Hexagram 53, Jiàn (Gradual Progress): Line 3

渐卦九三 · 风山渐 · 中文版

九三:鸿渐于陆,夫征不复,妇孕不育,凶;利御寇。

The line (Legge)

The third NINE, undivided, shows them gradually advanced to the dry plains. (It suggests also the idea of) a husband who goes on an expedition from which he does not return, and of a wife who is pregnant, but will not nourish her child. There will be evil. (The case symbolised) might be advantageous in resisting plunderers.

Small Image commentary

'A husband goes and does not return:' - he separates himself from his comrades. 'A wife is pregnant, but will not nourish her child:' - she has failed in her (proper) course. 'It might be advantageous in resisting plunderers:' - by acting as here indicated men would preserve one another.

象曰:夫征不复,离群丑也。妇孕不育,失其道也。利用御寇,顺相保也。

In plain words

The wild goose gradually reaches the dry land; the husband goes to war and does not return; the wife conceives but does not give birth: misfortune; it is favourable to ward off raiders. Dry land is no home for a water bird. The third line is strong but not central, rushing ahead and leaving the flock. The Small Image says the husband not returning means leaving his own kind, the wife not giving birth means losing the way, and warding off raiders means protecting one another.

Applying it to your situation

If you are rushing ahead and have left what you relied on, this line suggests holding your own ground matters more. How can you and those around you protect each other?

Position

A solid (yang) line in the third place, which is a yang (odd) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 6; both are yang, so they do not respond.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Jiàn changes into Hexagram 20 Guān (Contemplation). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·渐之观.

The hexagram

Hexagram 53 Jiàn (Gradual Progress). The Judgment: Jian suggests to us the marriage of a young lady, and the good fortune (attending it). There will be advantage in being firm and correct.

Previous: Line 2 · Next: Line 4

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. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

Cast a hexagram · All 64 hexagrams · Worked examples