Meng · Youthful Folly

Judgment

亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。

Success. It is not I who seek the inexperienced; the inexperienced seeks me.

The Chinese above is the received classical text. The English below it is a plain-language rendering written for this site — not a scholarly translation. The classical wording is terse and genuinely open to more than one reading, so where interpretations diverge we follow the mainstream one.

The Image (Da Xiang)

山下出泉，蒙，君子以果行育德。

山下流出泉水，这是蒙卦，蒙昧幼稚的卦象，君子应当懂得果断行事，培养德性。

The Six Lines

• First line发蒙，利用刑人，用说桎梏，以往吝。初六 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Second line包蒙，吉；纳妇，吉；子克家。九二 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Third line勿用取女，见金夫，不有躬，无攸利。六三 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fourth line困蒙，吝。六四 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fifth line童蒙，吉。六五 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Top line击蒙，不利为寇，利御寇。上九 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.

Modern Interpretive Reference

Quality: Challenging

Tendency: Inexperience and unclear understanding; a learning phase.

Guidance: Ask sincerely and teach patiently. Do not pretend to know what you do not.

This section is editorial reflection written for this site, not classical commentary. Hexagram qualities are not fixed outcomes — context and response matter more than the label. For cultural reflection only; not a basis for any decision.