Hexagram 36 · Darkening of the Light

明夷 · Míng Yí

Hexagram 36, Darkening of the Light (明夷, Míng Yí), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Fire below and Earth above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “利艰贞。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with darkened light — clarity veiled, not extinguished. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Fire (离) — clarity, radiance and dependence
Upper trigram: Earth (坤) — receptivity and support
Symbol: ䷣ · Name: 明夷 (Míng Yí) · Number: 36 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   明夷于飞，垂其翼；君子于行，三日不食。有攸往，主人有言。
   The Image says: “君子于行”，义不食也。
2. 六二 (六二)
   明夷，夷于左股，用拯马壮，吉。
   The Image says: 六二之“吉”，顺以则也。
3. 九三 (九三)
   明夷于南狩，得其大首。不可疾贞。
   The Image says: “南狩”之志，乃大得也。
4. 六四 (六四)
   入于左腹，获明夷之心，于出门庭。
   The Image says: “入于左腹”，获心意也。
5. 六五 (六五)
   箕子之明夷，利贞。
   The Image says: “箕子”之“贞”，明不可息也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   不明晦，初登于天，后入于地。
   The Image says: “初登于天”，照四国也。“后入于地”，失则也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 36?

Hexagram 36 is Darkening of the Light (明夷, Míng Yí), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Fire below and Earth above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Darkening of the Light?

The judgment of Darkening of the Light reads, in the Chinese original: “利艰贞。”. Its Great Image reads: “明入地中，明夷。君子以莅众，用晦而明。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Darkening of the Light symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Darkening of the Light is associated with darkened light — clarity veiled, not extinguished. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.