䷱ The Cauldron dǐng
Core Meaning
The Ding hexagram reveals the wisdom of establishing the new and nurturing the worthy. After eradicating old ills, the new must be established, and Ding is the way of establishing the new. The Ding hexagram emphasizes: getting rid of the old to establish the new, 'the Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling dross' to pour out waste before filling with new; nurturing and employing the worthy, 'great success in nurturing sages' cooking delicious food to nourish talented people; ensuring content is substantial, 'the Cauldron has substance' it needs content to be valuable; having a perfect configuration, 'the Cauldron's yellow ears and golden handles' the ears and handles must match; each fulfilling their duties, the legs, body, ears, and handles of the cauldron each have their division of labor; undertaking the mission, 'establishing the correct position to fulfill the mandate.' In modern society, the spirit of the Cauldron is very important: enterprises need to cultivate talent, nations need to nurture pillars, and individuals need to cultivate virtue. The Ding hexagram tells us: establishing the new must be thorough, only by getting rid of the old can the new be established; nurturing the worthy is fundamental, talent is the primary resource; fulfilling duties requires responsibility, 'broken Cauldron legs overturning the duke's broth' dereliction of duty is certainly inauspicious; matching must be perfect, 'the Cauldron's yellow ears and golden handles' a systemic project.
The Judgment
Great auspiciousness, success.
Interpretation:
Extremely auspicious, successful.
The Image
Fire on wood, the Cauldron; The superior person establishes their position to fulfill their mandate.
Structure
The Ding hexagram is Xun below and Li above. Xun, representing wood or wind, is below, and Li, representing fire, is above, forming the image of Fire over Wind, the Cauldron. Fire on wood signifies cooking, which is the 'Cauldron's' appearance. The Cauldron is a vessel for cooking and nurturing sages. The lower trigram Xun represents wood and submission, the upper trigram Li represents fire and brightness. With wood feeding fire, the function of cooking is achieved. The meaning of the Cauldron lies in: replacing the old with the new, 'the Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling waste' to pour out defilement; nurturing and educating the worthy, 'the Sage offers sacrifices to God and greatly nurtures the worthy' to worship heaven and nurture sages; each fulfilling their duties, 'the Cauldron has substance' to fill with content, 'the Cauldron's yellow ears and golden handles' for perfect configuration; establishing the correct position and fulfilling the mandate, 'the superior person establishes their position to fulfill their mandate.' The Cauldron follows 'Revolution,' where Revolution is about getting rid of the old, and the Cauldron is about establishing the new. The Ding hexagram emphasizes: getting rid of the old to establish the new, nurturing and employing the worthy, each fulfilling their responsibilities, and undertaking one's mission.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial six: The Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling the dross. Takes a concubine for her child; no blame.
Nine in the second place: The Cauldron has substance. My enemies are afflicted; they cannot approach me. Auspicious.
Nine in the third place: The Cauldron's ears are changed (damaged), its progress is blocked. Pheasant fat is not eaten. When rain is lacking, there is regret; eventually auspicious.
Nine in the fourth place: The Cauldron's legs are broken, overturning the duke's broth. Its form is soiled. Inauspicious.
Six in the fifth place: The Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles. Perseverance is beneficial.
Top nine: The Cauldron with jade handles. Great auspiciousness. Nothing not beneficial.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In career, establishing the new requires nurturing and employing the worthy. 'Great auspiciousness, success,' the outlook is bright. Initial six, 'the Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling dross,' first pour out waste, 'takes a concubine for her child' replacing the old with the new, 'no blame.' Nine in the second place, 'the Cauldron has substance' is most crucial; the Cauldron must have content. 'My enemies are afflicted; they cannot approach me' means temporary lack of cooperation, but it is 'auspicious' because the content is substantial. Nine in the third place, 'the Cauldron's ears are changed (damaged),' the ears mutate, 'its progress is blocked' unable to move, 'pheasant fat is not eaten' delicious food cannot be enjoyed, but 'when rain is lacking, there is regret; eventually auspicious' things will be auspicious after adjustment. Nine in the fourth place, 'the Cauldron's legs are broken,' is the most ominous, indicating dereliction of duty, 'overturning the duke's broth' food spilled, 'its form is soiled, inauspicious' utter mess. Six in the fifth place, 'the Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles' configuration is perfect, 'perseverance is beneficial' adhering to the correct way. Top nine, 'the Cauldron with jade handles' is the best, 'great auspiciousness, nothing not beneficial' perfect configuration. Remember: cultivate talent, ensure content is substantial, complete the configuration, and fulfill responsibilities.
❤️ Relationships
In relationships, establishing the new requires mutual nurturing. 'Great auspiciousness, success,' the relationship is developing well. Initial six, 'the Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling dross,' pour out past negatives, 'takes a concubine for her child' starting anew by replacing the old with the new. Nine in the second place, 'the Cauldron has substance' the relationship needs content, 'my enemies are afflicted' means temporary lack of cooperation but it is 'auspicious' because you are sufficient. Nine in the third place, 'the Cauldron's ears are changed (damaged)' there is an issue with matching, 'its progress is blocked' progress is hindered, 'pheasant fat is not eaten' good things cannot be enjoyed, but 'when rain is lacking, there is regret; eventually auspicious' it will improve after adjustment. Nine in the fourth place, 'the Cauldron's legs are broken,' is the worst, inability to bear responsibility, 'overturning the duke's broth' the relationship breaks, 'inauspicious.' Six in the fifth place, 'the Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles' is ideal, perfect configuration, 'perseverance is beneficial' adhering to the correct way. Top nine, 'the Cauldron with jade handles' is the best, 'great auspiciousness, nothing not beneficial.' Remember: relationships require mutual nurturing, 'nurturing the worthy' means nurturing each other's strengths, each fulfilling their responsibilities, and having a perfect match.
🎯 Decision Making
Decision-making for establishing the new requires a complete system. 'Ding, the image,' the Cauldron is a complete system. It requires 'the Cauldron overturned, beneficial for expelling dross' to get rid of the old and establish the new, 'great success in nurturing sages' to cultivate talent, 'the Cauldron has substance' to have substantial content, 'the Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles' for perfect configuration, and 'establishing the correct position to fulfill the mandate' for each to fulfill their duties. Initial six, 'the Cauldron overturned' first clear out waste, 'beneficial for expelling dross.' Nine in the second place, 'the Cauldron has substance' must have substantial content, 'be cautious where you go' advance cautiously. Nine in the third place, 'the Cauldron's ears are changed (damaged)' the matching needs improvement, 'eventually auspicious' it will improve after adjustment. Nine in the fourth place, 'the Cauldron's legs are broken' a warning, dereliction of duty will lead to failure, 'overturning the duke's broth' all previous efforts are wasted. Six in the fifth place, 'the Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles' is well-configured, 'centered as substance' with rectitude as its core. Top nine, 'the Cauldron with jade handles' is the most perfect, 'flexible and firm regulation' balancing rigidity and flexibility. Remember: establishing the new requires getting rid of the old, nurturing the worthy, substantial content, perfect matching, and fulfilling responsibilities.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The biggest warning of the Ding hexagram is the collapse due to dereliction of duty. 'The Cauldron's legs broken, overturning the duke's broth, its form soiled, inauspicious' is the most serious; broken Cauldron legs and spilled food imply disaster caused by dereliction of duty. Be wary of: not expelling waste before filling new, merely showing off without nurturing the worthy, an empty Cauldron without substance, incomplete configuration and systemic flaws, and inability to fulfill duties leading to collapse. Remember: the Cauldron needs to be 'overturned to expel dross' to get rid of the old and establish the new, 'great success in nurturing sages' to cultivate the worthy, 'the Cauldron has substance' for substantial content, 'the Cauldron with yellow ears and golden handles' for perfect configuration, and 'establishing the correct position to fulfill the mandate' to fulfill responsibilities. Nine in the third place, 'the Cauldron's ears are changed, its progress blocked' warns that poor matching affects function. The most crucial is nine in the fourth place, 'the Cauldron's legs broken, overturning the duke's broth,' being incompetent will inevitably lead to collapse. A true Cauldron is: getting rid of the old and establishing the new, nurturing and employing the worthy, substantial content, perfect configuration, each fulfilling their duties, and together completing the mission.
Applicable Scenarios
The The Cauldron hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
The Duke of Zhou's establishment of rites and music is a paradigm of the Ding hexagram. After King Wu defeated Zhou, the Duke of Zhou 'overturned the Cauldron to expel dross,' abolishing the old systems of the Shang Dynasty, 'and took a concubine for her child,' replacing the old with the new to establish the Zhou rites. He 'greatly succeeded in nurturing sages,' valuing education and cultivating talent. He ensured 'the Cauldron had substance,' the rites and music system had rich content, and 'advanced cautiously.' He perfected the matching, 'the Cauldron's yellow ears and golden handles,' establishing a complete system of rites and music. He 'established the correct position and fulfilled the mandate,' allowing everyone to settle into their roles and fulfill their duties. He avoided 'the Cauldron's legs breaking and overturning the duke's broth,' ensuring the system's stability and preventing its collapse. He reached the top nine 'jade handles of the Cauldron' realm, 'great auspiciousness, nothing not beneficial' with a perfect system, 'flexible and firm regulation' blending rigidity and flexibility. This is precisely the wisdom of the Ding hexagram: after revolution, new things must be established; getting rid of the old and establishing the new must be thorough; nurturing and employing the worthy is fundamental; a complete system relies on good matching; each fulfilling their duties completes the mission. 'Establishing the correct position and fulfilling the mandate,' taking one's proper place and completing the mission.
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 The Cauldron 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: