Hexagram 33: Retreat → Hexagram 3: Difficulty at the Beginning

Retreat
Heaven / Mountain
Difficulty at the Beginning
Water / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 3, 4, 6).

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramHeaven WaterThe Creative → The Deep
Lower TrigramMountain ThunderKeeping Still → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

穴有孤烏,坎生蝦蟆,象出萬里,不可得捕。

In the cave, a solitary crow; in the pit, a toad is born. The elephant roams ten thousand li; it cannot be caught.

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

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

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