乾 → 隨
Hexagram 1: The Creative → Hexagram 17: Following
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 2, 3, 6).
Line 2
九二 見龍在田。利見大人。
Nine in the second place means: Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great man.
Line 3
九三 君子終日乾乾。夕惕若厲。无咎。
Nine in the third place means: All day long the superior man is creatively active. At nightfall his mind is still beset with cares. Danger. No blame.
Line 6
上九 亢龍有悔。
Nine at the top means: Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
乘龍上天，兩蛇為輔，湧躍雲中，遊觀滄海，安樂長處。
Riding the dragon skyward, two serpents as escort. Surging and leaping among the clouds, roaming and gazing over the vast sea; dwelling long in peace and joy.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Riding a dragon skyward, flanked by two serpents, soaring through the clouds to gaze upon the vast sea — dwelling in eternal ease. The dragon-riding image recalls the Yellow Emperor's legendary ascent, but here it serves a different pattern. From Creative to Following, thunder lies dormant within the lake — the image of resting at nightfall. The celestial journey is not conquest but surrender to a greater current: the dragon does not obey the rider but carries him. To follow is to mount the moving force and let it choose the destination. The clouds, the sea, the long peace — all arrive because the rider relinquishes command and lets the dragon lead.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store