Hexagram 6 · Line 2
Conflict — 二九
Song · Er Jiu
二九 · Er Jiu
The Line
One cannot engage in conflict; one returns home and withdraws. The people of his town, three hundred households, remain free of guilt.
Interpretation
In a struggle with a superior opponent, retreat is no disgrace. By withdrawing in time, one avoids evil consequences. If one were to invite the unequal conflict out of false sense of honor, one would bring misfortune upon oneself. A wise yielding in such a case benefits the whole surrounding community, which is thereby not drawn into the conflict.