I Ching hexagram · 23 of 64
Hexagram 23: Splitting Apart 剥 Bō · Erosion, letting go, protecting the base
Things erode. Stay still and protect your foundation. It does not help to go anywhere.
- Upper: ☶ Mountain
- Lower: ☷ Earth
- Nuclear: 2
- Opposite: 43
Number
23 of 64
Chinese name
剥 Bō
Upper trigram
☶ Mountain
Lower trigram
☷ Earth
Nuclear hexagram
䷁ 2. The Receptive
Opposite hexagram
䷪ 43. Breakthrough
What hexagram 23 means
Hexagram 23 shows five yin lines pushing upwards against a single yang line at the top, like a house whose roof is about to collapse. It describes a time of decline, erosion and loss.
When the tide is against you, don't act. Strengthen the base, be generous to those who support you and wait, because decline makes way for renewal.
The Judgement · 卦辞
剥：不利有攸往。
It does not help to go anywhere.
The Image · 象曰
山附于地，剥；上以厚下安宅。
The mountain rests on the earth: the image of splitting apart. Those above secure their position by being generous to those below.
The lines and trigrams
Splitting Apart places ☶ Mountain (艮 Gèn), the trigram of stillness and restraint, above ☷ Earth (坤 Kūn), the trigram of receptivity and devotion. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 23 in your life
Love and relationships
The relationship may be under strain or slowly eroding. Avoid drastic action; protect the foundations and let the difficult phase pass.
Personal growth
Let go of what is falling away. Protecting your core values matters more than holding on to everything.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 23 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
The leg of the bed is split. Loyal people are being undermined: misfortune.
Line 2 六二 · Six in the second place
The frame of the bed is split. The danger is coming closer, so stay cautious.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
Splitting apart, yet no blame. Break away from bad company.
Line 4 六四 · Six in the fourth place
The bed is split up to the skin. The danger has reached you: misfortune.
Line 5 六五 · Six in the fifth place
A string of fish. Favour comes through the ladies of the court; by co-operating, everything furthers.
Line 6 上九 · Nine at the top
A large fruit remains uneaten. The noble person receives a carriage, while the petty person's house is split apart. A seed of renewal survives.
Hexagram 23 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 23 mean?
Hexagram 23, Splitting Apart (剥 Bō), is about erosion, letting go, protecting the base. Things erode. Stay still and protect your foundation. Hexagram 23 shows five yin lines pushing upwards against a single yang line at the top, like a house whose roof is about to collapse. It describes a time of decline, erosion and loss.
What does hexagram 23 mean in love?
The relationship may be under strain or slowly eroding. Avoid drastic action; protect the foundations and let the difficult phase pass.
What does hexagram 23 mean for work and money?
Unfavourable conditions, undermining or loss. Don't launch anything new; consolidate, secure your base and wait for the turn.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 23?
Hexagram 23 has Mountain (Gèn) as its upper trigram and Earth (Kūn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 23?
Its nuclear hexagram is 2, The Receptive. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 43, Breakthrough. Turned upside down it becomes 24, Return.
All 64 hexagrams
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