Hexagram 60 — 节 (Jié), Limitation
Above: ☵ 坎 Water Below: ☱ 兑 Lake
The Judgment
亨。苦节不可贞。
Measured restraint succeeds — but bitter, excessive restriction cannot endure.
The Image (Daxiang)
「泽上有水，节；君子以制数度，议德行。」Water above the lake — the noble person sets measures and weighs conduct.—— 《周易·大象传》（The Image Commentary）
The Tuan Commentary
彖曰：节，亨，刚柔分而刚得中。苦节不可贞，其道穷也。说以行险，当位以节，中正以通。天地节而四时成，节以制度，不伤财不害民。——《易传·彖传》
The Six Line Texts
| 初九 | 不出户庭，无咎。 |
| 九二 | 不出门庭，凶。 |
| 六三 | 不节若，则嗟若，无咎。 |
| 六四 | 安节，亨。 |
| 九五 | 甘节，吉，往有尚。 |
| 上六 | 苦节，贞凶，悔亡。 |
In Plain Terms
Set limits — but not bitter ones that break you. When you receive this hexagram, hold the judgment beside your question: it describes a posture and a season, not a script.
I Ching judgments quoted from the Zhouyi (public domain); modern renderings by BaziOracle, for cultural and entertainment reference.