初
初九。明夷于飛、垂其翼。君子于行、三日不食。有攸往、主人有言。
Light injured in flight, wings droop. The noble on a journey goes three days unfed; if he moves, the host protests. Early hardship; pause and bear it.
䷣
Hexagram 36
Darkening of the Light (地火明夷)
Chika-meii / Míng Yí
The sun sinks under earth—light is wounded. Hide brilliance and endure hard times.
Judgment
明夷。利艱貞。
Darkening of the light. Benefit in difficult correctness.
When talents are harmed, keep low and persevere; wait for better times.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。明夷、夷于左股、用拯馬壮、吉。
Light harmed in the left thigh; saved by strong horse—good fortune. Hurt yet able to rise with help.
三
九三。明夷于南狩、得其大首、不可疾貞。
Hunting south, light injured yet captures a great chief. Do not hurry correctness. Big success, but proceed slowly.
四
六四。入于左腹、獲明夷之心、于出門庭。
Entering the left belly, gaining the heart of darkened light, then leaving the gate. Penetrate the darkness to grasp its core and exit.
五
六五。箕子之明夷、利貞。
The darkened light of Prince Ji—benefit in correctness. Like Ji Zi, hide brilliance to survive.
上
上六。不明晦。初登于天、後入于地。
Not bright but dark; first up to heaven, later into earth. Rise followed by fall—beware decline.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 36, Míng Yí (Darkening of the Light), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Kun (Earth) above and Li (Fire) below. The sun sinks under earth—light is wounded. Hide brilliance and endure hard times. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Stay modest and unobtrusive now. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 36 (Míng Yí) describes the meeting point of Kun (earth) above and Li (fire) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Difficult circumstances; conceal ability and bide time. In work and career, Míng Yí points to whether the outer market or workplace (Kun (earth)) and your inner stance (Li (fire)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Míng Yí situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Guard health quietly; avoid strain. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 36 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Míng Yí usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 36 (Míng Yí, Darkening of the Light) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "The sun sinks under earth—light is wounded. Hide brilliance and endure hard times." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
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