Hexagram of the Day Monday, October 5, 2026: #60 Limitation (节)

Limitation means having bounds and halting. As a hexagram, Dui is below and Kan is above; water is above a lake, and its capacity has limits, hence it is Limitation. Limitation naturally holds the way of success.

Furthermore, its structure has an equal division of yin and yang, with both the second and fifth lines being yang; hence its divination yields success. However, if carried to excess it becomes bitter; therefore it also warns that it cannot be maintained as perseverance.

Explaining the hexagram statement through the hexagram structure; further speaking from principle; 説 is pronounced yue.

Furthermore, speaking from the virtues and structure of the hexagram: occupying the correct position and holding centrality refers to the fifth line; Kan also represents flowing through and communication; speaking of the way of limitation to its utmost.

行 is pronounced xia-meng in fanqie.

Limitation in the Order of the Hexagrams: Dispersion means separation; things cannot remain separated forever, hence Dispersion is followed by Limitation. Once things are scattered, they must be regulated and restrained; this is why Limitation succeeds Dispersion.

As a hexagram, water is above a lake; a lake's capacity is limited, and if water is poured into it until full, it can hold no more—this is the image of limitation, hence it is Limitation.

When affairs are regulated, they lead to success; hence limitation contains the meaning of success. Limitation values hitting the proper measure; when excessive, it turns bitter. When limitation reaches bitterness, how could it be lasting?

It cannot be rigidly kept as a constant; it cannot be persevered in.

The way of limitation naturally holds the meaning of success; when affairs have measure, they can succeed.

Moreover, looking at the talent of the hexagram, the firm and yielding occupy divided places, with the firm attaining the center without exceeding, which also constitutes limitation and enables success.

When limitation reaches the extreme and turns bitter, it cannot be rigidly and constantly maintained; its path is already exhausted. Speaking from the talents of the hexagram: Dui is inside and Kan is outside, which is advancing through danger with joy.

When people find joy, they do not know when to stop; when they encounter hardship and peril, they think of halting. To halt while in joy is the meaning of limitation.

'Regulating through correct position': the fifth occupies the honored position and holds the correct place; being above the lake, it has limitation; holding the position to regulate, it is the master of limitation.

Dwelling in centrality and correctness, its regulation can flow freely. Centrality and correctness bring flow; excess brings bitterness.

Extending the discourse on the way of limitation: Heaven and Earth have their measures, and thus the four seasons are completed; without limitation, the order is lost.

Sages establish systems and regulations to serve as limitations, thereby avoiding harm to wealth and injury to the people. Human desires are limitless; if not restrained by regulations, indulgence and extravagance will lead to harming wealth and injuring the people.

A lake's capacity for water is limited; beyond that it overflows. This represents having bounds, hence it is Limitation. The noble person observes the image of limitation to establish counts and measures.

All things—large and small, heavy and light, high and low, refined and unadorned—have their counts and measures, which serve as limitation. Counts refer to quantity; measures refer to laws and regulations.

Deliberating on virtuous conduct: virtue resides within, and conduct manifests outwardly. When human virtuous conduct accords with rightness, it hits the proper measure. Deliberating means assessing and seeking the proper measure.

Kan is yang and Dui is yin. Yang is above and yin is below, dividing the firm and yielding. When the firm and yielding are divided without confusion, and the firm attains the center to become the master of regulation, this is the meaning of limitation.

The greatest of limitations is none other than dividing the firm and yielding, and distinguishing men and women. When limitation becomes excessively bitter, things cannot endure it. When things cannot endure it, it can no longer be maintained as correct.

Only then does it attain success. Moving through peril without joy, and overstepping the center in exercising limitation, causes the way to become exhausted.

The correct meaning: 'Limitation' is the name of the hexagram. The Tuan says: 'Limitation through regulations.' The Miscellaneous Hexagrams says: 'Limitation means halting.' Thus, limitation is the name for rules and regulations.

Limitation carries the meaning of halting; when affairs are regulated, their course achieves success, hence 'Limitation brings success.'

Limitation must attain the center; if limitation is excessively bitter, it harms through harshness, becoming something creatures cannot bear and cannot maintain as correct, hence 'bitter limitation cannot be persevered in.'

The correct meaning: This explains why limitation attains success based on the two trigrams and the firm centrality of lines two and five. The Kan firmness is above, and the Dui yielding is below, which means the firm and yielding are divided.

The division of firm and yielding, and the distinction between male and female, are the great principles of limitation.

Lines two and five occupy the center with firmness, serving as the masters of regulation, which is why limitation is attained; because limitation does not depart from the center, success is attained, hence 'Limitation brings success: the firm and yielding are divided, and the firm attains the center.'

The correct meaning: If limitation is excessively bitter, it cannot be made correct. If one takes bitter limitation as correct, its way will be trapped and exhausted, hence 'bitter limitation cannot be persevered in, for its way is exhausted.'

The correct meaning: Above it was said 'bitter limitation cannot be persevered in, for its way is exhausted' precisely because when limitation is not central, creatures do not rejoice in it and it cannot be maintained, its path being trapped.

Hence, relying on the two trigrams and the correct positions of lines four and five, it re-explains how practicing limitation attains success, clarifying the exhaustion of bitter limitation. 'Moving through danger with joy' means limitation attains the center.

'Regulating through correct position' means it can serve as correctness. Truly, because it is central and correct, it can flow freely, hence 'central and correct to flow freely'—this is why it brings success.

The correct meaning: 'Heaven and Earth have their measures, and the four seasons are completed'—from here downward it broadly illustrates the meaning of limitation in Heaven, Earth, and humanity.

Heaven and Earth take the sequence of qi as limitation, so that cold and heat alternate in proper order, and the achievements of the four seasons are completed.

The ruler takes systems and regulations as limitation, using resources with restraint and employing labor in season, so that wealth is not harmed and the people are not injured.

The correct meaning: 'Water above a lake: Limitation'—when water is in the lake, it attains its proper bounds, hence 'water above a lake: Limitation.'

'The noble person creates numbers and measures, and deliberates on virtuous conduct'—numbers and measures refer to the gradations of ceremonial honors for the noble and lowly. Virtuous conduct refers to the caliber of human talents for appointment.

The noble person models upon limitation to establish ranks and differences in rites, ensuring all have proper measures, and deliberates upon people's virtue and conduct for appointment, ensuring all are appropriate.