Hexagram 57: Xùn (The Gentle Wind)

The Judgment

Xun intimates that (under the conditions which it denotes) there will be some little attainment and progress. There will be advantage in movement onward in whatever direction. It will be advantageous (also) to see the great man.

巽：小亨，利有攸往，利见大人。

Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)

The double Xun shows how, in accordance with it, (governmental) orders are reiterated. (We see that) the strong (fifth line) has penetrated into the central and correct place, and the will (of its subject) is being carried into effect; (we see also) the weak (first and fourth lines) both obedient to the strong lines (above them). It is hence said, 'There will be some little attainment and progress. There will be advantage in movement onward in whatever direction. It will be advantageous also to see the great man.'

彖曰：重巽以申命，刚巽乎中正而志行。柔皆顺乎刚，是以小亨，利有攸往，利见大人。

The Great Image

(Two trigrams representing) wind, following each other, form Xun. The superior man, in accordance with this, reiterates his orders, and secures the practice of his affairs.

象曰：随风，巽；君子以申命行事。

The six lines

1. Line 1 (first): The first SIX, divided, shows its subject (now) advancing, (now) receding. It would be advantageous for him to have the firm correctness of a brave soldier.

   '(Now) he advances, (now) he recedes:' - his mind is perplexed. 'It would be advantageous for him to have the firmness of a brave soldier:' - his mind would in that case be well governed.

   In plain words: Advancing and retreating, unable to decide: it is favourable to have a warrior's firmness. The hexagram stands for gentle penetration; the first line is its ruler, too yielding and hesitant. The Small Image says the wavering comes from doubt in the mind, and a warrior's firmness brings the mind to order.

   初六：进退，利武人之贞。 象曰：进退，志疑也。利武人之贞，志治也。

2. Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows the representative of Sun beneath a couch, and employing diviners and exorcists in a way bordering on confusion. There will be good fortune and no error.

   'The good fortune springing from what borders on confusion' is due to the position (of the line) in the centre.

   In plain words: Humble enough to kneel under the bed, earnest like the scribes and diviners of old: good fortune, no fault. The scribes and diviners conducted rites and spoke with the spirits. The second line is strong and central, humble and sincere. The Small Image says this is because it finds the middle way.

   九二：巽在床下，用史巫纷若，吉无咎。 象曰：纷若之吉，得中也。

3. Line 3 (third): The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject penetrating (only) by violent and repeated efforts. There will be occasion for regret.

   'The regret arising from the violent and repeated efforts to penetrate' shows the exhaustion of the will.

   In plain words: Repeated submission: regret. The third line is strong but not central, at the top of the lower trigram; strong by nature, it forces itself to comply, and each time it gives in it loses a little more of itself. The Small Image says its aims run out.

   九三：频巽，吝。 象曰：频巽之吝，志穷也。

4. Line 4 (fourth): The fourth SIX, divided, shows all occasion for repentance (in its subject) passed away. He takes game for its threefold use in his hunting.

   'He takes game in his hunting, enough for the threefold use of it:' - he achieves merit.

   In plain words: Regret vanishes; in the hunt, three kinds of game are caught, for offerings, for guests and for the kitchen. The fourth line is yielding and correct, serves the fifth above and has results below. The Small Image says there is merit.

   六四：悔亡，田获三品。 象曰：田获三品，有功也。

5. Line 5 (fifth): The fifth NINE, undivided, shows that with firm correctness there will be good fortune (to its subject). All occasion for repentance will disappear, and all his movements will be advantageous. There may have been no (good) beginning, but there will be a (good) end. Three days before making any changes, (let him give notice of them); and three days after, (let him reconsider them). There will (thus) be good fortune.

   'The good fortune of (the subject of) the fifth NINE, undivided,' is owing to its correct position and its being in the centre.

   In plain words: Steadfastness brings good fortune and regret vanishes; nothing is unfavourable; no good beginning but a good end; three days before the day geng and three days after: good fortune. Geng suggests change: changing an order calls for care, with warnings before and checks after. The fifth line is central and correct, the ruler of the hexagram. The Small Image says its position is central and correct.

   九五：贞吉悔亡，无不利。无初有终，先庚三日，后庚三日，吉。 象曰：九五之吉，位正中也。

6. Line 6 (sixth (top)): The sixth NINE, undivided, shows the representative of penetration beneath a couch, and having lost the axe with which he executed his decisions. However firm and correct he may (try to) be, there will be evil.

   'The representative of penetration is beneath a couch:' - though occupying the topmost place, his powers are exhausted. 'He has lost the axe with which he executed his decisions:' - though he try to be correct, there will be evil.

   In plain words: Humble enough to kneel under the bed, losing one's means and one's axe; holding on brings misfortune. The top line is at the end of the hexagram: too submissive, it has lost its power of decision, which is the axe. The Small Image says at the top it has come to its limit, and losing its means and axe is misfortune indeed.

   上九：巽在床下，丧其资斧，贞凶。 象曰：巽在床下，上穷也。丧其资斧，正乎凶也。

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 Xun palace runs: Xùn (head), Xiǎo Chù (1st change), Jiā Rén (2nd change), Yì (3rd change), Wú Wàng (4th change), Shì Kè (5th change), Yí (wandering soul), Gǔ (returning soul).

A recorded case from Takashima

Xun to Gou: buying ginseng in Nikkō and Aizu: A Yokohama merchant asked about a venture and received the fourth line of Xun, "regret vanishes; in the hunt, three kinds of game". Takashima said Xun is the hexagram of "threefold profit in the market", the fourth line rules it, and the text plainly promises gain without regret, so he should go all in. The merchant raised money, bought ginseng in Nikkō and Aizu, sold it to Chinese traders, and did very well.

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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.

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