Hexagram 50:

dǐng the cauldron, crucible, sacrificial vessel

By Augustin Chan · Last updated 2025

Upper Trigram
Lower Trigram

Judgment

dǐnga, the cauldron, crucible, sacrificial vessel
yuánfirst-rate, excellent; a, the most
promise, opportunity; promising
hēngand fulfillment, satisfaction; offering

鼎。元吉,亨。

Image

the wood
shàngover, above, atop, on top of
yǒuis, there is
huǒa, the fire, flame
dǐngthe cauldron
jūna, the noble, worthy, honored
young one, heir, disciple
according to; with, by; uses, applies
zhèngthe precise, correct, exact(ing); principle(s)
wèiof placement, position(ing), condition(s)
níngto realize, manifest, consolidate, coagulate
mìnga, the higher law, purpose, order, power

木上有火,鼎。君子以正位凝命。

文明根基

Hexagram 50 digital artifact

九鼎

大禹 (約公元前2070年)

十三年治水之後——三過家門而不入——大禹收到咗新統一疆域九州嘅貢金。佢鑄造咗九座青銅鼎(九鼎),每座鼎上面刻住嗰個州嘅山川、河流、物產同神靈嘅圖案。本來無形嘅變得可見。本來混沌嘅變得有序。 九鼎唔淨係器皿。佢哋係天命(天命)嘅物質化身。擁有九鼎就意味住擁有天下嘅正統權威。兩千年間,九鼎嘅轉移標誌住主權嘅更替:由夏到商到周。當周武王問及「鼎之輕重」嗰陣,佢問緊嘅係天下嘅輕重。 離上巽下(☲☴):轉化之火,滋養之風。鼎企喺兩者之間——由下面接收原材料,向上面呈獻精煉之物。「鼎折足」意味住器皿承載唔住;正統已經破裂。「鼎耳革」意味住提手已經俾人腐蝕;器皿唔可以再俾人舉到佢應有嘅位置。 禹嘅雙手掂住熔融嘅青銅:令文明對自身可見嘅原初行為。元吉,因為呢個係形式得以承載意義穿越時間嘅嗰一刻。

Historical Context

Period
周朝
Oracle Bone Etymology
離(☲)喺上,巽(☴)喺下——火由風生,轉化得以持續。鼎接收並精煉。
Traditional Use
鼎(鼎卦)形容轉化祭品、承載正統、使祭祀得以進行嘅禮器。鼎嘅三足代表穩定;兩耳使佢能夠俾人提起。衛禮賢譯:「元吉,亨。」

Lines

Line 1: 鼎顛趾利出否得妾以其子無咎

dǐnga, the cauldron('s)
diānwith upended, (up)turned (up), inverted
zhǐfeet, legs, stand
worthwhile, rewarding, beneficial, gainful
chūto expel, remove; get, pour out; get rid of
the stagnant(ating, ation), decay; inferior
to accept, acquire, receive, find (ing)
qièa, the concubine, mistress, handmaiden
for (the sake of); in order, thereby (to have)
her; an, another
a child, young one; heir
no; is not; nothing; without, with no
jiùblame; is wrong; a mistake, an error

Line 2: 鼎有實我仇有疾不我能即吉

dǐngwhen, the cauldron
yǒuhas, holds, possesses, contains, retains; with
shícontent(s), substance, results; the genuine
our, my
chóurival, adversary, counterpart, opponent (s)(')
yǒuwill have, hold, possess, contain, retain (s)
anxiety(ies), distress; affliction, ailment (s)
it, this is not, outside of
our, my
néngin, within v power(s), range, scope
to pursue; or reach; of pursuit(s); problem
promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

Line 3: 鼎耳革其行塞雉膏不食方雨虧悔終吉

dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with
ěrears, handles are, have been
changed, altered, modified
its, one's own
xíngfunction, action, movement (s); performance
is, are impair, hinder, impede, hamper (ed)
zhìa, the pheasant's
gāorich, fat, juicy, delicate meat gravy
is not; will not be; goes un-
shíeaten, consumed, fed upon; food
fānga sudden, quick; suddenly; right, just now
rain
kuīwould diminish, decrease, lessen (s)
huǐthe regret(s), remorse
zhōngat, in the end, eventually, ultimately
promising, fortuitous; an opportunity

Line 4: 鼎折足覆公餗其形渥凶

dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with
zhéa broken, defective
leg, stand, base, basis, support, footing
overturning, spilling, upsetting
gōnga, the duke's, prince's, lord's, high noble's
simple meal, rice stew [w/ meat & veggies]
his
xíngperson, form, visage, appearance, dignity
is soaked, soiled, smeared, stained
xiōngwoe, trouble; unfortunate, disappointing

Line 5: 鼎黃耳金鉉利貞

dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with
huánggolden, yellow, harvest gold, earth yellow
ěrears, handles
jīnand metal, bronze, gilded
xuàngrip, haft; carrying bar, pole
it is worthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
zhēnto persist; be loyal, dedicated, steadfast

Line 6: 鼎玉鉉大吉無不利

dǐnga, the cauldron('s), with
a jade
xuàngrip, haft; carrying bar, pole
much, great, full of, a lot of; very
promise, hope, opportunity; promising
without; there is nothing
not
worthwhile, (turned to) advantage(ous)

Practical Guidance

你有啲嘢需要轉化。 可能係需要結構先至可以變成技能嘅原始天賦。可能係需要形式先至可以變成連貫項目嘅散亂諗法。可能係資源——時間、金錢、注意力——需要一個器皿先至可以變成投資而唔係消散。你有材料。你需要鼎。 大禹喺文明尺度上明白呢樣嘢。佢花咗十三年治水——開渠、移土、測繪地形。完成之後,佢擁有咗一個統一嘅疆域,但係冇呢種統一嘅可見象徵。九州進貢金屬。佢可以鑄造武器,或者儲起嚟,或者當禮物分發返去。佢揀咗鑄造鼎。 天才之處在於鼎所承載嘅內容:唔淨係祭品,仲有地圖。每座鼎上面刻住嗰個州嘅圖景——山川、河流、物產、神靈。九鼎令本來無形嘅變得可見。佢哋將混沌轉化為清晰。因為佢哋係用嚟祭祀嘅禮器,佢哋連接咗人間同天界。鼎唔淨係容納;佢轉化。 卦象教緊你:轉化需要穩定嘅器皿。冇鍋就冇得煮嘢食。冇容器就冇得精煉。風滋養火,但係火需要一個可以集中熱量嘅地方。「君子以正位凝命」——佢成為轉化流經嘅器皿。 危險係破裂嘅鼎。「鼎折足,覆公餗。」如果你個容器缺乏完整性,入去嘅嘢就冇辦法俾人正確咁轉化;佢會漏走,浪費晒。三足係你嘅根基。兩耳係你點樣俾人提升到更高目的。折足意味住唔穩定。耳革意味住你嘅把手已經俾人腐蝕——你冇辦法再俾人帶到你需要去嘅地方。 諗吓你正在建造咩樣嘅器皿。佢穩定咩?佢有冇適當嘅把手——關係、結構、協議——令佢可以俾人提起?佢可唔可以接收原材料並將佢轉化為精煉之物? 禹嘅鼎延續咗兩千年,因為佢哋係為咗佢哋嘅目的以絕對精準鑄造嘅。佢哋唔係裝飾性嘅。佢哋唔係實驗性嘅。佢哋係承載主權跨越時間嘅正確器皿。 元吉:你有火,你有燃料。而家建造一個可以承載你需要進行嘅轉化嘅鼎。

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