Hexagram 23: 剝 (bō)
Judgment
不利。有攸往。
Po indicates that (in the state which it symbolises) it will not be advantageous to make a movement in any direction whatever.
Commentary on the judgment (彖傳)
剝，剝也，柔變剛也。不利有攸往，小人長也。順而止之，觀象也。君子尚消息盈虛，天行也。
The image (大象)
山附地上，剝；上以厚下，安宅。
The six lines
| Line | Chinese | Legge | Changes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 — | 碩果不食，君子德車，小人剝廬。 | The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject (as) a great fruit which has not been eaten. The superior man finds (the people again) as a chariot carrying him. The small men (by their course) overthrow their own dwellings. | 2 |
| 5 – – | 貫魚，以宮人寵，无不利。 | The fifth line, divided, shows (its subject leading on the others like) a string of fishes, and (obtaining for them) the favour that lights on the inmates of the palace. There will be advantage in every way. | 20 |
| 4 – – | 剝牀以膚，凶。 | The fourth line, divided, shows its subject having overthrown the couch, and (going to injure) the skin (of him who lies on it). There will be evil. | 35 |
| 3 – – | 剝之，无咎。 | The third line, divided, shows its subject among the overthrowers; but there will be no error. | 52 |
| 2 – – | 剝牀以辨，蔑貞凶。 | The second line, divided, shows one overthrowing the couch by injuring its frame. (The injury will go on to) the destruction of (all) firm correctness, and there will be evil. | 4 |
| 1 – – | 剝牀以足，蔑貞凶。 | The first line, divided, shows one overturning the couch by injuring its legs. (The injury will go on to) the destruction of (all) firm correctness, and there will be evil. | 27 |
Lines are numbered from the bottom. Each line page shows the line text with its small image commentary; each “changes to” link opens the reading for that changing line.
Related hexagrams
- Inverse (lines in reverse order): hexagram 24
- Opposite (every line changed): hexagram 43 · reading
- Nuclear (lines 2–4 and 3–5): hexagram 2
Legge's notes
XXIII. Po is the symbol of falling or of causing to fall, and may be applied, both in the natural and political world, to the process of decay, or that of overthrow. The figure consists of five divided lines, and one undivided, which last thus becomes the prominent and principal line in the figure. Decay or overthrow has begun at the bottom of it, and crept up to the top. The hexagram is that of the ninth month, when the beauty and glory of summer have disappeared, and the year is ready to fall into the arms of sterile winter. In the political world, small men have gradually displaced good men and great, till but one remains; and the lesson for him is to wait. The power operating against him is too strong; but the fashion of political life passes away. If he wait, a change for the better will shortly appear.
The lesser symbolism is chiefly that of a bed or couch with its occupant. The idea of the hexagram requires this occupant to be overthrown, or at least that an attempt be made to overthrow him. Accordingly the attempt in line 1 is made by commencing with the legs of the couch. The symbolism goes on to explain itself. The object of the evil worker is the overthrow of all firm correctness. Of course there will be evil.
Line 2 is to the same effect as 1; only the foe has advanced from the legs to the frame of the couch.
Line 3 also represents an overthrower; but it differs from the others in being the correlate of 6. The subject of it will take part with him. His association is with the subject of 6, and not, as in the other weak lines, with one of its own kind.
From line 4 the danger is imminent. The couch has been overthrown. The person of the occupant is at the mercy of the destroyers.
With line 5 the symbolism changes. The subject of 5 is 'lord of all the other weak lines,' and their subjects are at his disposal. He and they are represented as fishes, following one another as if strung together. All fishes come under the category of yin. Then the symbolism changes again. The subject of 5, representing and controlling all the yin lines, is loyal to the subject of the yang sixth line. He is the rightful sovereign in his palace, and 5 leads all the others there to enjoy the sovereign's favours.
We have still different symbolism under line 6. Its strong subject, notwithstanding the attempts against him, survives, and acquires fresh vigour. The people again cherish their sovereign, and the plotters have wrought to their own overthrow.
English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 16 (1882) — public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi from Chinese Wikisource.
Character glossary
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 攸yōudistant, far; adverbial prefix
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 剝bōto peel, to skin; to exploit
- 牀chuángbed, couch; bench; chassis
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 蔑mièto disdain, to disregard, to slight
- 貞zhēnvirtuous, chaste, pure; loyal
- 凶xiōngculprit; murder; bad, sad
- 辨biànto recognize, to distinguish, to discrim
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 无wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 咎jiùfault, defect; error, mistake
- 膚fūskin; shallow, superficial
- 貫guànto pierce, to string up; a string of 100
- 魚yúfish
- 宮gōngpalace; surname
- 人rénman, person; people
- 寵chǒngto love; to favor, to pamper, to spoil;
- 碩shuògreat, eminent; large, big
- 果guǒfruit, nut; result
- 食shífood; to eat
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 車chēcart, vehicle; to move in a cart
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 廬lúhut, cottage; the name of a mountain
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.