遯 → 大壯
Hexagram 33: Retreat → Hexagram 34: Great Power
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 5, 6).
Line 1
初六 遯尾厲。勿用有攸往。
Six at the beginning means: At the tail in retreat. This is dangerous. One must not wish to undertake anything.
Line 2
六二 執之用黃牛之革。莫之勝說。
Six in the second place means: he holds him fast with yellow oxhide. No one can tear him loose.
Line 5
九五 嘉遯貞吉。
Nine in the fifth place means: Friendly retreat. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Line 6
上九 肥遯无不利。
Nine at the top means: Cheerful retreat. Everything serves to further.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
陳力就列，官職並廢，手不勝盆，失其寵門。
Displaying one's ability, taking one's rank; yet office and post are both abolished. The hand cannot hold the basin; he loses his favored position.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Heaven above the mountain erupts as thunder over heaven — Great Power's unstoppable force. Yet the verse describes the collapse of that power: officials display their abilities and vie for position, but offices are abolished wholesale. The hand cannot even lift a basin; the favored household loses its gate of privilege. The phrase 'display abilities and take your place' (陳力就列) comes from the Analerta — Confucius's admonition that one who cannot perform should step down. Here, stepping down is not voluntary but forced. From Retreat to Great Power, the mountain's withdrawal should transform into thunderous strength. Instead, the verse captures power that overreaches and shatters: officials who grasped for position find their posts eliminated, and even basic physical strength deserts them. Great Power misapplied destroys the very platform it stands on.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store