Hexagram 17: Following → Hexagram 29: The Abysmal Water

Following
Lake / Thunder
The Abysmal Water
Water / Water
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4).

Line 1

初九 官有渝。貞吉。出門交有功。

guānthe standards
yǒuwill
change
zhēnpersistence
promising
chūleaving
ména outer gate
jiāoto communicate
yǒuhas
gōngmerit

Nine at the beginning means: The standard is changing. Perseverance brings good fortune. To go out of the door in company Produces deeds.

Line 2

六二 係小子。失丈夫。

attached
xiǎoa little
child
shīlosing
zhàngthe senior
gentleman

Six in the second place means: If one clings to the little boy, One loses the strong man.

Line 4

九四 隨有獲。貞凶。有孚在道以明。何咎。

suífollow
yǒuhas
huòsuccess
zhēnpersistence
xiōngunfortunate
yǒube
true
zàion
dàoa way
in order to be
míngclear
where is
jiùthe blame

Nine in the fourth place means: Following creates success. Perseverance brings misfortune. To go one's way with sincerity brings clarity. How could there be blame in this?

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake WaterThe Joyous → The Deep
Lower TrigramThunder WaterThe Arousing → The Deep

Yilin Verse

入暗出明,動作有光;運轉休息,常樂允康。

Entering darkness, emerging into light; every action has its radiance. Turning and resting in rhythm, ever joyful and at ease.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Thunder rests within the lake, and the journey moves from darkness into light. Actions shine with radiance; the cycle of effort and rest turns smoothly, bringing constant joy and abiding health. The verse is an unusually pure benediction — no danger, no irony, simply the natural rhythm of labor and repose producing wellbeing. From Following to the Abysmal, the paradox is striking: Kan represents doubled peril, water upon water, yet this verse finds within that repeated descent a rhythm of renewal. Entering darkness and emerging into light is precisely the Abysmal's discipline: one who follows the water's way — flowing through danger without resisting — discovers that the abyss itself teaches constancy.

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