剥 · Bō — Stripping Away the Old
King Wen Sequence #23 (剥 Bō — Stripping Away the Old) embodies weathered cliff face shedding loose outer sediment. Assigned to the Qian Heaven Palace (乾宫八卦 · Metal Sovereign) · 五世卦 (World Line 5 / Response Line 2) and resonant with Late Winter & Vernal Threshold Mountain (立春艮土 · 小寒—雨水), its six-line binary vector (000001) pairs 坤 Kun (Receptive Devotion) at the root with 艮 Gen (Stillness & Boundary) at the crown.
《大象》：山附地上，剝；上以厚下，安宅。 ｜ 《彖传》：剝，剝也，柔變剛也。不利有攸往，小人長也。順而止之，觀象也。君子尚消息盈虛，天行也。
Visual Archetype: winter prune of an ancient plum tree. When Mountain (Earth) interacts with Earth (Earth), the primary strategic mandate centers on pruning non-performing product lines to protect the root. Its Polarity Opposite (Cuo Gua · 错卦) is #43 夬 (Resolute Breakthrough), its Overturned Inverse (Zong Gua · 综卦) is #24 复 (Return of the Light), and its Nuclear Core (Hu Gua · 互卦) reveals #2 坤 (The Receptive Earth).
乾宫 · 世爻第5爻 / 应爻第2爻
For decision-makers consulting 剥 (Bō) regarding pruning non-performing product lines to protect the root, the hexagram highlights the interplay between Earth foundation and Earth manifestation under the Metal Palace. Rather than generic haste, align execution with Late Winter & Vernal Threshold Mountain (立春艮土 · 小寒—雨水) rhythms and inspect whether your natal BaZi chart favors Metal, Earth, or Earth as its Favorable Element (喜用神).
《京氏易传》世应法：天子治世(京氏易傳原文:天子居世5爻,應爻隔三爻)
Six Lines Progression (六爻爻辞 · Bottom Line 1 to Top Line 6)
剥 (Bō) Line 1 [初六 · 乙未 (土) · 父母 (土)]: Germination of weathered cliff face shedding loose outer sediment near winter prune of an ancient plum tree; validate root premises before accelerating pruning non-performing product lines to protect the root. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #27 颐 (Nourishing Body & Speech).
《周易本义》：剝自下起滅正則凶故其占如此蔑滅也
剥 (Bō) Line 2 [六二 · 乙巳 (火) · 官鬼 (火) · 应爻 Response]: Central lower-trigram seat anchored in winter prune of an ancient plum tree; cultivate Earth craftsmanship in harmony with #2 坤. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #4 蒙 (Youthful Cultivation).
《周易本义》：辨音辦○辨牀幹也進而上矣
剥 (Bō) Line 3 [六三 · 乙卯 (木) · 妻财 (木)]: Threshold between 坤 Kun and 艮 Gen during Late Winter & Vernal Threshold Mountain (立春艮土 · 小寒—雨水); pace pruning non-performing product lines to protect the root carefully. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #52 艮 (Meditative Stillness).
《周易本义》：衆隂方剝陽而已獨應之去其黨而從正无咎之道也占者如是則得无咎
剥 (Bō) Line 4 [六四 · 丙戌 (土) · 父母 (土)]: Ministerial counsel within the Qian Heaven Palace (乾宫八卦 · Metal Sovereign) · 五世卦; align weathered cliff face shedding loose outer sediment with institutional mentors. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #35 晋 (Sun Rising Over the Earth).
《周易本义》：隂禍切身故不復言蔑貞而直言凶也
剥 (Bō) Line 5 [六五 · 丙子 (水) · 子孙 (水) · 世爻 World]: Fulcrum of Stripping Away the Old (䷖); command pruning non-performing product lines to protect the root through balanced Earth and Earth synthesis. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #20 观 (Clear Contemplation).
《周易本义》：魚隂物宫人隂之美而受制於陽者也五為衆隂之長當率其類受制於陽故有此象而占者如是則无不利也
剥 (Bō) Line 6 [上九 · 丙寅 (木) · 妻财 (木)]: Culmination of weathered cliff face shedding loose outer sediment, pivoting toward Inverse #24 复 (Return of the Light) and Opposite #43 夬. Single-line transformation leads to Zhi Gua #2 坤 (The Receptive Earth).
《周易本义》：一陽在上剝未盡而能復生君子在上則為衆隂所載小人居之則剝極於上自失所覆而无復碩果得輿之象矣取象既明而君子小人其占不同聖人之情益可見矣
BaZi & Plum Blossom Numerology (梅花易数) Connection
Spatial & Elemental Calibration for #23 剥: Place a winter prune of an ancient plum tree motif or Metal-element accent in your workspace; cross-reference Hexagram #43 (夬) when balancing Yin/Yang extremes.
Download Hexagram #23 (剥 Bō) 6 Changing Lines Commentary
Get line-by-line classical Yao Ci (爻辞) interpretations from bottom Line 1 (Initial) to top Line 6 (Culmination).