Hexagram of the Day Tuesday, October 6, 2026: #61 Inner Truth (中孚)

Fu means trust and sincerity. In this Gua, two yin lines are within and four yang lines are without, while the yang lines at the second and fifth places both attain the Central Position.

Viewing the Gua as a whole, it is hollow within; viewing the two component trigrams, it is solid within. Both are images of trust and sincerity.

Furthermore, the lower trigram is joyous in responding to the upper, and the upper trigram is gentle and penetrating in yielding to the lower, which also carries the meaning of sincere trust.

Pigs and fishes are creatures devoid of understanding; moreover, wood rests upon the lake, solid outside and hollow within—both images of boats and oars. Utmost sincerity can move even pigs and fishes; one may cross perilous hazards without losing one's constancy.

Therefore, if the diviner can elicit the response of pigs and fishes, there will be good fortune, it will be advantageous to cross the great stream, and it must also be advantageous to remain steadfast and correct. 'Shuo' is pronounced like 'yue' (joyous).

This explains the name and meaning of the Gua by means of its structure and virtù. This speaks in terms of the Gua's imagery. If one is sincere and upright, one responds to Heaven.

Wind stirs and the water receives it: this is the image of Inner Truth. Deliberating upon judicial verdicts and deferring executions: this is the intention of Inner Truth.

Sequence of the Guas: 'By regulating things, trust is established; hence it is received by Inner Truth.' Regulating means instituting measures and standards so that there is no excess or transgression.

Only after there is trust can things be carried out: when superiors can faithfully abide by them, subordinates will faithfully follow them. This is establishing trust through regulation, which is why Inner Truth follows Limitation.

As a Gua, wind is above the marsh; the wind moves over the lake and stirs within the water, which is the image of Inner Truth. Stirring means being moved into action. The interior and exterior are both solid while the center is hollow, which is an image of Inner Truth.

Furthermore, the second and fifth lines are both yang, being solid in the center, which also conveys the meaning of sincere trust. In the two component trigrams, there is solid center; in the whole Gua, there is hollow center.

Being hollow within is the root of trust; being solid within is the substance of trust. Pigs are restless and fishes are hidden in the dark depths; they are creatures most difficult to move.

If sincere trust can move even pigs and fishes, then there is nowhere it cannot reach; hence it brings good fortune. With loyalty and sincerity one can tread upon fire and water, how much more so cross a river?

The way of maintaining trust lies in firm correctness; therefore, it is advantageous to be steadfast.

The two soft lines are within, and being hollow at the center is the image of sincerity. The two firm lines attain the middle of the lower and upper trigrams, and being solid at the center is the image of trust. This is why the Gua is named Inner Truth.

Speaking of the Gua's application through the two trigrams: the upper is The Gentle (Wind) and the lower is Joyous. This means the superior extends utmost sincerity to gently comply with subordinates, and subordinates harbor sincere trust to joyfully follow the superior.

In this way, their sincere trust can transform the states and realm. If people do not follow joyfully, or if they oppose and contradict principles, how could the world be transformed?

When trust extends even to pigs and fishes, the way of trust has reached its pinnacle; hence it brings good fortune. Crossing hazards and perils with Inner Truth is as advantageous as boarding wood to cross a river in an empty boat.

An empty boat is free from the peril of capsizing or sinking; the hollow center of the Gua provides the image of an empty boat. Heaven.

If one possesses Inner Truth and remains steadfast, one accords with Heaven; the way of Heaven is simply sincere trust and steadfast correctness.

There is wind over the marsh, stirring deep within the lake. The nature of water is hollow and receptive, so the wind can enter it; the human heart is empty and receptive, so external things can move it.

The wind stirring the marsh is like things moving the heart within; hence it constitutes the image of Inner Truth. The noble person observes this image to deliberate upon legal cases and defer executions.

When deliberating upon verdicts, the noble person simply exhausts his loyalty; when deciding on capital punishment, he reaches the utmost limit of compassion. Thus, with sincere intention, he always seeks leniency—leniency means clemency.

In all affairs under Heaven, there is nothing in which he does not exhaust his loyalty, and deliberating on trials and deferring executions are the greatest among them.

Only when these four virtues are present can sincere trust exist. When trust is established, the realm is transformed. The yielding lines reside within while the firm attain the Central Position, each occupying their proper station.

When the firm attain the Central Position, they are upright and correct; when the yielding are within, they are tranquil and compliant; being joyous and gentle, contention and strife do not arise.

In this manner, beings harbor no cunning rivalry, actions of sincerity and solidity become manifest, and steadfast trust springs from within. Fishes are the most hidden among aquatic creatures; pigs are the lowliest among beasts.

When contentious rivalry does not arise and the virtue of inner trust is pure and prominent, then even the lowliest and most concealed creatures are reached by this trust. Crossing a river on wood in an empty boat ensures one will never drown.

To use Inner Truth to cross difficulties is like boarding a wooden vessel that is hollow within. Heaven. This is the utmost flourishing.

When sincere trust springs from within, even an error can be pardoned and understood.

Sub-commentary: 'Inner Truth: pigs and fishes bring good fortune.' 'Inner Truth' is the name of the Gua. Trust springing from the heart within is called Inner Truth. Fishes are hidden deep in the dark waters; pigs are humble and lowly among beasts.

When the sovereign possesses sincere trust within, then trust reaches even the lowliest and most hidden creatures. None fail to find their proper place and attain good fortune; hence it says: 'Pigs and fishes, good fortune.'

As for 'advantageous to cross the great stream, advantageous to be steadfast': if even the humble and hidden attain good fortune, the conspicuous can easily be known.

Once sincere trust shines upon all things and all things attain what is fitting, what obstacle could not be traversed in crossing perils with this? Hence it says: 'Advantageous to cross the great stream.'

If trust is not righteous, it becomes a path of evil and calamity; therefore advantage lies in steadfast correctness.

Sub-commentary: This explains the meaning of the Gua's name 'Inner Truth' based on the fact that the two yin yielding lines at the third and fourth places are both within the two trigrams, the firm virtue of the second and fifth lines each occupies the middle of a trigram, and the upper and lower trigrams are Joyous and Gentle.

The yielding is within and the firm is in the center, each occupying its proper place; being joyous and gentle, disharmony and contention do not arise.

Thus trust springs from within and is called 'Inner Truth'; hence it says: 'The yielding is within and the firm attains the center; joyous and gentle, trust is established.'

Sub-commentary: When sincere trust springs from within, states and nations are transformed without; hence it says: 'thereby transforming the realm.' Sub-commentary: This explains why good fortune is attained: because trust reaches even pigs and fishes.

Sub-commentary: This explains why crossing the stream is advantageous: crossing difficulties with inner trust is like crossing a river in an empty boat.

Sub-commentary: This explains why Inner Truth is advantageous for steadfastness: the virtue of Heaven is firm and correct, and the order of seasons never errs, which is both correct and faithful.

Now if trust does not lose correctness, it can respond to Heaven; this is the fullness of Inner Truth, which must be sustained by advantageous constancy.

Sub-commentary: 'Wind over the lake: Inner Truth.' Wind moves over the lake and leaves nothing untouched, just as trust covers all things and leaves nothing unreached; hence it says: 'Wind over the lake: Inner Truth.'

'The noble person deliberates upon judicial verdicts and defers executions': in an age of inner trust, offenses are certainly not deliberate crimes but rather errors of transgression, and circumstances warrant clemency.

Therefore, the noble person deliberates upon trials arising from faults and delays or remits punishments of death.