---
title: 地火明夷 — Darkening of the Light (Hexagram 36)
lang: en
canonical: https://ekidan.ai/library/36
alternates:
  - ja: https://ekidan.ai/ja/library/36
  - zh-Hant: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/36
  - zh-TW: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/36
  - zh-HK: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/36
source: 高島易断 (Takashima Ekidan), public-domain 1893 English and 1901 Chinese editions
provider: ekidan.ai — AI-assisted I Ching reading grounded in 88 source-verified historical Takashima cases
license: Classical source text is public domain. This structured edition and its modern commentary are © ICHING LLC, ekidan.ai. Attribution requested when quoted.
---

# 地火明夷 · Darkening of the Light — Hexagram 36

Hexagram 36 of the I Ching is 地火明夷 (Darkening of the Light). Darkening of the Light — brilliance hidden under the earth. Hide your wisdom and weather hardship; perseverance in difficulty furthers. Veil your talent; endure and await the dawn.

## Work / Relationships / Health

- **Work**: Hard to be understood; keep low.
- **Relationships**: Prone to misunderstanding; protect quietly.
- **Health**: Eyes, heart, depression.

## Structure

- Number: 36
- Name: 地火明夷
- English: Darkening of the Light
- Romaji: chi-ka-meii
- Pinyin: míng yí
- Upper: 地 (Earth)
- Lower: 火 (Fire)
- Lines (top to bottom):

```text
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
```

## Questions about this hexagram

### What does hexagram 36 (地火明夷) mean?

Darkening of the Light — brilliance hidden under the earth. Hide your wisdom and weather hardship; perseverance in difficulty furthers.

### What does 地火明夷 counsel?

Veil your talent; endure and await the dawn.

### What does 地火明夷 say about work?

Hard to be understood; keep low.

### What does 地火明夷 say about relationships?

Prone to misunderstanding; protect quietly.

### What does 地火明夷 say about health?

Eyes, heart, depression.

### Which trigrams make up hexagram 36?

Upper trigram 地 (Earth) over lower trigram 火 (Fire).


Source: [Takashima Ekidan AI — ekidan.ai](https://ekidan.ai/library/36)