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
鼎：元吉，亨。
鼎卦——大吉，亨通。鼎是國之重器，鼎立則國立，鼎之象是新制立成。
Ding gives the intimation of great progress and success.
第 50 卦 · Hexagram 50
鼎
Ding · The Cauldron (Fire over Wind)
正位凝命，鼎革之新
上上卦upper trigram☲離 · 火 / Fire下下卦lower trigram☴巽 · 風 / Wind
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
木上有火，鼎
(The trigram representing) wood and that for fire above it form Ding.
- 人事取法Conduct
君子以正位凝命。
The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps every one in his proper position, and concentrates (in himself) the appointment (of Heaven).
木上有火——鼎之象。君子由此體會：要端正自己的位置，凝聚（守住）天命。
(The trigram representing) wood and that for fire above it form Ding. The superior man, in accordance with this, keeps every one in his proper position, and concentrates (in himself) the appointment (of Heaven).
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.
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
鼎，象也。以木巽火，亨飪也。聖人亨以享上帝，而大亨以養聖賢。巽而耳目聰明，柔進而上行，得中而應乎剛，是以元亨。
鼎，是象形之卦。以木入火，是烹煮之象。聖人烹以祭祀上帝，大烹以養聖賢。內順（巽）而外明（離耳目聰明），柔爻上行（六五）而得中位、應於下方剛爻——所以元亨。
Ding is the symbol of a caldron. (We see in it) wood entering into fire, suggestive of the cooking of food. The sage cooks his offerings in order to present them to God, and (the still) greater cooking is to nourish his sages and worthies.
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
顛
倒舊出新purge to renew
鼎顛趾，利出否，得妾以其子，無咎。
鼎倒了腳——利於倒出舊物（顛覆積垢）。得了妾（次位）因為她有子（有功），無咎。
The first SIX shows the caldron overthrown and its feet turned up. (But) there will be advantage in its getting rid of what was bad in it. (Or it shows us) the concubine (whose position is improved) by means of her son. There will be no error.
小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.
鼎顛趾，未悖也。利出否，以從貴也。
鼎顛趾不算違常。利於出舊穢，是順應尊貴。
九二
實
中實無患solid center
鼎有實，我仇有疾，不我能即，吉。
鼎中有實在的食物——我的仇敵有病，無法靠近我，吉。剛中有實則無患。
The second NINE shows the caldron with the things to be cooked in it. (If its subject can say), 'My enemy dislikes me, but he cannot approach me,' 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.
鼎有實，慎所之也。我仇有疾，終無尤也。
鼎有實，要謹慎前行。我仇有疾，最終無尤。
九三
塞
耳壞行止stuck mid-way
鼎耳革，其行塞，雉膏不食，方雨虧悔，終吉。
鼎耳壞了，行不通，雉膏（美食）不能享用——下雨而悔減，終吉。剛而過位須調整。
The third NINE shows the caldron with the places of its ears changed. The progress (of its subject) is thus stopped. The fat flesh of the pheasant (which is in the caldron) cannot be eaten. But the rain will come, his repentance will diminish, and there will be good fortune in the end.
小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.
鼎耳革，失其義也。
鼎耳壞了，是失了應有之義。
九四
折
足折凶leg broken
鼎折足，覆公餗，其形渥，凶。
鼎折了腳，倒翻了給公侯的食物，弄得湯汁淋漓——凶。剛猛而負荷過重必折。
The fourth NINE shows the caldron with broken feet, and its contents, designed for the ruler's use, overturned and spilt. Its subject's face is covered with shame. There will be evil.
小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.
覆公餗，信如何也。
傾覆了公侯之食，信用怎麼辦？
六五
金
黃耳金鉉golden handles
鼎黃耳金鉉，利貞。
鼎有黃色的耳、金製的鉉（提鼎之槓）——利於守正。柔在尊位、得中得正、外有剛應，是鼎之最佳。
The fifth SIX shows the caldron with yellow ears and rings of metal in them. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.
小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.
鼎黃耳，中以為實也。
鼎有黃耳，是以中位為實。
上九
玉
玉鉉至成jade at the top
鼎玉鉉，大吉，無不利。
鼎有玉製的鉉——大吉，無不利。剛在外而能輔柔（六五），陰陽相得，鼎之至成。
The topmost NINE shows the caldron with rings of jade. There will be great good fortune, and all action taken will be in every way advantageous.
小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註。Xiao Xiang — short classical commentary on this line.
玉鉉在上，剛柔節也。
玉鉉在上位，是剛柔有節有度。
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.
立·養·正位凝命
Establishment · nourishment · right position concentrated mandate
把象套到你的情境 · Apply the image to your situation
- 初六顛新公司清理舊習氣是必要的。Cleansing old habits in a new role is necessary.
- 九二實你的能力堅實——對手有病也碰不到你。Your capability is solid — even ill rivals can't touch you.
- 九三塞中層卡住溝通——須等時運（雨）方解。Middle stuck in communication — wait for the rain.
- 九四折獨力承擔過大任務——必折——凶。Bearing too big a task alone — breaks — evil.
- 六五金高位以開放之耳善用人才——大吉。Senior with golden ears — listening well, using talent.
- 上九玉退而為顧問，剛柔互輔——大吉。Stepping back as advisor — soft and firm in balance.
可行的一步 · Practical move
鼎卦最大的應用：「立新養賢」+「正位凝命」。革命破舊之後必立鼎，否則革就是亂。最忌九四「鼎折足，覆公餗」——剛強獨擔大任而不勝，傾覆所有。最高境是上九「鼎玉鉉」——剛柔相節，至成至美。
Ding's deepest applications: establishment + cultivation of talent + 'right position, concentrated mandate'. After revolution must come establishment. Worst: line 4's broken leg toppling the whole feast. Peak: line 6's jade rings — soft and firm in perfect balance.
失手之處 · Failure mode
九四「鼎折足，覆公餗」是中國歷史上失敗政權與現代失敗執行長的共同寫照——個人剛猛而組織根基不立，獨自扛大任，最後翻車。讀此爻記住：鼎之足要四方穩固，不能靠一人之剛。
Line 4 'broken leg, spilled royal feast' — the common pattern of failed Chinese dynasties and modern fallen CEOs. Personal force without institutional foundation. Bear too much alone, the cauldron tips. The legs need broad support, not one person's strength.
義理Commentary4
王弼以為鼎卦的核心在「立新」——卦象上下皆陽（鼎之足、鼎之耳），中虛能容。聖人「亨以享上帝，大亨以養聖賢」是鼎之大用。讀此卦最該記住「正位凝命」四字——立位要正，凝命要堅。
Wang Bi takes the core of Ding to be 'establishing the new.' In the hexagram's image the top and bottom are firm — the cauldron's legs and ears — while the middle is hollow and can contain. The sage 'cooks to make offering to the Lord on High, and cooks grandly to nourish the sages and worthies': this is the cauldron's great use. What most deserves remembering are the four characters 'correct the position, concentrate the mandate' (zheng wei ning ming 正位凝命) — the position must be correct, the mandate held firmly.
程子強調鼎之為器有「養」之大用——非僅祭祀，更在於養聖賢之人才。彼以六五「黃耳金鉉」為全卦之主——能用合適的工具掌握合適的人才，是立國立業之根本。
Cheng Yi stresses that the cauldron's great use as a vessel is nourishment (yang 養) — not sacrifice alone, but the nourishing of sages and worthies, of talent. He takes line 5, 'yellow ears, metal carrying-bar,' as the master of the hexagram: to hold the right people with the right instruments is the root of founding a state or an enterprise.
朱子直言：鼎為「象」卦——卦形如鼎（初六為足、二三四為腹、五為耳、上為鉉）。卦辭「元吉亨」三字至簡，意在「立成」之大善。學者觀此知：革命破舊之後，須立鼎以承續。
Zhu Xi puts it plainly: Ding is a pictographic hexagram — its shape is a cauldron (the first line the legs, lines 2–4 the belly, the fifth the ears, the top the carrying-bar). The Judgment's three characters, 'greatly auspicious, penetrating,' are utterly spare; they point to the great good of establishment completed. From this the student learns: after revolution has cleared away the old, a cauldron must be set up to carry things forward.
革是破，鼎是立。鼎的用處彖傳說得直接：「大亨以養聖賢」。一口鼎的分量，看它煮出來的東西養住了什麼人，鼎身大小倒在其次；國家、組織也一樣，養得出人才的就是好鼎。 立起來之後最怕九四「鼎折足，覆公餗」：足撐不住，鼎翻了，一鍋公家的粥全潑在地上。擔子接得超過自己的力量，賠掉的往往是眾人的事，這一爻的凶就凶在這裡。收在上九「鼎玉鉉」：玉做的鉉溫潤而堅，抬鼎的器具也講剛柔相濟，立到這一步，大吉無不利。
Ge breaks; Ding builds. The Tuan Zhuan states the cauldron's use directly: 'cooking grandly to nourish the sages and worthies.' A cauldron's worth is measured by whom its cooking sustains — the size of the vessel comes second. Same for a country or an organization: the one that raises real people is a good cauldron. Once it is standing, the thing to fear most is line 4, 'the cauldron's leg breaks, the duke's stew is spilled': the legs give way, the pot tips, and a whole meal meant for everyone is on the floor. Take on a load beyond your strength, and what gets lost is usually other people's business — that is exactly where this line's danger lies. The close is the top line, 'the cauldron has a jade carrying-bar': jade is warm yet hard, so even the tool that lifts the cauldron balances firm and soft. Built to that point — greatly auspicious, nothing that does not benefit.
注解Annotation8
鼎dǐng
The great ancient bronze vessel — three legs, two ears. Not mere cookware: the regalia of the state.
亨hēng/pēng
Penetrating, going through; in old script also interchangeable with 烹 'to cook' — both senses are active here.
飪rèn
To cook, to boil food to readiness.
顛diān
To overturn, tip upside down — here, the cauldron flipped to empty out the old dregs.
雉膏zhì gāo
Pheasant fat — a delicacy; here, fine food that goes uneaten.
餗sù
The food in the cauldron — the stew meant for the duke's table.
渥wò
Drenched, soaked — spattered by the spilled contents.
鉉xuàn
The carrying-bar threaded through the cauldron's ears to lift it.
歷史Context4
革鼎成對·破立一體
Ge and Ding — destruction and establishment as one
第 49 革（破舊）與第 50 鼎（立新）為一對綜卦。卦序的安排有深意：先革後鼎——破了舊的還必須立新的，否則革命就只是破壞。中國歷代王朝建立都是「革命」之後立「鼎」（鼎遷象徵政權交接）。
Hexagram 49 Ge (clearing the old) and hexagram 50 Ding (establishing the new) are an inverse pair, and the sequence is deliberate: Ge first, then Ding. What has been torn down must be replaced, or revolution is mere destruction. Every dynastic founding in Chinese history follows 'revolution' with the setting up of the cauldron — the moving of the ding symbolized the transfer of political power.
「鼎」之為國之重器
The Ding as state regalia
古代「九鼎」象徵九州，是天命的具體化。「問鼎」即覬覦天下，「定鼎」即立國。卦序以鼎承革，正是揭示「政權的合法性建立在能養賢、能祭祀、能定位」之上。
The ancient Nine Cauldrons symbolized the nine regions of the realm — the Mandate of Heaven made physical. To 'ask about the cauldrons' (wen ding 問鼎) meant to covet the empire; to 'settle the cauldron' (ding ding 定鼎) meant to found a state. That Ding follows Ge in the sequence reveals the point: a regime's legitimacy rests on its capacity to nourish the worthy, to sacrifice, and to hold its proper position.
卦形如鼎之象形
The hexagram's shape mimics a cauldron
鼎卦六爻自下而上：初六為鼎足（陰虛），二三四為鼎腹（兩陽夾一陽，象實），六五為鼎耳（陰虛），上九為鼎鉉（剛在外）。這是 64 卦中少數以象形立卦的之一。
Read from the bottom up, the six lines picture a cauldron: the first (yin, open) is the legs; lines 2–4 (yang upon yang, the image of solid fullness) the belly; the fifth (yin, open) the ears; the top (firm, on the outside) the carrying-bar. This is one of the few hexagrams among the 64 built pictographically.
「正位凝命」·後世儒家根本
'Right position, concentrated mandate' — Confucian root
大象「君子以正位凝命」一句，後世儒家以此立「修齊治平」之大綱。「正位」是個人立場端正，「凝命」是凝聚天命（責任）於己。能正位才能凝命。
The Da Xiang's 'the superior man corrects his position and concentrates the mandate' became a Confucian charter for the program of cultivating the self, ordering the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world. 'Correcting the position' is setting one's own stance straight; 'concentrating the mandate' is gathering heaven's charge — responsibility — into oneself. Only one whose position is correct can hold the mandate.
練習Practice3
- char-recall
「正位凝命」四字之意？這是儒家哪些思想的源頭？
What does 正位凝命 (zheng wei ning ming) mean? What Confucian ideas does it source?
- parse
為何六五「黃耳金鉉」是鼎之主爻？黃、金、玉三色有何深意？
Why is line 5 the master line? What's the meaning of the yellow/gold/jade progression?
- line-read
用九四「鼎折足，覆公餗」評論一個你見過獨力承擔過大任務而崩潰的人或事。
Use line 4 to comment on a case of one person bearing too much and collapsing.