to be done at the time indicated by Gou!
Great Image Commentary
上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct
天下有風，姤
(The trigram representing) the sky and below it that for wind form Gou.
后以施命誥四方。
The sovereign, in accordance with this, delivers his charges, and promulgates his announcements throughout the four quarters (of the kingdom).
天下有風—姤之象。君王仿此—發佈命令 / 告諭四方。 （風行天下 = 信息 / 教化 / 警告散佈到各處—一陰始生之際，正是君王該警醒全國的時刻。）
本站導讀，不屬《大象傳》原文；用來預覽本卦六爻由初至上的意象變化。An editorial preview of the six line images, not part of the Great Image Commentary.
繫于金柅，貞吉。有攸往，見凶。羸豕孚蹢躅。
繫在金屬的制動器上—守正則吉。如果有所行動—凶。瘦弱的母豬真心地焦躁跳躍。 初六是全卦的主爻—那條剛起的陰。要把它「繫住」（控制在萌芽階段）—看似瘦弱但內在焦躁不安、不可小看。
The first SIX, divided, shows how its subject should be kept (like a carriage) tied and fastened to a metal drag, in which case with firm correctness there will be good fortune. (But) if he move in any direction, evil will appear. He will be (like) a lean pig, which is sure to keep jumping about.
繫于金柅，柔道牽也。
繫在金制動器—是柔道在牽引（順著但控制）。
'Tied and fastened to a metal drag':—(this describes the arrest of) the (downward) course of the weak (line).
包有魚，无咎，不利賓。
包裡有魚—無咎，但不利於接待賓客。 九二與初六接近—把那條陰控制 / 包容在自己範圍內沒有錯，但這種包容不適合拿出來待客（不該對外）。
The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject with a wallet of fish. There will be no error. But it will not be well to let (the subject of the first line) go on to the guests.
包有魚，義不及賓也。
包中有魚—義理上不該給賓客。
'He has a wallet of fish':—it is right for him not to allow (the subject of the first line) to get to the guests.
臀无膚，其行次且，厲，无大咎。
臀部沒有皮—走路困難，危險，但沒有大過失。 九三進退兩難（坐不安、走不動），但因知警而無大過。
The third NINE, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped so that he walks with difficulty. The position is perilous, but there will be no great error.
其行次且，行未牽也。
走路困難—行動還沒被牽引（沒有結盟）。
'He walks with difficulty':—but his steps have not yet been drawn (into the path of error).
包无魚，起凶。
包裡沒有魚—起動凶。 九四與初六不相應—失去控制那條陰的機會。如果此時動—凶。
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject with his wallet, but no fish in it. This will give rise to evil.
无魚之凶，遠民也。
無魚之凶—遠離了民。
'The evil indicated by there being no fish in the wallet' is owing to (the subject of the line) keeping himself aloof from the people.
以杞包瓜，含章，有隕自天。
用杞樹葉包著瓜—含藏著文章 / 美德，有福氣從天上落下。 九五居君位—以高處之物（杞樹）包容低處之物（瓜）= 以上包下、以剛包柔，含而不露有福自天而來。
The fifth NINE, undivided, (shows its subject as) a medlar tree overshadowing the gourd (beneath it). If he keep his brilliant qualities concealed, (a good issue) will descend (as) from Heaven.
九五含章，中正也；有隕自天，志不舍命也。
九五含章—中正；有福自天—心志不違命。
'The subject of the fifth NINE keeps his brilliant qualities concealed':—as is denoted by his central and correct position. '(A good issue) descends (as) from Heaven':—his aim does not neglect the ordinances (of Heaven).
姤其角，吝，无咎。
在角上相遇—遺憾，但無咎。 上九是卦之終—在最高 / 最邊緣處與那條陰相遇。錯過時機，遺憾但不致咎。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject receiving others on his horns. There will be occasion for regret, but there will be no error.
姤其角，上窮吝也。
姤其角—在上走到盡頭的遺憾。
'He receives others on his horns':—he is exhausted on high, and there will be occasion for regret.
Unexpected meeting / encounter. The character includes 女 (female) reflecting the bottom yin newly arriving among five yang. The hexagram's signature: an encounter that looks small but changes everything.
'A strong woman' — read as: a force that appears small/yielding but is actually powerful. The line-1 yin will rise to dominate over time.
Metal drag-block — a brake mechanism for stopping a cart. Line 1: '繫于金柅' — restrain the new yin at its emergence; don't let it move freely.
Lean / sickly pig. Line 1's image: 'looks weak but full of agitated jumping' — the yin appears non-threatening but is internally restless.
A wallet/bag containing fish. Line 2's image: containing the new yin within one's purview, but not making it public.
Medlar tree / Chinese wolfberry tree. Line 5's '以杞包瓜' — using the high-growing tree's leaves to envelop the low-growing gourd. Image of containment from above.
To 'enclose brilliance' — to hold radiant qualities concealed rather than displayed. Line 5's signature attainment.
