I Ching · Hexagram 23 of 64
23. Bō 剝 · Splitting Apart
By Destiny Kua · Updated
Things are wearing away. Don't push; protect what matters.
- Upper trigram
- Mountain 艮
- Lower trigram
- Earth 坤
What hexagram 23 means
Bō is a mountain resting on the earth, being worn away at the base. Things are splitting apart. The advice is not to push against the erosion. Stay still, protect what matters and wait. Decay makes room for new growth.
Hexagram 23 in daily life
At work
Things are eroding. Protect essentials, cut losses and don't launch new ventures.
In relationships
A connection may be weakening. Don't force it; care for the foundation.
For yourself
Rest and preserve your energy. This is a time of letting go.
The six changing lines
If your cast included changing lines (a 6 or a 9), read the matching lines below. Line 1 is the bottom line.
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | The bed's legs are breaking. Early signs of decay; stay alert. |
| Line 2 | The frame is breaking. Danger grows; don't continue as before. |
| Line 3 | Breaking from bad company. No blame. |
| Line 4 | The damage reaches the skin. Misfortune; protect yourself. |
| Line 5 | Order is restored like fish in a line. Things improve. |
| Line 6 | One great fruit remains uneaten. What is good survives the collapse and seeds the future. |
The two trigrams
The lower trigram, Earth 坤 (Kūn), stands for your inner state and the root of the situation. The upper trigram, Mountain 艮 (Gèn), stands for the outer circumstances. In element terms this is Earth over Earth. Earth is the trigram of Kua 2 and Mountain is the trigram of Kua 8.
Related hexagrams
- Opposite (every line changed): 43. Guài 夬 · Breakthrough
- Inverted (read upside down): 24. Fù 復 · Return
- Trigrams swapped: 15. Qiān 謙 · Modesty
Questions to reflect on
- What is wearing away, and what must I protect?
- What can I let go of?
- What seed survives this?
Our line summaries are written in plain English in our own words, based on the traditional meanings. For reflection and entertainment, not prediction or professional advice.