Hexagram 6 · 第 6 卦

訟

Song · Heaven over Water (Conflict)

上乾下坎，相背而爭

上卦upper 乾 ☰ · 天 / Heaven下卦lower 坎 ☵ · 水 / Water
錯卦把每一爻都翻轉（陽↔陰）後得到的另一卦。The inverse-line hexagram: every line flipped.Opposite
第 36 卦 明夷
綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The reversed hexagram: flipped top-to-bottom.Inverse
第 5 卦 需
互卦由原卦二、三、四爻 + 三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。The nuclear hexagram: built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5 of the original.Nuclear
第 37 卦 家人

卦辭與彖傳

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.

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.

James Legge · 1899
傳
彖傳十翼之一，直接解釋卦名、卦辭及其剛柔結構。Tuan Zhuan — commentary explaining the name, Judgment, and 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.

James Legge · 1899

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。它不是《彖傳》的續文。The Great Image derives conduct from the two trigrams' natural images; it is not a continuation of the Tuan.

Great Image Commentary

上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct

上下卦Trigrams
☰乾 · 天Upper · Heaven
☵坎 · 水Lower · Water
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。

James Legge · 1899
六爻意象導覽Six-line image guide
由六爻爻辭整理 · 點選可跳至原文 · Editorial guide · select a stage to read the line

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.

中性位neutral主爻 · 青灰ruling line過盈之爻 · 朱砂overshot
爻辭針對單獨一條線的判斷，每卦有六條。閱讀次序：初爻 → 上爻。卦象本身則由下而上排列。Line statements — one per line, six per hexagram. Reading order is 初 → 上 (top to bottom on the page). The hexagram itself is drawn bottom-up — see the rail.
Line statements · 初 → 上 · reading order
小象十翼之一。對每一條爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on each line. inline beneath each line
初六
Line 1 · 第 1 爻 · yin陰

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the 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
Line 2 · 第 2 爻 · yang陽

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the 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
Line 3 · 第 3 爻 · yin陰

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

食舊德，從上吉也。

靠舊德吃飯，順從上位之意所以吉。

九四
Line 4 · 第 4 爻 · yang陽

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the 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
Line 5 · 第 5 爻 · yang陽

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

訟，元吉，以中正也。

「訟元吉」，是因為得到中正之位。

上九
Line 6 · 第 6 爻 · yang陽

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，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the 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。

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.