Hexagram 26 · The Taming Power of the Great

大畜 · Dà Chù

Hexagram 26, The Taming Power of the Great (大畜, Dà Chù), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Heaven below and Mountain above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “利贞，不家食，吉；利涉大川。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with great restraint — strength gathered and held. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Heaven (乾) — creative strength and initiative
Upper trigram: Mountain (艮) — stillness and knowing when to stop
Symbol: ䷙ · Name: 大畜 (Dà Chù) · Number: 26 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   有厉，利已。
   The Image says: “有厉，利已”，不犯灾也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   舆说輹。
   The Image says: “舆说輹”，中无尤也。
3. 九三 (九三)
   良马逐，利艰贞。曰闲舆卫，利有攸往。
   The Image says: “利有攸往”，上合志也。
4. 六四 (六四)
   童牛之牿，元吉。
   The Image says: 六四“元吉”，有喜也。
5. 六五 (六五)
   豮豕之牙，吉。
   The Image says: 六五之“吉”，有庆也。
6. Top line (yang) (上九)
   何天之衢，亨。
   The Image says: “何天之衢”，道大行也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 26?

Hexagram 26 is The Taming Power of the Great (大畜, Dà Chù), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Heaven below and Mountain above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of The Taming Power of the Great?

The judgment of The Taming Power of the Great reads, in the Chinese original: “利贞，不家食，吉；利涉大川。”. Its Great Image reads: “天在山中，大畜。君子以多识前言往行，以畜其德。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does The Taming Power of the Great symbolize?

In the classical tradition, The Taming Power of the Great is associated with great restraint — strength gathered and held. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.