Hexagram 43 · Guai Breakthrough 泽天夬

“Breakthrough: make it known at the king’s court. Call out with sincerity; there is danger.”

The way of Guai (Breakthrough) is that the petty person is in decline and the way of the noble person is growing. It must be made plain in the public hall so that people understand good and evil; hence ‘make it known at the king’s court’. At this time, with reverence and caution and with utmost sincerity, one instructs the common people so that they are on guard, think of danger while at peace, and keep a sense of caution and awe at all times; then there will surely be no later trouble.

“Report from one’s own city. It is not beneficial to take up arms. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go.”

For the way of Breakthrough to reach the highest good, it must not prize military force. It begins with cultivating oneself; after the family is in order one can govern the state, winning over the many by the way. In this way one can go forward.

“Breakthrough means resolution: the firm resolves the soft. Strong and joyous; resolute and harmonious.”

Five yang lines remove one yin line; below is strength and above is joy. Because it is strong it can be joyous and harmonious; this is the highest good of the way of resolution.

“Make it known at the king’s court: the soft rides upon five firm lines. Call out with sincerity; there is danger: in that danger lies its brightness.”

Yin sitting above yang is not correct. When the noble person removes it, he should proclaim its offence in the public hall so that the people know good from evil. Leading the people with heartfelt sincerity, so that they know caution and awe and guard against danger to the utmost: only then can the way of the noble person show its great power.

“Report from one’s own city. It is not beneficial to take up arms: what it prizes would come to an end. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go: the growth of the firm then reaches completion.”

In a time of Breakthrough one must not exalt arms or take by force. One must begin by cultivating and ordering one’s own ground; only then is it beneficial to advance and make the yang firm way of the noble person shine. When the right way has reached its full firmness, not a single crooked or mean way may be left; this firm advance carried through to the end is fortunate.

“The lake rises up to heaven: Breakthrough. The noble person accordingly bestows his bounty on those below, and avoids resting on his virtue.”

Water gathered and risen up to heaven is the image of Breakthrough; in the end it must burst from above and irrigate what is below. The noble person, observing the image and modelling himself on heaven, knows that he must bestow bounty on the world; then the people will all turn toward him. And in times of safety he knows that he must keep guard and restraint; then there is no fear of collapse.

“Strength in the forward toes. Going without prevailing brings blame.”

A firm and strong person in a low position, in a time of resolution, will surely push forward forcefully to carry things out. If he meets resistance in carrying them out and fails, it is surely the fault of his resolution. So before acting on anything one must guard against rashness and plan for the worst; only then can one advance.

“Going without being able to prevail: this is blame.”

The noble person’s action must be measured before he advances; to strive for something he knows cannot be done will surely invite blame. Petty people have no such caution; they advance without measuring their strength and bring disgrace on themselves.

“An alarmed cry. Weapons at dusk or night; do not worry.”

When the noble person is removing petty people, he must keep watchful and prepared and never relax for a moment. Then even if armed men come at night, he will not be alarmed.

“Weapons, but do not worry: it attains the central way.”

Even if armed men come at night, he is not alarmed or worried, because he conducts himself well, can follow the central way and knows what to be wary of. So one who studies the Changes must know the time and recognise the trend of things; without this, how could one speak of mastering the Changes?

“Strength in the cheekbone. Misfortune. The noble person is resolute, resolute; walking alone he meets rain; he is soaked and resented, but there is no blame.”

The third nine is in the minister’s position, with the king above it, yet it is firm and over-decisive. This resolution is one it takes upon itself, surely not in accord with the ruler’s intent, and the result will surely invite misfortune. So the noble person in a time of Breakthrough knows that his own way is growing and the way of petty people is about to wane; he certainly does not join with petty people on his own, and he shows his displeasure in his face; then there can be no blame.

People today all think themselves important. When they see someone inviting misfortune, they give him support whatever the cause; this is a display of foolish kindness. It only lets the petty person succeed; he does not repent, but grows even stronger. This is the beginning of disaster, and it is caused by people’s foolish kindness.

“The noble person is resolute, resolute: in the end there is no blame.”

Resolution must accord with right principle. When the noble person is decisive at the moment that calls for decision, he never comes to blame in the end. Ordinary people must be careful: before the situation is clear, not deciding is a good policy. One must never decide blindly according to one’s own preferences, for that will surely harm others.

“No skin on the buttocks; walking haltingly. Leading a sheep makes regret disappear. Hearing words but not believing.”

A yang line in a yin place shows the fault of a person whose firm resolve is insufficient. When yang firmness and right principle have become fully clear, if one’s own resolve is not enough, one will surely be uneasy where one stays and find it hard to advance. If one could imitate the way sheep move together as a flock, there would be no regret. But a person lacking firm resolve cannot be made to advance with softness; so even if he is told, his nature is such that he certainly will not believe and act on it.

Since ancient times, those who can correct faults when they know them, use the good when they recognise it, and master their own desires in this way have always been people of firmness and clarity.

“Walking haltingly: the position is not proper. Hearing words but not believing: the hearing is not clear.”

This blocked and troubled conduct comes because the person in the position does not suit the post. He does not believe words of right principle because his hearing is not clear.

“Amaranth on high ground; resolute, resolute. Walking in the middle brings no blame.”

The ruler is the master of decision. In a time of Breakthrough he must decide at once to remove the way of the petty person; holding to the central and correct way, he will surely have no disaster.

“Walking in the middle brings no blame: the centre is not yet bright.”

If a person is utterly sincere at heart, his decisions will surely be without fault. But all human hearts have selfish desires, and once selfish desire is involved, the central way cannot shine out greatly.

“No cry. Misfortune in the end.”

This is the moment when yin is about to be exhausted, when the way of the noble person is manifest and the way of the petty person must wane. Only by attaching oneself to the way of the noble person is there good fortune; otherwise, even without wailing in fear, one meets misfortune in the end.

“The misfortune of no cry: in the end it cannot last.”

Even if one shows others one’s wailing and fear, one still invites misfortune; this way surely cannot last long. So the noble person thinks of removing the way of the petty person, not of wiping out petty people altogether.