Hexagram 4: 蒙 (méng)
Judgment
亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。利貞。
Măng (indicates that in the case which it presupposes) there will be progress and success. I do not (go and) seek the youthful and inexperienced, but he comes and seeks me. When he shows (the sincerity that marks) the first recourse to divination, I instruct him. If he apply a second and third time, that is troublesome; and I do not instruct the troublesome. There will be advantage in being firm and correct.
Commentary on the judgment (彖傳)
蒙，山下有險，險而止，蒙。蒙亨，以亨行，時中也。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我，志應也。初筮告，以剛中也。再三瀆，瀆則不告，瀆蒙也。蒙以養正，聖功也。
The image (大象)
山下出泉，蒙；君子以果行育德。
The six lines
| Line | Chinese | Legge | Changes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 — | 擊蒙，不利為寇，利禦寇。 | In the topmost line, undivided, we see one smiting the ignorant (youth). But no advantage will come from doing him an injury. Advantage would come from warding off injury from him. | 7 |
| 5 – – | 童蒙，吉。 | The fifth line, divided, shows its subject as a simple lad without experience. There will be good fortune. | 59 |
| 4 – – | 困蒙，吝。 | The fourth line, divided, (shows its subject as if) bound in chains of ignorance. There will be occasion for regret. | 64 |
| 3 – – | 勿用取女，見金夫，不有躬，无攸利。 | The third line, divided, (seems to say) that one should not marry a woman whose emblem it might be, for that, when she sees a man of wealth, she will not keep her person from him, and in no wise will advantage come from her. | 18 |
| 2 — | 包蒙吉，納婦吉，子克家。 | The second line, undivided, (shows its subject) exercising forbearance with the ignorant, in which there will be good fortune; and admitting (even the goodness of women, which will also be fortunate. (He may be described also as) a son able to (sustain the burden of) his family. | 23 |
| 1 – – | 發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏，以往吝。 | The first line, divided, (has respect to) the dispelling of ignorance. It will be advantageous to use punishment (for that purpose), and to remove the shackles (from the mind). But going on in that way (of punishment) will give occasion for regret. | 41 |
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 3
- Opposite (every line changed): hexagram 49 · reading
- Nuclear (lines 2–4 and 3–5): hexagram 24
Legge's notes
IV. As Kun shows us plants struggling from beneath the surface, Măng suggests to us the small and undeveloped appearance which they then present; and hence it came to be the symbol of youthful inexperience and ignorance. The object of the hexagram is to show how such a condition should be dealt with by the parent and ruler, whose authority and duty are represented by the second and sixth, the two undivided lines. All between the first and last sentences of the Thwan must be taken as an oracular response received by the party divining on the subject of enlightening the youthful ignorant. This accounts for its being more than usually enigmatical, and for its being partly rhythmical. See Appendix I, in loc.
The subject of the first line, weak, and at the bottom of the figure, is in the grossest ignorance. Let him be punished. If punishment avail to loosen the shackles and manacles from the mind, well; if not, and punishment be persevered with, the effect will be had.
On the subject of the second line, strong, and in the central place, devolves the task of enlightening the ignorant; and we have him discharging it with forbearance and humility. In proof of his generosity, it is said that 'he receives,' or learns from, even weak and ignorant women. He appears also as 'a son' taking the place of his father.
The third line is weak, and occupies an odd place belonging properly to an undivided line; nor is its place in the centre. All these things give the subject of it so bad a character.
The fourth line is far from both the second and sixth, and can get no help from its correlate,—the first line, weak as itself. What good can be done with or by the subject of it?
The fifth line is in the place of honour, and has for its correlate the strong line in the second place. Being weak in itself, it is taken as the symbol of a simple lad, willing to be taught.
The topmost line is strong, and in the highest place. It is natural, but unwise, in him to use violence in carrying on his educational measures. A better course is suggested to him.
English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 16 (1882) — public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi from Chinese Wikisource.
Character glossary
- 亨hēngprospering, going smoothly
- 匪fěibandits, robbers, gangsters
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 求qiúto seek; to request, to demand; to besee
- 童tóngchild, boy; servant boy; virgin
- 蒙méngto cover; to deceive; Mongolia
- 初chūbeginning, initial, primary
- 筮shìdivination using the stalks of plants; d
- 告gàoto tell, to inform, to announce; to accu
- 再zàiagain, twice, re-
- 三sānthree
- 瀆dúditch, sluice, gutter, drain
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 貞zhēnvirtuous, chaste, pure; loyal
- 發fāto issue, to dispatch, to send out; hair
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 刑xíngpunishment, penalty; law
- 人rénman, person; people
- 說shuōto speak, to say; to scold, to upbraid
- 桎zhìshackles, fetters, handcuffs
- 梏gùhandcuffs, manacles; fetters
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 吝lìnstingy, miserly; parsimonious
- 包bāowrap, pack, bundle; package
- 吉jílucky, propitious, good
- 納nàto adopt, to accept; to receive, to take
- 婦fùmarried woman; wife
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 克kèto subdue, to restrain, to overcome; use
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 女nǚwoman, girl; female
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 金jīngold, metal; money
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 躬gōngto bow; personally, in person; oneself
- 无wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 攸yōudistant, far; adverbial prefix
- 困kùnto surround; to besiege; surrounded, in
- 擊jīto strike, to hit, to beat; to attack, t
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 寇kòubandit, thief; enemy; to invade
- 禦yùchariot; to drive, to ride; to manage
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.