Hexagram 41 of 64 · King Wen order
損Decrease
Sǔn · ䷨ · above: Mountain ☶ 艮 Gèn · below: Lake ☱ 兌 Duì
The reduction of the superficial to strengthen the essential; sacrifice that leads to higher gain.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
有孚，元吉，無咎，可貞，利有攸往？曷之用，二簋可用享。
In (what is denoted by) Sun, if there be sincerity (in him who employs it), there will be great good fortune:—freedom from error; firmness and correctness that can be maintained; and advantage in every movement that shall be made. In what shall this (sincerity in the exercise of Sun) be employed? (Even) in sacrifice two baskets of grain, (though there be nothing else), may be presented.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. In Sun (we see) the lower (trigram) diminished, and the upper added to. (But) the method (of action) implied in this operates also above (or, mounts upwards (also) and operates).
2. 'If there be sincerity in this method of diminution, there will be great good fortune; freedom from error; firmness and correctness that can be maintained; and advantage in every movement that shall be made. In what shall this (sincerity in the exercise of Sun) be employed? (Even) in sacrifice, two baskets of grain, (though there be nothing else), may be presented:'—for these two baskets there ought to be the fitting time. There is a time when the strong should be diminished, and the weak should be strengthened. Diminution and increase, overflowing and emptiness: -these take place in harmony with the conditions of the time.
The Image 象
山下有澤，損；君子以懲忿窒欲。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and beneath it that for the waters of a marsh form Sun. The superior man, in accordance with this, restrains his wrath and represses his desires.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
已事遄往，無咎，酌損之。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject suspending his own affairs, and hurrying away (to help the subject of the fourth line). He will commit no error, but let him consider how far he should contribute of what is his (for the other).
Small Image: 'He suspends his own affairs and hurries away (to help the subject of the fourth line):'—the (subject of that) upper (line) mingles his wishes with his.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 4, Youthful Folly.
Line 2 九二
The second line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
利貞，征凶，弗損益之。
The second NINE, undivided, shows that it will be advantageous for its subject to maintain a firm correctness, and that action on his part will be evil. He can give increase (to his correlate) without taking from himself.
Small Image: 'It will be advantageous for (the subject of) the second NINE, (undivided), to maintain his firm correctness:'—his central position gives its character to his aim.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 27, The Corners of the Mouth.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
三人行，則損一人；一人行，則得其友。
The third SIX, divided, shows how of three men walking together, the number is diminished by one; and how one, walking, finds his friend.
Small Image: 'One man, walking,' (finds his friend):—when three are together, doubts rise among them.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 26, The Taming Power of the Great.
Line 4 六四
The fourth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
損其疾，使遄有喜，無咎。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject diminishing the ailment under which he labours by making (the subject of the first line) hasten (to his help), and make him glad. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'He diminishes the ailment under which he labours:'—this is matter for joy.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 38, Opposition.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
或益之，十朋之龜弗克違，元吉。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows parties adding to (the stores of) its subject ten pairs of tortoise shells, and accepting no refusal. There will be great good fortune.
Small Image: 'The great good fortune attached to the fifth six, (divided),' is due to the blessing from above.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 61, Inner Truth.
Line 6 上九
The sixth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
弗損益之，無咎，貞吉，利有攸往，得臣無家。
The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject giving increase to others without taking from himself. There will be no error. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. There will be advantage in every movement that shall be made. He will find ministers more than can be counted by their clans.
Small Image: 'He gives increase to others without taking from what is his own:'—he obtains his wish on a grand scale.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 19, Approach.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦31. Influence 咸
every line changedInverse 綜卦42. Increase 益
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.