Wandering Journeying [hexagram 56]

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

Strangers, merchants

Fire over Mountain
Fire Fire element

Water Lake
Jié [60] Regulation; Restriction
Opposite
Thunder Fire
Fēng [55] Abundance; Plentitude
Inverse
Lake Wind/Wood
Dà guò [28] Surpassing; Excess
Mutual

Lunar month: 4 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
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旅: , 旅. Lǚ: xiǎo hēng, lǚ zhēn jí.

Lu intimates that (in the condition which it denotes) there may be some little attainment and progress. If the stranger or traveler be firm and correct as he ought to be, there will be good fortune.

: 旅, , , , , , 旅. 旅矣哉! Tuàn zhuàn: Lǚ, xiǎo hēng, róu dé zhòng hū wài, ér shùn hū gāng, zhǐ ér lì hū míng, shì yǐ xiǎo hēng, lǚ zhēn jí yě. lǚ zhī shí yì dà yǐ zāi!

‘Lu indicates that there may be some small attainment and progress:’ - the weak (line) occupies the central place in the outer (trigram), and is obedient to the strong (lines on either side of it). (We have also the attributes of quiet) resting closely attached to intelligence (in the component trigrams). Hence it is said, ‘There may be some small attainment and progress. If the stranger or traveler be firm and correct as he ought to be, there will be good fortune.’ Great is the time and great is the right course to be taken as intimated in Lu!

: , 旅; 刑, 留狱. Xiàng zhuàn: Shān shàng yǒu huǒ, lǚ; jūn zǐ yǐ míng shèn yòng xíng, ér bù liú yù.

(The trigram representing) a mountain and above it that for fire form Lu. The superior man, in accordance with this, exerts his wisdom and caution in the use of punishments and not allowing litigation to continue.

young yang young yin young yang young yang young yin changing yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Fire
[30] Adherence; Brightness
Change
: 旅琐琐, 斯. Chū liù: lǚ suǒ suǒ, sī qí suǒ qǔ zāi.

The first ‘six’, divided, shows the stranger mean and meanly occupied. It is thus that he brings on himself (further) calamity.

: 旅琐琐, . Xiàng zhuàn: Lǚ: suǒ suǒ, zhì qióng zāi yě.

‘The stranger is mean and meanly occupied:’ - his aim is become of the lowest character, and calamity will ensue.

young yang young yin young yang young yang changing yin young yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Wind/Wood
Dǐng [50] Containment; Creation
Change
: 旅即, 怀资, . Liù èr: lǚ jí cì, huái qí zī, dé tóng pú zhēn.

The second ‘six’, divided, shows the stranger, occupying his lodging-house, carrying with him his means of livelihood, and provided with good and trusty servants.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Dé tóng pú zhēn, zhōng wú yóu yě.

‘He is provided with good and trusty servants:’ - he will in the end have nothing of which to complain.

young yang young yin young yang changing yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Earth
Jìn [35] Rapid advance; Gain ground
Change
: 旅焚, 仆, . Jiǔ sān: lǚ fén qí cì, sàng qí tóng pú, zhēn lì.

The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows the stranger, burning his lodging-house, and having lost his servants. However firm and correct he (try to) be, he will be in peril.

: 旅焚, 伤矣. , . Xiàng zhuàn: Lǚ fén qí cì, yì yǐ shāng yǐ. yǐlǚ yǔ xià, qí yì sàng yě.

‘The stranger burns his lodging-house:’ - and he himself also suffers hurt thereby. When, as a stranger, he treats those below him (as the line indicates), the right relation between him and them is lost.

young yang young yin changing yang young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Mountain
Mountain
Gèn [52] Immobility; Stillness
Change
: 旅, 资斧, . Jiǔ sì: lǚ yú chù, dé qí zī fǔ, wǒ xīn bù kuài.

The fourth ‘nine’, undivided, shows the traveler in a resting-place, having (also) the means of livelihood and the ax, (but still saying), 'I am not at ease in my mind.'

: 旅, . 资斧, . Xiàng zhuàn: Lǚ yú chù, wèi dé wèi yě. Dé qí zī fǔ, xīn wèi kuài yě.

‘The stranger is in a resting-place:’ - but he has not got his proper position. ‘He has the means of livelihood, and the ax:’ - but his mind is not at ease.

young yang changing yin young yang young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Heaven
Mountain
Dùn [33] Regression; Retreat
Change
: , . Liù wǔ: shè zhì yī shǐ wáng, zhōng yǐ yù mìng.

The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject shooting a pheasant. He will lose his arrow, but in the end he will obtain praise and a (high) charge.

: , . Xiàng zhuàn: Zhōng yǐ yù mìng, shàng dài yě.

‘In the end he will obtain praise and a (high) charge:’ - he has reached a high place.

changing yang young yin young yang young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Thunder
Mountain
Xiǎo guò [62] Overstep; Small preponderance
Change
: 巢, 旅啕. , . Shàng jiǔ: niǎo fén qí cháo, lǚ rén xiān xiào hòu hào táo. sàng niú yú yì, xiōng.

The sixth ‘nine’, undivided, suggests the idea of a bird burning its nest. The stranger, (thus represented), first laughs and then cries out. He has lost his ox(-like docility) too readily and easily. There will be evil.

: , . , . Xiàng zhuàn: Yǐ lǚ zài shàng, qí yì fén yě. sàng niú yú yì, zhōng mò zhī wén yě.

‘Considering that the stranger is here at the very height (of distinction),’ with the spirit that possesses him, it is right he (should be marked by a bird) burning (its nest). ‘He loses his ox(-like docility) too readily and easily:’ - to the end he would not listen to (the truth about the course to be pursued).

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.

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