Hexagram 25: 無妄
wú wàng —without pretense, without presumption, without falseness
By Augustin Chan · Last updated 2025
Upper Trigram天
Lower Trigram雷
Judgment
無wúwithout, with no, having no
妄wàngpretense, presumption; falseness, guile
元yuánmost; first-rate, supreme, excellent
亨hēngfulfilling; fulfillment, satisfaction, success
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
貞zhēnto persist, be loyal, dedicated, steadfast
其qíif, for one who, those, someone
匪fěiis without, devoid of; not being; never
正zhènguprightness, integrity, ethics; upright, true
有yǒuthere will be; has, have; will find
眚shěngsuffering, distress, injury; grave error, consequences
不bùand it is not much; will not be; nothing
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
有yǒuto, in have, find, taking on
攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose
往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead
无妄，元亨，利贞。其匪正有眚，不利有攸往。无妄。至高成功。坚持促进。如果人不如其应，则有不幸。
Image
天tiānheaven, the sky
下xiàbelow, beneath, under
雷léithe thunder
行xíngmoves; acts, sets forth, is on the move
物wùthe beings, creatures, entities; creation
與yǔcollaborate, interact, take part, participate
無wúwithout
妄wàngpretense
先xiānthe ancient, early, original, former, founding
王wángsovereigns, kings, rulers, fathers
以yǐaccordingly, therefore, thus
茂màoprospered, flourished, thrived, developed
對duìaccording to, consistent with, by, as befit
時shíthe season, time, occasion, opportunity
育yùand nurtured, nourished, fostered
萬wànthe myriad, ten thousand; all of
物wùbeings, creatures, things; creation
天下雷行，物与无妄。先王以茂对时，育万物。因此君子丰富其性格并无隐含动机行动。
Cellular Automaton
康威生命游戏 — 第一个滑翔机
约翰·H·康威（贝尔实验室 / 数学民间传说） (公元1970年)
五个像素，三条规则，然后——无飞行员的运动。在生命游戏中，一个叫做"滑翔机"的微小模式在无意图的情况下发现了运动。这是無妄：源于法则而非计谋的行动。 没有阴谋，没有隐藏议程——只是当约束干净时宇宙所做的事情。当棋盘诚实时，生命自己移动。为了聪明而干预，你会杀死它；将规则设置为真，你会得到惊喜——至高成功——无需努力。
Historical Context
- Period
- 周朝
- Oracle Bone Etymology
- 天（☰）在上，雷（☳）在下——创造原则主宰自发唤起。
- Traditional Use
- 无妄 = 符合自然秩序的意外。做正确的事；让结果涌现。计算的诡计带来不幸。
Lines
Line 1: 無妄往吉
無wúwithout, with no, having no
妄wàngpretense, presumption; falseness, guile
往wǎngto go forth, forward, advance, proceed
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
Line 2: 不耕穫不菑畬則利有攸往
不bùwhen, where, if not, without, there is no
耕gēngploughing, tilling
穫huòto, the harvest, reap, yield, cut
不bùand when, where, if not, without
菑zīclearing, breaking new ground, soil
畬yúin, for established, cultivated third year fields
則zéthen; in due order, consequently it is
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
有yǒuto have, find, take on; if there is
攸yōusomewhere; a place, direction, purpose
往wǎngto go, move towards; in going; ahead
Line 3: 無妄之災或繫之牛行人之得邑人之災
無wúone without, with no, having no
妄wàngpretense, presumption; falseness, guile
之zhīstill, yet has, holds its; comes to
災zāimisfortune, calamity, adversity, accidents
或huòas when somebody, someone; sometimes
繫xìtethers, ties up; tethering, tying up
之zhīone's, that; his, her, their
牛niúox, cow, cattle and
行xíngon the move; the one
人rénis, means a, the drifter
之zhīhas; ...'s
得déa, an, the find, gain, catch, acquisition
邑yìand is a, the town, village, community
人réninhabitant, member, residents; people, folk
之zhī...'s; ... s'; has, have; come to
災zāia, the calamity, misfortune, adversity, crisis
Line 4: 可貞無咎
可kěinviting; asking, calling for; may there be
貞zhēnpersistence, determination, loyalty, truth
無wúis no, not, nothing; avoids
咎jiùwrong; a mistake, an error
Line 5: 無妄之疾勿藥有喜
無wúone without, with no, having no
妄wàngpretense, presumption; falseness, guile
之zhīstill, yet has, gets, holds its; comes to
疾jíillness, dis-ease, ill, ailment, afflictions; ill
勿wùdo not, don't, never; avoid; permit no
藥yàomedicate, drug; medicines, medication
有yǒuto attain, find, bring about, gain
喜xǐhappiness, enjoyment, well-being
Line 6: 無妄行有眚無攸利
無wúeven, when without, with no, having no
妄wàngpretense, presumption; falseness, guile
行xíngbut, yet advance, progress, activity, going
有yǒubrings about, becomes, has, finds
眚shěngsuffering, distress, error, injury, evil consequence
無wúthis is no, not; this lacks, has no
攸yōua direction, purpose; an aim, orientation
利lìwith merit, of value, with rewards
Practical Guidance
1970年。康威在方格纸上玩细胞自动机，测试简单规则：一个细胞基于其邻居存活或死亡。B3/S23——有三个邻居出生，有两个或三个存活。他不是试图设计运动。他在观察合法结构产生什么。
然后滑翔机出现。五个像素将自己排列成一个对角线穿过网格行走的模式，永远，永远，无引导。没有飞行员，没有程序告诉它去哪里。只是三条诚实应用的规则，宇宙发现了运动。
这是無妄——无妄。不是天真；有纪律的非做作。你设置重要的约束：干净的接口、真实的测试、诚实的输入。然后你不干预。你从角度行动的时刻——发布用户没有要求的功能，调整指标以看起来好，设计结果而非展现它们——你破坏了场。滑翔机停止滑翔。涌现行为死亡。
失败模式不是计划不足。而是用聪明污染棋盘。你无法强迫涌现；你只能建立合法条件并让结构发现它发现的东西。傲慢的工程师相信他们可以引导每个结果。诚实的人设置规则为真并观看从网格中走出什么。
康威没有设计滑翔机。他设计了它可以存在的宇宙。诚实建立棋盘，然后后退。至高成功源于法则，而非计谋。
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