Hexagram 11 Tai - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Peace
Share
BY NICOLE LAU
Hexagram 11 Tai - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Peace
Tai's six lines tell the complete story of supreme peace - from the initial surge of the creative force rising in the time of peace, through the generous inclusive conduct that maintains peace, to the sovereign's daughter who brings blessing through genuine humility, and finally to the warning of the wall that falls into the moat when peace is not maintained.
Line 1 - Nine at the Bottom: The Rush Pulled Up with Its Roots
When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it. Each according to his kind. Undertakings bring good fortune.
The first yang line rises in the time of Tai like ribbon grass pulled up with its roots - bringing its companions with it. The creative force of the time of peace attracts its own kind; together they rise. In the time of supreme peace, undertakings that would be difficult in other times are naturally successful. The person who acts in the time of Tai finds good fortune; the person who hesitates misses the natural flourishing that Tai offers.
- Stage: The initial surge - the creative force rising in the time of peace, bringing companions
- Action: Undertake; act; bring your companions; do not hesitate when peace is already present
- Danger: Hesitation - waiting for a better time when the time of peace is already here
- Wisdom: In the time of supreme peace, undertakings bring good fortune
When this line appears: The time of peace has arrived. Undertake. Act. Bring your companions. Good fortune comes from acting in the time of peace, not from waiting.
Line 2 - Nine in the Second Place: Bearing with the Uncultured
Bearing with the uncultured in gentleness, fording the river with resolution, not neglecting what is distant, not regarding one's companions - thus one may manage to walk in the middle.
The most practically important line of Tai for the person who must maintain the conditions of peace. Four qualities are required: bearing with the uncultured in gentleness (genuine inclusiveness), fording the river with resolution (genuine decisiveness), not neglecting what is distant (genuine attention to the far as well as the near), and not regarding one's companions more highly than others (genuine impartiality). The person who maintains all four qualities can walk in the middle - maintaining the genuine balance and genuine inclusiveness of supreme peace.
- Stage: The maintenance of peace - generous, inclusive, decisive conduct
- Action: Bear with the uncultured; ford the river; attend to the distant; do not play favorites
- Danger: Exclusion, hesitation, neglect of the distant, favoritism
- Wisdom: Maintaining supreme peace requires genuine inclusiveness, decisiveness, attention, and impartiality
When this line appears: Bear with the uncultured in gentleness. Ford the river with resolution. Attend to the distant. Do not play favorites. Walk in the middle.
Line 3 - Nine in the Third Place: No Plain Without a Slope
No plain not followed by a slope. No going not followed by a return. Perseverance in the face of difficulty brings no blame. Do not complain about this truth; enjoy the good fortune you still possess.
The wisdom of the transition: the supreme peace of Tai does not last forever. Every plain is eventually followed by a slope; every period of flourishing is eventually followed by difficulty. The creative force that has risen will eventually return. The person who perseveres through the inevitable transition - who maintains genuine commitment through the slope that follows the plain - finds no blame. Do not complain about the natural cycle; enjoy the good fortune you still possess.
- Stage: The transition - awareness that Tai is not permanent; wisdom to accept the natural cycle
- Action: Persevere through the inevitable transition; do not complain; enjoy the good fortune you still possess
- Danger: Complaining about the natural cycle; failing to enjoy the present good fortune
- Wisdom: No plain without a slope; no going without a return; perseverance through the transition brings no blame
When this line appears: The supreme peace is present but the transition is approaching. Persevere. Do not complain. Enjoy the good fortune you still possess. The slope follows the plain, but the plain also follows the slope.
Line 4 - Six in the Fourth Place: Fluttering Down Without Wealth
He flutters down, not boasting of his wealth, together with his neighbor, guileless and sincere.
The first yin line in the upper trigram descends gently toward the yang lines below - like a bird fluttering down from the sky. Not boasting of wealth or position; descending with genuine humility without the pretension of superiority. Together with the neighbor: the descent is communal, in genuine solidarity. Guileless and sincere: without calculation, without strategy, without the performance of humility. The genuine humility of the descent maintains the genuine harmony of Tai.
- Stage: The humble descent - the yin line descending with genuine humility and sincerity
- Action: Descend with genuine humility; do not boast; descend together with your neighbor; be guileless and sincere
- Danger: Boasting of wealth or position; descending alone; performing humility without genuine sincerity
- Wisdom: Genuine humility - fluttering down without boasting, together with the neighbor - maintains the harmony of Tai
When this line appears: Descend with genuine humility. Do not boast. Descend together with your neighbor. Be guileless and sincere.
Line 5 - Six in the Fifth Place: The Sovereign's Daughter
The sovereign I gives his daughter in marriage. This brings blessing and supreme good fortune.
The ruler's position, occupied by a yin line in the time of Tai. The sovereign gives his daughter in marriage to a worthy man of lower rank - the highest descending to unite with the lower in genuine humility and genuine generosity. This is the most auspicious line of Tai: the supreme good fortune is the natural consequence of the highest descending to unite with the lower. The creative and receptive forces in perfect interpenetration; the natural flourishing of all things fully expressed.
- Stage: The supreme blessing - the highest descending to unite with the lower in genuine humility and generosity
- Action: Descend with genuine humility; unite with the lower; give generously without reservation
- Danger: Pride that prevents the descent; reluctance to unite with the lower; withholding genuine generosity
- Wisdom: The supreme good fortune of Tai comes from the genuine humility of the highest descending to unite with the lower
When this line appears: Descend with genuine humility. Unite with the lower. Give generously without reservation. Blessing and supreme good fortune are the natural consequence.
Line 6 - Six at the Top: The Wall Falls into the Moat
The wall falls back into the moat. Use no army now. Make your commands known within your own town. Perseverance brings humiliation.
The end of the supreme peace. The wall that protected the city of peace has fallen back into the moat - the conditions of Tai have collapsed. Do not use force to maintain what cannot be maintained by force; this only accelerates the transition to Pi (Standstill). The appropriate response is consolidation: maintain order within the sphere of genuine influence, make your commands known within your own town. The person who persists in the conduct of the time of peace when peace has ended brings humiliation upon themselves.
- Stage: The end of peace - the wall falls into the moat, the conditions of Tai have collapsed
- Action: Do not use force; consolidate what remains; make your commands known within your own town
- Danger: Using force to maintain what cannot be maintained; persisting in the conduct of peace when peace has ended
- Wisdom: The end of peace is the natural consequence of the natural cycle; consolidate, do not force; perseverance brings humiliation
When this line appears: The time of supreme peace is ending. Do not use force. Consolidate what remains. The wall has fallen into the moat - Tai is giving way to Pi.
The Complete Journey: A Summary
- Line 1: The rush pulled up with its roots - creative force rises with companions; undertakings bring good fortune
- Line 2: Bearing with the uncultured - inclusive, decisive, impartial conduct; walking in the middle
- Line 3: No plain without a slope - accept the natural cycle; persevere; enjoy the good fortune you still possess
- Line 4: Fluttering down without wealth - humble descent; guileless and sincere; together with the neighbor
- Line 5: The sovereign's daughter - the highest descending to unite with the lower; blessing and supreme good fortune
- Line 6: The wall falls into the moat - the end of peace; consolidate; do not use force; perseverance brings humiliation
The supreme peace of Tai is both a gift and a responsibility. The gift is the natural flourishing of all things in the time of perfect harmony; the responsibility is the genuine conduct that maintains the conditions of peace. The warning is clear: Tai does not last forever, and the person who fails to maintain the conditions of peace will see the wall fall into the moat.
What Is Next in This Series
- Part 1: The Symbol and Structure
- Part 2 (This Article): The Six Lines - Complete Line-by-Line Commentary
- Part 3: Divination Guide - How to Read Tai in Practice
- Part 4: Philosophy - Tai in Confucian, Taoist, and Political Thought
- Part 5: Practical Applications - Relationships, Organizations, Leadership, Personal Flourishing
- Part 6: Modern Interpretations - Systems Theory, Flow States, Contemporary Relevance
Keywords: hexagram 11 line commentary, tai six lines, i ching yao ci, peace stages i ching, rush pulled up roots i ching, bearing uncultured gentleness i ching, no plain without slope i ching, fluttering down without wealth i ching, sovereign daughter marriage i ching, wall falls moat i ching, tai line meanings, i ching deep dive, 64 hexagrams complete guide, tai complete guide, supreme peace stages i ching, natural flourishing i ching
As you continue to explore the unfolding stages of peace within Hexagram 11, consider deepening your journey with practices that align your inner world with this harmonious flow—perhaps through the cosmic alignment ritual kit for syncing with the celestial flow, or by grounding your intentions with the 40 manifestation rituals intention to reality. Let the stillness of the void whisper subconscious drift audio wav pdf guide your reflection, and whenever you seek clarity, the tarot journaling prompts 100 questions for self discovery can illuminate your path. May these tools become gentle companions as you walk through the luminous gateways of peace.
