64 Hexagrams
Explore ancient wisdom and gain insights for modern life. The 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching cover the full spectrum of change in the world.
乾 qián
Force = heaven + heaven
元，亨，利，貞。 Qian (creativity and perseverance, heaven): It possesses the virtues of origination (i.e. a great new beginning full of creative power), smooth progress, advantage (or appropriateness, i.e. being appropriate for all concerned, which creates benefit), and persistence (in maintaining what has been achieved and righteously carrying on toward what is intended).
坤 kūn
Field = earth + earth
元 (origination)，亨 (smooth progress)，利(be advantageous or appropriate)牝馬(mare)之(a preposition to mark preceding phrase as the possessive of)貞(fidelity)。君子(gentleman)有(have)攸(place)往(go)，先(at first)迷(go astray)後(later)得(attain)主(master)。利西南(southeast)得(attain)朋(friend)，東北(northeast)喪(lose)朋。安(feel satisfied and remain steady with the situation)貞(persist)吉(be auspicious)。 Kun (submissiveness and receptiveness, earth): Origination (i.e. a great and new start full of executive power), smooth progress, it is advantageous (or appropriate) to possess the fidelity (i.e. the persistence) of a mare. A gentleman goes somewhere; he loses his way at first but later will attain (the recognition of) the master. It is advantageous (or appropriate) to go southwest in attaining friendship, while going northeast leads to losing friends. To contentedly persist in the norm of hexagram Kun1 is auspicious.
屯 zhūn
Sprouting = thunder + water
屯：元亨，利貞。勿(not)用(act, use)有(there be)攸(place)往(go)，利(be advantageous or appropriate)建(establish)侯(ducal state)。 Zhun (difficult to initiate): It entails great and smooth progress (元亨); it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist (利貞). Do not take action in going somewhere; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to establish a ducal state.
蒙 méng
Enveloping = water + mountain
亨。匪(not)我(I)求(look for)童(childish)蒙，童蒙求我。初(first)筮(divination)告(tell)，再(again)三(three)瀆，瀆則(an auxiliary confirming and stressing the verb following)不(not)告。利貞。 Meng (to dispel ignorance and develop intelligence): It will provide smooth progress. It is not I who look for childish Meng (ignorance); it is the childish Meng (ignorance) that looks for me for enlightenment. The first request to explain the divination will be advised; the second and the third requests to explain the same divination are seen as disrespect (瀆). If disrespect they shall not be advised. It is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in the norm of Meng.
需 xū
Attending = heaven + water
有孚，光(light, bright)亨，貞吉。利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)。 Xu (to wait): With sincerity and trust (有孚), hexagram Xu is able to progress brightly (i.e. optimistically) and smoothly; to persist is auspicious. It is instrumental in crossing a great river.
訟 sòng
Arguing = water + heaven
有孚窒，惕中吉，終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川。 Song (litigation): Sincerity and trust (有孚) are obstructed (窒); to be vigilant and cautious (惕) with the principle of moderation (中) is auspicious (吉); to go through (終) with litigation is ominous (凶). It is advantageous (or appropriate) (利) to see (見) a great lord (i.e. a person administering justice) (大人); it is not (不) instrumental in (利) crossing (涉) a great (大) river (川).
師 shī
Leading = water + earth
貞，丈人吉，无(no)咎。 Shi (an army): It requires persisting in righteousness (or being loyal); its possessing a person of age and experience (丈人) is auspicious; then it will be of no fault (or calamity).
比 bǐ
Grouping = earth + water
吉。原(trace back to the fountainhead)筮(divination)元永貞，无(no)咎。不(not)寧(willing)方(just)來(come)，後(fall behind)夫(man)凶。 Bi (intimate interdependence): It is of auspiciousness, but It requires divining twice (or divining very prudently). Bi must possess origination (which is regarded as the fountain of goodness, i.e. benevolence, when referring to virtue) and everlasting as well as persistence in righteousness (元永貞), which assures no calamity (or fault). Those not steadfast with Bi will then come for Bi; it is ominous for one to come late.
小畜 xiǎo xù
Small Accumulating = heaven + wind
亨。密(dense)雲(cloud)不(not)雨(rain)，自(from)我(my)西(western)郊(places which are fifty kilometres away from the capital)。 Xiao Chu (little feeding): It can obtain smooth progress. Dense clouds are gathering but it does not rain; they are coming from my border in the west.
履 lǚ
Treading = swamp + heaven
履(tread on)虎(tiger)尾(tail)，不(not)咥(bite)人(people)，亨。 Lu (to tread on) the tiger’s tail, but the tiger does not bite people; along this course one will reach smooth progress.
泰 tài
Pervading = heaven + earth
小(small)往(go)大(large)來(come)，吉亨。 Tai (a smooth, unobstructed, harmonious and peaceful state): The small has gone while the large comes, which is of auspiciousness and smooth progress.
否 pǐ
Obstruction = earth + heaven
否之匪(not, bad, bandit)人(human)，不(not)利(be advantageous or appropriate)君子(gentleman)貞，大(large)往(go forward)小(small)來(come)。 Pi (the state of blockage and stagnation) is in possession of (之) no human relationship or code of conduct; it is not advantageous (or appropriate) for a gentleman to persist in carrying out his aspirations; the large one has gone while the small one comes.
同人 tóng rén
Concording People = fire + heaven
同人于(in, on, at)野(countryside, the wild)，亨。利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)，利(be advantageous or appropriate)君子(gentleman)貞。 Tong Ren (fellowship) is in the countryside, which offers smooth progress. It is instrumental in crossing a great river; it is advantageous (or appropriate) for a gentleman to persist in the norm of Tong Ren.
大有 dà yǒu
Great Possessing = heaven + fire
元亨。 Da You (abundant possessions): It is of great and smooth progress.
謙 qiān
Humbling = mountain + earth
亨，君子(gentleman)有(possess)終(throughout, end, conclusion)。 Qian (humility): It is of smooth progress; a gentleman carries it through to the end.
豫 yù
Providing-For = earth + thunder
利(be instrumental in)建(establish)侯(ducal state)行(walk, go)師(troops)。 Yu (to submit from deep admiration): It is instrumental in establishing a ducal state and dispatching troops.
隨 suí
Following = thunder + swamp
元亨，利貞，无咎。 Sui (to follow): It will lead to great and smooth progress; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist; there will be no calamity (or fault).
蠱 gǔ
Correcting = wind + mountain
元亨。利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)。先(before)甲(Jia)三日(three days)，後(after)甲三日。 Gu (to remove what is evil and long-bred, like correcting entrenched bad habits or practices): It will progress in a greatly smooth manner; it is instrumental in crossing a great river. The action requires being taken three days before Jia (i.e. right from the beginning), and evaluated three days after Jia (i.e. transit point).
臨 lín
Nearing = swamp + earth
元亨，利貞，至于(as to, come to)八月(eight months, August)有(there be)凶。 Lin (the superior approaching the inferior): It will progress in a great and smooth manner; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in righteousness; as to eighth months later (or, when it comes to August) there will be misfortune.
觀 guān
Viewing = earth + wind
盥(wash one's hands)而(but)不(not)薦(offer)，有孚顒若(like)。 Guan (those above provide a model): ablution but not yet time for offering the sacrifice, the action of which exhibits sincerity and trust and deserves to be looked up to (顒) with reverence.
噬嗑 shì kè
Gnawing Bite = thunder + fire
亨，利(be instrumental in)用(use)獄。 Shi He (biting through): It will lead to smooth progress; it is instrumental in making use of the penal code (獄).
賁 bì
Adorning = fire + mountain
亨。小(small, little)利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Bi (to adorn): It provides smooth progress. Slight adornment is instrumental in going somewhere.
剝 bō
Stripping = earth + mountain
不(not)利(be advantageous or appropriate)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Bo (peeling off): It is not advantageous (or appropriate) to go somewhere.
復 fù
Returning = thunder + earth
亨。出(exit)入(enter)无(no)疾(illness)，朋(friend)來(come)无咎。反(return)復其(its)道(norm, course, way)，七日(seven days)來復。利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Fu (to return): It will obtain smooth progress. Masculinity is in a state of going out and coming in with no illness; friends will be coming and there will be no calamity. Returning to Fu is its norm, whereby it comes to Fu in seven days. It is instrumental in going somewhere.
无妄 wú wàng
Without Embroiling = thunder + heaven
元(great)亨，利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞。其(here it acts as a conjunctive: if)匪(not)正(righteousness)有(there be)眚(man-made calamity)，不(not)利有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Wu Wang (no pretence, misbehaviour, etc): It will lead to great and smooth progress; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in acting according to the norm of Wu Wang. If acting not righteously there will be a man-made calamity; it is not advantageous (or appropriate) to go somewhere.
大畜 dà xù
Great Accumulating = heaven + mountain
利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞，不(not)家(home)食(eat)，吉，利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)。 Da Chu (large storage and great restraint): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist; not to eat at home (i.e. not to eat alone), which is of auspiciousness; it is instrumental in crossing a great river.
頤 yí
Swallowing = thunder + mountain
貞吉。觀(observe)頤，自(one's self)求(seek)口(mouth)實(stuff to fill the vacancy)。 Yi (to nourish): To persist is auspicious. To observe Yi: it means to observe how to seek food to fill one’s mouth by oneself (i.e. to seek nourishment for oneself).
大過 dà guò
Great Exceeding = wind + swamp
棟(ridgepole)橈(bend)。利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)，亨。 Da Guo (large excess): It presents a ridgepole bends. It is instrumental in going somewhere; this will change to smooth progress.
坎 kǎn
Gorge = water + water
習坎，有孚，維(maintain)心(heart)亨(progress smoothly)，行(act)有(has)尚(advocate)。 Repeated Kan (multiple peril): Undergoing it requires possessing sincerity and trust, keeping the heart progressing smoothly, and acting according to what is advocated (or anticipated).
離 lí
Radiance = fire + fire
利貞，亨。畜(raise)牝(female bird or animal)牛(cattle)，吉。 Li (clinging): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in righteousness; this will lead to smooth progress. To raise a cow, which is of auspiciousness.
咸 xián
Conjoining = mountain + swamp
亨，利貞，取女(female, girl)吉。 Xian (telepathy): It will create smooth progress; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist; to marry (取) a maiden is auspicious.
恆 héng
Persevering = wind + thunder
亨，无(no)咎，利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞，利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Heng (endurance or everlasting): It entails or contains smooth progress, and it assures or there is no fault (or calamity); it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist; it is instrumental in going somewhere.
遯 dùn
Retiring = mountain + heaven
亨，小(small, little)利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞。 Dun (retreat): It will provide smooth progress; it is slightly advantageous (or appropriate) to persist.
大壯 dà zhuàng
Great Invigorating = heaven + thunder
利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞。 Da Zhuang (largeness and strength): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist.
晉 jìn
Prospering = earth + fire
康侯用(use)錫(bestow something on an inferior or junior)馬(horse)蕃(proliferate)庶(numerousness)，晝日(daytime)三(three)接(intersect, meet)。 Jin (advance toward brightness): Duke Kang makes use of the horses bestowed by the king for reproduction, and is summoned three times during the day (or, mates the horses three times during the day).
明夷 míng yí
Darkening of the Light = fire + earth
利艱(be in difficulty but endure)貞。 Ming Yi (brightness being tarnished): It is appropriate (or advantageous) to persist adamantly while being in difficulty.
家人 jiā rén
Dwelling People = fire + wind
利女(female)貞。 Jia Ren (the household): it is advantageous (or appropriate) for the female to persist in righteousness.
睽 kuí
Polarising = swamp + fire
小(small, little, to lessen)事(affair, work, trouble)吉。 Kui (alienation): To lessen it is auspicious (or, to take action on a small scale is auspicious).
蹇 jiǎn
Limping = mountain + water
利(be advantageous or appropriate)西南(southwest)，不(not)利東北(northeast)。利見(see)大人(great lord)，貞吉。 Jian (difficulty, or a plight): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to be in the southwest, but not advantageous (or appropriate) in the northeast. It is advantageous (or appropriate) to see a great lord, and it is auspicious to persist.
解 jiě
Taking-Apart = water + thunder
利(be advantageous or appropriate)西南(southeast)。无(no)所(place)往(go)，其(third person pronoun)來(come back)復(recover)吉。有(there be)攸(place)往，夙(earliness)吉。 Xie (alleviation): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to be in the southwest. Not to go anywhere if there is no crisis: to return and recover is auspicious. To go somewhere when there is a crisis; to arrive early is auspicious.
損 sǔn
Diminishing = swamp + mountain
有孚，元吉，无(no)咎。可(can, permit)貞，利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。曷(how)之(it)用(use, be used)，二簋(container for grains)可用享(offer sacrifice)。 Sun (to diminish): With sincerity and trust, it can be of great auspiciousness; then there will be no calamity (or fault). If righteousness can persist, it will be instrumental to go somewhere. How is it (i.e. Sun) used? Two cups of grains can be used as the offering in a sacrificial ceremony.
益 yì
Augmenting = thunder + wind
利有(have)攸(place)往(go)，利涉(wade)大(great)川(river)。 Yi (to enrich): It is advantageous (or appropriate) to go somewhere; it is instrumental in crossing a great river.
夬 guài
Displacement = heaven + swamp
揚(make known)于(at, on, in)王(king)庭(court)，孚號(call, summon)有(there be)厲。告(announce)自(self)邑(town)，不(not)利(be advantageous)即(prompt)戎(military might)，利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Guai (to get rid of): The masculine or the gentleman ought to make an open announcement at the palace hall, and to summon an alliance with sincerity and trust as the situation is stern and cruel. It is better to notify the public and start from one’s hometown; it is not advantageous (or not appropriate) to resort to immediate arms, and it is instrumental in going somewhere.
姤 gòu
Coupling = wind + heaven
女(female, girl)壯(strong)，勿(not)用(act)取(take, used here as 娶: marry)女。 Gou (to meet): The girl is vigorous; do not take action to marry such a female.
萃 cuì
Clustering = earth + swamp
亨。王(king)假(arrive)有(an expletive)廟(shrine, temple)，利(be advantageous to)見(see)大人(great lord)，亨，利貞。用(use)大(large, major)牲(animal sacrifice)吉，利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)。 Cui (to gather together): It entails smooth progress. The king arrives at the shrine; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to see a great lord, which offers smooth progress; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in righteousness. To worship with a ceremonial sacrifice is auspicious; it is instrumental in going somewhere.
升 shēng
Ascending = wind + earth
元亨。用見大人，勿恤，南征吉。 Sheng (to rise): It entails and offers great (元) and smooth progress (亨). The subject ought to make use of (用) seeing (見) a great lord (大人), with no need to worry; to undertake a venture (征) toward the south (南) is auspicious (吉).
困 kùn
Confining = water + swamp
亨。貞，大人吉，无咎。有(there be)言(word)不(not)信(believe)。 Kun (to be besieged): One must maintain smooth progress. Persistence in the norm of hexagram Kun4 is essential, which will bring the great lord auspiciousness, and then no calamity. Whatever is said won’t be believed.
井 jǐng
Welling = wind + water
改(change)邑(town)不(not)改井。无(no)喪(loss)无得(gain)，往(go)來(come)井井。汔(dry up)至(until)，亦(neither)未(yet)繘(the rope of the well, using the rope to draw water)井，羸(weak, break)其(the objective of a third person, i.e. the drawer)瓶(earthenware bottle)，凶。 Jing (the well): The townscape has changed but the well remains unchanging. The water of the well neither decreases nor increases, even if people come and go in Jing (drawing water from) Jing (the well). However drawing is done in such a greedy way that the well nearly runs out of water; the rope has not reached the top of the well yet, the bucket breaks, which is of an ominous omen.
革 gé
Skinning = fire + swamp
己日(day)乃(then, whereupon)孚。元亨，利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞，悔亡(gone, die)。 Ge (reform or revolution): On the day of Ji (己) (i.e. right after the first half of the hexagram) it will obtain sincerity and trust. It will lead to great and smooth progress, and it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist; regret will be gone.
鼎 dǐng
Holding = wind + fire
元吉，亨。 Ding (to recruit and nourish virtuous and able people, or to innovate): It requires great auspiciousness, and then it will attain smooth progress.
震 zhèn
Shake = thunder + thunder
亨。震來(come)虩虩，笑(laugh)言(say, talk, word)啞啞。震驚(startle)百里(a hundred miles)，不(not)喪(lose)匕(spoon)鬯(sacrificial spirits)。 Zhen: It deserves smooth progress. Zhen (thunder) comes and frightens people (虩虩), the eldest son is laughing and chatting - Ho! Ho! Zhen (thunder) rumbles for a hundred miles, but the eldest son doesn’t let the ritual spoon and wine fall.
艮 gèn
Bound = mountain + mountain
艮其(one's)背(back)，不(not)獲(obtain)其(it also acts as the possessive of a third person but isn’t literally translated)身(body)，行(go, walk)其庭(the front courtyard)，不(not)見(see)其(it here acts as an adjective: other)人(people)，无(no)咎。 Gen (keeping still) is imposed on one’s back, the stillness of which will not reach the body; while walking in the front courtyard, one does not see others, which results in no calamity (or fault).
漸 jiàn
Infiltrating = mountain + wind
女歸吉，利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞。 Jian (to progress gradually and sequentially): A female marrying a male (女歸) is auspicious; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist.
歸妹 guī mèi
Converting the Maiden = swamp + thunder
征(undertake a venture)凶，无(nothing)攸(concern)利(advantage)。 Gui Mei (the younger sister accompanies her older sister in marriage to her brother-in-law as a concubine): To undertake a venture is ominous, and nothing is favourable.
豐 fēng
Abounding = fire + thunder
亨，王假(attain)之(it)，勿(not)憂(worry)，宜日(sun)中(middle)。 Feng (a grand and abundant state): To achieve entails smooth progress; the king attains it. There is no need to worry, it is appropriate to maintain it like the sun at midday.
旅 lǚ
Sojourning = mountain + fire
小(small, little)亨，旅貞吉。 Lu (the journey): It offers somewhat of smooth progress (or, the small one, i.e. one with a low profile, will progress smoothly) (小亨); during Lu to persist is auspicious.
巽 xùn
Ground = wind + wind
小(small, little)亨，利(be instrumental in)有(have)攸(place)往(go)，利(be advantageous or appropriate to)見(see)大人(great lord)。 Xun (to enter, the wind): It will obtain somewhat of smooth progress (or, the small one, i.e. one with a low profile, will progress smoothly); it is instrumental in going somewhere; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to see a great lord who has influence on the future of others (or, who holds a high-ranking position).
兌 duì
Open = swamp + swamp
亨，利貞。 Dui (joy, or speaking, or persuasion): It offers smooth progress; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist in the norm of hexagram Dui.
渙 huàn
Dispersing = water + wind
亨。王(king)假(arrive)有(an expletive)廟(shrine, temple)，利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)，利(be advantageous or appropriate to)貞。 Huan (to dispel dispersion): It can attain smooth progress. The king goes to the shrine; it is instrumental in crossing a great river; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist.
節 jié
Articulating = swamp + water
亨。苦(bitter)節不(not)可(permit)貞。 Jie (restriction): Moderate restriction can bring about smooth progress. Bitter Jie does not permit persistence.
中孚 zhōng fú
Center Returning = swamp + wind
豚魚(puffer fish)吉，利(be instrumental in)涉(wade)大(great)川(river)，利(be advantageous or appropriate)貞。 Zhong Fu (sincerity and trust radiate from the heart): Its reaching the puffer fish is auspicious; it is instrumental in crossing a great river; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist.
小過 xiǎo guò
Small Exceeding = mountain + thunder
亨，利貞。可(permit)小(small)事(affair)，不(not)可大(large)事。飛鳥(flying bird)遺(leave behind)之(third person, possessive case, but not literally translated)音(sound)，不宜(appropriate)上(ascend)宜下(descend)，大吉。 Xiao Guo (a little excess): It can attain smooth progress; it is appropriate (or advantageous) to persist. It allows for doing small tasks, but doesn't permit undertaking a great mission. The cry left behind a flying bird; it is not appropriate for ascending but rather descending, which is of great auspiciousness.
既濟 jì jì
Already Fording = fire + water
亨小(small)，利貞，初(at first)吉終(in the end)亂(disorder)。 Ji Ji (completion): It can attain smooth progress in small matters; it is advantageous (or appropriate) to persist. In the beginning it is auspicious but in the end it becomes disorderly.
未濟 wèi jì
Not Yet Fording = water + fire
亨，小(small)狐(fox)汔(almost)濟(cross a river)，濡(immerse)其(its)尾(tail)，无(nothing)攸(concern)利(advantage)。 Wei Ji (not completed yet): It can be of smooth progress; a little fox has almost succeeded in crossing the river, but dampens its tail; nothing is favourable.
Showing 64 hexagrams
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