Upper Trigram
乾 Qián
Heaven — Creative
Lower Trigram
巽 Xùn
Wind — Gentle
Classical Texts
The Judgment
The maiden is powerful. One should not marry such a maiden. After being eliminated, darkness unexpectedly obtrudes again from within and below. The inferior element seems harmless and inviting—you imagine you may dally with it and come to no harm. The inferior rises only because the superior doesn't regard it as dangerous and lends it power. If resisted from the first, it could never gain influence. But meeting can also be important: when elements predestined to be joined come together halfway, the world prospers. The meeting must be free of ulterior motives.
The Lines
Line 1
Check it at once with a brake of bronze. Persistence brings good fortune. Let it take its course and experience misfortune. Even a lean pig has it in him to rage around. An inferior element that has wormed its way in must be energetically checked immediately. Its insignificance should not tempt you to underrate it—a young pig, once grown strong, reveals its true nature.
Line 2
There is a fish in the tank. No blame. Does not further guests. The inferior element is kept under gentle control, not overcome by violence. Nothing evil is to be feared. But don't let it come in contact with those further away—once free, it would unfold its evil aspects unchecked.
Line 3
No skin on his thighs, walking comes hard. If mindful of the danger, no great mistake is made. Temptation to fall in with the evil offering itself. Fortunately, circumstances prevent this. Painful indecision in behavior, but clear insight into danger avoids more serious mistakes.
Line 4
No fish in the tank. This leads to misfortune. Insignificant people must be tolerated to keep them well disposed—then they're at your disposal when needed. Become alienated, fail to meet them halfway, and they turn their backs. Your own fault.
Line 5
A melon covered with willow leaves. Hidden lines. Then it drops from heaven. A strong, superior person tolerates and protects the inferiors in their charge without laying stress on their own firm lines of order. No tiresome admonitions—trust in the transforming power of an upright personality. Fate is favorable; inferiors respond like ripe fruit.
Line 6
He comes to meet with his horns. Humiliation, but no blame. When withdrawn from the world, you may hold yourself aloof from all that is low and rebuff it brusquely. You're reproached for being proud and distant, but since active duties no longer hold you, this doesn't greatly matter. Bear the dislike of the masses with composure.
Yilin: Forest of Changes
From Jiao Yanshou's Forest of Changes (焦氏易林) — the verse for Hexagram 44 in its unchanging form. A Han dynasty collection of four-character verses interpreting every hexagram transformation.
河伯大呼，津不可渡。往復爾故，乃无大悔。
The River Lord cries out in warning; the ford cannot be crossed. Going and returning to one's former way; thus there is no great regret.
Read full commentary ↓
Wind beneath heaven doubles upon itself — Gou encountering Gou. The Earl of the River bellows a great cry: the ford cannot be crossed! One goes back and forth, retracing old paths, and thereby avoids great regret. The river god Hebo's warning halts forward movement, and the traveler wisely retreats to familiar ground rather than forcing a dangerous crossing. When the same hexagram meets itself, the pattern reinforces rather than transforms: the encounter remains an encounter, permanently suspended. From Coming to Meet to Coming to Meet, the yin line that entered from below neither advances nor retreats but dwells at the threshold, eternally arriving, never fully arrived.
中文注释
天下有風，風遇風，姤之又姤。河伯大呼——河神放聲高喊：「津不可渡！」渡口不可通行。「往復爾故」——來回走老路，退回原處；「乃無大悔」——因此免於大的悔恨。河伯之警告阻止了強行渡河，旅人明智地退返熟悉之途。姤遇姤，同卦相疊，格局自我強化而不轉化：遇合永遠停留在遇合的狀態，既不深入亦不消退。一陰初入之勢既不進亦不退，永恆地停在門檻上——永遠在到來，從未真正抵達。
Related Hexagrams
Same upper trigram: Heaven (乾)
Same lower trigram: Wind (巽)