Hexagram 4 · Youthful Folly

蒙 · Méng

Hexagram 4, Youthful Folly (蒙, Méng), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Water below and Mountain above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三渎，渎则不告。利贞。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with inexperience and the beginning of learning. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Water (坎) — depth, danger and constancy in flow
Upper trigram: Mountain (艮) — stillness and knowing when to stop
Symbol: ䷃ · Name: 蒙 (Méng) · Number: 4 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yin) (初六)
   发蒙，利用刑人，用说桎梏；以往吝。
   The Image says: “利用刑人”，以正法也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   包蒙，吉。纳妇，吉；子克家。
   The Image says: “子克家”，刚柔接也。
3. 六三 (六三)
   勿用取女，见金夫，不有躬，无攸利。
   The Image says: “勿用取女”，行不顺也。
4. 六四 (六四)
   困蒙，吝。
   The Image says: “困蒙”之“吝”，独远实也。
5. 六五 (六五)
   童蒙，吉。
   The Image says: “童蒙”之“吉”，顺以巽也。
6. Top line (yang) (上九)
   击蒙；不利为寇，利御寇。
   The Image says: “利”用“御寇”，上下顺也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 4?

Hexagram 4 is Youthful Folly (蒙, Méng), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Water below and Mountain above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Youthful Folly?

The judgment of Youthful Folly reads, in the Chinese original: “亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三渎，渎则不告。利贞。”. Its Great Image reads: “山下出泉，蒙。君子以果行育德。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Youthful Folly symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Youthful Folly is associated with inexperience and the beginning of learning. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.