The old rule is to proceed from images to principles, from simplicity to complexity. "Xiang" said: There is marsh at the foot of the mountain, but it is damaged. When we travel to various places, we should often see many ponds and reservoirs at the foot of mountains.

The old rule is to start from the image to the reason, and from the simple to the complex.

"Xiang" says: There is lake at the foot of the mountain, but it is damaged. A gentleman suffocates his desires with anger.

The upper hexagram is Gen for mountain, and the lower hexagram is Dui for Ze. When we travel to various places, we should often see many ponds and reservoirs at the foot of mountains. When people were digging reservoirs, they dug out the soil at the foot of the mountain and piled it to the side to increase the width of the mountain. This is the hexagram of loss hexagram , losing the soil of the reservoir below and using it to gain the mountain above. This is the best of both worlds, which is beneficial at the same time. But if there is too much damage and the foot of the mountain is hollowed out, the mountain will collapse. So there is a question of degree. That's why Confucius said to restrain one's anger when there is a loss and to restrain one's desire when there is a gain.

Loss: Youfu, Yuanji, blameless, chastity. There will be benefits and future. You can enjoy it by using two Gui.

"彖" says: loss, loss is lower and benefit is higher, and the path is upward. Loss means "there is fortune, good luck, no blame, but chastity. The benefits are there. You can enjoy them with two guis." There is a time when the two guis should be used, and there is a time when the strength is lost and the softness is benefited. Profit and loss, profit and loss, all go with the times.

Loss hexagram: If you abide by your faith, you will be auspicious from the beginning and make no mistakes. You must still remain faithful, so that you will be "profitable and prosperous". "You can use two Gui to enjoy it." What does it mean? In the past, used eight guis to worship , but now only two guis are used, which means it has been detracted. It means that if conditions are insufficient, expenditures can be reduced, and Ergui can also be used for sacrifices.

Let’s continue to look at how Confucius’ “彖” poem is used in human affairs: “If you lose the lower class and benefit the upper class, the way will go up.” This means that you will lose some of the interests of the people at the bottom to benefit the upper class, just like people collect taxes to replenish the national treasury.

When it comes to loss, "there is fortune, good luck, no blame, but chastity. Benefits are there. Use two guis to enjoy."

It is also said that when harming the interests of the people, you must be moderate and maintain faith, so that you can always have good fortune, no disasters and blames, and maintain a steadfast attitude, then you can implement it. After the people lost their money, their food and drink expenses naturally decreased, but they were still able to maintain a normal life. In the past, it was eight guis, and now it was two guis, which meant cutting back on food and clothing to contribute to the country. This is the meaning of "the two Gui should be in time". Of course, the country sometimes benefits the people, suppressing the interests of the upper class nobles to relieve the people's poverty. This is "there is a time to harm the strong and benefit the soft". The strong refers to the upper hexagram Gen, and the soft refers to the lower hexagram Dui. In short, if the loss is higher than the profit is lower, if the loss is lower than the profit is higher, it should be adjusted according to the current conditions and weighed.

Shao Yong solution

Loss is lower and profit is higher, loss and profit are empty; first it is difficult and then easy, live within your means.
Those who get this hexagram will harm themselves and benefit others. Although there will be some difficulties at the beginning, their efforts will always be rewarded, which is a blessing in disguise.

Divination story

Xue Rengui will capture Yan, and he will get it by divination, which will greatly defeat the Yan army.

Before Xue Rengui fought against Yan, he divined the damage hexagram of "loss below and benefit above". So this disciplined iron-headed general marched eastward for eighteen years, and his wife stayed in the cold kiln for eighteen years. However, it is probably not only Mrs. Xue who clings to her homeland, but also her subordinates and their relatives who followed Xue Rengui on the Eastern Expedition. They all spent eighteen years in loneliness and expectation. It is precisely because of this that Xue Rengui's Eastern Campaign was able to achieve final victory.