Guī mèi Union Marrying Maiden [hexagram 54]

Yin line Yin - controlling line Yang line Yin line Yang line Yang line

Marriage

Thunder over Lake
Wood Wood element

Wind/Wood Mountain
Jiàn [53] Progression; Gradual development
Opposite and Inverse
Water Fire
Jì jì [63] Consumation; Sated
Mutual

Lunar month: 9 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
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: , . Guī mèi: zhēng xiōng, wú yōu lì.

Gui Mei indicates that (under the conditions which it denotes) action will be evil, and in no wise advantageous.

: , . , , . , . , . , . Tuàn zhuàn: Guī mèi, tiān dì zhī dà yì yě. tiān dì bù jiāo, ér wàn wù bù xīng, guī mèi rén zhī zhōng shǐ yě. shuō yǐ dòng, suǒguī mèi yě. zhēng xiōng, wèi bù dàng yě. wú yōu lì, róu chéng gāng yě.

By Gui Mei (the marrying away of a younger sister) the great and righteous relation between heaven and earth (is suggested to us). If heaven and earth were to have no intercommunication, things would not grow and flourish as they do. The marriage of a younger sister is the end (of her maidenhood) and the beginning (of her motherhood). We have (in the hexagram the desire of) pleasure and, on the ground of that, movement following. The marrying away is of a younger sister. ‘Any action will be evil:’ - the places (of the lines) are not those appropriate to them. ‘It will be in no wise advantageous:’ - the weak (third and fifth lines) are mounted on strong lines.

: , ; 敝. Xiàng zhuàn: Zé shàng yǒu léi, guī mèi; jūn zǐ yǐ yǒng zhōng zhī bì.

(The trigram representing the waters of) a marsh and over it that for thunder form Gui Mei. The superior man, in accordance with this, having regard to the far-distant end, knows the mischief (that may be done at the beginning).

young yin young yin young yang young yin young yang changing yang
I Ching transform
Thunder
Water
Xiè [40] Disentangle; Relief
Change
: 娣, 跛履, . Chū jiǔ: guī mèi yǐ dì, bǒ néng lǚ, zhēng jí.

The first ‘nine’, undivided, shows the younger sister married off in a position ancillary to the real wife. (It suggests the idea of) a person lame on one leg who yet manages to tramp along. Going forward will be fortunate.

: 娣, . 跛, . Xiàng zhuàn: Guī mèi yǐ dì, yǐ héng yě. bǒ néng lǚ jí, xiāng chéng yě.

‘The younger sister is married off in a position ancillary to that of the real wife:’ - it is the constant practice (for such a case). ‘Lame on one leg, she is able to tramp along:’ - she can render helpful service.

young yin young yin young yang young yin changing yang young yang
I Ching transform
Thunder
Thunder
Zhèn [51] Excitation; Enactment
Change
: 眇视, . Jiǔ èr: miǎo néng shì, lì yōu rén zhī zhēn.

The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows her blind of one eye, and yet able to see. There will be advantage in her maintaining the firm correctness of a solitary widow.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Lì yōu rén zhī zhēn, wèi biàn cháng yě.

‘There will be advantage in maintaining the firm correctness of a solitary widow:’ - (the subject of the line) has not changed from the constancy (proper to a wife).

young yin young yin young yang changing yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Thunder
Heaven
Dà zhuàng [34] Powerful; Great strength
Change
: 须, 娣. Liù sān: guī mèi yǐ xū, fǎn guī yǐ dì.

The third ‘six’, divided, shows the younger sister who was to be married off in a mean position. She returns and accepts an ancillary position.

: 须, . Xiàng zhuàn: Guī mèi yǐ xū, wèi dāng yě.

‘The younger sister who was to be married off is in a mean position:’ - this is shown by the improprieties (indicated in the line).

young yin young yin changing yang young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Earth
Lake
Lín [19] Convergence; Approach
Change
: , 迟. Jiǔ sì: guī mèi qiān qī, chí guī yǒu shí.

The fourth ‘nine’, undivided, shows the younger sister who is to be married off protracting the time. She may be late in being married, but the time will come.

: 愆, . Xiàng zhuàn: Qiān qī zhī zhì, yǒu dài ér xíng yě.

(The purpose in) ‘protracting the time’ is that, after waiting, the thing may be done (all the better).

young yin changing yin young yang young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Lake
Lake
Duì [58] Serenity; Joy
Change
: , 袂, , 望, . Liù wǔ: dì yǐ guī mèi, qí jūn zhī mèi, bù rú qí dì zhī mèi liáng, yuè jī wàng, jí.

The fifth ‘six’, divided, reminds us of the marrying of the younger sister of (king) Di-yi, when the sleeves of her the princess were not equal to those of the (still) younger sister who accompanied her in an inferior capacity. (The case suggests the thought of) the moon almost full. There will be good fortune.

: , . , . Xiàng zhuàn: Dì yǐ guī mèi, bù rú qí dì zhī mèi liáng yě. qí wèi zài zhōng, yǐ guì xíng yě.

‘The sleeves of the younger sister of (king) Di-yi, when she was married away, were not equal to those of her (half-)sister, who accompanied her:’ - such was her noble character, indicated by the central position of the line.

changing yin young yin young yang young yin young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Fire
Lake
Kuí [38] Opposition; Diversity
Change
: 承筐, 血, . Shàng liù: nǚ chéng kuāng wú shí, shì kuī yáng wú xuè, wú yōu lì.

The sixth ‘six’, divided, shows the young lady bearing the basket, but without anything in it, and the gentleman slaughtering the sheep, but without blood flowing from it. There will be no advantage in any way.

: , 承虚筐. Xiàng zhuàn: Shàng liù wú shí, chéng xū kuāng yě.

‘(What is said in) the sixth ‘six’, (divided),about there being nothing in the basket’ shows that the subject of it is carrying an empty basket.

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also