The I Ching
The hexagrams, their trigrams and their judgements.
- The Creative (Hexagram 1) Heaven doubled, six unbroken lines: the most yang of all sixty-four figures.
- The Receptive (Hexagram 2) Earth doubled, six broken lines: the most yin of the sixty-four.
- Difficulty at the Beginning (Hexagram 3) Thunder beneath the abyss of water: the first meeting of the two primal forces after Heaven and Earth, and it meets as chaos.
- Youthful Folly (Hexagram 4) Water at the foot of the mountain: a spring rising from the rock, not yet knowing where it will run.
- Waiting (Hexagram 5) Heaven beneath the rain-cloud: strength that waits for the right moment.
- Conflict (Hexagram 6) Heaven above moving up, water below moving down: two forces pulling apart.
- The Army (Hexagram 7) Water hidden within the earth: the army gathered in the people, danger held inside obedience.
- Holding Together (Hexagram 8) Water on the earth, flowing into every hollow and joining: union, alliance, the holding together of many around one centre.
- The Taming Power of the Small (Hexagram 9) Wind over heaven: a soft force restraining a great one for a little while.
- Treading (Hexagram 10) Heaven above, the lake below: treading carefully behind a great power.
- Peace (Hexagram 11) Heaven below, earth above: the creative rising and the receptive sinking, so they meet and mingle.
- Standstill (Hexagram 12) Heaven above pulling up, earth below sinking down: the two forces drawing apart so nothing mingles.
- Fellowship with Others (Hexagram 13) Heaven above, fire below rising toward it: light striving upward to the open sky.
- Possession in Great Measure (Hexagram 14) Fire above heaven: the sun high in the sky, illuminating everything below.
- Modesty (Hexagram 15) The mountain hidden within the earth: greatness that lowers itself, the highest thing brought beneath the level ground.
- Enthusiasm (Hexagram 16) Thunder bursting from the earth: the stored energy of spring breaking out in sudden movement.
- Following (Hexagram 17) Thunder within the lake: movement that has come to rest, the storm settled into joy.
- Work on What Has Been Spoiled (Hexagram 18) The mountain over the wind: decay that has set in because something was neglected, and the wind of corruption stilled beneath the immovable.
- Approach (Hexagram 19) The earth above the lake: the receptive bending down to the joyous, the great drawing near to the small with goodwill.
- Contemplation (Hexagram 20) The wind moving over the earth: the sweeping gaze that sees all, and the high vantage from which one is seen.
- Biting Through (Hexagram 21) Fire over thunder, lightning and thunder together: the decisive force that bites through an obstruction.
- Grace (Hexagram 22) Fire at the foot of the mountain: the glow of sunset gilding the heights, beauty that adorns.
- Splitting Apart (Hexagram 23) The mountain resting on the earth, the last solid line at the very top about to fall: decay reaching its limit.
- Return (Hexagram 24) Thunder within the earth, the first strong line returning at the very bottom: the turning point where light begins again.
- Innocence (Hexagram 25) Heaven over thunder, movement in accord with heaven: the spontaneity of nature acting without ulterior motive.
- The Taming Power of the Great (Hexagram 26) The mountain holding back heaven: great creative force restrained and stored, the figure of accumulated power held in check until it can be used…
- The Corners of the Mouth (Hexagram 27) The mountain above, thunder below, the shape of an open mouth with teeth: the figure of feeding and being fed.
- Preponderance of the Great (Hexagram 28) The lake risen above the trees, drowning the wood: a ridgepole bending under too great a weight.
- The Abysmal — Water (Hexagram 29) Water doubled, the abyss within the abyss: danger upon danger, the deep gorge through which the flood must pour.
- The Clinging — Fire (Hexagram 30) Fire doubled, brightness clinging to brightness: the flame that depends on its fuel and so gives light.
- Influence (Hexagram 31) The lake atop the mountain, the young woman above the young man drawing him up: mutual attraction, the influence that woos.
- Duration (Hexagram 32) Thunder above, wind below, movement and gentleness in lasting union: the figure of what endures.
- Retreat (Hexagram 33) Heaven above the mountain, the strong withdrawing upward as the dark advances below: the strategic retreat.
- The Power of the Great (Hexagram 34) Thunder rolling across heaven, four strong lines surging upward: great vigour at its height.
- Progress (Hexagram 35) The sun rising over the earth: easy, rapid advance into the light.
- Darkening of the Light (Hexagram 36) The light sunk beneath the earth, the sun gone down into the dark: brilliance wounded and hidden.
- The Family (Hexagram 37) Wind issuing from fire, warmth spreading outward from the hearth: the ordered household.
- Opposition (Hexagram 38) Fire above moving up, the lake below moving down: two that share a roof but pull apart.
- Obstruction (Hexagram 39) Water atop the mountain, the abyss beyond the steep ascent: obstruction on every side.
- Deliverance (Hexagram 40) Thunder and rain breaking, the storm releasing its tension: deliverance after difficulty.
- Decrease (Hexagram 41) The mountain above the lake, the lake's depth diminished to raise the mountain: decrease that enriches above by drawing from below.
- Increase (Hexagram 42) Wind and thunder reinforcing each other, the powers of growth at full strength: increase that flows downward from above to enrich what is below.
- Breakthrough (Hexagram 43) The lake risen to heaven, about to break in a cloudburst, five strong lines pressing out the single weak one at the top: the decisive breakthrough.
- Coming to Meet (Hexagram 44) Heaven above, wind below, a single dark line entering at the bottom beneath five strong ones: the unexpected encounter, the small that comes to meet…
- Gathering Together (Hexagram 45) The lake risen above the earth, the waters gathering into one body: assembly, the drawing-together of people around a centre.
- Pushing Upward (Hexagram 46) Wood growing up within the earth, the tree pushing toward the light: effortful upward growth.
- Oppression (Hexagram 47) The lake drained dry above the dangerous water below, the marsh with no water in it: exhaustion, adversity that wears one down.
- The Well (Hexagram 48) Water raised from the depth by the wood of the bucket: the well that feeds all who come to it.
- Revolution (Hexagram 49) Fire within the lake, two elements that destroy one another forcing a transformation: revolution, the moulting of the old into the new.
- The Cauldron (Hexagram 50) Fire over wood, the flame nourished by the fuel beneath it: the cauldron in which the raw is cooked into the refined.
- The Arousing — Thunder (Hexagram 51) Thunder doubled, the shock that comes again and again: the figure of the awakening jolt.
- Keeping Still — Mountain (Hexagram 52) The mountain doubled, stillness upon stillness: the figure of meditative rest.
- Development (Hexagram 53) A tree growing on the mountain, slowly, over years: gradual development by the proper stages.
- The Marrying Maiden (Hexagram 54) Thunder over the lake, the eldest son above the youngest daughter, she entering his house in a subordinate place: the marrying maiden who joins on…
- Abundance (Hexagram 55) Thunder and lightning together, movement joined to clarity at its fullest: abundance at the zenith.
- The Wanderer (Hexagram 56) Fire on the mountain, a blaze that does not stay but moves on across the ridge: the figure of the traveller.
- The Gentle — Wind (Hexagram 57) Wind following wind, the gentle penetrating force that works by ceaseless, mild repetition: the figure of subtle influence.
- The Joyous — Lake (Hexagram 58) Lake resting on lake, two bodies of water joined and reflecting each other: the figure of joy.
- Dispersion (Hexagram 59) Wind blowing over water, dispersing the surface into mist and ripples: the figure of dissolution and dispersion.
- Limitation (Hexagram 60) Water held above the lake, the lake whose banks contain it: the figure of limitation.
- Inner Truth (Hexagram 61) Wind over the lake, the breath stirring the still water, two strong lines without and two yielding within forming an open heart: the figure of inner…
- Preponderance of the Small (Hexagram 62) Thunder on the mountain, the sound rising but not far, a small movement above a great stillness: the figure of the small in excess.
- After Completion (Hexagram 63) Water over fire, every line in its correct place, the work complete and in perfect order: the figure of completion.
- Before Completion (Hexagram 64) Fire over water, the forces present but not yet in their right places, the work nearly done but not complete: the figure of the threshold.