師 → 兌
Hexagram 7: The Army → Hexagram 58: The Joyous Lake
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 4, 5).
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 4
六四 師左次。无咎。
Six in the fourth place means: The army retreats. No blame.
Line 5
六五 田有禽。利執言。无咎。長子帥師。弟子輿尸。貞凶。
Six in the fifth place means: There is game in the field. It furthers one to catch it. Without blame. Let the eldest lead the army. The younger transports corpses; Then perseverance brings misfortune.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
甘露醴泉，太平機關。仁德感應，歲樂民安。
Swords and spears are stored away; horses are loosed on the southern hills. Fields are freshly plowed; children walk along singing.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Water hidden within the earth finally achieves peace, and the original verse speaks of sweet dew and sweet springs — portents of a golden age. Benevolence and virtue resonate with heaven's response; the harvest is joyful, and the people rest in security. Sweet dew (ganlu) and sweet springs (liquan) are among the most celebrated omens of virtuous governance in Han-dynasty thought, appearing when the ruler's virtue reaches cosmic proportions. From The Army to The Joyous, twin lakes reflect each other in mutual delight. The army's disciplined force dissolves into the shared pleasure of friends studying together — military severity transmuted into the gentle joy of a community at peace.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store