Limitation
Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Lake (兌 Duì) below
Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens
I Ching Hexagram 60, 節 (Jié), represents Limitation.
SourceZhouyi (周易, The Book of Changes) — hexagram 60 (節 Jié). Chinese source: Chinese Text Project, based on 《武英殿十三經注疏》本《周易正義》 (ctp:book-of-changes/jie1). Judgment: received Zhouyi hexagram statement (卦辭). English: Translation by Oriens Editorial Translation. Image: Xiang / Image commentary layer (象傳), distinct from the Judgment and line texts. Image and line English: named translation by James Legge, The Yî King (1899), public-domain translation; online reproduction. The named translation is used for the Image and line statements only.
1. Judgment (卦辭 Guàcí)
節：亨。苦節，不可貞。
Oriens Editorial Translation: Success. Bitter limitation cannot be held steadfastly.
2. Image (象 Xiàng / Xiang commentary)
泽上有水,节。君子以制数度,议德行。
James Legge: (The trigram representing) a lake, and above it that for water, form Kieh. The superior man, in accordance with this, constructs his (methods of) numbering and measurement, and discusses (points of) virtue and conduct.
3. Line Statements (爻辭 Yáocí)
Line 1 of 6 (from the bottom):
初九：不出戶庭，无咎。
James Legge: The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject not quitting the courtyard outside his door. There will be no error.
Line 2 of 6 (from the bottom):
九二：不出門庭，凶。
James Legge: The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject not quitting the courtyard inside his gate. There will be evil.
Line 3 of 6 (from the bottom):
六三：不節若，則嗟若，无咎。
James Legge: The third SIX, divided, shows its subject with no appearance of observing the (proper) regulations, in which case we shall see him lamenting. But there will be no one to blame (but himself).
Line 4 of 6 (from the bottom):
六四：安節，亨。
James Legge: The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject quietly and naturally (attentive to all) regulations. There will be progress and success.
Line 5 of 6 (from the bottom):
九五：甘節，吉。往有尚。
James Legge: The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject sweetly and acceptably enacting his regulations. There will be good fortune. The onward progress with them will afford ground for admiration.
Line 6 of 6 (from the bottom):
上六：苦節，貞凶，悔亡。
James Legge: The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject enacting regulations severe and difficult. Even with firmness and correctness there will be evil. But though there will be cause for repentance, it will (by and by) disappear.
For the general method for changing lines and relating hexagrams, see How to Read the I Ching.
4. Modern Interpretation (Oriens commentary)
This is an Oriens interpretation, not part of the Zhouyi text.
Limitation can prompt a careful question about measure: which boundary makes a practice legible, and when does a boundary become an imposed burden? This is a modern reflection, not a rule that predicts whether restraint will succeed.
The Chinese source and translation provenance are identified above. The Judgment is an Oriens Editorial Translation; the Image and line statements are labeled with James Legge. This keeps the modern reflection separate from both the received text and the named translation.
A reader may use the figure to examine a boundary already visible in a situation, while keeping health, financial, legal, employment, and relationship decisions within their appropriate professional and personal contexts.
Continue with the Hexagram 60 card and the I Ching guide; these are reading paths, not additional predictions.