Hexagram 19: Approach → Hexagram 35: Progress

Approach
Earth / Lake
Progress
Fire / Earth
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4, 6).

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 4

六四 至臨。无咎。

zhìcomplete
líntaking charge
no
jiùblame

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

Line 6

上六 敦臨。吉。无咎。

dūnauthentic
líntaking charge
promising
no
jiùis wrong

Six at the top means: Greathearted approach. Good fortune. No blame.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramEarth FireThe Receptive → The Clinging
Lower TrigramLake EarthThe Joyous → The Receptive

Yilin Verse

平國不君,夏氏作亂;烏號竊發,靈公殞命。

The state of Ping knows no rightful lord; the Xia clan stirs rebellion. The black bow fires in secret -- Duke Ling loses his life.

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

Commentary

Earth above the lake meets fire rising above the earth — the bright advance of Progress. Yet the advance here is catastrophic: 'The state of Ping is without a proper ruler; the Xia clan raises rebellion. The Wuhao bow fires in secret; Duke Ling loses his life.' This alludes to Duke Ling of Chen, who conducted an open affair with Xia Ji. Her son Xia Zhengsu, humiliated by the duke's mockery, shot him from the stable gate in 599 BC. The Wuhao bow — named after the legendary weapon — fires from ambush, and the licentious duke falls. From Approach to Progress, fire advancing above the earth should illuminate — but here it exposes corruption so starkly that violence erupts. Progress without moral foundation only accelerates destruction.

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