歸妹

Hexagram 54: The Marrying Maiden → Hexagram 42: Increase

歸妹
The Marrying Maiden
Thunder / Lake
Increase
Wind / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 2, 4, 5, 6).

Line 2

九二 眇能視。利幽人之貞。

miǎothe one-eyed
néngcan
shìto see
reward
yōuan obscure
rénone
zhī's
zhēnpersistence

Nine in the second place means: A one-eyed man who is able to see. The perseverance of a solitary man furthers.

Line 4

九四 歸妹愆期。遲歸有時。

guīmarriage
mèithe maiden
qiānexceeds
the appointed
chíthe late
guīmarriage
yǒuhas
shítiming

Nine in the fourth place means: The marrying maiden draws out the allotted time. A late marriage comes in due course.

Line 5

六五 帝乙歸妹。其君之袂。不如其娣之袂良。月幾望吉。

as
Yi's [the penultimate Shang Emperor]
guīgiving
mèihis little sister
this
jūnnoblewoman
zhī's
mèigownsleeves
did not
compare well with
her
bridesmaid
zhī's
mèigownsleeves
liángin fineness
yuèas
is
wàngfull
is promising

Six in the fifth place means: The sovereign I gave his daughter in marriage. The embroidered garments of the princess Were not as gorgeous As those of the serving maid. The moon that is nearly full Brings good fortune.

Line 6

上六 女承筐无實。士刲羊无血。无攸利。

the young woman
chéngcarries
kuāngthe basket
without
shícontents
shìthe young gentleman
kuīsacrifices
yángthe sheep
without
xuèblood
this is no
yōua direction
with merit

Six at the top means: The woman holds the basket, but there are no fruits in it. The man stabs the sheep, but no blood flows. Nothing that acts to further.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramThunder WindThe Arousing → The Gentle
Lower TrigramLake ThunderThe Joyous → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

三驪負衡,南芷取香。秋蘭芬馥,盈滿神匱。利我仲季。

Three black steeds bear the crossbar, heading south to gather fragrance. Autumn orchids, rich and sweet, fill the sacred storehouse to the brim. Blessings upon our younger brothers.

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

Commentary

Thunder over lake rises into wind over thunder: the maiden's constrained role expands into Increase's generous augmentation. Three black horses bear a yoke together; from the south, fragrant angelica is gathered. Autumn orchids fill the air with their perfume, overflowing the spirit's treasury. Blessings extend to the younger brothers. The verse celebrates abundance arriving through coordinated effort and seasonal harvest, the fragrance of virtue accumulating until it spills over to benefit the entire family. From the Marrying Maiden to Increase, wind and thunder reinforce each other, the gentleman improving upon seeing good and correcting faults. The transformation converts the maiden's subordination into shared prosperity: what was confined now overflows generously.

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