Hexagram 18 蠱 - GU / WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED

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Trigrams

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• Above: Gèn, Keeping Still, the Mountain
• Below: Xùn, the Gentle, the Wind

The Chinese character Gu represents a bowl in which worms are breeding. This signifies what is spoiled or decayed. It has come about because the gentle indifference of the lower trigram has joined with the rigid inertia of the upper trigram, causing conditions to stagnate. Since this state is the result of human neglect, it carries an implicit call to eliminate it. Therefore, the meaning of the hexagram is not simply “the spoiled,” but rather “what is spoiled as a task” - the “work on what has been spoiled.”

The Judgment

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Work on what has been spoiled has supreme success. It furthers one to cross the great water. Three days before the starting point, three days after the starting point.

What has been spoiled through human error can be repaired through human effort. This state of decay is not an unalterable fate like during a period of stagnation, but rather the consequence of a misuse of human freedom. Therefore, working toward improvement holds great promise because it aligns with the possibilities of the time. However, one must not shrink from the effort and danger - symbolized by crossing the great water - but must take decisive action.

Success, however, requires careful deliberation. This is expressed in the phrase: “Three days before the starting point, three days after the starting point.” One must first understand the causes that led to decay before they can be corrected; hence, mindfulness is needed during the time before the starting point. Afterward, one must ensure that the new path is firmly established to prevent a relapse; hence, vigilance is required during the time after the starting point. Decisiveness and energy must replace the indifference and inertia that caused the decay, so that a new beginning may follow the end.

The Image

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The wind blows at the foot of the mountain: the image of decay. Thus the superior person stirs up the people and strengthens their spirit.

When the wind blows at the foot of the mountain, it is thrown back and spoils the vegetation. This contains a call to make improvements. The same applies to base moods and trends: they corrupt human society. To eliminate this corruption, the superior person must renew society. The methods for doing so are also drawn from the two trigrams, though their effects unfold sequentially. Stagnation must be removed by stirring up public opinion (just as the wind acts as a stirring force), and then the character of the people must be strengthened and stabilized, just as the mountain offers rest and nourishment to all growth around it.

The Individual Lines

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Six at the beginning means:

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Setting right what was spoiled by the father. If there is a son, no blame remains on the departed father. Danger. In the end, good fortune.

Rigidly adhering to tradition has resulted in decay. However, the corruption is not yet deeply rooted, so it can still be easily corrected. It is as if a son compensates for the decay that crept in under his father. Consequently, no blame rests on the father. Yet, one must not overlook the danger or take the matter too lightly. Only when one remains aware of the risks inherent in any reform will everything turn out well in the end.

Nine in the second place means:

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Setting right what was spoiled by the mother. One must not be too persistent.

These are mistakes caused by weakness that have brought about decay. Hence the symbol of what was spoiled by the mother. When making amends, a certain delicate consideration is necessary. One must avoid acting too harshly, so as not to cause injury through abruptness.

Nine in the third place means:

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Setting right what was spoiled by the father. There will be a little remorse. No great blame.

This depicts someone who proceeds a bit too energetically when correcting the mistakes of the past. This will certainly cause minor inconveniences and friction from time to time. However, too much energy is better than too little. Therefore, even if there is occasional cause for minor regret, one remains free of any serious blame.

Six in the fourth place means:

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Tolerating what was spoiled by the father. To continue down this path brings humiliation.

This shows a situation where someone, out of weakness, fails to confront the decay inherited from the past. Instead, they let it take its course as it begins to manifest. If this continues, humiliation will follow.

Six in the fifth place means:

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Setting right what was spoiled by the father. One meets with praise.

One faces decay resulting from the neglect of earlier times. Alone, one lacks the strength to counter it. However, capable helpers are found, and with their support, a thorough reform is achieved - if not a completely creative new beginning - which is highly praiseworthy.

Nine at the top means:

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He does not serve kings and princes. He sets himself higher goals.

Not every individual is obligated to involve themselves in the affairs of the world. There are those who have already developed inwardly to such an extent that they are justified in letting the world take its course without intervening politically to reform it. Yet this does not mean they may remain idle or purely critical. Only the active cultivation of humanity’s higher goals within one’s own person justifies such retirement. For even if the sage keeps distant from the daily turmoil, they still create incomparable values for the future of mankind.¹

Reference links

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• Hexagram look-up table
• Advanced hexagram correspondence table