Hexagram 19: Approach → Hexagram 31: Influence

Approach
Earth / Lake
Influence
Lake / Mountain
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Line 1

初九 咸臨貞吉。

xiánunited
líntaking charge
zhēnpersistence
promising

Nine at the beginning means: Joint approach. Perseverance brings good fortune.

Line 2

九二 咸臨吉。无不利。

xiánunited
líntaking charge
promising
without
doubt
worthwhile

Nine in the second place means: Joint approach. Good fortune. Everything furthers.

Line 3

六三 甘臨。无攸利。既憂之。无咎。

gānsweet
líntaking charge
this is no
yōudirection
with merit
when finished
yōuindulge in
zhīthis
no
jiùblame

Six in the third place means: Comfortable approach. Nothing that would further. If one is induced to grieve over it, One becomes free of blame.

Line 4

六四 至臨。无咎。

zhìcomplete
líntaking charge
no
jiùblame

Six in the fourth place means: Complete approach. No blame.

Line 5

六五 知臨。大君之宜。吉。

zhīinformed
líntaking charge
great
jūnnoble
zhī...'s
necessity
promising

Six in the fifth place means: Wise approach. This is right for a great prince. Good fortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramEarth LakeThe Receptive → The Joyous
Lower TrigramLake MountainThe Joyous → Keeping Still

Yilin Verse

泱泱沸溢,水泉為害,使我無賴。

Waters surging and boiling over; the springs become a bane, leaving me destitute.

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

Commentary

Earth above the lake meets the lake gathered upon the mountain — Influence's mutual attraction. Yet the waters here are not gentle: vast and boiling over, springs and floods become a scourge, leaving one destitute. The lake that should nurture instead erupts, overwhelming what it touches. From Approach to Influence, mutual attraction turns destructive when feeling overflows all containment. The lake atop the mountain in Xian should moisten the summit gently — but this verse shows what happens when emotion boils over: the very receptivity that enables connection becomes a flood that strips away all resources. Influence without measure is indistinguishable from catastrophe.

The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store

Related Pages