Hexagram 61 of 64
中孚 zhōng fú
Inner Truth
巽 (xùn, Wind) above · 兑 (duì, Lake) below
The Judgment 卦辞
Truth at the center moves even the difficult and the distant. Not argument but real sincerity — like wind moving over the lake — tames the wild.
The Image 大象
Wind over the lake: inner truth. The wise person weighs criminal cases carefully, and delays the death penalty.
The six lines 爻辞
Each line of 中孚 has its own classical text. If a line in your cast is changing, its text is the heart of your reading.
Line 1 · 初九
Settled trust — good fortune. Chasing side attractions, no peace.
「虞吉，有它不燕」
Line 2 · 九二
The crane calls in the shade; its young answer. I have a fine cup — let us share it. Sincerity finds its echo.
「鸣鹤在阴，其子和之；我有好爵，吾与尔靡之」
Line 3 · 六三
Locked with an opponent — now drumming, now stopping, now weeping, now singing. Inner truth lost in the contest.
「得敌，或鼓或罢，或泣或歌」
Line 4 · 六四
Near the full moon — the pair of horses lost. Losing the counterpart, no blame.
「月几望，马匹亡，无咎」
Line 5 · 九五
Trust that binds fast, hand in hand. No blame.
「有孚挛如，无咎」
Line 6 · 上九
The crowing carried up to heaven — sound without substance. Even steadiness cannot save empty noise.
「翰音登于天，贞凶」
If you drew this in a reading
A favorable pattern. Among the sixty-four patterns, this one belongs to the favorable family: its core movement supports what you would do with it. Favorable does not mean automatic — the hexagram still asks you to hold up your end with steadiness and good faith.
In yes/no questions this hexagram leans yes — the pattern supports proceeding.
The trigrams give the flavor: 巽 (Wind) above — gentle penetration — gradual influence, flexibility, patience — over 兑 (Lake) below — joyous openness — exchange, persuasion, pleasure shared. Where those two energies meet, 中孚 is born.
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