Hexagram 24 Fu - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Return
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BY NICOLE LAU
Hexagram 24 Fu - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Return
Fu's six lines tell the complete story of genuine return — from the immediate return from a short distance at the beginning, through the progressive deepening of genuine return, to the magnanimous return of the ruler and the warning of the person who has gone astray for too long. The journey of Fu is the journey from the first stirring of genuine return to its supreme expression.
Line 1 — Nine at the Bottom: Return from a Short Distance
Return from a short distance. No need for remorse. Great good fortune.
The first line of Fu — the single yang line that has just returned from below — describes the most auspicious return: return from a short distance. No need for remorse: the person who returns from a short distance — who recognizes the wrong path quickly and returns to genuine inner virtue before going far — finds no need for remorse. Great good fortune: the immediate return from a short distance is the most auspicious expression of genuine return. The genuine wisdom of Line 1 is the wisdom of early recognition: the person who recognizes the wrong path quickly and returns immediately finds great good fortune.
- Stage: The most auspicious return — return from a short distance
- Action: Return immediately when the wrong path is recognized; do not go far before returning
- Wisdom: Great good fortune — the immediate return from a short distance
Line 2 — Six in the Second Place: Quiet Return
Quiet return. Good fortune.
The second line of Fu describes the quiet return — the genuine return that is not dramatic or forced but quiet and natural. Good fortune: the quiet return of Line 2 is the genuine return that finds good fortune through genuine stillness and genuine naturalness. The person who returns quietly — who does not make a drama of the return but simply returns with genuine inner virtue — finds good fortune.
- Stage: The quiet return — natural and undramatic
- Action: Return quietly and naturally; do not make a drama of the return
- Wisdom: Good fortune — the quiet return finds good fortune through genuine naturalness
Line 3 — Six in the Third Place: Repeated Return
Repeated return. Danger. No blame.
The third line of Fu describes the repeated return — the person who returns again and again, who cannot maintain the genuine return but keeps slipping back into the wrong path. Danger: the repeated return of Line 3 is dangerous — the person who cannot maintain genuine return is in genuine danger of losing the genuine inner virtue that genuine return requires. No blame: the repeated return is not a catastrophe; it is the natural consequence of the genuine difficulty of maintaining genuine return. The person who keeps returning — even repeatedly — finds no blame.
- Stage: The repeated return — returning again and again
- Action: Keep returning despite the difficulty; do not give up on genuine return
- Wisdom: Danger but no blame — the repeated return is difficult but not catastrophic
Line 4 — Six in the Fourth Place: Walking in the Middle
Walking in the middle, one returns alone.
The fourth line of Fu describes the return of the person who walks in the middle — who returns alone, without the support of the group, through the genuine commitment to genuine inner virtue. The person who walks in the middle and returns alone — who maintains genuine inner virtue even when surrounded by those who do not return — finds the genuine return that genuine inner virtue makes possible.
- Stage: The solitary return — walking in the middle, returning alone
- Action: Return alone if necessary; maintain genuine inner virtue even without the support of the group
- Wisdom: Walking in the middle — the genuine return of the person who maintains genuine inner virtue alone
Line 5 — Six in the Fifth Place: Noble-Hearted Return
Noble-hearted return. No remorse.
The ruler's position in Fu — the noble-hearted return of the person of genuine inner virtue. No remorse: the noble-hearted return of Line 5 finds no remorse — the genuine return of the person of genuine inner virtue who returns with genuine nobility of heart. The noble-hearted return is the return of the ruler: the person who returns to genuine inner virtue with genuine nobility, without personal agenda, without personal regret, with the genuine magnanimity of genuine inner virtue.
- Stage: The noble-hearted return — the ruler's return with genuine magnanimity
- Action: Return with genuine nobility of heart; let go of personal agenda and personal regret
- Wisdom: No remorse — the noble-hearted return finds no remorse
Line 6 — Six at the Top: Missing the Return
Missing the return. Misfortune. There is evil within and without. If armies are set marching in this way, one will in the end suffer a great defeat, disastrous for the ruler of that country. For ten years it will not be possible to attack again.
The supreme warning of Fu — the person who misses the return. Misfortune: the person who misses the return — who does not recognize the turning point, who does not return to genuine inner virtue when the opportunity presents itself — finds misfortune. There is evil within and without: the person who misses the return finds evil within (the loss of genuine inner virtue) and without (the external consequences of the loss of genuine inner virtue). For ten years it will not be possible to attack again: the most severe warning of Fu — the person who misses the return finds that the consequences last for ten years.
- Stage: Missing the return — the most severe warning of Fu
- Action: Do not miss the turning point; recognize the opportunity for genuine return and take it
- Wisdom: Misfortune — the natural consequence of missing the return
The Complete Journey: A Summary
- Line 1: Return from a short distance — immediate return; great good fortune
- Line 2: Quiet return — natural and undramatic; good fortune
- Line 3: Repeated return — returning again and again; danger but no blame
- Line 4: Walking in the middle — solitary return; genuine inner virtue alone
- Line 5: Noble-hearted return — the ruler's magnanimous return; no remorse
- Line 6: Missing the return — the most severe warning; misfortune for ten years
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 Fu in Practice
- Part 4: Philosophy — Fu in Confucian, Taoist, and Cyclical Thought
- Part 5: Practical Applications — Recognizing Turning Points, Fresh Starts, Genuine Renewal
- Part 6: Modern Interpretations — Turning Point Science, Neuroplasticity, Cycles of Renewal
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