Hexagram of the Day Tuesday, March 10, 2026: #43 Breakthrough (Resoluteness) (夬)

Guài: anciently pronounced kuài; hào: pronounced gào; throughout the hexagram the same. Guài means breakthrough, yang breaking through yin. It is the hexagram of the third month. With five yang lines removing one yin line, it simply resolves it.

Yet in resolving it, one must rectify the charges against its crime, sincerely raise a cry to the multitude, and unite their strength.

Nevertheless, peril and severity remain, so one cannot rest careless and unbridled; furthermore, one must first govern one's own private sphere and not rely solely on military force; only then will it be advantageous to have somewhere to go. These are all words of admonition.

Yuè: pronounced yuè; explaining the name and meaning of the hexagram and praising its virtue. Zhǎng: pronounced zhǎng; this explains the judgment of the hexagram.

The yielding rides above the five firm lines; speaking in terms of the hexagram structure, this refers to a single petty person placed above the multitude of noble persons, which constitutes its crime.

'The firm grows to the end' means that with one more transformation, it becomes pure Qián.

Shàng: pronounced shǎng; shī: pronounced shǐ. 'The lake rises above heaven' is the momentum of bursting and breaching. 'Bestowing emoluments down to those below' is the intent of the bursting waters. 'Dwelling in virtue, it is forbidden'—its meaning remains unexplained.

Hexagram 43, Breakthrough (Resoluteness). The Sequence of Hexagrams says: 'Increase without ceasing surely brings a breakthrough; hence it is received by Breakthrough. Breakthrough means to decide and resolve.'

When increase reaches its limit, a breakthrough must occur before it stops; by principle, there is no eternal increase—increasing without stopping ends in breakthrough. This is why Breakthrough follows Increase. As a hexagram, it has Dui above and Qian below.

In terms of the two constituent trigrams, a lake is a gathering of water, which here ascends to the highest place, bearing the image of breaching and breaking through.

In terms of lines, five yang lines below are growing toward their peak, while one yin line above is waning toward extinction. The multitude of yang advances upward to breach and remove the single yin; this is why it is Breakthrough.

Breakthrough means resolute decision by firmness: the multitude of yang advances to decide and expel the single yin, representing the time when the Dao of the noble person grows while the petty person wanes and nears extinction. Peril.

When petty persons are in their ascendancy, the Dao of the noble person has not yet prevailed; how could he openly use the correct Dao to purge them? Thus he bides his time in obscurity, gradually devising the means to erode them.

Now that petty persons have declined and the Dao of the noble person flourishes, it ought to be openly practiced in the public court, making people clearly distinguish between good and evil; hence 'it is proclaimed at the royal court.'

Sincerity in the center represents sincere intent. 'Hào' is the word for commanding the multitude.

Though the Dao of the noble person is flourishing, he dares not forget vigilance and preparedness; thus with utmost sincerity he commands the multitude, making them aware that peril still exists.

Even though one uses supreme strength to break through their extreme decline, if one treats it lightly and lacks preparedness, unexpected regrets will follow; this is why the principle of peril still exists. With a vigilant and apprehensive heart, there will be no calamity.

The sage's intent in setting up this admonition is profound. When the noble person governs the petty person because of the latter's unworthiness, he must overcome and transform him using his own good Dao.

Therefore, when the sage punishes disorder, he must first cultivate himself, just as Shun spread civil virtue. 'Settlement' refers to one's private domain; 'making proclamation from one's own settlement' means first governing oneself.

With the vigor of many yang breaking through one yin, power is certainly more than sufficient, yet one must not push firmness to an extreme. Going too far would be like Nine at the Top of Youthful Folly acting as a bandit.

Weapons and soldiers are instruments of violent force; 'it is unfavorable to resort to arms' means one should not favor martial force. 'Jí' means to follow; following weapons means exalting violence.

'Advantageous to have somewhere to go': although yang is abundant, it has not yet reached the very top; although yin is slight, it has not yet been removed.

This means petty persons still exist, and the Dao of the noble person has not yet reached perfection; hence it is fitting to advance forward. Not exalting firm force while allowing the Dao to advance further—this is the goodness of Breakthrough.

The Tuan Commentary says: 'Guai means breakthrough; the firm breaks through the yielding. Strong and joyous, resolute yet harmonious.' Guai means breakthrough: five yang lines break through the single yin above.

'Strong and joyous, resolute yet harmonious' speaks of the hexagram's qualities through its two trigrams. Below is strong, and above is joyous; being strong yet capable of joyous pleasing, resolute yet capable of harmony—this is the utmost goodness of breakthrough.

Dui's joy brings harmony. 'At the royal court: the yielding rides on five firm lines.' Although the yielding is waning, it still sits above five firm lines, retaining the image of riding and encroaching. For yin to ride upon yang is the height of unreason.

When the noble persons' momentum is sufficient to expel it, they must openly broadcast its crimes in the grand hall of the royal court, so that the multitude may recognize good and evil. 'Sincerity in crying out, with peril: its peril is radiant.'

Commanding the multitude with complete sincerity and knowing there is peril and fear, the Dao of the noble person will be free from unexpected hazards and will shine radiantly.

'Making proclamation from one's own settlement; it is unfavorable to resort to arms: what is exalted is exhausted.' One should first govern oneself and must not exclusively rely on firm force. If one resorts to arms, that which is exalted will reach an utter dead end.

In the time of Breakthrough, what is exalted refers to martial firmness. 'It is advantageous to have somewhere to go: the firm grows to the end.' Although firm yang is abundant, its growth is not yet complete.

There remains one yin that still must be broken through, so that the Dao of the noble person becomes pure and unified, free from anything that could harm it. This marks the culmination of the growth of the firm.

A lake is a gathering of water, and it has risen above heaven, the highest place; hence it is the image of Breakthrough.

When the noble person observes the image of the lake bursting above and pouring irrigation below, he bestows emoluments down to those below, meaning he dispenses his stipends and bounties to reach those under him.

When he observes the image of breaching and bursting, 'dwelling in virtue, he observes prohibitions.' Dwelling in virtue means resting peacefully in his virtue; 'ze' means restraint, and 'ji' means prevention, meaning he establishes restraints, prohibitions, and precautions.

With precautions and prohibitions, there is no bursting and dispersing. Wang Bi reads it as 'clarifying prohibitions,' which is also plausible.

It does not say 'lake is in heaven,' but 'lake rises above heaven'; rising above heaven conveys an unsettled mind with the momentum of bursting and breaching, whereas 'in heaven' would be words of tranquility.

Breakthrough and Stripping are opposites. In Stripping, the yielding transforms the firm, until the firm is nearly exhausted. In Breakthrough, the firm breaks through the yielding, just as Stripping erodes the firm.

When the firm falls, the Dao of the noble person wanes; when the yielding wanes, the Dao of the petty person falls.

When the Dao of the noble person wanes, the virtue of firmness and correctness cannot be exercised in a straightforward way, and the majesty of punishments cannot be carried out openly. 'Proclaimed at the royal court' shows that its Dao is public and impartial.

'Strong and joyous,' then it is 'resolute yet harmonious.' When the virtue of firmness grows in unison and a single yielding line opposes it, it is condemned by all together without hesitation; hence it may be 'proclaimed at the royal court.'

Firm, correct, and clearly trustworthy in declaring commands, the yielding and perverse are put in peril; therefore it is said, 'its peril is radiant.'

Deciding and regulating through firmness, issuing orders is permissible; 'making proclamation from one's own settlement' means exercising commands within one's own domain.

Using firmness to resort to arms is to exalt force to achieve victory; exalting force to achieve victory is despised by all creatures.

The more the firm virtue grows, the more the yielding and evil wanes; hence 'it is advantageous to have somewhere to go,' and the Dao is realized.

'The lake rises above heaven' is the image of Breakthrough. 'The lake rises above heaven' must surely come down to moisten; this is the meaning of 'bestowing emoluments down to those below.'

Hexagram Breakthrough represents the image of clarifying laws and rendering resolute decisions. 'Ji' means to stop. Laws being clear and judgment severe, one must not be lax; hence 'dwelling in virtue,' one clarifies prohibitions.

Bestowing yet able to be strict, strict yet able to bestow, strong yet able to please, resolute yet able to harmonize—this is the beautiful Dao.

From 'Breakthrough is proclaimed at the royal court' to 'it is advantageous to have somewhere to go.' Sub-commentary: Guai means breakthrough. This is a hexagram where yin wanes and yang waxes.

Yang grows to the fifth place, and the five yang lines together break through the single yin; hence it is named Breakthrough. 'Proclaimed at the royal court' means making clear the method of carrying out resolute judgment.

Breakthrough uses the firm to decide the yielding; applied to human affairs, it is the noble person deciding the petty person.

The royal court is where all officials gather; because the noble person is eliminating the petty person, he can openly declare the matter of breakthrough at the sovereign's court, demonstrating fairness without secrecy; hence 'proclaimed at the royal court.'

'Sincerity in crying out, with peril': 'hào' means orders and commands. In carrying out breakthrough, one must first issue orders.

Breakthrough uses the firm to decide the yielding, which means using clear and trustworthy laws to announce commands; thus the yielding and perverse are placed in peril, hence 'sincerity in crying out, with peril.'

Deciding with firmness, issuing orders within one's settlement is permissible; if one uses firmness to resort to arms, exalting force to attain victory, he will be despised by all, and fielding troops like this will surely bring disadvantage; hence 'making proclamation from one's own settlement; it is unfavorable to resort to arms.'

Though it is 'unfavorable to resort to arms,' if firm virtue does not grow, yielding evil will not wane; hence the yang lines should have somewhere to go so that the Dao of Breakthrough can be accomplished; therefore it is said, 'it is advantageous to have somewhere to go.'

From 'The Tuan Commentary says' to 'resolute yet harmonious.' Sub-commentary: Guai means breakthrough. 'The firm breaks through the yielding' explains the name of the hexagram based on the lines.

'Strong and joyous, resolute yet harmonious' explains the qualities of the two trigrams, clarifying that it breaks through yet can harmonize: Qian is strong and Dui is joyous; being strong it can decide, being joyous it can harmonize; hence 'resolute yet harmonious.'

Sub-commentary: This explains the method of breakthrough based on the single yin residing above the five yang lines. Because firm virtue grows in unison, and a single yielding line rebels, all unite to execute it without hesitation; hence 'proclaimed at the royal court.'

The reason it can be openly 'proclaimed at the royal court' is solely that the yielding rides on five firm lines.

Sub-commentary: Announcing commands with clarity and sincerity, the yielding and perverse face peril and distress; the principle of this peril is clearly visible, hence 'its peril is radiant.' Sub-commentary: The way of overcoming by firmness cannot be practiced constantly.

If one relies solely on fierce majesty to resort to arms, it becomes exalting force to achieve victory, which is resolute without harmony, and its path reaches exhaustion.

The breakthrough is made by only 'making proclamation from one's own settlement; it is unfavorable to resort to arms' precisely because what is exalted is exhausted.

Sub-commentary: 'End' means completion; as the firm grows and the yielding wanes, the Dao of Breakthrough is brought to completion.

From 'The Xiang Commentary says' to 'dwelling in virtue, he observes prohibitions.' Sub-commentary: 'The lake rises above heaven: Breakthrough.'

The nature of a lake is to moisten downward; even though 'the lake rises above heaven,' it will surely break through and come down to moisten; this is inevitable, hence it is the image of Breakthrough.

'The noble person, in accordance with this, bestows emoluments down to those below, and dwelling in virtue, he observes prohibitions': 'ji' means prohibition.

'Breakthrough' has two meanings: the Xiang Commentary takes the lake coming down to moisten, while the Tuan Commentary takes clarifying laws and rendering decisions; thus the noble person models himself on both aspects of Breakthrough.

Majesty and benevolence are exercised together: though he bestows emoluments down to those below, in his own person dwelling in virtue he must clarify his prohibitions, matching the ideal of strong yet able to please, resolute yet able to harmonize; therefore it is said, 'the noble person bestows emoluments down to those below, and dwelling in virtue, he observes prohibitions.'