Upper Trigram
乾 Qián
Heaven — Creative
Lower Trigram
艮 Gèn
Mountain — Stillness
Classical Texts
The Judgment
Success. In small matters, persistence furthers. Hostile forces advance. This isn't the time to fight—it's the time to withdraw strategically. Retreat isn't flight. Flight is panic; retreat is strength. The key is recognizing the right moment while you still have options. Make the advance difficult through persistent small resistances while preparing your countermove.
The Lines
Line 1
At the tail end of the retreat—dangerous position. Those in back face the pursuing enemy directly. Don't try anything from here. Stillness is the only escape when you're this exposed.
Line 2
Held fast with yellow oxhide—impossible to break free. Someone clings to you with the strength of genuine purpose. Their grip serves what's right. Let them hold; this persistence furthers the small.
Line 3
A halted retreat—nerve-wracking and dangerous. You're held back when you should be withdrawing. Take these clinging people into your service to maintain some initiative. Not ideal, but it's the only way to preserve agency.
Line 4
Voluntary retreat brings good fortune to the capable person, downfall to the dependent. Leaving willingly and friendly requires no violence to your convictions. The one who loses is whoever needed your guidance.
Line 5
Friendly retreat. Recognize the moment to leave while amenities can still be observed. Absolute firmness of decision, but no ugly scenes. Don't be swayed by irrelevant considerations.
Line 6
Cheerful retreat. Inner detachment is complete. No doubt about departure; the way ahead is clear. When you can choose what's right without further thought, everything serves your purpose.
Yilin: Forest of Changes
From Jiao Yanshou's Forest of Changes (焦氏易林) — the verse for Hexagram 33 in its unchanging form. A Han dynasty collection of four-character verses interpreting every hexagram transformation.
三塗五岳，陽城太室，神明所保，獨無兵革。
The three passes and Five Sacred Peaks; Yangcheng and Taishi Mountain. What the spirits protect and preserve; alone, free from weapons and war.
Read full commentary ↓
Heaven above the mountain remains as heaven above the mountain — Retreat doubled, the hexagram reflecting upon itself. The Three Tu passes and the Five Sacred Mountains, Yangcheng and Taishi Peak — these are the sacred precincts that the gods themselves protect, and alone they are spared the ravages of war. The Three Tu refers to the strategic mountain passes near Luoyang; Taishi is the main peak of Mount Song, the Central Sacred Mountain, near the ancient site of Yangcheng. These are the heartland of Chinese sacred geography. From Retreat to Retreat, the verse affirms that the most complete withdrawal is the mountain itself — the divine sanctuary where even armies dare not trespass. When retreat is total and principled, it becomes inviolable, a sacred space that needs no defense because its very nature forbids desecration.
中文注释
天下有山，遯之象。三塗五岳——三塗險關與五嶽聖山。陽城太室——陽城與太室山（嵩山主峰）。神明所保——神明護佑之地。獨無兵革——唯此不見兵戈。三塗為洛陽附近要隘，太室為中嶽嵩山主峰，陽城為其所在古邑——皆天下中心、神聖地理之核心。從遯至遯，卦自映自身。退避之極致即聖山本身——神靈庇護，兵革不至。退避若徹底純粹便成不可侵犯之聖域，不須防衛自然免禍。
Related Hexagrams
Same upper trigram: Heaven (乾)
Same lower trigram: Mountain (艮)