漸 → 遯
Hexagram 53: Development → Hexagram 33: Retreat
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 1 changing line (line 4).
Line 4
六四 鴻漸于木。或得其桷。无咎。
Six in the fourth place means: The wild goose goes gradually draws near the tree. Perhaps it will find a flat branch. No blame.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
子長忠直，李氏為賊。禍及无嗣，司馬失福。
Zichang was loyal and upright; the Li clan became the traitor. Calamity reached his line, leaving no heirs; Sima lost his fortune.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Wind over mountain meets heaven above mountain: gradual development withdraws into Retreat. Zi Chang was loyal and upright, yet the Li clan became rebels. Disaster struck, leaving no heirs; the Sima clan lost its fortune. The verse names historical figures of integrity destroyed by treachery. 'Zi Chang' may refer to a loyal minister, and 'Li clan as rebels' suggests usurpers who brought ruin upon the principled. From Development to Retreat, the mountain beneath heaven provides the small man's foothold while the gentleman withdraws to safety. The verse's grim sequence, loyalty rewarded with extinction, illustrates why retreat becomes necessary: when rebels hold the field, the wise do not stay to be slaughtered. Gradual progress must sometimes reverse into strategic withdrawal.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store