"日昃之离" (Ri Ze Zhi Li): Third Yang Line of Li Hexagram — The Peak of Glory Is When Danger Lurks, After Noon Comes the Downhill Slide

Have you ever met someone like this?

Just a couple of years ago, they were on top of the world.

Their company went public, they made a name for themselves, and they raked in the cash.

You thought they were a total winner in life.

But two years later, you look again—

The company’s gone, the money’s gone, and they’re totally burnt out.

You sigh and say, “How did they fall apart just like that?”

The truth is, it didn’t happen out of the blue.

The decline started right when they were at their most successful.

They just didn’t notice it themselves.

This is exactly what the Nine in the Third Place of the Li Hexagram talks about.

「日昃之离，不鼓缶而歌，则大耋之嗟，凶」 (The Clinging at the Decline of the Sun: If One Does Not Beat the Earthen Jar and Sing, One Will Sigh in Old Age — Inauspicious)

The Line Text for Nine in the Third Place reads: “日昃之离，不鼓缶而歌，则大耋之嗟，凶。”

“日昃” means the sun has passed noon and starts to tilt westward.

When is the sun brightest? At noon.

But what happens right after noon? It begins to set.

The Li Hexagram represents fire, light, and the sun.

The position of Nine in the Third Place is like the sun at its zenith at noon.

It’s the brightest, hottest, most glorious moment.

But it’s also exactly from this point that the downward slope begins.

“不鼓缶而歌” means not enjoying the simple joy of singing while you still can.

A fou (缶) is a simple earthenware musical instrument, very plain and humble.

Singing while tapping an earthen jar is the simple, unassuming happiness of ordinary people.

“则大耋之嗟” means by old age, all that’s left is sighing regret.

“大耋” refers to elderly people, around seventy or eighty years old.

So what does the whole line mean?

When the sun reaches noon, it will soon tilt west. When a person is at the peak of their life, if they don’t know how to cherish what they have, don’t know to hold back, and don’t know how to live an ordinary person’s life, they’ll only be left with regret and sighs in old age. That is an inauspicious sign.

In short: **Things turn for the worse when they reach their peak; extremes always reverse.**

This is the way of heaven.

No one can escape it.

Why People Tend to Run Into Trouble When They’re on Top

Why are people most at risk when they’re at their most successful?

Because success changes a person.

First Change: They Get Cocky

Once someone makes it big, they easily get cocky.

- They think they’re incredibly capable

- They think they can do anything

- They think the old rules no longer apply to them

- They think other people’s advice is just nonsense

What happens after they get cocky?

They start doing stupid things.

They recklessly invest in industries they know nothing about.

They get close to people they don’t really know.

They push ahead with obviously risky projects.

Why?

Because they think “I’ve got this.”

They succeeded in the past, so they’re sure they’ll succeed this time too.

Their past success becomes their biggest trap.

Second Change: They Get Swollen-Headed

When someone’s on top, people start flocking around them.

More people sweet-talk them, more people suck up to them, more people come asking for favors.

Hearing nice things every day, they start to believe all the praise is true.

They think they’re really as amazing as everyone says.

They think anyone who disagrees with them is just jealous.

They think anyone who’s different from them is wrong.

So they start getting swollen-headed.

They can’t take different opinions,

they can’t stand opposing voices,

they look down on people who are weaker than them.

The next step after getting swollen-headed is blowing up.

Third Change: They Forget Their Roots

The scariest part is, when people succeed, they easily forget who they really are.

They forget how they got their start in the first place,

they forget who helped them along the way,

they forget what they originally wanted.

You might have been a hardworking, diligent person before,

but after success, you become extravagant, flashy, and neglect your real work.

You might have been kind to others before,

but after success, you become arrogant, cold, and full of yourself.

When you’re not even yourself anymore,

who else is going to fail if not you?

Historical Examples of 「日昃之离」 (The Clinging at the Decline of the Sun)

There are so many examples like this.

King Fuchai and Goujian

King Fuchai of Wu was incredibly powerful back in his day.

He defeated the state of Yue and took Goujian, its king, prisoner.

That was the peak of his life.

Then what happened?

He started getting cocky.

He ignored Wu Zixu’s advice and let Goujian go.

He became infatuated with Xi Shi, launched massive construction projects, and waged endless wars.

What was the result?

Goujian endured hardship and plotted revenge, turning the tables after twenty years.

Fuchai’s army was defeated, and he took his own life.

If you don’t make the most of your time at the peak,

all that’s left is a downhill slide afterward.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, was extremely wise and capable when he was young.

He founded the “Kaiyuan Golden Age,” the most prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty.

That was the highest point of his life.

Then what happened?

He thought the empire was at peace and he could finally enjoy himself.

He became infatuated with Yang Guifei and put Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong in high positions.

The imperial court went downhill day by day.

Finally, the An Lushan Rebellion broke out, and the great Tang Dynasty shifted from prosperity to decline.

He was even forced to abdicate the throne, and his later years were miserable.

The shift from prosperity to decline usually starts the moment you think “everything’s fine now.”

What to Do When You’re at Your Peak

So does that mean people shouldn’t strive for success or enjoy being on top?

Of course not.

Success is a good thing.

The problem isn’t success itself—it’s how you handle it afterward.

Nine in the Third Place of the Li Hexagram gives us three reminders.

Reminder One: Know Where You Stand

You have to be clear about this—

Are you still on the rise, have you already hit the top, or are you already on the way down?

The scariest thing is thinking you can keep climbing higher when you’ve already reached the peak.

Thinking you should keep hitting the gas when you should be slowing down.

How do you tell?

There are a few warning signs:

- You feel like everything is under control, and nothing can stump you

- You can’t take other people’s advice, thinking it’s all nonsense

- You start chasing grandeur, face, and other people’s opinions

- You think your past efforts were too hard, and now it’s time to enjoy yourself

When these signs show up, you need to be careful.

You might already be standing at the top of the mountain.

Reminder Two: Prepare Well When You’re at the Top

Since the sun will tilt west after noon,

you should prepare for the afternoon when it’s still noon.

What kind of preparation?

Build up your reserves.

While times are good, save more money, accumulate more resources, and lay more groundwork.

Don’t spend every cent you make, living paycheck to paycheck.

Leave yourself backup options.

Keep a few escape routes open for yourself.

If one thing doesn’t work out, you’ve got another.

If the east side doesn’t shine, the west side still will.

Nurture talent.

While you still have resources and influence, help more young people.

When you’re no longer on top, they’ll be able to give you a hand.

A person who doesn’t plan for the future will soon face troubles.

If you don’t think about the hard times when things are good,

you’ll just be waiting for disaster when the hard times come.

Reminder Three: 「鼓缶而歌」 (Beat the Earthen Jar and Sing) — Keep a Normal Mindset

What does “鼓缶而歌” mean?

Singing while tapping an earthen jar.

It’s simple, plain, ordinary happiness.

Why should you “beat the earthen jar and sing”?

Because—

No matter how successful you are, you’re still an ordinary person at the end of the day.

You still have to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom.

You still get sick, grow old, and die.

You still have joys and sorrows, troubles, and things you can’t do anything about.

All that money, fame, and status are just external things.

It’s nice to have them, but you can live without them too.

Don’t forget the happiness of ordinary people just because you’re successful.

Don’t look down on ordinary people’s lives just because you’re rich.

The higher you stand, the more you need to stay grounded.

Staying grounded is what keeps you from falling too hard.

Is It Inauspicious? Not Necessarily

The line text ends with “凶” (inauspicious).

But this misfortune isn’t inevitable.

What it means is—

If you don’t understand this principle, then it will be inauspicious.

If you do understand it, pay attention to it, and adjust accordingly,

then it doesn’t have to be inauspicious.

The sun tilts west at the decline of day.

This is a law of nature; no one can change it.

But you can choose—

When the sun sets, will you panic and scramble around in a frenzy,

or will you sit quietly and enjoy the sunset?

Sunsets are beautiful too, you know.

It’s not only the noon sun that’s worth seeing.

Every stage of life has its own good points.

Youth has its perks—you’ve got drive and endless possibilities.

Middle age has its perks—you’ve got experience, accumulation, and depth.

Old age has its perks—you’ve got wisdom, time, and freedom.

The key is whether you can find the good in each stage of life.

The Lesson of Nine in the Third Place

Nine in the Third Place of the Li Hexagram is a reminder for everyone:

**When you’re on top of the world, don’t get cocky.**

The smoother things go, the more cautious you need to be.

The more successful you are, the more low-key you need to stay.

The higher you stand, the more careful you need to be about your footing.

Because—

The higher you climb, the harder you fall.

The faster you fly, the more it hurts when you come down.

The sun naturally sets after noon.

This is the way of heaven; you can’t change it.

But you can change yourself—

- When you’re successful, don’t forget your roots

- When you’re rich, don’t get swollen-headed

- When you’re famous, don’t get cocky

- When you’re on the downhill slope, don’t panic either

Just enjoy the scenery along the way.

Whether you’re going uphill or downhill,

it’s all your life.

The Clinging at the Decline of the Sun — beat the earthen jar and sing.

Don’t be proud when you’re successful, don’t be discouraged when you’re down.

That’s what true strength looks like.