Hexagram 63, Line 3

The Line Text

Interpretation

This line uses a historical allusion to King Wu Ding (Gao Zong) of the Shang Dynasty and his long, arduous campaign against the northern "Guifang" or Devil's Country. The victory is a great one, a testament to strength and perseverance. However, it was not a quick or easy win; it took three years, a symbolic period for a long and draining struggle. The commentary highlights the key feeling of this line: exhaustion. After such a monumental effort, even in victory, resources are depleted and weariness has set in. The second part of the line, "Do not employ inferior people," is the crucial warning. In this state of post-victory exhaustion, there is a great temptation to delegate, to relax one's standards, and to hand over responsibility to anyone available. This is a grave error. "Inferior people" (小人, xiao ren) are those who are opportunistic, short-sighted, unskilled, or lack integrity. Entrusting the fragile, newly-won peace and order to such individuals will inevitably lead to the undoing of all that has been accomplished. Their self-interest and incompetence will corrupt the success from within, causing the hard-won structure to decay. This line, therefore, marks a moment of significant achievement shadowed by the peril of mismanagement and complacency.

Guidance for Action

You have likely just completed a major, long-term undertaking that required immense effort and persistence. Acknowledge your success, but understand that this is a moment of vulnerability. You and your resources are exhausted. Do not let your guard down or become complacent. This is not the time for celebration that leads to carelessness, but for careful consolidation. Be extremely discerning about who you trust and delegate to now. Avoid shortcuts and steer clear of individuals who offer easy solutions but lack proven competence and integrity. Your task is to secure your gains and build a sustainable future, which requires the same level of diligence you showed during the struggle, but now applied to management and preservation.

For Love & Relationships

A long and difficult period in your relationship has finally come to an end. Perhaps you have overcome long distance, financial struggles, family opposition, or a serious internal conflict. You have "won" the battle and are finally together in a state of peace. However, both of you are likely emotionally exhausted from the struggle. This is a critical time. The warning is to not allow negative habits (the "inferior people" within yourselves) or negative influences (gossipy friends, unsupportive family) to undermine the peace you have worked so hard to achieve. Do not become complacent or take each other for granted. The effort must now shift from "fighting for the relationship" to "carefully nurturing the relationship."

For Career & Business

A significant and challenging project has been successfully completed. This may be a product launch, closing a major deal, or a corporate restructuring that took years of hard work. While this is a moment of triumph for you and your team, there is also widespread exhaustion. Be warned against hiring unqualified people or promoting opportunistic individuals to manage the next phase. Now that the difficult innovation is done, the temptation is to hand off the "boring" maintenance and administration to less-competent hands. This would be a mistake that could jeopardize the entire venture. Reward the capable people who got you here and ensure that the management of your success is handled with integrity and skill.

For Financial Matters

You have reached a major financial goal after a long period of discipline and effort. This could be paying off a mortgage, clearing a large debt, or the maturation of a long-term investment. You have achieved a state of financial completion and security. However, you are also mentally weary from the sustained effort. The line strongly advises against taking risks or trusting your newly won capital to unproven advisors or "get-rich-quick" schemes ("inferior people"). The feeling of relief can lead to poor judgment. Your priority now is not aggressive growth, but capital preservation. Be conservative, consolidate your assets, and make careful, well-researched decisions to protect what you have worked so hard to build.