䷘ Innocence Wú Wàng
Core Meaning
The hexagram of Innocence reveals the wisdom of maintaining righteousness without artifice. 'Thunder moving under Heaven,' the authority of Heaven is like thunder, and all beings dare not act recklessly. 'Innocence' is not passive inaction, but rather a robust action that is 'moving strongly and robustly,' yet it must be 'great success with righteousness,' conforming to the way of Heaven. 'Yang energy comes from outside and becomes the master within,' with yang rigidity leading everything. The key is 'if one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune' – not following the righteous path will lead to calamity, 'Heaven's mandate does not bless.' 'Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones,' do not seek unearned gains. 'Undeserved misfortune' reminds us that even when righteous, one might encounter calamity, but 'do not take medicine; there will be joy,' letting nature take its course is better.
The Judgment
Innocence (Wú Wàng) implies supreme success, favorable through perseverance. If one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune; it is not favorable to embark on any enterprise.
Interpretation:
The hexagram of Innocence symbolizes acting without artifice, with primal success, and it is beneficial to maintain righteousness. If one's behavior is unrighteous, there will be calamity, and it is not favorable to proceed.
The Image
Thunder moves under Heaven: the image of Innocence. Thus the ancient kings, in harmony with the seasons, nourished all beings.
Structure
The hexagram of Innocence has Thunder below and Heaven above. Thunder is Zhen, Heaven is Qian. Thunder moving under Heaven, the heavenly power is majestic and awe-inspiring, all beings are reverent and dare not act recklessly. 'Yang energy comes from outside and becomes the master within,' with yang rigidity leading, 'moving strongly and robustly.' 'Strong and centered with a response,' the ninth yang line in the fifth place (9.5) corresponds to the second yin line (6.2), achieving centrality with yang strength. 'Great success with righteousness is the command of Heaven.' Maintaining righteousness is the mandate of Heaven. However, 'if one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune.' If one does not uphold righteousness, there will be disaster. This hexagram emphasizes conforming to the way of Heaven, not acting recklessly. 'The ancient kings nourished all beings in harmony with the seasons.'
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial nine: Innocence. To go forward is auspicious. (9.1)
Six in the second place: Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones. This is favorable for making progress. (6.2)
Six in the third place: Undeserved misfortune. It is like tethering an ox, and a passerby taking it. The disaster is for the people of the town. (6.3)
Nine in the fourth place: One can be firm in righteousness, and there will be no blame. (9.4)
Nine in the fifth place: An illness without cause. Do not take medicine; there will be joy. (9.5)
Top nine: Innocence. To act brings misfortune; nothing is beneficial. (9.6)
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In your career, you must follow the way of Heaven and not act recklessly. Initial nine: 'Innocence. To go forward is auspicious,' meaning that moving forward with righteousness will lead to success. Six in the second place: 'Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones,' meaning do not seek unearned gains. Nine in the fourth place: 'One can be firm in righteousness, and there will be no blame,' meaning adhering to the right path can avoid misfortune. Nine in the fifth place: 'An illness without cause. Do not take medicine; there will be joy,' meaning small problems will improve if you let nature take its course. However, be wary of 'if one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune,' as not adhering to righteousness will attract calamity. Top nine: 'Innocence. To act brings misfortune,' even without reckless action, if the timing is wrong, acting will lead to problems; this is a 'calamity of extremity.' 'The ancient kings nourished all beings in harmony with the seasons,' so one must adapt to the times.
❤️ Relationships
Relationships should be sincere and natural, without pretense or artifice. 'Innocence' means sincerity, naturalness, and authenticity. 'Heaven's mandate does not bless' false relationships. Six in the second place: 'Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones,' do not seek unearned emotions. Six in the third place: 'Undeserved misfortune,' sometimes even with sincerity, misunderstandings can occur, like 'tethering an ox, and a passerby taking it. The disaster is for the people of the town,' innocently implicated. However, 'one can be firm in righteousness, and there will be no blame,' remaining sincere is good. 'An illness without cause. Do not take medicine; there will be joy,' small conflicts are better left to resolve naturally. Avoid 'unrighteousness,' as insincerity will 'bring misfortune.'
🎯 Decision Making
Decisions must align with the way of Heaven, 'great success with righteousness is the command of Heaven.' 'Moving strongly and robustly,' actions must be strong and forceful, but 'strong and centered with a response,' there must be appropriate balance. 'The ancient kings nourished all beings in harmony with the seasons,' so one must adapt to the times and nurture things. The key is not to act recklessly - not inaction, but not reckless action or overstepping boundaries. 'If one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune,' straying from the right path will attract calamity, 'Heaven's mandate does not bless.' 'Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones,' do not seek unearned gains. Even with 'undeserved misfortune,' one must persevere, 'one can be firm in righteousness, and there will be no blame.'
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest danger is 'if one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune.' If one does not adhere to the right path, 'Heaven's mandate does not bless, how can one act?,' Heaven will not protect, so how can one act recklessly? Six in the second place: 'Without plowing,' reckless desires will lead to 'not becoming rich.' Six in the third place: 'Undeserved misfortune,' even when righteous, one might be innocently implicated, 'a passerby taking an ox, a disaster for the people of the town.' Nine in the fifth place: 'An illness without cause,' 'do not try it,' do not randomly take medicine, let nature take its course. Top nine: 'Innocence. To act brings misfortune,' 'a calamity of extremity,' acting forcefully when the time is not right will attract calamity. One must 'nourish in harmony with the seasons,' failure to adapt to the timing is reckless action.
Applicable Scenarios
The Innocence hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
Confucius' journey through various states embodies the spirit of 'Innocence.' Like 'Thunder moving under Heaven,' he spread benevolence, 'moving strongly and robustly' through hardships, but always maintained 'great success with righteousness' without changing his original intention. 'Without plowing, one reaps; without creating new fields, one tills old ones,' he did not seek unearned power or position. He encountered 'undeserved misfortune,' being surrounded in Kuang and starving in Chen, like 'the disaster for the people of the town,' innocently implicated, but 'one can be firm in righteousness, and there will be no blame,' steadfastly adhering to the right path. 'If one acts against righteousness, there will be misfortune,' he never acted recklessly to please the feudal lords. 'The ancient kings nourished all beings in harmony with the seasons,' eventually returning to Lu to organize the classics and 'nurture all beings' by educating his disciples. This precisely illustrates the wisdom of Innocence: maintaining righteousness without artifice, and although encountering calamities, Heaven rewards diligence.
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the Innocence hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: