Hexagram 23
山地剥
Splitting Apart
Upper Trigram
☶
艮 (土)
Lower Trigram
☷
坤 (土)
Palace
乾 Palace
Shi / Ying Lines
Shi: Line 5 · Ying: Line 2
The 艮 trigram (土) sits above the 坤 trigram (土), forming 山地剥. This hexagram belongs to the 乾 Palace.
Judgment (卦辞)
Splitting Apart. It does not further one to go anywhere.
Image (象辞)
The mountain rests on the earth: the image of Splitting Apart.
Line Texts (爻辞)
The leg of the bed is split. (剥床以足)
The frame of the bed is split. (剥床以辨)
He splits with them. No blame. (剥之)
The bed is split up to the skin. Misfortune. (剥床以肤)
A shoal of fishes. Favor through court ladies. (贯鱼)
A large fruit still uneaten. (硕果不食)
In-Depth Analysis
Hexagram 23, Bo (Splitting Apart), is Mountain resting on Earth - the mountain eroding, crumbling back into the earth. This is the hexagram of decay, of systems breaking down, of foundations being undermined. The judgment warns: it does not further one to go anywhere. When the structure is collapsing, movement is dangerous. The lines trace the progressive splitting of a bed from its legs to its frame to its surface. The hexagram teaches that some things must fall apart before renewal is possible, and that the wise person preserves the last unspoiled fruit for the next season.
Historical Stories
📜 The fall of the Roman Empire: centuries of slow erosion - political corruption, economic decay, military overreach - splitting apart a civilization that seemed eternal. The last 'uneaten fruit' was preserved in Byzantium for another thousand years.
📜 Kodak's collapse: the company that invented digital photography was split apart by its own creation, unwilling to cannibalize its film business. The last fruit was never eaten - it rotted on the tree.
Practical Applications
Career: When your company or industry is splitting apart, preserve your skills and network. These are the uneaten fruit for your next chapter.
Relationships: Some relationships must split apart before either person can grow. Not every ending is a tragedy.
Personal Growth: What in your life is splitting apart? Ask whether it is a collapse or a necessary clearing for new growth.