Hexagram 58: The Joyous Lake → Hexagram 4: Youthful Folly

The Joyous Lake
Lake / Lake
Youthful Folly
Mountain / Water
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 4, 5, 6).

Line 1

初九 和兌吉。

responsive
duìjoy
promising

Nine at the beginning means: Contented joyousness. Good fortune.

Line 4

九四 商兌未寧。介疾有喜。

shāngmeasured
duìjoy
wèiare less than
níngpeaceful
jièlimit
urgency
yǒuto attain
joy

Nine in the fourth place means: Joyousness that is weighed is not at peace. After ridding himself of mistakes a man has joy.

Line 5

九五 孚于剝。有厲。

true
to
disintegrating
yǒuthere are
hardship

Nine in the fifth place means: Sincerity toward disintegrating influences is dangerous.

Line 6

上六 引兌。

yǐnled
duìjoy

Six at the top means: Seductive joyousness.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake MountainThe Joyous → Keeping Still
Lower TrigramLake WaterThe Joyous → The Deep

Yilin Verse

天孫帝子,與日月處。光榮於世,福祿繁祉。

The Purple Star blazes, the imperial throne shines bright. On both banks of the Milky Way, colored clouds are born. The celestial ladder drops its golden thread — which mortal shall climb it?

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Paired lakes open upward to the mountain spring below. The original verse names the celestial grandchild and imperial son dwelling with sun and moon, glorious in the world, receiving manifold blessings. 'Celestial grandchild' and 'imperial son' are standard Han-dynasty epithets for the heir to the throne, one born to heaven's mandate. From The Joyous to Youthful Folly, radiant favor meets the spring issuing from beneath the mountain — a young heir, still unformed, receives cosmic blessing before understanding its weight. The pattern suggests that true nourishment of potential requires not wisdom but trust in the mandate one has been given.

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