損Sun · Decrease
In one sentence
Giving something up, cutting back a little, is worth it now.
A hexagram of decrease: taking from what is yours to benefit others, or a larger cause. As long as it comes from the heart, it is great good fortune. Give what ought to be given; no need for display, it is enough that your heart is in it. For yourself, it means less anger and less greed.
Asking about work, love or money
- Work
- This is your time to give: put in your own time and your own credit to serve those above you and the larger cause. As long as it is sincere, it is worth it. No need for display or for surface effort; being solid is enough. For yourself, it means less temper and less hunger for credit.
- Love
- In love, this is a time to give something up: a little less temper, a little less "I want", one more step yielded to the other person. As long as it is sincere, this kind of giving brings good fortune. Showing your feelings does not have to be fancy. Two bowls of plain rice will do; it does not matter if the gift is thin, as long as the heart is in it.
- Money
- Right now money is flowing outward: what should be spent, what should be given, the profit you should concede, let it go. As long as it is sincere, it is worth it. But no need for extravagance; give within your means, and the thought is enough. For yourself, it means cutting back your desires, and not spending wildly in a moment of anger.
This is the hexagram as a whole. If your cast has changing lines, the line text governs; each line's page has its own reading for work, love and money.
The judgment
In plain wordsCut back what should be cut back. As long as it comes from sincerity, it is great good fortune, no blame; you can hold to it, and it is favorable to act. What do you use to show what is in your heart? Two bowls of plain food can serve as the offering — it does not matter if the gift is slight.
The Tuan commentary
損，損下益上，其道上行。損而有孚，元吉，无咎，可貞，利有攸往。曷之用？二簋可用享；二簋應有時。損剛益柔有時，損益盈虛，與時偕行。
Sun: what is below is decreased and what is above is increased; its way moves upward. Decrease, and "there is sincerity. Supreme good fortune, no blame. One can stay true. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. What should be used? Two bowls can be used for the offering." The two bowls must suit the time. Decreasing the firm and increasing the yielding has its time. Decrease and increase, filling and emptying, go along with the time.
The Tuan (“judgment”) commentary is one of the Ten Wings. It explains the hexagram name and the judgment from the two trigrams and the positions of the lines.
The image
山下有澤，損。君子以懲忿窒欲。
A lake at the foot of the mountain: Sun (Decrease). The noble one restrains anger and blocks desire.
The lines
Nine at the beginning
Text已事遄往，无咎。酌損之。Leave one's own work and go quickly. No blame. Weigh how much to decrease.In plain wordsPut down what you are doing and hurry to help the other person; no blame. But how much to help is something to weigh with care. More on this line →
Nine in the second place
Text利貞，征凶。弗損益之。It is favorable to stay true. To set forth brings misfortune. Without decreasing oneself, one increases others.In plain wordsStaying true is favorable; pushing yourself forward brings misfortune. Not changing what you stand for is the greatest help you can give the one above you. More on this line →
Six in the third place
Text三人行則損一人，一人行則得其友。Three people walking together lose one. One person walking alone finds a friend.In plain wordsWhen three travel together, one will drop away; walk alone and you will meet a friend. Two makes for single-mindedness, three becomes a muddle — what is needed now is to be of one heart and one mind. More on this line →
Six in the fourth place
Text損其疾，使遄有喜，无咎。Decrease one's ailment, and quickly, so that there is joy. No blame.In plain wordsCut away your own faults, and do it fast; if you are quick there will be joy. No blame. More on this line →
Six in the fifth place
Text或益之十朋之龜，弗克違，元吉。Someone increases one with a tortoise worth ten pairs of shells; it cannot be refused. Supreme good fortune.In plain wordsSomeone brings you a priceless tortoise, and you could not turn it down if you tried. Great good fortune. You are open-minded and hold the center, so everyone is willing to come and help you succeed. More on this line →
Nine at the top
Text弗損益之，无咎，貞吉。利有攸往，得臣无家。Without decreasing oneself, one increases others. No blame. Staying true brings good fortune. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. One gains followers beyond any single household.In plain wordsOthers benefit without your having to harm yourself — you give, and it costs you nothing. No blame. Stay true and there is good fortune. Going forward is favorable. Everyone's heart turns to you, with no line between yours and theirs. More on this line →
Lines are counted from the bottom. “Nine” is a yang (solid) line, “six” a yin (broken) line. A line applies to your reading only when it is a changing line.
Related hexagrams
Primary, resulting, nuclear, opposite and inverted hexagrams explained →
In the hexagram calendar
In the Tang monk Yixing’s Dayan calendar, Sun belongs to the first pentad of End of Heat, “Hawks lay out their prey” (August 23 to August 27, 2027).