What is Hexagram Phong Trạch Trung Phu in the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching?
Hexagram Phong Trạch Trung Phu is number 61 in the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching according to the King Wen sequence. Its Chinese characters are 風澤中孚, read in Sino-Vietnamese as Phong Trạch Trung Phu, shortened to Trung Phu. The hexagram consists of the outer trigram Tốn ☴ (wind) above and the inner trigram Đoài ☱ (marsh) below, that is, Tốn above Đoài below. According to Wikipedia's hexagram list, hexagram 61 has the Unicode symbol ䷼. In the five-element system, the hexagram belongs to Wood. It has four yang lines and two yin lines, with the two yin lines in the middle creating a hollow center, symbolizing sincerity from within.
The name "Trung Phu" combines two characters: "trung" means in the middle, within the heart; "phu" means trust, sincerity. Trung Phu is true trust within, not displayed outwardly but carrying its own weight. The image of Tốn above Đoài below is wind blowing over the marsh surface, sending ripples all the way to the bottom. That is the image of sincerity penetrating from top to bottom, from inside out, with nothing hidden.
What does the Judgment of Trung Phu say, and why does it mention pigs and fish?
The Judgment (Thoán từ) of the hexagram reads in the original Chinese: 中孚：豚魚吉，利涉大川，利貞。 Sino-Vietnamese: Trung Phu: Đồn ngư cát, lợi thiệp đại xuyên, lợi trinh. The common meaning: Trung Phu is sincerity within; even offering only pigs and fish (small offerings) is auspicious, one should cross the great river, and remaining steadfast is favorable.
The character "đồn" (豚) means piglet, "ngư" (魚) means fish. The understanding of the phrase "đồn ngư cát" is not uniform among commentators:
- Some read it in terms of offerings: pigs and fish are the simplest offerings, but if the heart is true, heaven and earth still bear witness, and no great offering is needed. This is the common reading in current I Ching commentaries.
- Some read it symbolically: pigs and fish are the animals hardest to move, yet sincerity can still reach them, so how much more so with people. In this direction, "đồn ngư cát" emphasizes the reach of sincerity, not the value of the offering.
- Some read "đồn ngư" as two animals sensitive to weather, so that when the sky is about to change, pigs and fish stir, hinting at the subtle resonance between human hearts and circumstances.
These readings do not exclude one another. The common point is: sincerity is not measured by the size of the offering. "Lợi thiệp đại xuyên" means it is favorable to cross the great river, that is, one dares to undertake great things when sincerity is the foundation. "Lợi trinh" means remaining steadfast is favorable. Note that this is the wording of the classic, not a firm verdict for any individual, but a spiritual orientation.
What does the Image of Trung Phu teach the noble person?
The Image reads: 澤上有風，中孚。君子以議獄緩死。 Sino-Vietnamese: Trạch thượng hữu phong, Trung Phu. Quân tử dĩ nghị ngục hoãn tử. Meaning: wind above the marsh, that is the image of Trung Phu. The noble person accordingly deliberates carefully on judgments and delays executions.
Wind blowing over the marsh, the water surface rippling to the very bottom, symbolizes sincerity penetrating from top to bottom. The Image advises those with power over others' fates to use sincerity in weighing matters carefully, not to conclude hastily, not to judge hastily. This is a teaching on caution in judgment, a standard of ancient times, not advice to be applied literally to every situation today.
Why does Trung Phu follow Tiết in the Sequence?
According to the Sequence, after hexagram Tiết (number 60) comes hexagram Trung Phu (number 61). The reason given: when there is restraint, people trust one another. Tiết is limit, measure. When matters have clear measure, people can place trust in one another. Without restraint, promises become meaningless and trust has no foundation.
A clear distinction: the Sequence is a later commentary, not the classic text. The Judgment and line texts are the classic; the Thoán, Image, Great Commentary, and Sequence are commentaries. When reading the I Ching, one should separate these two layers.
The six line texts of Trung Phu and how to read them in plain words
The six line texts of Trung Phu describe six levels of sincerity. Reading from the bottom up, the first line is lowest, the top line is highest.
First line: careful preparation is auspicious
Original: 虞吉，有他不燕。 Sino-Vietnamese: Ngu cát, hữu tha bất yến. Meaning: careful preparation is auspicious, having other intentions brings no peace. This is the opening line. It reminds that before beginning a commitment, a relationship, or a project, one should ask whether one's heart is truly single. "Other intentions" here means distracting thoughts, calculating advantage before acting. If still uncertain, one should not begin.
Second line: the crane calls in the shade, its young answer
Original: 鶴鳴在陰，其子和之，我有好爵，吾與爾靡之。 Sino-Vietnamese: Hạc minh tại âm, kỳ tử hoạ chi, ngã hữu hảo tước, ngô dữ nhĩ mi chi. Meaning: the crane calls in the shade, its young answer; I have good wine, I share it with you. This is the most famous line of the hexagram. The crane calls in the shade, its young hears and answers. It means when the heart is true, those of the same frequency find their way, without display. The image of sharing good wine shows that sincerity always comes with sharing.
The Great Commentary cites this line and discusses that the words and actions of the noble person are pivotal, the trigger of heaven and earth; if sincere, they resonate from afar, if not, they provoke opposition. That discussion belongs to the Great Commentary, a later commentary, not the classic text. This is a typical example of the Great Commentary using line texts to develop its own philosophy.
Third line: meeting an opponent, now joyful now sad
Original: 得敵，或鼓或罷，或泣或歌。 Sino-Vietnamese: Đắc địch, hoặc cổ hoặc bãi, hoặc khấp hoặc ca. Meaning: meeting an opponent, now beating the drum now stopping, now weeping now singing. This line describes psychological instability when sincerity is placed in others' reactions instead of in oneself. When joy and sorrow depend entirely on the other party, one loses one's center. True sincerity must come from within.
Fourth line: the moon nearly full, the horse leaves the herd
Original: 月幾望，馬匹亡，無咎。 Sino-Vietnamese: Nguyệt kỷ vọng, mã thất vong, vô cữu. Meaning: the moon nearly full, the horse leaves the herd, no harm. "The moon nearly full" is nearing the peak. "The horse leaves the herd" is leaving the familiar group to move upward. The line says "no harm" because this departure comes from sincerity, not betrayal. Leaving because of a different right direction differs from leaving out of discontent.
Fifth line: sincerity binds people together
Original: 有孚攣如，無咎。 Sino-Vietnamese: Hữu phu luyến như, vô cữu. Meaning: having sincerity that binds people, no harm. This is the line of the leader by sincerity. "Binding" here is not coercion, but an invisible thread that each person willingly holds. The fifth line is at the center of the outer trigram Tốn, showing that sincerity in the central and correct position has the strongest reach.
Top line: the rooster's cry rises to heaven
Original: 翰音登于天，貞凶。 Sino-Vietnamese: Hàn âm đăng vu thiên, trinh hung. Meaning: the rooster's cry rises to heaven, steadfastness brings misfortune. A rooster cannot fly to heaven, but it crows loudly for all to believe it can. This line warns of falseness: fine words with an empty heart, great promises with nothing behind them. The line says plainly: even if one persists, if the root is false the result is still bad. This line stands in complete contrast to the second line: the crane calls in the shade and its young answer, the rooster crows to heaven and everyone knows it is false.
The reversed hexagram and the opposite hexagram of Trung Phu
Trung Phu has a rare feature: reversing the hexagram still yields itself. That is, if one reverses the order of the lines from bottom to top, one still gets Trung Phu. In the I Ching, this phenomenon is called a hexagram unchanged when reversed. The opposite (đối) hexagram of Trung Phu is Lôi Sơn Tiểu Quá (number 62). According to Wikipedia's hexagram list, hexagram 61 has hexagram 62 as its opposite. This opposition shows that Trung Phu is sincerity at a moderate level, while Tiểu Quá is excess in small matters.
Applying Trung Phu in daily life
According to current I Ching reference sites, Trung Phu is usually classed among the auspicious hexagrams. However, this should be understood as a spiritual orientation, not a firm verdict for every situation.
In love, the hexagram reminds that a relationship needs sincerity from within. If both are true, matters flow. If one holds something back, the relationship cracks. Sincerity does not need great offerings; a timely message or a genuine greeting sometimes carries more weight than much display.
In work and finance, the hexagram suggests that fortune may come but not much yet, and one should persist and especially keep sincerity. Opportunists, the reckless, and the dishonest find it hard to enjoy the settled fortune the hexagram suggests.
Table of the six lines of Trung Phu
| Line | Name | Original Chinese | Sino-Vietnamese | Common meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sơ cửu | 虞吉，有他不燕 | Ngu cát, hữu tha bất yến | Careful preparation is auspicious, other intentions bring no peace |
| 2 | Cửu nhị | 鶴鳴在陰，其子和之，我有好爵，吾與爾靡之 | Hạc minh tại âm, kỳ tử hoạ chi, ngã hữu hảo tước, ngô dữ nhĩ mi chi | The crane calls in the shade, its young answer; I have good wine, I share it with you |
| 3 | Lục tam | 得敵，或鼓或罷，或泣或歌 | Đắc địch, hoặc cổ hoặc bãi, hoặc khấp hoặc ca | Meeting an opponent, now beating the drum now stopping, now weeping now singing |
| 4 | Lục tứ | 月幾望，馬匹亡，無咎 | Nguyệt kỷ vọng, mã thất vong, vô cữu | The moon nearly full, the horse leaves the herd, no harm |
| 5 | Cửu ngũ | 有孚攣如，無咎 | Hữu phu luyến như, vô cữu | Having sincerity that binds people, no harm |
| 6 | Thượng cửu | 翰音登于天，貞凶 | Hàn âm đăng vu thiên, trinh hung | The rooster's cry rises to heaven, steadfastness brings misfortune |
Lessons from Trung Phu
What Trung Phu emphasizes is not great offerings or grand promises, but truth within. Sincerity needs no display because it has its own reach. When the inside is empty of distracting thoughts, words carry weight. Conversely, if the root is false, even persistent pursuit yields no lasting result.
One point to note: the line texts of Trung Phu carry the social standards of ancient times, such as valuing trust in ruler-minister and master-servant relations. Read them to understand historical context rather than applying them literally to life today.
Schools of I Ching commentary do not agree on many points, especially the reading of "đồn ngư cát" in the Judgment. This article presents common readings and does not claim any is absolutely correct. Readers should consult multiple sources and compare for themselves.
Frequently asked questions about Hexagram Phong Trạch Trung Phu
Is Trung Phu auspicious or inauspicious?
According to current I Ching reference sites, Trung Phu is usually classed among the auspicious hexagrams, sometimes among the greatly auspicious. However, this should be understood as a spiritual orientation, not a firm verdict for every situation. The hexagram brings settled fortune only on condition that sincerity is kept.
Why does Trung Phu mention pigs and fish?
The character "đồn" means piglet, "ngư" means fish. Commentators read "đồn ngư cát" in various ways: some as a simple offering but a true heart that heaven bears witness to; some as animals hardest to move that are still moved, so how much more so with people; some as a symbol of subtle resonance with weather. These readings do not exclude one another.
Where does Trung Phu stand among the 64 hexagrams?
Trung Phu is number 61 in the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching according to the King Wen sequence. In the Sequence, it follows hexagram Tiết (number 60) with the reason: when there is restraint, people trust one another. The opposite hexagram of Trung Phu is Lôi Sơn Tiểu Quá (number 62).
Structure of Hexagram Phong Trạch Trung Phu in one table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Order in the Zhou Yi | 61 |
| Chinese name | 中孚 |
| Upper trigram | Tốn (Wind) |
| Lower trigram | Đoài (Marsh) |
| Six lines, from top down | yang, yang, yin, yin, yang, yang |
| Nuclear hexagram | Sơn Lôi Di (hexagram 27) |
| Opposite hexagram | Lôi Sơn Tiểu Quá (hexagram 62) |
| Reversed hexagram | Phong Trạch Trung Phu (hexagram 61) |
Where do the six lines of Phong Trạch Trung Phu stand, and what hexagram does each moving line produce?
The table reads from the first line (bottom) up to the top line. Line names combine position and nature: yang is called Cửu, yin is called Lục. The last column is the changed hexagram when ONLY that line moves, calculated by the same method used in the Nhật Nguyệt divination tool.
| Line | Name | Nature | Correct position | Central | Correspondence | Changes to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sơ Cửu | yang | yes | no | with line 4, has correspondence | Phong Thủy Hoán (hexagram 59) |
| 2 | Cửu Nhị | yang | no | yes | with line 5, no correspondence | Phong Lôi Ích (hexagram 42) |
| 3 | Lục Tam | yin | no | no | with line 6, has correspondence | Phong Thiên Tiểu Súc (hexagram 9) |
| 4 | Lục Tứ | yin | yes | no | with line 1, has correspondence | Thiên Trạch Lý (hexagram 10) |
| 5 | Cửu Ngũ | yang | yes | yes | with line 2, no correspondence | Sơn Trạch Tổn (hexagram 41) |
| 6 | Thượng Cửu | yang | no | no | with line 3, has correspondence | Thủy Trạch Tiết (hexagram 60) |