Hexagram 23:

decompose, break down, strip(ing) away

By Augustin Chan · Last updated 2025

Upper Trigram
Lower Trigram

Judgment

decompose, break down, strip(ing) away
(it) (is) not (much); will not be; nothing
worth(while), reward(ing), benefit(icial)
yǒu(to, in) have, find, take(ing) (on)
yōusomewhere; (a) place, direction, purpose
wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead

剥,不利有攸往。分裂。去任何地方都不利。服从时间。智者接受无法阻止之物并谨慎管理过渡。

Image

shān(a, the) mountain
added, in addition; depends, (is) contingent
to; on, upon
(the) earth, ground, land
decomposing
shàng(a, the) superior(s), lofty; those above
accordingly, therefore, thus
hòu(is, are) generous, tolerant, genuine (to, with)
xià(a, the) subordinate(s), lowly, those below
ān(in, to) secure, ensure, confirm, settle(ing)
zhái(a, their) place, position, base; dwelling(s)

山附于地,剥之象也。上以厚下安宅。因此上位者只能通过慷慨给予下位者来确保其位置。

城市艺术品

Hexagram 23 digital artifact

九龙寨城 — 拆除横截面

香港市政工程部 & 时间 (公元1993年)

像切开的晶洞一样打开的超密集房间"山":床、日历、电线、空气。剝不是复仇;它是结束的后勤。 稳定、记录、重新安置,让结构回归沉积。善的种子保留:教训、地图、向前移动的生命。

Historical Context

Period
周朝
Oracle Bone Etymology
山(☶)在上,地(☷)在下——山依托在地上,但基础正在侵蚀。
Traditional Use
经典文本描述暗线向上攀登以通过逐渐瓦解推翻最后一条光线。与九月(十月-十一月)相连,当阴力上升完全取代阳。

Lines

Line 1: 剝床以足蔑貞凶

depriving, stripping, abridging, reducing
chuáng(the) bed, couch, divan, platform
of (the use of); by (taking)
(the, its) legs, support, basis, stand, footing
miè(to) dismiss, disregard, ignore, disdain (such)
zhēnpersistence, loyalty, steadfastness, truth
xiōng(is) unfortunate, ill-omened; has pitfalls

Line 2: 剝床以辨蔑貞凶

depriving, stripping, abridging, reducing
chuáng(the) bed, couch, divan, platform
of (the use of); by (taking)
biàn(the, its) frame, context, distinction(-iveness)
miè(to) dismiss, ignore, disdain(ing) (such)
zhēnpersistence, loyalty, steadfastness, truth
xiōng(is) unfortunate, ill-omened; has pitfalls

Line 3: 剝之無咎

depriving, curtailing, abridging, cutting back
zhīitself; oneself, one's own; here; this
is not, no; is without; avoids, escapes
jiùblame; wrong; (a) mistake, (an) error(s)

Line 4: 剝床以膚凶

depriving, stripping, abridging, reducing
chuáng(the) bed, couch, divan [of complacency]
of (the use of); by (taking); for
(the, its) flesh, skin, meat [its occupant]
xiōngunfortunate, ill-omened, ominous, brutal

Line 5: 貫魚以宮人寵無不利

guàn(a) string(line), line, thread; [suc-, pro- cession]
of fish(es); [prosperous, contented people]
by (way, means) of; through, with; due to
gōng(the) palace, (large, upper class) household
rénoccupants', inhabitants', personnel's, staff's
chǒngsponsorship, kindness, favor, esteem
without; (there is) nothing
doubt; (that) (is) not; (which) cannot be
worthwhile, (turned to) advantage(ous)

Line 6: 碩果不食君子得輿小人剝廬

shuò(the) ripe, plump, large(est); (over)ripe
guǒfruit (realization, conclusion, outcome, result)
is not; will not be; avoids, escapes; goes un-
shí(being) eaten, consumed, fed upon; food
jūn(a, the) noble, worthy, honored
young one, heir, disciple
gains, finds, occupies, receives, claims
輿support, basis, ground, transport, carriage
xiǎo(as, while) (the) average, common, petty
rénones, folk, people
(are) deprived of; tear down, scavenge, loot
(their)(own) hovels, shacks, shanties, slums

Practical Guidance

九龙寨城,1993年。挖掘机进入。香港的无政府山——14层非正式建筑,6.4英亩内33,000居民,几十年无政府监督——开始系统拆除。 第二十三卦:剥。山在上,地在下。结构正在崩溃,但这不是复仇。这是后勤。政府不在凌晨3点派警察带破门锤。他们稳定、记录、重新安置。他们支付补偿。他们在拆除前拍摄每个房间。他们保存可以保存的。 拆除中途的横截面显示蜂窝状内部:房间堆叠在房间上,电线像静脉一样穿过空腔,墙上的日历仍在,通过撕裂的网可见床。挖掘机咬入一层,而钠工作灯在上面暴露的空腔中发光。山正在回归地,但有条不紊。 经典文本教导的是:去任何地方都不利。当基础分裂时,不要试图建得更高。不要坚持山可以无限期地站在侵蚀的地上。接受正在发生的事情。阴线正在上升——五条暗线向上攀登,只有顶部一条光线勉强维持。这是时间条件,不是个人失败。 错误回应:顽固抵抗。拒绝搬迁、坚持九龙可以永远继续的居民。那导致更大损失——当结构最终崩溃时被埋葬。正确回应:管理过渡。记录曾经之物,重新安置住在那里的人,让山回归沉积但保留善的种子。 善的种子保留。九龙的拆除产生了全面的摄影文档。建筑研究。口述历史。居民被补偿搬迁。教训——关于非正式城市主义,关于密度超过所有规划时发生的事情——那些持续。物理山已经消失,但它产生的知识向前移动。 你的等价物:项目正在失败。关系正在结束。技术过时了。你能感觉到基础分裂。五条阴线已经上升;只有一条阳线勉强维持。不要承担新行动。不要将资源倾注到拯救时间已判决之物。稳定、记录、重新安置。谨慎管理分裂。 山依托地。当地收回建立在其上之物时,智者不对抗重力。他们确保上位者(领导层、剩余利益相关者)通过慷慨给予下位者(受崩溃影响的人)来维持位置。补偿、文档、有序过渡。 九龙花了14个月拆除。不是突然灾难——有条不紊回归沉积。那就是当你无法阻止分裂时如何处理。挖掘机咬,房间像晶洞一样打开,剩下的是山曾经站立的地面水平地。善的种子:学到的教训,向前移动的生命,曾经之物的全面记录。

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