師 → 賁
Hexagram 7: The Army → Hexagram 22: Grace
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 6).
Line 1
初六 師出以律。否臧凶。
Six at the beginning means: An army must set forth in proper order. If the order is not good, misfortune threatens.
Line 2
九二 在師中吉。无咎。王三錫命。
Nine in the second place means: In the midst of the army. Good fortune. No blame. The king bestows a triple decoration.
Line 3
六三 師或輿尸。凶。
Six in the third place means: Perchance the army carries corpses in the wagon. Misfortune.
Line 6
上六 大君有命。開國承家。小人勿用。
Six at the top means: The great prince issues commands, Founds states, vests families with fiefs. Inferior people should not be employed.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
伯寧子福，惠我邦國。蠲除苛殘，使季無患。
Lord Bo Ning and his son Fu; they bless our state. Sweeping away cruelty and harshness; leaving the youngest free from trouble.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Water hidden within the earth shelters the worthy, and here a capable minister blesses the state. Bo-Ning and Zi-Fu — names suggesting 'peace through the elder' and 'blessing through the son' — bring grace to the nation. They purge harsh and cruel policies, ensuring that the youngest generation suffers no harm. The verse celebrates the reforming minister who dismantles oppressive systems to protect the vulnerable. From The Army to Grace, fire glows beneath the mountain, illuminating the pattern of civilized order. The army's blunt power is adorned with humane governance — military strength refined into the beauty of just administration.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store