I Ching · Hexagram 18 of 64
Hexagram 18: Gu （蛊） — Work on the Decayed
Gu is Mountain over Wind: wind below the mountain blows so bare that nothing grows, the sign of a society whose customs have rotted and whose hearts have been deceived by false doctrine. It follows the hexagram of Following, where blind imitation led the crowd astray. Its whole teaching is the undoing of the rotten and the return to the root, turning greed and anger back into reverence and rightness.
At a glance
| Hexagram | 18 of 64 |
|---|---|
| Name | Gu 蛊 · Work on the Decayed |
| Upper trigram | Gen （艮）· Mountain |
| Lower trigram | Xun （巽）· Wind |
| Structure | Mountain over Wind |
| Lines | 6 lines |
The Judgment （卦辞）
Work on the Decayed. Supreme success. It is favorable to cross the great water. Three days before the first day; three days after the first day.
ExplainedDecay is a sickness of the social soul, yet misfortune carries good fortune hidden inside it, for it is when many are ill that the great physician is known. The cure begins with returning to the one source and standing unmoved in the Way, which gives one the strength to undertake so great a work. The days before and after the turning point mean that renewal must come first and patient counsel after it, seven days until all returns to its place and the way of Heaven prevails.
Tuan Zhuan — Commentary on the Judgment （彖传）
Work on the Decayed. The firm goes up and the yielding below; compliant and resting, this is decay. Decay brings supreme success, and the world is ordered. It is favorable to cross the great water: going brings work to do. Three days before and three days after: when the end comes there is a new beginning; this is the course of Heaven.
ExplainedThe wind blows downward and the grass is pulled up by the root, so that growth stops, just as a generation that follows an errant fashion ceases to exercise benevolence and rightness. Yet however disordered the age, men still know what benevolence is, and their sorrow is that no one practices it; a great man must come and restore the source. To cross the great water is to undertake the tangled affairs of the world, and the saying that the end holds a beginning describes how the course of Heaven turns decay back into order.
Xiang Zhuan — Image Commentary （大象）
Wind below the mountain: Work on the Decayed. Thus the noble one stirs the people and nourishes virtue.
ExplainedWhen customs have gone bad, the noble one rouses the people and cultivates in them benevolence, rightness, courage, wisdom and trust. Greed and arrogance are the deepest roots of human ruin, and to turn them toward reverence and rightness is to live inside the mandate of Heaven.
The Six Lines （六爻）
The lines are read from the bottom upward. Each carries its own text, a Small Image commentary, and a plain-English reading.
Line 1 · YinLine 1
He sets right the decay of the father. He has a son, so that the ancestor is without blame. Danger, but in the end good fortune.
Small ImageHe sets right the decay of the father: his intent continues the ancestor's.
ExplainedEven a family perishes when everyone is grasping and loveless, and its head must take on the work of repair, carrying on the will of the fathers. To have a son means there is an heir and the line continues. The task is hard, but where the will is firm Heaven supports it.
Line 2 · YangLine 2
He sets right the decay of the mother. He may not be steadfast.
Small ImageHe sets right the decay of the mother: he gains the middle way.
ExplainedCorrection begins with a mother's gentleness and tolerance, for what is wrong with people is that they lack love and will not give it. Do not rush to set them straight; first be generous and build the ground of affection, and love will awaken their own.
Line 3 · YangLine 3
He sets right the decay of the father. A little regret, no great blame.
Small ImageHe sets right the decay of the father: in the end, no blame.
ExplainedOnce affection is established, discipline may begin, and discipline always brings friction and a little regret. Yet to refrain would breed a greater fault, so there is no great blame; the correction must carry no anger, only gentle persistence.
Line 4 · YinLine 4
He leaves the decay of the father at ease. Going on, he meets with regret.
Small ImageHe leaves the decay of the father at ease: going on, he gains nothing.
ExplainedTo be only indulgent and kind, afraid of hurting feelings, keeps everyone comfortable while the road narrows. Kindness without firmness accomplishes nothing; one must be strong and hold fast to what is good.
Line 5 · YinLine 5
He sets right the decay of the father, and uses praise.
Small ImageHe sets right the father's decay with praise: he carries on through virtue.
ExplainedAt the ripest stage one corrects by praise, commending the good in a person and concealing the evil, so that the good grows and the evil quietly withdraws. Every heart already holds the five virtues, and the moment one of them appears it should be welcomed and encouraged.
Line 6 · YangLine 6
He does not serve kings and princes; he makes his own work high.
Small ImageHe does not serve kings and princes: his purpose may be a model.
ExplainedWhen the work is done he steps back and claims no territory, holding no hill of his own. This purpose, which takes no credit, becomes a pattern for others and accords with the way of Heaven.
Key takeaway
Work on the Decayed is the undoing of corruption: the root must be restored first, and greed and anger turned into reverence for what is right.
Frequently asked questions
What does Hexagram 18 (Gu) mean in the I Ching?
Gu is Mountain over Wind: wind below the mountain blows so bare that nothing grows, the sign of a society whose customs have rotted and whose hearts have been deceived by false doctrine. It follows the hexagram of Following, where blind imitation led the crowd astray. Its whole teaching is the undoing of the rotten and the return to the root, turning greed and anger back into reverence and rightness.
What is the judgment of Hexagram 18?
Work on the Decayed. Supreme success. It is favorable to cross the great water. Three days before the first day; three days after the first day. Decay is a sickness of the social soul, yet misfortune carries good fortune hidden inside it, for it is when many are ill that the great physician is known. The cure begins with returning to the one source and standing unmoved in the Way, which gives one the strength to undertake so great a work. The days before and…
What do the six lines of Hexagram 18 say?
Line 1: He sets right the decay of the father. He has a son, so that the ancestor is without blame. Danger, but in the end good fortune. Line 2: He sets right the decay of the mother. He may not be steadfast. Line 3: He sets right the decay of the father. A little regret, no great blame. Line 4: He leaves the decay of the father at ease. Going on, he meets with regret. Line 5: He sets right the decay of the father, and uses praise. Line 6: He does not serve kings and princes; he makes his own work high.
What is the main lesson of Hexagram 18 (Work on the Decayed)?
Work on the Decayed is the undoing of corruption: the root must be restored first, and greed and anger turned into reverence for what is right.
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