Hexagram 26
山天大畜
Great Taming
Upper Trigram
☶
艮 (土)
Lower Trigram
☰
乾 (金)
Palace
艮 Palace
Shi / Ying Lines
Shi: Line 2 · Ying: Line 5
The 艮 trigram (土) sits above the 乾 trigram (金), forming 山天大畜. This hexagram belongs to the 艮 Palace.
Judgment (卦辞)
The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers.
Image (象辞)
Heaven within the mountain: the image of the Taming Power of the Great.
Line Texts (爻辞)
Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist. (有厉)
The axletrees are taken from the wagon. (舆说輹)
A good horse that follows others. (良马逐)
The headboard of a young bull. Great good fortune. (童牛之牿)
The tusk of a gelded boar. Good fortune. (豮豕之牙)
One attains the way of heaven. Success. (何天之衢)
In-Depth Analysis
Hexagram 26, Da Chu (Great Taming), is Mountain above Heaven - the mountain holding heaven within itself. This is the hexagram of great inner strength, of accumulated power held in reserve. The judgment says perseverance furthers; not eating at home brings good fortune - leave your comfort zone. The lines emphasize preparation: the headboard of a young bull, the tusk of a gelded boar - training and discipline applied early prevent future problems. The hexagram teaches that true power is not in display but in cultivated restraint, and that the greatest achievements come from patient accumulation over time.
Historical Stories
📜 The Spartan agoge: a lifelong training system that tamed young warriors into disciplined soldiers. Da Chu's principle of early discipline applied to an entire culture.
📜 Warren Buffett's investment philosophy: decades of patient accumulation, studying companies without acting until the right opportunity appears. His wealth is Da Chu personified - great power held in reserve.
Practical Applications
Career: Build skills before you need them. The time to prepare for a promotion is not when it is announced but years before.
Relationships: Strong relationships are built on accumulated trust, not grand gestures. Small deposits daily.
Personal Growth: Discipline is freedom. The more you tame your impulses, the more genuine choice you have.