Hexagram 04

Méng, not knowing

Hex.4 is is complementary to hex.49

Gua Poem:
Ignorance, expansion. Not me seeking the young and ignorant,
the young and ignorant seeking me. The first oracle-consulting is informing, two or three times: confusing. Confusing and therefore not informing. Fruitful to determine.

The great image says: At the foot of the mountain a spring wells up: Ignorance.
A noble one nurtures virtue by reliable conduct.

The character meng is an image of a pig covered by plants. It is also dodder, a parasitic plant which covers everything. More about Meng.

If you receive meng as primary or relating hexagram then find out if there is too much ignorance going around. Maybe you should be more open to the knowledge or wisdom of others? Or someone might need your expertise.

The trigrams Water below Mountain: all your inner insecurities, but also your intuition, need to find a way to express themselves within the boundaries of both your conscience and your surroundings, with strength and enough wisdom so one will not impair the other.

If no lines change: either the situation is such that you cannot do anything or change much about it, or there is no need for it and things simply are the way they are.

If all lines change: This will be a huge or even impossible task, it looks as if you have to change from ignorance all the way to knowing what you want and acting on it. Hex.4 is not the opposite of 49, it is complementary. They need each other but it is very difficult to experience them simultaneously. See 'contrasts'.
(hex.4's 49 Revolution)

Top line: Beating the ignorant. Fruitless to behave hostile. Fruitful to prevent violence.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap. Trying to educate using violence will raise to violence. One passes on what one is, a balanced teacher makes stable minds, arbitrariness rears to unseemliness. The same applies to your mind and body: do not force your muscles and brain to do something, just show them the way.
(hex.4's 7 Leader) Mirror

Line 5: Youthful ignorance. Auspicious.
Complete openness makes learning and development incredibly fast and large. Every thought, knowledge, even admiration, close this gate. Then one will need teachers and effort.
(hex.4's : 59 Dissolve) Mirror

Line 4: Restricting ignorance. distress.
One teaches to make the right choices by showing all choices. Hiding the dark makes choosing for light impossible, and limiting choices hinders the ability to oversee and evaluate.
(hex.4's : 64 Not Yet) Mirror

Line 3: No benefit of taking a woman who, when she sees a rich man, loses control of herself. No ground that bears fruit.
Only connect with what is true and has values. Everything else causes loss of one's own character and dignity. Do not choose what depends on you without the power to be itself or to respect boundaries.
(hex.4's 18 Decay) Mirror

Line 2: To care for the ignorant, auspicious. To enjoy the woman, auspicious. Children sustain the family.
To care for the immature - actually for anyone - is an investment for the future. Always look for new possibilities and develop them, even if they do not pay yet. The first steps of creating the future are crucial.
(hex.4's 23 Stripping) Mirror

Initial line: Expose ignorance, fruitful to make criminals work as punishment, take off shackles and manacles, because they hinder movement.
When punishing wrong actions, then use the right consequences. It is better to turn it into useful payment than just punishing. Useful for both the one who did wrong, for the one who was wronged and for others who learn how to deal with it in their own life and with their own people.
(hex.4's 41 Decrease) Mirror

More about the lines and their characters