Hexagram 1: Qián (The Creative)

The Judgment

Qian (represents) what is great and originating, penetrating, advantageous, correct and firm.

乾：元，亨，利，贞。

Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)

Vast is the 'great and originating (power)' indicated by Qian! All things owe to it their beginning: - it contains all the meaning belonging to (the name) heaven. The clouds move and the rain is distributed; the various things appear in their developed forms. (The sages) grandly understand (the connexion between) the end and the beginning, and how (the indications of) the six lines (in the hexagram) are accomplished, (each) in its season. (Accordingly) they mount (the carriage) drawn by those six dragons at the proper times, and drive through the sky. The method of Qian is to change and transform, so that everything obtains its correct nature as appointed (by the mind of Heaven); and (thereafter the conditions of) great harmony are preserved in union. The result is 'what is advantageous, and correct and firm. (The sage) appears aloft, high above all things, and the myriad states all enjoy repose.

彖曰：大哉乾元，万物资始，乃统天。云行雨施，品物流形。大明终始，六位时成，时乘六龙以御天。乾道变化，各正性命，保合大和，乃利贞。首出庶物，万国咸宁。

The Great Image

Heaven, in its motion, (gives the idea of) strength. The superior man, in accordance with this, nerves himself to ceaseless activity.

象曰：天行健，君子以自强不息。

The six lines

1. Line 1 (first): In the first (or lowest) NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as) the dragon lying hid (in the deep). It is not the time for active doing.

   'The dragon lies hid in the deep; - it is not the time for active doing:' - (this appears from) the strong and undivided line's being in the lowest place.

   In plain words: The dragon is still hidden in the deep water; do not act yet. "Hidden" means under the water. "Do not act" does not mean never: it means this is not yet the time to use your strength. The Small Image explains that the yang force is still at the very bottom and not ready to show itself. Traditionally the line describes someone whose gifts have not yet come to light, or whose time has not yet come.

   初九：潜龙，勿用。 象曰：潜龙勿用，阳在下也。

2. Line 2 (second): In the second NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as) the dragon appearing in the field. It will be advantageous to meet with the great man.

   'The dragon appears in the field:' - the diffusion of virtuous influence has been wide.

   In plain words: The dragon appears in the field; it is favourable to see the great man. The dragon has come up from the deep onto open ground, and its qualities are beginning to be seen. "Favourable to see the great man" is read two ways: it is a good time to meet a wise person in a higher position, or this line is itself the great man others are glad to see. The Small Image says virtue is starting to reach everyone. The second line sits at the centre of the lower trigram and is traditionally counted as balanced.

   九二：见龙在田，利见大人。 象曰：见龙在田，德施普也。

3. Line 3 (third): In the third NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as) the superior man active and vigilant all the day, and in the evening still careful and apprehensive. (The position is) dangerous, but there will be no mistake.

   'Active and vigilant all the day:' - (this refers to) the treading of the (proper) path over and over again.

   In plain words: The noble person is active and vigilant all day, and still watchful and self-examining at night; the position is dangerous, but there is no fault. The third line is at the top of the lower trigram, just below the upper one, neither here nor there, which is why it is dangerous; diligence and self-examination are what keep it free of fault. The Small Image says that, going back and forth, it keeps to the right way.

   九三：君子终日乾乾，夕惕若，厉无咎。 象曰：终日乾乾，反复道也。

4. Line 4 (fourth): In the fourth NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as the dragon looking) as if he were leaping up, but still in the deep. There will be no mistake.

   'He seems to be leaping up, but is still in the deep:' - if he advance, there will be no error.

   In plain words: Perhaps it leaps up, perhaps it stays in the deep; either way there is no fault. "Perhaps" leaves the matter open: advancing and holding back are both possible. The fourth line has just entered the upper trigram and left the security of the lower one, so it stands between going forward and staying put. The Small Image says that going forward brings no fault.

   九四：或跃在渊，无咎。 象曰：或跃在渊，进无咎也。

5. Line 5 (fifth): In the fifth NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as) the dragon on the wing in the sky. It will be advantageous to meet with the great man.

   'The dragon is on the wing in the sky:' - the great man rouses himself to his work.

   In plain words: The dragon flies in the sky; it is favourable to see the great man. The fifth line is yang, at the centre of the upper trigram and in a yang place, both balanced and correct. Tradition calls it the ruler's place, the strongest line of the hexagram. The Small Image says this is when the great man accomplishes things.

   九五：飞龙在天，利见大人。 象曰：飞龙在天，大人造也。

6. Line 6 (sixth (top)): In the sixth (or topmost) NINE, undivided, (we see its subject as) the dragon exceeding the proper limits. There will be occasion for repentance.

   'The dragon exceeds the proper limits; - there will be occasion for repentance:' - a state of fulness, that is, should not be indulged in long.

   In plain words: The dragon that has flown too high will have cause for regret. The top line is the highest point of the hexagram, where yang strength reaches its limit. The Small Image says that fullness cannot last. The Wenyan commentary describes it as knowing how to advance but not how to withdraw.

   上九：亢龙有悔。 象曰：亢龙有悔，盈不可久也。

All lines nine (use of nine)

(The lines of this hexagram are all strong and undivided, as appears from) the use of the number NINE. If the host of dragons (thus) appearing were to divest themselves of their heads, there would be good fortune.

'The same NINE (undivided) is used' (in all the places of this hexagram), but the attribute of heaven (thereby denoted) should not (always) take the foremost place.

In plain words: The use of nine is read when all six lines of Qian are old yang and all of them change: a flight of dragons appears with no leader among them; good fortune. Every dragon is strong, yet none sets itself up as the head. The Small Image says heaven's virtue cannot take the lead for itself. When all six lines change, Qian becomes Kun: strength is complete when it also knows how to yield.

用九：见群龙无首，吉。

Line positions

3 of the six lines stand in their proper place (strong lines in odd places, weak lines in even places).

The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; both are strong, so they do not correspond.

Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 0 pairs are made of one strong and one weak line.

Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.

These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.

Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces

Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Qian palace runs: Qián (head), Gòu (1st change), Dùn (2nd change), Pǐ (3rd change), Guān (4th change), Bō (5th change), Jìn (wandering soul), Dà Yǒu (returning soul).

The twelve waxing and waning hexagrams

This is one of the twelve "waxing and waning" hexagrams, matched to the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The series starts from Fu, with one strong line returning at the bottom, grows to Qian, then gives way to weak lines until Kun, tracing the rise and fall of yang through the year; it belongs to the Han-dynasty gua qi system of Meng Xi and Jing Fang.

A recorded case from Takashima

Qian to Lü: Matsukata Masayoshi asks about the harvest: After a spring of deep snow, long rains and unusual cold, the finance minister Matsukata Masayoshi feared a poor harvest and asked Takashima to divine it. The third line of Qian, "active all day long", was read as a year of drought in which the crops would still ripen.

Previous: Hexagram 64 Wèi Jì · Next: Hexagram 2 Kūn

English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.

Cast a hexagram · All 64 hexagrams · Worked examples