第 6 卦 · Hexagram 6

訟

Song · Heaven over Water (Conflict)

上乾下坎，相背而爭

上☰乾 · 天 / Heaven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.Opposite36 · 明夷綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The whole figure turned upside-down.Inverse5 · 需互卦由二、三、四爻與三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。Built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5.Nuclear37 · 家人

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
天與水違行，訟
Heaven and water moving in opposite directions form the figure of contention.
人事取法Conduct
君子以作事謀始。
The superior man, in accordance with this, in the transaction of business takes good counsel about its first steps.

天往上、水往下，方向相違——訟卦之象。君子由此體會：要在做事的「源頭」就先計劃好，不留下日後爭訟的種子。

Heaven and water moving in opposite directions form the figure of contention. The superior man, in accordance with this, in the transaction of business takes good counsel about its first steps.

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

訟：有孚，窒惕，中吉，終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川。

訟卦——心中有信實，但因警惕而被堵塞。執中而退則吉，硬到底則凶。利於拜見有德的大人物（讓他來判斷），不利於涉險大事。

Sung intimates how, though there is sincerity in one's contention, he will yet meet with opposition and obstruction; but if he cherish an apprehensive caution, there will be good fortune, while, if he must prosecute the contention to the (bitter) end, there will be evil. It will be advantageous to see the great man; it will not be advantageous to cross the great stream.

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

訟，上剛下險，險而健，訟。訟有孚窒惕中吉，剛來而得中也；終凶，訟不可成也；利見大人，尚中正也；不利涉大川，入于淵也。

訟卦上剛（乾）下險（坎）——險詐而剛強，所以爭訟。「有孚窒惕中吉」是因為剛爻來居中位（九二）；「終凶」是說訟不可堅持到底；「利見大人」是因為崇尚中正；「不利涉大川」是因為涉險就要墮入深淵。

Above is strength, below the danger of a defile. Here is strength acting in the face of peril — the very figure of contention.

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

短

不拖長don't drag

第 1 爻 · 陰line 1 · yin

不永所事，小有言，終吉。

不要把這件爭執拖長，會有些小口角，但結局吉。

The first SIX, divided, shows its subject not perpetuating the matter about which (the contention is). He will suffer the small (injury) of being spoken against, but the end will be fortunate.

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

不永所事，訟不可長也。雖小有言，其辯明也。

不把事拖長，是因為訟不可持久。雖有些小口角，但是非可以辨明。

九二

逋

退守避禍retreat

第 2 爻 · 陽line 2 · yang

不克訟，歸而逋，其邑人三百戶，無眚。

爭訟不勝，回去躲避——只剩三百戶的小邑民跟隨他，沒有災禍。

The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject unequal to the contention. If he retire and keep concealed (where) the inhabitants of his city are (only) three hundred families, he will fall into no mistake.

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

不克訟，歸逋竄也。自下訟上，患至掇也。

爭訟不勝就回去躲避；以下犯上，禍患是自己招來的。

六三

舊

守舊德old virtue holds

第 3 爻 · 陰line 3 · yin

食舊德，貞厲，終吉。或從王事，無成。

靠舊有的恩德吃飯——堅守舊位有險，但結局吉。若參與王事，不要爭功成。

The third SIX, divided, shows its subject keeping in the old place assigned for his support, and firmly correct. Perilous as the position is, there will be good fortune in the end. Should he perchance engage in the king's business, he will not (claim the merit of) achievement.

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

食舊德，從上吉也。

靠舊德吃飯，順從上位之意所以吉。

九四

渝

改態度change tack

第 4 爻 · 陽line 4 · yang

不克訟，復即命渝，安貞吉。

爭訟不勝——回頭聽命、改變態度，安守正道則吉。

The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject unequal to the contention. He returns to (the study of Heaven's) ordinances, changes (his wish to contend), and rests in being firm and correct. 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.

復即命渝，安貞不失也。

回頭聽命改變態度，安守正道就不會失。

九五

正

秉公judge fairly

第 5 爻 · 陽line 5 · yang

訟，元吉。

判訟之主，至大之吉——這是全卦的主爻，得位得中，能秉公決訟。

The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject contending, — and with great fortune.

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

訟，元吉，以中正也。

「訟元吉」，是因為得到中正之位。

上九

褫

贏不住win and lose

第 6 爻 · 陽line 6 · yang

或錫之鞶帶，終朝三褫之。

或許賜給他華貴的腰帶，但一個早上之內被三次剝奪——爭到最後贏到的也守不住。

The topmost NINE shows how its subject may have the leathern belt conferred on him (by the sovereign), and yet have it taken from him thrice in a morning.

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

以訟受服，亦不足敬也。

靠爭訟得來的官服，根本不值得受人尊敬。

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.

爭·退·始謀

Conflict · retreat · planning at the source

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

初六短與同事的小摩擦不要拖，及早講清。Don't let small friction drag — clear it early.
九二逋與上級爭不過，退一步守住自己團隊。Can't outargue your boss — retreat and keep your team.
六三舊靠舊的功勞和關係吃飯，別爭新功。Live off old credit; don't claim new merit.
九四渝策略爭不贏，回頭改變方法。Strategy losing — change tack rather than push.
九五正你是仲裁者——秉公斷事，元吉。You're the arbiter — judge fairly, great fortune.
上九褫贏到了高位卻沒有根基，反覆被剝奪。Won the high seat without grounding — repeatedly stripped.

可行的一步 · Practical move

訟卦最大的應用是「作事謀始」——在做事的開始就把可能引起爭執的點談清楚（合約條款、責任邊界、預期）。一旦進入訟卦結構（上剛下險），最佳路徑是「中吉」：爭一半就退，不要爭到底。九二「不克訟，歸而逋」是聖人都用得上的智慧。

The deepest application of Song: plan at the source (zuo shi mou shi) — clarify everything at the start (contract terms, responsibility boundaries, expectations). Once you're inside the conflict structure, the best path is to be auspicious by halting midway (zhong ji) — argue halfway, then retreat. Even sages need line 2's wisdom: 'don't win the argument, retreat to your three hundred households'.

失手之處 · Failure mode

上九的失敗模式是現代最常見的：爭贏了官位、辯贏了論點、訴贏了官司——但因為你沒有真實的德性根基，那個結果一個早上之內被剝三次。你以為贏了，其實只是延長了輸。

Line 6's failure mode, the most modern of all: you won the title, won the argument, won the lawsuit — but lacking real grounding, the win is stripped three times in a morning. You think you've won; you've only delayed the loss.

義理Commentary4

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

王弼以「上剛下險」為訟卦之骨——剛強遇上險詐，所以爭。他特別重視九二「不克訟」一爻：訴訟而不得勝，懂得退而藏身，是有自知之明。彼以為「終凶」之戒，就是說人若把訟一直打下去，不論誰贏都是輸。

Wang Bi takes 'firm above, perilous below' as the skeleton of Song: hardness meeting treacherous depth, hence contention. He gives special weight to line 2, 'unequal to the contention' — to lose the suit and know how to withdraw and conceal oneself is self-knowledge. The warning 'ominous in the end,' as he reads it, means that whoever presses a dispute all the way through has lost, no matter who wins.

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

程子強調訟卦最重要的不是哪一爻打贏，而是大象「君子以作事謀始」一句。意即：爭訟之根，在於做事的時候沒有把該談清楚的談清楚。所以讀訟卦的人，要學的不是怎麼贏官司，是怎麼從一開始就不留下訟的種子。

Cheng Yi stresses that what matters most in Song is not which line wins, but the Great Image's sentence: 'the superior man, in transacting affairs, plans at the very beginning.' That is, the root of litigation lies in failing to clarify at the outset what should have been clarified. So the student of this hexagram is not learning how to win a lawsuit, but how to leave no seed of contention from the start.

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

朱子直言：訟卦九五為主——剛健中正，居至尊之位，能聽訟而公斷，所以「訟元吉」。其他諸爻無一是吉訟者；訟到底總是凶。讀此卦最該學的是「中吉終凶」四個字——爭一半就停下來，比贏到底更智慧。

Zhu Xi is direct: nine-in-the-fifth rules the hexagram — vigorous, central, and correct, occupying the most honored seat, able to hear the case and judge impartially, hence 'contention: greatly auspicious.' None of the other lines is an auspicious litigant; a dispute carried to the end is always ominous. The essential lesson is the four characters 'midway auspicious, at the end ominous' (zhong ji zhong xiong 中吉終凶) — stopping halfway through the fight is wiser than winning it outright.

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

訟的結構是上乾下坎：外面剛強，裡面藏險。衝突多半就這樣生出來，兩邊都覺得自己站得硬，底下卻各有各的情緒、利害和舊怨。卦辭把結局說死了：「中吉，終凶」。爭到一半停手，吉；爭到底，凶——打贏的代價往往是把對方變成長久的敵人。上九是現成的例子：「或錫之鞶帶，終朝三褫之」，贏來的官服，一個早上被剝三次，沒有德性撐著的勝利，拿到手也守不住。要防訟，得回到大象那句「君子以作事謀始」：爭端多半起於開頭沒把規則、邊界、責任談清楚。開頭多談一句，後面少打一場。

The structure of Song is Qian above, Kan below: hard on the outside, hidden peril inside. Most conflict is born exactly this way — both sides feel they stand on firm ground, while underneath each carries its own emotions, interests, and old grudges. The judgment settles the outcome in advance: 'midway, auspicious; to the end, ominous.' Stop halfway through the fight and it goes well; fight to the finish and it goes badly — the price of winning is usually turning the other side into a permanent enemy. The top line is the ready-made example: 'perhaps he is given the ornate belt, and thrice in one morning it is stripped away.' Rank won by litigation, without virtue underneath it, cannot be held even once it is in hand. To prevent contention, go back to the Great Image: 'the superior man plans at the very beginning.' Disputes mostly start because rules, boundaries, and responsibilities were never made clear at the outset. One more sentence of talking at the start, one less fight later.

注解Annotation9

訟sòng

Open dispute, litigation. Broader than the courtroom — any sustained public contention. The name of the hexagram.

孚fú

Sincerity, inner truthfulness. The contender's case is genuine — which is exactly why the warning matters.

窒zhì

Blocked, obstructed. Sincerity that cannot get through.

惕tì

Vigilant, apprehensive. Not fearful — watchful caution while contending.

逋bū

To flee, withdraw into hiding. Line 2's retreat from a fight it cannot win.

眚shěng

Calamity, fault of one's own making. 'No sheng' — no self-inflicted disaster.

渝yú

To change, alter course. Line 4's turn: abandoning the wish to contend.

鞶帶pán dài

The ornate leather belt of office — emblem of rank and honor won.

褫chǐ

To strip away, revoke. What happens — three times in a morning — to honors won by contention.

歷史Context4

需訟成對

Xu and Song as a pair

第 5 卦「需」（等待）與第 6 卦「訟」互為綜卦——上下顛倒就是對方。倆卦古來成對讀：需是「等待時機」，訟是「等不下去就爭」。讀此二卦如讀一個道理的兩面——能等則需，不能等則訟。

Hexagram 5, Xu (Waiting), and Hexagram 6, Song, are each other's inverse — turned upside down, each becomes the other. The two have always been read as a pair: Xu is 'waiting for the moment,' Song is 'unable to wait any longer, so contending.' Read them as two faces of one principle — where you can wait, it is Xu; where you cannot, it becomes Song.

上乾下坎之結構

Heaven over water — the conflict structure

訟卦的卦象「天上水下」最深刻——天往上行，水往下流，方向相違。古人觀此知：衝突的根源不在「誰對誰錯」，而在「方向不一」。雙方各自走各自的方向，結構上就是要分。讀此卦先看雙方的「方向」是否還有共識；若無，再爭也無益。

The image of Song — heaven above, water below — is its deepest point. Heaven moves upward, water flows downward; their directions oppose. From this the ancients understood that the root of conflict is not 'who is right and who is wrong' but 'directions no longer aligned.' When each side is headed its own way, separation is built into the structure. Reading this hexagram, first check whether the two parties still share a direction; if not, further arguing gains nothing.

九五訟主

Line 5 — the judging seat

全卦六爻中只有九五一爻得「元吉」，因為他是聽訟者而非爭訟者。剛健中正、居至尊位——這就是傳統意義上「明君斷獄」之象。讀爻時若你的位置是「裁判」而非「當事人」，主要看九五。

Of the six lines, only nine-in-the-fifth receives 'greatly auspicious' — because he is the one who hears the case, not a party to it. Vigorous, central, and correct, in the most honored seat: this is the traditional image of the enlightened ruler deciding a case. When reading the lines, if your position is 'judge' rather than 'litigant,' line 5 is the one to watch.

古代訟與現代訴訟

Ancient Song (litigation) vs modern litigation

古文「訟」本義是「公開的爭辯」——既包括法庭訴訟，也包括家庭、朋友、君臣之間的口角辯駁。現代讀此卦不必拘泥於法律意義；任何兩方持續無法和解的爭執，都可以以訟卦之理觀之。

In classical usage the root sense of song 訟 is 'open disputation' — covering court litigation, but also quarrels and arguments within families, between friends, between ruler and minister. A modern reader need not confine it to its legal sense: any dispute between two parties that persistently resists reconciliation can be viewed through the pattern of this hexagram.

練習Practice3

char-recall
「孚」字的本義是？
What does 孚 (fú) mean?
parse
為何卦辭說「中吉終凶」？這四個字最該學的是甚麼？
Why 'auspicious if halted, ominous if persisted'? What's the lesson?
line-read
用大象「君子以作事謀始」評論一個你最近未談清楚就動工而後出爭執的事。
Use the 'planning at the source' principle to comment on something you started without clarifying expectations.