Learn I Ching · Hexagram Meanings
A small, sourced hexagram reference
Look up the visible pattern, component trigrams, classical text, and a careful modern reading. This growing reference currently covers 27 of the sixty-four hexagrams.
Have the original question and all six lines? Interpret your existing I Ching cast without tossing again.
Reading the figure
Six lines, read from the bottom upward
- Yang line
- A single unbroken line.
- Yin line
- A line divided at the center.
- Upper + lower
- The top three and bottom three lines form two trigrams.
Published references
Explore the published patterns
- Qian 乾Creative Heaven
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 1: Qian 乾 — Creative Heaven Hexagram 1
Qian 乾 — Creative Heaven
Sustained creative strength: power that becomes useful through timing, steadiness, and right conduct.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Kun 坤Receptive Earth
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 2: Kun 坤 — Receptive Earth Hexagram 2
Kun 坤 — Receptive Earth
Receptive strength: making room for what can grow through steadiness, support, and careful response.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Zhun 屯Difficulty at the Beginning
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 3: Zhun 屯 — Difficulty at the Beginning Hexagram 3
Zhun 屯 — Difficulty at the Beginning
The first strain of a new undertaking: organize support and find footing before pushing ahead.
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
- Meng 蒙Youthful Inexperience
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Kan · Water
Hexagram 4: Meng 蒙 — Youthful Inexperience Hexagram 4
Meng 蒙 — Youthful Inexperience
Learning at the edge of uncertainty: ask sincerely, accept guidance, and practice what you learn.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Kan · Water
- Xu 需Waiting
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 5: Xu 需 — Waiting Hexagram 5
Xu 需 — Waiting
Waiting with purpose: keep faith and prepare well while conditions for a difficult crossing take shape.
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Song 訟Conflict
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Kan · Water
Hexagram 6: Song 訟 — Conflict Hexagram 6
Song 訟 — Conflict
Conflict calls for clarity and restraint: seek a fair resolution before disagreement hardens into a contest.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Kan · Water
- Shi 師The Army
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Kan · Water
Hexagram 7: Shi 師 — The Army Hexagram 7
Shi 師 — The Army
Collective action requires discipline, a sound purpose, and a leader who can carry responsibility.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Kan · Water
- Bi 比Holding Together
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 8: Bi 比 — Holding Together Hexagram 8
Bi 比 — Holding Together
Holding together through trust: choose a sound shared purpose and a commitment you can sustain.
- Upper
- Kan · Water
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Xiao Xu 小畜Small Restraint
- Upper
- Xun · Wind
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 9: Xiao Xu 小畜 — Small Restraint Hexagram 9
Xiao Xu 小畜 — Small Restraint
Small restraint and steady preparation: refine what is within your influence while larger conditions develop.
- Upper
- Xun · Wind
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Lu 履Treading
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Dui · Lake
Hexagram 10: Lu 履 — Treading Hexagram 10
Lu 履 — Treading
Treading with care: match your conduct, ability, and responsibility to the demands of the situation.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Dui · Lake
- Tai 泰Peace
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 11: Tai 泰 — Peace Hexagram 11
Tai 泰 — Peace
Peace through mutual exchange: use favorable conditions to build cooperation and care for what sustains it.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Pi 否Standstill
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 12: Pi 否 — Standstill Hexagram 12
Pi 否 — Standstill
Standstill when exchange breaks down: preserve integrity, conserve resources, and assess what would make a different step possible.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Tong Ren 同人Fellowship
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Li · Fire
Hexagram 13: Tong Ren 同人 — Fellowship Hexagram 13
Tong Ren 同人 — Fellowship
Fellowship around a shared purpose: seek common ground beyond a narrow circle and make cooperation clear and fair.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Li · Fire
- Da You 大有Great Possession
- Upper
- Li · Fire
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 14: Da You 大有 — Great Possession Hexagram 14
Da You 大有 — Great Possession
Great possession brings responsibility: use available resources with clarity, trust, and attention to their effects.
- Upper
- Li · Fire
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Qian 謙Modesty
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Gen · Mountain
Hexagram 15: Qian 謙 — Modesty Hexagram 15
Qian 謙 — Modesty
Modesty through proportion: recognize your strengths and limits, share credit fairly, and carry useful work through.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Gen · Mountain
- Yu 豫Enthusiasm
- Upper
- Zhen · Thunder
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 16: Yu 豫 — Enthusiasm Hexagram 16
Yu 豫 — Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm becomes useful through preparation: give shared momentum a clear purpose and remain ready to adjust.
- Upper
- Zhen · Thunder
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Sui 隨Following
- Upper
- Dui · Lake
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 17: Sui 隨 — Following Hexagram 17
Sui 隨 — Following
Following with discernment: respond to changing conditions while reviewing the direction, loyalties, and costs of your commitment.
- Upper
- Dui · Lake
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
- Gu 蠱Work on What Has Been Spoiled
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Xun · Wind
Hexagram 18: Gu 蠱 — Work on What Has Been Spoiled Hexagram 18
Gu 蠱 — Work on What Has Been Spoiled
Work on what has been spoiled: examine inherited problems, address their causes, and support repair with preparation and follow-through.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Xun · Wind
- Lin 臨Approach
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Dui · Lake
Hexagram 19: Lin 臨 — Approach Hexagram 19
Lin 臨 — Approach
Approach with care: use growing connection and influence to offer useful support while remaining alert to changing conditions.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Dui · Lake
- Guan 觀Contemplation
- Upper
- Xun · Wind
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 20: Guan 觀 — Contemplation Hexagram 20
Guan 觀 — Contemplation
Contemplation with sincere attention: broaden your perspective, examine your own conduct, and learn before deciding.
- Upper
- Xun · Wind
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Shi He 噬嗑Biting Through
- Upper
- Li · Fire
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 21: Shi He 噬嗑 — Biting Through Hexagram 21
Shi He 噬嗑 — Biting Through
Biting through an obstruction: establish the facts, make standards clear, and match decisive action to the problem.
- Upper
- Li · Fire
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
- Bi 賁Grace
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Li · Fire
Hexagram 22: Bi 賁 — Grace Hexagram 22
Bi 賁 — Grace
Grace in service of substance: give meaning a fitting form, keep presentation proportionate, and recognize the value of simplicity.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Li · Fire
- Bo 剝Splitting Apart
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Hexagram 23: Bo 剝 — Splitting Apart Hexagram 23
Bo 剝 — Splitting Apart
Splitting apart calls for restraint: recognize weakening support, reduce unnecessary strain, and protect what remains sound.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
- Fu 復Return
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 24: Fu 復 — Return Hexagram 24
Fu 復 — Return
A return to the path: renewal begins quietly, then gains direction through patient, deliberate movement.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
- Wu Wang 无妄Innocence
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 25: Wu Wang 无妄 — Innocence Hexagram 25
Wu Wang 无妄 — Innocence
Sincere action with realistic expectations: follow a sound course and recognize what lies beyond your control.
- Upper
- Qian · Heaven
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
- Da Xu 大畜Great Restraint
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
Hexagram 26: Da Xu 大畜 — Great Restraint Hexagram 26
Da Xu 大畜 — Great Restraint
Great restraint cultivates strength: learn from experience, prepare deliberately, and release effort when capacity and conditions align.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Qian · Heaven
- Yi 頤Nourishment
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Hexagram 27: Yi 頤 — Nourishment Hexagram 27
Yi 頤 — Nourishment
Nourishment calls for care: examine sources of support, attend to what shapes your attention, and speak responsibly.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder