小畜

Hexagram 9: Small Taming → Hexagram 5: Waiting

小畜
Small Taming
Wind / Heaven
Waiting
Water / Heaven
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 1 changing line (line 6).

Line 6

上九 既雨既處。尚德載。婦貞厲。月幾望。君子征凶。

once
rain
once
chùsettling
shàngappreciate
virtue
zàicarries
the wife
zhēnpersistence
is difficult
yuèthe moon
nearly
wàngfull
jūnthe noble
one
zhēngadvancing
xiōngunfortunate

Nine at the top means: The rain comes, there is rest. This is due to the lasting effect of character. Perseverance brings the woman into danger. The moon is nearly full. If the superior man persists, Misfortune comes.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramWind WaterThe Gentle → The Deep
Lower TrigramHeaven Heaven

Yilin Verse

故室舊廬,稍弊且徐;不如新巢,可治樂居。

The old house and former dwelling, gradually worn and slow to mend. Not as good as a new nest; fit for making a joyful home.

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

Commentary

Wind above heaven settles into patient waiting. The old house and former dwelling have grown shabby and decrepit over time. Better to build a new nest — one fit for comfortable habitation. From Small Taming to Waiting, the wind's gentle restraint gives way to clouds gathering above heaven, the image of nourishment approaching but not yet arrived. The verse counsels practical renewal: do not cling to what has decayed when something better can be built. Need's wisdom is that one must prepare the ground — a secure dwelling, adequate provisions — while waiting for heaven's timing. The new nest is the act of readiness that transforms passive waiting into active preparation.

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