Hexagram 36: Smothered Light
Statement: Smothered light. Gain is difficult: persist.
Top trigram: Earth
Bottom trigram: Fire
Hexagram Number: 36
Hexagram Name: Smothered Light
Line 1 comment: Smothered light in flight, hanging wings. The wise one travels and has no food for three days, but finds the destination: the host responds.
Line 2 comment: Smothered light: injury in the left thigh. Exert horselike strength to rescue. Fortunate.
Line 3 comment: Smothered light on a southern expedition. Their great chief is captured. One cannot be hasty to establish rule.
Line 4 comment: Enter at the left front, capturing the heart of smothered light. Going in and out of gates and halls.
Line 5 comment: The smothered light of Jizi: gainful virtue.
Line 6 comment: Not a bright night. First rise into the sky, then plunge into the earth.
The image Brilliance in the earth's core: smothered light. The noble one governs the multitude by obscurity- but with enlightenment.