Which trigrams form Inner Sincerity?

巽 above 兌 — wind over lake. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 頤 Jaws / Nourishment.

What happens when a line of Inner Sincerity changes?

A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.

How do I get Inner Sincerity in a reading?

Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern — — - - - - — — is Inner Sincerity. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.

中孚Inner Sincerity

zhōng fúAlso known as “Inner Truth” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Kung Fû” (Legge)

inner truthsinceritytrust

In plain words

Wind over the lake: inner truth that moves even pigs and fishes. Good fortune, favourable to cross the great river — sincerity at the centre reaches what force cannot.

The attitude it asks for

Let trust come from genuine inner alignment; it persuades the hardest audience, and it is wrecked by a single false note.

Structure

Upper trigram巽Xun (the Gentle)風 · wind · Wood

Lower trigram兌Dui (the Joyous)澤 · lake · Metal

Related hexagrams

Nuclear27 · 頤 Jaws / Nourishmentyí

Inverse: its own inverse

Opposite62 · 小過 Small Excessxiǎo guò Paired with62 · 小過 Small Excessxiǎo guò

卦辭 The Judgment

中孚：豚魚吉，利涉大川，利貞。

Kung Fû (moves even) pigs and fish, and leads to good fortune. There will be advantage in crossing the great stream. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.

Commentary on the Judgment

中孚，柔在內而剛得中。說而巽，孚，乃化邦也。豚魚吉，信及豚魚也。利涉大川，乘木舟虛也。中孚以利貞，乃應乎天也。

In Kung Fû we have the (two) weak lines in the innermost part (of the figure), and strong lines occupying the central places (in the trigrams). (We have the attributes) of pleased satisfaction and flexible penetration. Sincerity (thus symbolled) will transform a country. 'Pigs and fish (are moved), and there will be good fortune:'—sincerity reaches to (and affects even) pigs and fishes. 'There will be advantage in crossing the great stream:'—(we see in the figure) one riding on (the emblem of) wood, which forms an empty boat. In (the exercise of the virtue denoted by) Kung Fû, (it is said that) 'there will be advantage in being firm and correct:'—in that virtue indeed we have the response (of man) to Heaven.

The Image

澤上有風，中孚；君子以議獄緩死。

(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and that for wind above it form Kung Fû. The superior man, in accordance with this, deliberates about cases of litigation and delays (the infliction of) death.

爻辭 The six lines

When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:

上九Nine at the top
翰音登于天，貞凶。
The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject in chanticleer (trying to) mount to heaven. Even with firm correctness there will be evil.
Its symbolism
翰音登于天，何可長也。
'Chanticleer (tries to) mount to heaven:'—but how can (such an effort) continue long?
If this line changes → ䷻ 60 節 Measure
九五Nine in the fifth place
有孚攣如，无咎。
The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject perfectly sincere, and linking (others) to him in closest union. There will be no error.
Its symbolism
有孚攣如，位正當也。
'He is perfectly sincere, and links others to him in closest union:'—the place (of the line) is the correct and appropriate one.
If this line changes → ䷨ 41 損 Diminishing
六四Six in the fourth place
月幾望，馬匹亡，无咎。
The fourth line, divided, shows its subject (like) the moon nearly full, and (like) a horse (in a chariot) whose fellow disappears. There will be no error.
Its symbolism
馬匹亡，絕類上也。
'A horse the fellow of which disappears:'—he breaks from his (former) companions, and mounts upwards.
If this line changes → ䷉ 10 履 Stepping
六三Six in the third place
得敵，或鼓或罷，或泣或歌。
The third line, divided, shows its subject having met with his mate. Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off. Now he weeps, and now he sings.
Its symbolism
可鼓或罷，位不當也。
'Now he beats his drum, and now he leaves off:'—the position (of the line) is the appropriate one for it.
If this line changes → ䷈ 9 小畜 Small Accumulation
九二Nine in the second place
鳴鶴在陰，其子和之，我有好爵，吾與爾靡之。
The second line, undivided, shows its subject (like) the crane crying out in her hidden retirement, and her young ones responding to her. (It is as if it were said), 'I have a cup of good spirits,' (and the response were), 'I will partake of it with you.'
Its symbolism
其子和之，中心願也。
'Her young ones respond to her:'—from the (common) wish of the inmost heart.
If this line changes → ䷩ 42 益 Augmenting
初九Nine at the beginning
虞吉，有他不燕。
The first line, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune. If he sought to any other, he would not find rest.
Its symbolism
初九虞吉，志未變也。
'The first line, undivided, shows its subject resting (in himself). There will be good fortune:'—no change has yet come over his purpose.
If this line changes → ䷺ 59 渙 Dispersing

Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).

Questions about this hexagram

What does Hexagram 61, Inner Sincerity, mean?: Wind over the lake: inner truth that moves even pigs and fishes. Good fortune, favourable to cross the great river — sincerity at the centre reaches what force cannot.
Which trigrams form Inner Sincerity?: 巽 above 兌 — wind over lake. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 頤 Jaws / Nourishment.
What happens when a line of Inner Sincerity changes?: A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.
How do I get Inner Sincerity in a reading?: Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern — — - - - - — — is Inner Sincerity. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.

Cast a reading How to read the I Ching

Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).