SIX LINES
The Fighting Temeraire
䷢

Hexagram 35

晉

Jìn

Progress

The Fighting Temeraire — J.M.W. Turner, 1839

An aging warship glides toward its final berth, towed by a steam tugboat across glowing water in J.M.W. Turner's 1839 masterpiece. The HMS Temeraire—veteran of Trafalgar, Nelson's great sea battle—moves as a ghost of white sails against the setting sun. Behind the old ship, a small steam tug churns forward, black smokestack asserting the new industrial power that renders sailing vessels obsolete. Turner positions the viewer at the moment of transition, when one era yields to another, when the old gives way not through catastrophe but through the inexorable advance of what comes next.

Read full treatise ↓

This is Jìn (晉), Progress. The character depicts the sun rising above the horizon, advancement becoming visible. Ancient diviners saw this configuration when Fire (Lí) sits above Earth (Kūn)—clarity and illumination rising from receptive foundation, light emerging into visibility. Turner's painting captures this structure: the old warship represents what has served its time, while the steam tug embodies the rising clarity of new methods, new powers advancing not through combat but through superior capability. Turner painted this in 1839 depicting the HMS Temeraire, a warship from the Battle of Trafalgar, being towed by a steam tugboat to be scrapped. The old sailing ship gives way to new steamship technology, showing progress through generational transition. The Judgment text addresses the psychology of advancement: "Progress. The powerful prince is honored with horses in large numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times." Zhou Dynasty practitioners understood that genuine progress brings recognition without self-promotion. When Fire rises above Earth, advancement occurs through merit becoming visible rather than through ambition pushing forward. Song Dynasty commentators noted this hexagram appeared when worthy officials received promotion, when beneficial innovations gained adoption, when ideas whose time had arrived spread through receptive acceptance rather than forceful advocacy. The Image Text reveals the method: "The sun rises over the earth: the image of Progress. Thus the superior man himself brightens his bright virtue." Turner's sunset paradoxically illustrates this principle—the old warship moves toward darkness while embodying past glory, but the image captures how light itself demonstrates progress through its natural rising and setting. In the I-Ching's sequence, Jìn follows Dà Zhuàng (Great Power): after power reaches fullness, progress manifests through that power's proper application. The Temeraire advances toward its end with dignity, making way for what must rise next. Progress serves not the advancement of self but the unfolding of what naturally succeeds.

Upper Trigram

☲

離 Lí

Fire — Clinging

ElementFireDirectionEastFamilySecond DaughterQualitiesilluminating, dependent, radiant

Lower Trigram

☷

坤 Kūn

Earth — Receptive

ElementEarthDirectionNorthFamilyMotherQualitiesreceptive, yielding, nurturing

Classical Texts

The Judgment

The powerful lord is honored with horses in great numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times. The sun rises over the earth—rapid, easy progress with widening expansion and clarity. A twofold condition: the leader has clarity not to abuse influence but uses it for the benefit of the ruler. The ruler is free of jealousy and showers rewards. Enlightened ruler, obedient servant—this is how great progress happens.

The Lines

Line 1

Progressing but turned back. If met with no confidence, remain calm. Persistence in what's right brings good fortune. Don't try to force trust. Refuse to be roused to anger. Freedom from mistakes comes through steady composure.

Line 2

Progressing but in sorrow. Blocked from the authority you're connected to. Remain persistent through the grief; with maternal gentleness, happiness will come. Mutual attraction based on correct principles, not selfish motives.

Line 3

All are in accord. Remorse disappears. Moving forward with others whose support encourages you. No regret about lacking independence—collective progress works.

Line 4

Progress like a hamster. Persistence brings danger. In times of progress, it's easy to amass possessions through dubious means. But such conduct shuns light. Times of progress are also when shady dealings get exposed.

Line 5

Remorse disappears. Don't take gain or loss to heart. Gentle and reserved in an influential position, you might reproach yourself for not maximizing advantage. Let that regret go—what matters is securing opportunities for beneficial influence.

Line 6

Advancing with horns—permissible only when disciplining your own people. Offensive action is always dangerous. Avoid the mistakes that threaten; succeed in what you set out to do. Persistence in aggressive behavior toward outsiders brings humiliation.

Yilin: Forest of Changes

From Jiao Yanshou's Forest of Changes (焦氏易林) — the verse for Hexagram 35 in its unchanging form. A Han dynasty collection of four-character verses interpreting every hexagram transformation.

Yilin artwork for Hexagram 35
銷鋒鑄耜，休牛放馬，甲兵解散，夫婦相保。

Weapons melted, plowshares cast; oxen rested, horses set free. Armor and soldiers disbanded; husband and wife keep each other safe.

Read full commentary ↓

Fire rises above the earth, and the land returns to peace. Weapon points are melted down and recast as plowshares; oxen are rested and horses set free to pasture. Armor and troops are disbanded, and husbands and wives keep each other safe. This verse directly echoes the Shangshu chapter 'Wu Cheng,' describing King Wu of Zhou's demobilization after defeating the Shang: he released war-oxen in the Peach Forest and pastured war-horses on the southern slopes of Mount Hua. From Progress to Progress (the hexagram returning to itself), the transformation embodies fulfillment at rest. The brightest advance is the one that knows when to stop advancing — when the fire that rose above the earth settles into sustained warmth rather than consuming flame.

中文注释

明出地上，晉之象。「銷鋒鑄耜」——銷熔兵鋒鑄為農具，出《尚書·武成》：武王伐紂勝後偃武修文。「休牛放馬」——散放戰牛戰馬，典出武王「歸馬於華山之陽，放牛於桃林之野」。「甲兵解散，夫婦相保」——軍隊解甲，夫婦團圓。從晉至晉，卦返自身，進而復進。然此處之進非征伐之進，乃和平之進——最明亮之前行，是知止而安。火出地上不再燒灼，化為持久之溫暖。

Transformations

Hexagram 35 transforming into each of the 64 hexagrams, with Yilin verses.

䷀1䷁2䷂3䷃4䷄5䷅6䷆7䷇8䷈9䷉10䷊11䷋12䷌13䷍14䷎15䷏16䷐17䷑18䷒19䷓20䷔21䷕22䷖23䷗24䷘25䷙26䷚27䷛28䷜29䷝30䷞31䷟32䷠33䷡34䷢35䷣36䷤37䷥38䷦39䷧40䷨41䷩42䷪43䷫44䷬45䷭46䷮47䷯48䷰49䷱50䷲51䷳52䷴53䷵54䷶55䷷56䷸57䷹58䷺59䷻60䷼61䷽62䷾63䷿64

Related Hexagrams

Same upper trigram: Fire (離)

䷍大有Great Possession䷔噬嗑Biting Through䷝離The Clinging Fire䷥睽Opposition䷱鼎The Cauldron䷿未濟Before Completion

Same lower trigram: Earth (坤)

䷁坤The Receptive䷇比Holding Together䷋否Standstill䷏豫Enthusiasm䷓觀Contemplation䷬萃Gathering Together
← Hexagram 34AllHexagram 36 →