Hexagram 60
ChiehLimitation
Water (Kan) · Lake (Dui)
The image
Water over lake: the image of LIMITATION. Thus the superior man Creates number and measure, And examines the nature of virtue and correct conduct.
This hexagram in one line
A lake occupies a limited space. When more water comes into it, it overflows. Therefore limits must be set for the water. The image shows water below and water above, with the firmament between them as a limit. The Chinese word for limitation really denotes the joints that divide a bamboo stalk. In relation to ordinary life it means the thrift that sets fixed limits upon expenditures. In relation to the moral sphere it means the fixed limits that the superior man sets upon his actions—the limits of loyalty and disinterestedness.
Core Meaning
The core judgment of this hexagram.
Water meets on the bank
Hexagram Judgment
LIMITATION. Success. Galling limitation must not be persevered in.
Limitations are troublesome, but they are effective. If we live economically in normal times, we are prepared for times of want. To be sparing saves us from humiliation. Limitations are also indispensable in the regulation of world conditions. In nature there are fixed limits for summer and winter, day and night, and these limits give the year its meaning. In the same way, economy, by setting fixed limits upon expenditures, acts to preserve property and prevent injury to the people. But in limitation we must observe due measure. If a man should seek to impose galling limitations upon his own nature, it would be injurious. And if he should go too far in imposing limitations on others, they would rebel. Therefore it is necessary to set limits even upon limitation.
Upper and Lower Trigrams
- Water (Kan)
- Water · Abysmal
- Lake (Dui)
- Lake · Joy
Lines
What each of the six positions expresses.
Classics
Tuan CommentaryThe reasoning behind the judgment.
Limitation brings success. The hard and the soft are divided, and the hard has attained the middle. Bitter limitation does not further, because the way comes to an end. Joy in the face of danger—limitation in the proper place. The correct middle brings success. Heaven and earth have limitation, and thus the four seasons come into being. Through limitation in the sense of regulating, one does not hurt possessions and does not harm the people.
Limitation brings success. The hard and soft are distinguished, and the hard attains the middle. Bitter limitation does not further because that way reaches an impasse. Delight moving through danger, while keeping to proper limits, brings free passage. Heaven and earth have their limits, and so the four seasons are formed. Setting limits by institutions avoids harming wealth and people.
Great ImageThe image itself, read as a picture of the situation.
Water over lake: the image of LIMITATION. Thus the superior man Creates number and measure, And examines the nature of virtue and correct conduct.
A lake is something limited. Water is inexhaustible. A lake can contain only a definite amount of the infinite quantity of water; this is its peculiarity. In human life too the individual achieves significance through discrimination and the setting of limits. Therefore what concerns us here is the problem of clearly defining these discriminations, which are, so to speak, the backbone of morality. Unlimited possibilities are not suited to man; if they existed, his life would only dissolve in the boundless. To become strong, a man's life needs the limitations ordained by duty and voluntarily accepted. The individual attains significance as a free spirit only by surrounding himself with these limitations and by determining for himself what his duty is.
Further
Related hexagrams
Related Guides
- Hexagram CareerHexagram 60 (Limitation) in Career: I Ching Guidance for Work and Professional LifeWhat does Hexagram 60 (Limitation) mean for your career? Limitations are troublesome, but they are effective. If we live economically in normal times, we are prepared for times of want. To be sparing saves us from hum... Learn how the I Ching guides professional decisions, leadership, timing, and workplace dynamics.
- Hexagram FinanceHexagram 60 (Limitation) in Finance: I Ching Guidance for Wealth and Money MattersWhat does Hexagram 60 (Limitation) mean for finances? Limitations are troublesome, but they are effective. If we live economically in normal times, we are prepared for times of want. To be sparing saves us from hum... Discover how the I Ching guides resource management, timing of financial decisions, and the mindset behind lasting wealth.
Frequently asked questions
What does Chieh / Limitation mean in the I Ching?
Limitations are troublesome, but they are effective. If we live economically in normal times, we are prepared for times of want. To be sparing saves us from hum...
How should I study Hexagram 60 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. Often a man who would like to undertake something finds himself confronted by insurmountable limitations. Then he must know where to stop. If he rightly understands this and does n...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
Limitation brings success. The hard and soft are distinguished, and the hard attains the middle. Bitter limitation does not further because that way reaches an impasse. Delight moving through danger, while keeping to pro...
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Original text from the I Ching; translation based on Richard Wilhelm's German version.