Hexagram 27 · Yi 頤
Examine what sustains you and what you pass on
Yi places Mountain above Thunder. Its first and sixth lines are unbroken, enclosing four divided lines in a figure traditionally associated with the mouth. The text asks how nourishment is sought and provided.
Short answer
Read Yi as a prompt to examine what sustains your attention, effort, and relationships. Consider what you take in, what you communicate, and whether your ways of seeking support are sound.
- Upper
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower
- Zhen · Thunder
Pattern
Mountain above Thunder
- Chinese
- 頤
- Upper trigram
- Gen · Mountain
- Lower trigram
- Zhen · Thunder
- Lines
- Yang at the first and sixth positions
Classical text
Look closely at the sources of nourishment
頤：貞吉。觀頤，自求口實。— Zhouyi, Hexagram 27
The judgment connects a sound course with good fortune and asks for observation of nourishment and how one seeks sustenance. The Tuan commentary extends the theme from sustaining oneself to supporting capable people and the wider community. Both the source and the use of support matter.
The Image says “山下有雷，頤；君子以慎言語，節飲食”. The Image describes thunder below the mountain and the exemplary person being careful with speech and measured in eating and drinking. As a modern reflection, this can include reviewing the information and conversations that shape your attention. The first line warns against abandoning a valued resource while watching what another has; later lines examine different responsibilities for support. These are symbolic prompts for reflection, not instructions for a particular diet or a judgment about needing help.
When it helps
Review what sustains you
Notice which sources of information and support help you function well. Consider what your words contribute to others and choose one habit of attention or communication to improve.
What to watch
Look beyond comparison
Comparison can distract from resources already available to you. Examine whether a dependency is workable and mutual, and whether your expectations of yourself or others need adjustment.
Questions for reflection
- What is actually sustaining my effort and attention?
- What do my words add to the people around me?
- How can I seek and offer support more responsibly?
Read moving lines with the question and method of your own cast; this reference is not a complete reading. See how changing lines are displayed.
Sources
Check the original text
This page paraphrases the classical material and identifies its modern applications as interpretation.