22 · 山火贲

贲卦原文

贲。亨。小利有攸往。

象曰：山下有火，贲。君子以明庶政，无敢折狱。

白话文解释

贲卦：通达。有所往则有小利。

《象辞》说：本卦上卦为艮为山，下卦为离为火，山下有火，火燎群山，这是贲卦的卦象。君子观此卦象，思及猛火燎山，玉石俱焚，草木皆尽，以此为戒，从而明察各项政事，不敢以威猛断狱。

《断易天机》解

贲卦艮上离下，为艮宫初世卦。贲为装饰之意，离为明，艮为止，表示有文明的制度使人们止于一定的规范，因此多为吉兆。

北宋易学家邵雍解

文饰光明，外实内需；隐忧之时，量力而为。

得此卦者，表面风光，内在空虚，多虚少实。宜充实自己，稳重行事，量力而为。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：上有阻力，不可任意。

财运：经理精明，须防套牢。

家宅：小心火灾。

身体：郁火上升，慎用寒剂。

传统解卦

这个卦是异卦（下离上艮）相叠。离为火为明；艮为山为止。文明而有节制。贲卦论述文与质的关系，以质为主，以文调节。贲，文饰、修饰。

大象：日落西山，照耀通明，华美灿烂，同时喻光明力量渐消，阴暗的力量扩大。

运势：表面风光，内里空虚，必须充实自己，凡事宜踏实、按部就班。

事业：顺利，小有成绩，宜即时总结经验，图谋更大的发展。树立信心，不计较一时的得失。追求实质性的内容，慎重行事，不要随波逐流，寻求有实力的人物提携自己。

经商：开始会遇到困难，不应灰心，宜全面分析形势，大胆开拓，勇敢地投入，联合他人，共同合作，根据市场，运转业务。

求名：不可过多地注重外表，而应着重于内在的素质。大胆地推荐自己，但应坚持自己的理想。

婚恋：慎重选择，有合适者，则应迫切追求，不可三心二意，务必专一。注重对方的内在气质，勿为表面现象所欺骗。

决策：喜爱注重外表，缺乏追求内在气质的恒心。生性较为浮躁，好务虚名，往往因此而碰壁，或半途而废。在事实的教育下，改变不切实际的做法，明察社会和人生，会有所收敛，变得自持，注重自身修养，成全事业，中年以后会大有作为，老年仍可发挥余热。

第二十二卦的哲学含义

贲卦卦象，山火贲卦的象征意义

山火贲贲，这个卦是异卦相叠，下卦为离，上卦为艮。离为火为明；艮为山为止。

贲，指贝壳的光泽。光泽和贝壳相互映衬，彼此装饰，色彩交错，合为一体，显得文雅又光明。因此，贲含有装饰和文明之意。贲卦论述文与质的关系，以质为主，以文调节，文明而有节制。

《象》曰：“山下有火，贲。君子以明庶政，无敢折狱。”《象》中指出：离火在下，艮山在上，所以离下艮上之卦如同山下有火一般，形成山火相映，彼此装饰之势，故本卦起名为贲。君子应该学习这种精神，以光明磊落的行为处理各种政事，对人狱的事，不可轻易地决断。

贲卦属于中上卦，象征装饰，告诉人们饰外扬质，返朴归真的道理，告诫人们要笃实平淡，不慕虚名。贲卦启示了饰外扬质的道理，属于中上卦。《象》对此卦的断语是：近来运转锐气周，窈窕淑女君子求，钟鼓乐之大吉庆，占者逢之喜临头。

22.山火贲(䷕)-高岛易断

“贲”从卉从贝。此卦上卦《 艮》，《艮》，山也。《诗》“山有嘉卉”，故贲上从卉。且艮为果蓏，有卉之象。下卦《离》，《离》为鳖为蟹，为赢，为蚌，为龟，皆贝也。《尔雅》：“龟三足名贲”，故《贲》下从贝。《序卦》曰“贲饰也”，卉贝皆具彩色，是以谓饰。付氏云：“贲古班字，文章貌，言斑驳陆丽有文也。”《彖》辞所谓“天文”“人文”，由此来也。为卦山下有火，山生草木，下有火照彻，则草木皆被其光彩。《书》曰“贲若草木”，亦足证焉。卦上承《噬嗑》，《序卦》曰：“嗑者，合也，物不可以苟合，故受之以贲。”苏氏曰，“直情而行之谓苟，礼以饰情之谓贲”。礼以饰情，在乎相与为敬，敬则其合可久，此《贲》所以次乎《噬嗑》也。

贲：亨，小利有攸往。

▲　篆书贲

《贲》卦上体山，山蕴质素，下体火，火吐文光，下火上烛，则质而有文，故曰《贲》。文质交错，刚柔得中，故曰“亨”。《离》火之明，遇山而止，则所进者小矣，故曰“小利有攸往”。其义，则《彖》辞详之矣。

《象传》曰：贲亨，柔来而文刚，故亨。分刚上而文柔，故小利有攸往，天文也。文明以上，人文也。观乎天文，以察时变；观乎人文，以化成天下。

此卦与《噬嗑》对，以《噬嗑》变。《噬嗑》六五柔来二，为六二，成《离》下，是为“柔来而文刚”。《噬嗑》初九刚往上，为上九，成《艮》上，是为刚往文柔，刚柔相杂而为成，是天下之文也。“柔来而文刚”，《离》明于内，故无不亨；刚往文柔，艮止于外，故“小利有攸往”。卦以上爻为极，极即天也。上爻曰“白贲”，自然之文，故谓之“天文”也。九三在人位，为一卦之主，当文明之盛会，故谓之“文明以止”，人文也。“天文”者，日月星辰，光华内焕，不假外饰，自然之文也。“人文”者，人伦庶物，纲纪在先，节文在后，修饰而成文也。有圣人作，仰观天文，晦朔何以代明，寒暑何以错行，察其时变，是欲以人合天也。俯观人文，道之以礼乐，教之以诗书，化成天下，是欲以人治人也。是圣人用《贲》之道也。

以此卦拟人事，贲，缘饰也，质先而文后。凡事之有待致饰者，皆后起也。此即绘事后素之说也。以之言礼，玉帛其饰也；以之言乐，钟鼓其饰也；以之言宫室，轮奂其饰也；以之言衣服，章采其饰也。是文饰必附质而著，如帛之受采，玉之受琢，有实而加饰，饰之足以增其美也。此卦山得火而焕彩，譬如在人，心光透发，面目生辉，内行修明，声闻卓著，德润而体胖，实至而名归，即《贲》之象也。就六爻言之，初爻“贲趾”，以处义为贲，贲得其正；二五贲须，以与上为裁，贲得其时；三爻“贲如德如”，贲而“永贞”，贲得其吉；四爻“贲如皤如”，贲而当位，贲“终无忧”；五爻“贲于丘园”，以敦本务实为贲，贲终“有喜”；上爻“白贲，无咎”，以黜美返朴为贲，贲乃“得志”。此六爻之义，所以治全体之贲也。而人事之饰伪而乱直，黜美而诬实者，皆当返而自省矣！以此卦拟国家，上卦为山，安止不动，如圣躬之德性镇定也；下卦为火，辉光远耀，如朝廷之政教焕布也。内崇德性，外敷政教，有本有文，刚柔并用，是贲之善者也。推之舞干羽而格顽民，是“柔来而文刚”；仗斧钺以安天下，是“刚上而文柔”。审时定历，以法天文也；制礼作乐，以昭人文也。德礼以行政，政乃善，忠信以折狱，狱乃平，《象》曰“君子以明庶政，无敢折狱”，即此旨焉。六爻言《贲》，各有次第，义深旨远。初刚在下，故曰“贲趾”，是守道无位之贤人也。二爻“柔来而文刚”，随刚而动，如须随颐而动，故曰“贲须”，是待时而动之君子也。三爻当《贲》之盛，故曰“贲如濡如”，是治贲而能守其贞者也。四爻则由《离》入《 艮》，《贲》道变矣，故曰“贲如皤如”，是不随俗披靡，为能黜华而崇实也。五爻则为主《贲》之君，忘殿陛之华，守丘园之素，故曰“贲于丘园”，所以厚民生而敦风俗者，道在是焉。上爻为《贲》之极，物极必反，故曰“白贲”。《杂卦》曰；“贲，无色也”，郅治而期于无刑，盛德而极于无为，此治道之原也。如是而事济矣，如是而化成矣。

（附记）“观乎天文，以察时变”一则：

明治十八年一月，余浴于热海，一夕有大星见于月右，时饭田巽氏先见，呼余出视，余一见如有所悟，不言而入。邻席有《自由新闻》社员藤井新藏者，谓饭田氏曰：高岛氏一见而入，必有所解，君请往探之。饭田氏乃过余室叩其故，余曰：难言也。氏问之再三，余曰：数日内当有一大臣濒死者也。氏曰：子何以知其然乎？余曰：此所以为难言也。余历征多年实验，乃知星之示变也，子若不信，请观后日。未几三日，报有栖川宫殿下薨，氏复曰：子言果中矣，吾终不知其然也，请幸教我。余曰：《 易》不曰乎？“观乎天文，以察时变”，此之谓也。

通观此卦，内《离》外《艮》，《离》文明也，卦德由内达外，以文明为主，故名卦曰《贲》，取贲饰之象也。《彖传》所言柔文刚、刚文柔、观天文、观人文，皆以文致饰，亦以文得亨，是《贲》之象，由《离》而来，得艮而济，此全卦之体也。《象传》不曰火在山下，而曰“山下有火”，是隐然有以山止火之象。“以明庶政”，明也，“无敢折狱”，止也，亦见文不过质之意。六爻言贲，内三爻，《离》本卦，初二两爻，贡犹微，惟三爻贲为盛；上三爻，自《离》入艮，其言贲，皆黜华崇实，是救贲之偏而返其本也。故四虽“疑”而“无忧”，五虽“吝”而“终吉”，六“无咎”而“得志”。将使之自文还质，无偏胜之患，斯为贲道之大成也。全卦之义如此。

《大象》曰：山下有火，贲，君子以明庶攻，无敢折狱。

《 艮》山之下有《离》火，《艮》，一阳高出二阴之上，阳塞于外而不通，故止；《离》，二阳之中含一阴，是内虚而含明，故明。君子法之，“以明庶政”，“庶政”者，或兼教养，或兼兵食，《洪范》所谓“八政”皆是也。暗则紊，明则治，取之高，而政教明矣。明以致察，过察则失严，故于折狱，则曰“无敢”。“无敢”者，谓不敢自用其明也。虚明之心存于中，而慈祥之政行于外，明其所当明，而不敢过用其明，取之于《艮》，明于是乎止焉。丰田“致刑”，以“明而动”，贲曰“无敢”，以明而止。不动则民不畏法，不止则民不聊生，有相济而行也。

【占】　问时运：目下正当发动，百事顺适，但上有阻止，未能遂意径行。

○　问商业：主经理人才干强明，足以任事；但精明者必刻利，还宜留意。

○　问家宅：恐宅中时有火光发动，幸即扑灭，无大害也。

○　问战征：前面有山，未 易进攻。

○　问疾病：是郁火上蒸之症，宜息火，犹不可过用寒剂，致真火扑灭。

○　问行人：欲归又止，尚未定也。

○　问六甲：生女。

Judgment

Legge: Persona should be given its due, but there is no advantage in allowing it to advance and take the lead.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Grace has success. In small matters it is favorable to undertake something.

Blofeld: Elegance. Success! Some small advantage can be derived from having a particular goal (or destination). [The implication is that the advantage is not sufficient to make it worth while to seek that goal or destination unless no special difficulty or inconvenience is involved. The arrangement of the lines in this hexagram is very similar to that in the previous one, but it is adjudged much more suitable. The general idea is that, like nature, we should conform to a regular and well ordered pattern of behavior which, since we are human beings and not mere animals, involves a high degree of refinement. From the point of view of divination, it would seem that this is a time to watch carefully so as to learn how those involved in the situation think and behave, the better to influence them for the good when the opportunity arises.]

Liu: Gracefulness, success. Small undertakings benefit.

Ritsema/Karcher: Adorning, Growing. The small, Harvesting: possessing directed going. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of its outward presentation. It emphasizes that building intrinsic value by embellishing appearance and displaying valor is the adequate way to handle it...]

Shaughnessy: Luxuriance: Receipt; a little beneficial to have someplace to go.

Cleary (1): Adornment is developmental. It is beneficial to go somewhere in a minimal way.

Cleary (2): Adornment is successful. It is beneficial to go somewhere in a small way.

Wu: Adornment is pervasive and shows small advantage of an undertaking. [Adornment does not change the nature of what it adorns, but merely makes what it adorns appear more attractive. In other words, the change is mostly superficial but not substantive…]

The Image

Legge: Fire at the foot of the mountain -- the image of Persona. Thus the superior man adorns his rule with grace, but makes important decisions in conformance with higher laws.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Fire at the foot of the mountain: the image of Grace. Thus does the superior man proceed when clearing up current affairs. But he dare not decide controversial issues in this way.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes fire at the foot of a mountain. The Superior Man, desiring to ensure the enlightened functioning of the various departments of state, dare not make light decisions regarding legal matters. [The component trigrams, fire below mountain, suggest a brilliance which cannot be perceived from afar. The Chinese commentators go on to suggest that this symbolizes a firm and somewhat severe exterior which hides brilliance and the beauty within. For purposes of divination, this should be taken as a pattern for our comportment in the matter at issue.]

Liu: Fire illuminates the base of the mountain symbolizing Gracefulness. Thus the superior man clarifies ordinary affairs, but does not judge lawsuits.

Ritsema/Karcher: Below mountain possessing fire. Adorning. A chun tzu uses brightening the multitudinous standards without daring to sever litigating.

Cleary (1): There is fire below the mountain, adorning it. Thus do superior people clarify governmental affairs, without presumptuous adjudication. [What superior people see in this is that just as the light of a fire below a mountain is not great, when people are lacking in capacity their vision is not far reaching; therefore the superior people administer and clarify the simple matters of governmental affairs, and do not act presumptuously in difficult matters of adjudication… Not judging presumptuously thus has the meaning of respect for life.]

Wu: There is fire at the foot of the mountain; this is Adornment. The jun zi brings openness to administering civil affairs, but refrains from judging cases in criminal litigation.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In Persona we see the magnetic central line ornamenting the dynamic lines of the lower trigram, and hence it is said that ornament should have free course. On the other hand, the dynamic top line ornaments the magnetic lines of the upper trigram, and hence it is said that there will be little advantage if ornament is allowed to advance and take the lead. The elegance and intelligence of the lower trigram is regulated by the restraint of the upper trigram. This suggests the observances which adorn human society. We observe the ornamental figures of the sky, and thereby ascertain the changes of the seasons. We observe the ceremonial customs of society, and understand how transformation is accomplished in the world.

Legge: Persona is the symbol of what is ornamental and of the act of adorning. As there is adornment in nature, so should there be in society, but its place is secondary to that which is substantial. The K'ang-hsi editors say that the magnetic line coming and ornamenting the two dynamic lines in the lower trigram shows how substantiality should have the benefit of ornamentation. The dynamic line ornamenting the two magnetic lines in the upper trigram shows how ornamentation should be restrained by substantiality. Ornament has its use, but it should be kept in check. The figures of the sky are all the heavenly bodies in their relative positions and various movements, producing day and night, heat and cold, etc. The observances of society are the ceremonies and performances which regulate and beautify the intercourse of men. "A mountain," says Ch'eng-tzu, "is a place where we find grass, trees, and a hundred other things. A fire burning below it throws up its light, and brings them all out in beauty. This gives the idea of ornament, or being ornamented. The various processes of government are small matters, and elegance and ornament help their course, but great matters of judgment demand the simple, unadorned truth.”

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: There's nothing wrong with showing a little style, but don't become so identified with a role that it makes your decisions for you. The Superior Man displays wit and charm when that is appropriate, but relies upon shrewd discernment when making serious choices. Confucius points out the correct attitude for this hexagram in his third

sentence -- the elegant intelligence, or "brilliant wit" of the lower trigram is being "sat on" by the mountain of the upper trigram. Brilliant wit is often just an "ornament" to make one look clever in the company of others. Like seasoning on

food, a little bit of Persona or ornamentation is life-enhancing, but too much curry powder overwhelms the meal. Jung's conception of the Persona points out the fact that it is a major vehicle for the complexes to express themselves under the guise of social interaction: (The Persona) is only a mask for the collective psyche, a mask that feigns individuality, and tries to make others and oneself believe that one is individual, whereas one is simply playing a part in which the collective psyche speaks.

Jung -- The Relations between the Ego and the

Unconscious For an urban shipping clerk to wear cowboy clothes may be a legitimate expression of his personality, or it may be the only outlet available for repressed portions of his psyche. When he begins driving a pickup truck and frequenting Country-Western bars we might suspect that his role is playing him and the real Self is being masked by excessive ornamentation or Persona. The person cannot be more than an instrument for the manifestation of the self. But people get so attached to their mask that they cannot free themselves from it any more ... They make a king out of the servant and separate themselves from their true being. They force their higher self into exile, into the unconscious.

Elisabeth Haich -- Initiation To receive this hexagram without changing lines suggests that perhaps you are more focused on form than meaning, or that superficial appearances are concealing something more substantive in the situation. Look deeper – what’s really going on?