Also known as Grace, Adornment, Elegance.
The character 賁 means ornament, decoration, the shine on a surface. Hexagram 22 is about beauty and form: how things look and how they're presented. Form matters and smooths the way. But it serves the substance underneath, and it can't decide anything big.
The figure
Mountain over Fire. A fire at the foot of the mountain lights up the slope and makes it beautiful, but its light doesn't reach far. Grace shows what's nearby clearly. It doesn't illuminate the whole picture.
The judgment
It goes through. A small gain in setting out.
Good presentation helps with small matters. For the important decisions, you need more than polish.
The image
Fire at the foot of the mountain, lighting the near things and not the far. Handle the everyday business and leave the hard cases alone.
Use style for everyday things. Don't rely on it to settle serious disputes.
The six lines
Counted from the bottom, the way the figure is built when you cast it.
- Line 1, at the bottom. Adorning the feet: leave the carriage and walk. Choose the simple, honest way over the showy one.
- Line 2. Adorning the beard. Ornament that only follows the face it's on. Look at what form serves.
- Line 3. Graceful and glistening. Steady persistence goes well. Don't let charm lull you.
- Line 4. Plain or adorned? A white horse races in, almost flying. It's no raider; it comes to court you. Simplicity wins and brings a true bond.
- Line 5. Beauty out in the hills and orchards. The bolt of cloth you bring is thin. Some embarrassment, but it ends well. Honesty outweighs a modest gift.
- Line 6, at the top. Simple, unadorned grace. Not a mistake. At its height, beauty returns to plainness.
Reading it for a question
Hexagram 22 says presentation matters, but only so far. Polish what people will see, keep the substance honest, and don't make big decisions on looks alone.