Hexagram 57: The Gentle Wind → Hexagram 17: Following

The Gentle Wind
Wind / Wind
Following
Lake / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6).

Line 1

初六 進退。利武人之貞。

jìnadvance
退tuìand retreat
meriting
the military
rénone
zhī's
zhēnpersistence

Six at the beginning means: In advancing and in retreating, The perseverance of a warrior furthers.

Line 2

九二 巽在牀下。用史巫。紛若。吉。无咎。

xùnencroach(ment)
zàioccur
chuángthe bed
xiàunder
yòngemploy
shǐscribes
and diviners
fēnan assortment
ruòof such
promising
no
jiùblame(worthy)

Nine in the second place means: Penetration under the bed. Priests and magicians are used in great number. Good fortune. No blame.

Line 3

九三 頻巽吝。

pínfrequent
xùnadaptation
lìnembarrass(ment)

Nine in the third place means: Repeated penetration. Humiliation.

Line 4

六四 悔亡。田獲三品。

huǐregret(s)
wángpass
tiánin the field
huòtake
sānthree
pǐnkind

Six in the fourth place means: Remorse vanishes. During the hunt Three kinds of game are caught.

Line 6

上九 巽在牀下。喪其資斧。貞凶。

xùnencroach(ment)
zàioccur
chuángthe bed
xiàunder
sànglosing
one's own
resources
and an ax
zhēnpersistence
xiōngis disappointing

Nine at the top means: Penetration under the bed. He loses his property and his ax. Perseverance brings misfortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramWind LakeThe Gentle → The Joyous
Lower TrigramWind ThunderThe Gentle → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

田鼠野雛,意常欲逃。拘制籠檻,不得動搖。

The field mouse, the wild chick; their hearts always yearn to flee. Held fast in cages and pens; they cannot move or stir.

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

Commentary

Wind upon wind transforms into lake over thunder: the Gentle becomes Following. A field mouse and a wild chick forever wish to escape. Confined in cage and pen, they cannot stir or shake free. The verse presents captivity without ambiguity: creatures whose nature demands freedom are locked in structures that deny it entirely. From The Gentle to Following, the transformation is darkly literal. Thunder within the lake rests at evening; the gentleman retires to quiet repose. But following here is not willing allegiance — it is enforced subjugation. Wind's gentle influence, which should persuade through moral suasion, has been replaced by bars and cages. The captive follows not because it is led, but because it has no choice.

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