Hexagram 41 of the I Ching: Sun, Decrease (損), meaning and lines
Sun, Decrease: Lake at the foot of Mountain. An image of chosen lightening, of sincere letting go and of giving that does not cost what matters.
Key points
| Number | 41 of 64 (King Wen sequence) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | Sun (損) |
| Approximate pronunciation | “swun” |
| Lower trigram | ☱ Dui, Lake |
| Upper trigram | ☶ Gen, Mountain |
| Lines (bottom to top) | yang, yang, yin, yin, yin, yang |
| Opposite hexagram | No. 31, Xian, Influence |
| Other names | Loss, Decline, Reduction |
Hexagram 41 at a glance
Sun (損) is the 41st hexagram of the I Ching. The character means “to diminish, reduce, lose”. It is translated as “Decrease”, “Diminution” or “Loss”. Together with hexagram 42, Increase, it forms a couple: what is lost below can be added above, and vice versa.
Here, the lower trigram (Lake) gives up some of its substance to the upper one (Mountain). The theme is not misfortune but voluntary lightening.
The two trigrams
A hexagram is read from bottom to top. The lower trigram, called the lower or inner one, is Dui (Lake); the upper trigram, called the upper or outer one, is Gen (Mountain). The bottom represents the base of the situation, the top its context or outcome. The Lake sits at the foot of the Mountain: water hollows out beneath the great mass above. The image commentary invites the noble person to restrain anger and curb desires.
Line diagram, from the first to the sixth: yang, yang, yin, yin, yin, yang. In the King Wen sequence, this hexagram forms a pair with No. 42, Yi (increase), Increase. Its opposite (all lines inverted) is No. 31, Xian, Influence, and its reverse (read from top to bottom) is No. 42, Yi (increase), Increase. Its nuclear hexagram, formed by the central lines, is No. 24, Fu, Return.
The judgment, in brief
The judgment is very positive: with sincerity, all is auspicious, there is no fault, one can persevere and set out. The question is: how should one proceed? Two simple bowls of food are enough for an offering.
The lesson is that of simplicity: what matters is not the quantity of what is given, but the sincerity behind it.
General meaning
Sun teaches you to recognise what can be lightened without real loss: spending, commitments, resentments, pride. It runs against the reflex of accumulation. In this figure, diminishing is a way of increasing what matters.
The text nonetheless warns against ill-considered reductions: depriving yourself to excess, or giving in order to get something back. Measure is a matter of sincerity and timing.
The six lines, one by one
Lines are counted from bottom to top. These very short paraphrases do not replace reading a full translation.
| Line | Image and idea |
|---|---|
| 1 (yang) | Pausing your own affairs to help quickly: no fault, provided you carefully measure what you take away. |
| 2 (yang) | Perseverance is favorable; setting out is risky. Help others without diminishing yourself. |
| 3 (yin) | Three people walk and one is set aside; one person walks alone and finds a companion: threes unbalance, pairs harmonise. |
| 4 (yin) | Diminish what troubles you: hurrying is joyful, without fault. |
| 5 (yin) | Someone adds ten pairs of tortoise shells (a great wealth): it cannot be refused; very favorable. |
| 6 (yang) | Increase without taking anything from others: good fortune; you gain supporters beyond your own household. |
Moving lines and the resulting hexagram
A moving line (a total of 6 or 9 when the three coins are cast) changes into its opposite and gives a second hexagram, the resulting hexagram, which describes the direction the situation is taking. Here, lines 1, 2 and 6 are yang, and lines 3, 4 and 5 are yin. The solid lines 1, 2 and 6 carry the substance being redistributed; line 6 is the line of increase without loss. The broken lines 3, 4 and 5 are the points of reception, line 3 being the one of the trio and the pair.
| If the moving line is | Resulting hexagram |
|---|---|
| 1 (yang becomes yin) | No. 4, Meng, Youthful Folly |
| 2 (yang becomes yin) | No. 27, Yi (nourish), The Corners of the Mouth |
| 3 (yin becomes yang) | No. 26, Da Chu, The Taming Power of the Great |
| 4 (yin becomes yang) | No. 38, Kui, Opposition |
| 5 (yin becomes yang) | No. 61, Zhong Fu, Inner Truth |
| 6 (yang becomes yin) | No. 19, Lin, Approach |
Six moving lines give the opposite, No. 31, Xian, Influence. With several moving lines, schools of interpretation disagree on which one to give priority.
A modern reading, with caution
Sun accompanies periods of lightening: moving house, sorting, simplifying, choosing to let go, times of sharing. It helps you tell apart what you take away to lighten your load from what you lose under constraint.
- At work: remove what clutters, delegate, simplify a process.
- In relationships: give time or attention without expecting anything in return.
- For yourself: lighten your schedule, your possessions, your resentments; never deprive yourself of what is necessary.
Reminder: the I Ching is a book of wisdom and oracle, a tool for reflection and not a prediction; it does not replace medical, financial, legal or safety advice.
Questions to reflect on
- What can I take away without my life being impoverished?
- What am I giving, and why?
- Which anger or desire costs me more than it brings me?
- Who is my “pair”, the relationship that moves me forward?
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing diminishing with excessive deprivation.
- Giving in order to be thanked.
- Stripping yourself bare under someone else’s pressure.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 41 of the I Ching mean?
Sun, Decrease, speaks of voluntary lightening and sharing: subtracting on one side to enrich what matters.
Which trigrams make up Sun?
The Lake (Dui) below and the Mountain (Gen) above.
Is Sun a bad sign?
No: the judgment is very favorable to those who act with sincerity. The I Ching predicts nothing; it invites reflection.
Which hexagram is paired with Sun?
No. 42, Yi, Increase: the counterpart of Decrease.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 64 hexagrams of the Yi King.