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Hexagram 18: Work on the Decayed
蠱 · Gǔ
Work on What Has Been Spoiled has supreme success. It furthers one to cross the great water. Before the starting point, three days; after the starting point, three days.Judgment 卦辭
The wind blows low on the mountain: the image of Decay. The noble one stirs up the people and strengthens their spirit.Image 象辭
Core Meaning of Hexagram 18
Hexagram 18 confronts inherited rot — the mess that accumulated through neglect: a broken process, a strained family, a body or business left unattended. What is spoiled must be actively repaired; wishing it away only deepens the decay. The ‘three days before and after’ counsel: investigate the causes thoroughly before acting, and follow through carefully afterward.
Hexagram 18 in a Reading
In a reading, name the thing everyone has been avoiding — that is the work. Whether you caused it or inherited it matters less than whether you fix it now. Root out the actual source, not the symptoms, then rebuild with attention. Cleaned thoroughly, spoiled situations become unusually fertile; crossing the great water becomes possible precisely because you repaired the boat.
Common Questions
What does hexagram 18 mean?
Hexagram 18 confronts inherited rot — the mess that accumulated through neglect: a broken process, a strained family, a body or business left unattended. Read the full meaning above, or cast your own reading with our free online I Ching coins.
What is the structure of hexagram 18?
Hexagram 18 is built from the trigram Mountain above and Wind below — binary 011001 read from the bottom line to the top. Work on the Decayed is King Wen number 18 of the 64 hexagrams.
Related Hexagrams
Other Hexagrams with Trigram Mountain Above
Keywords: i ching hexagram 18, hexagram 18 meaning, work on the decayed, gu, corruption, repairing what is spoiled, fixing rot, wind below mountain