Hexagram 20, line 1
初六Line 1 of Observation
Six at the beginning · 觀 guān
爻辭 The line text
童觀，小人无咎，君子吝。The first line, divided, shows the looking of a lad;—not blamable in men of inferior rank, but matter for regret in superior men.
初六童觀，小人道也。'The looking of a lad shown by the first line, divided,' indicates the way of the inferior people.
In plain words
Guan's two strong lines stand at the top, where everyone can see them; the four yin lines below are the viewers, and line one is the furthest away. Its view is a child's (童觀): it sees the great figure at line five as a child sees an adult, without understanding. The text says this is no fault in a small person but shameful in a superior one — the position is low and distant, and nothing better can be expected of it unless one claims more. The small Image calls it 'the way of the small person' (小人道也). 程頤 adds that the line is yin, at the bottom, with no correspondent above: it has nothing to lift its gaze.
If this line is changing
Your view of the matter is still a beginner's; that is forgivable so long as you do not pretend otherwise or act on it as if it were understanding.
Where the line stands
- A broken line, yin — written 六 (six), the number of an old yin line that moves when cast.
- It is not in its correct place (不當位): a yang line in an even position or a yin line in an odd one, which the tradition reads as a line under some strain — often the reason a text sounds a warning.
- It belongs to the lower trigram 坤 Kun (the Receptive) (earth).
- It has no correspondence (無應) with line 4: both lines are yin, so this line must find its support in its neighbours or in itself.
之卦 When this line moves
觀 Observation becomes ䷩ 42 益 Augmenting
Wind and thunder strengthening each other: increase. Favourable to undertake something and to cross the great river; those above give to those below, and everyone rejoices.
What it becomes42 · 益 AugmentingyìThe six lines of 觀 Observation
- 初六Six at the beginninga child's view · shallow sight · far from the ruler
- 六二Six in the second placepeeping through a door · narrow view · inside only
- 六三Six in the third placeviewing one's own life · advance or retreat · the threshold
- 六四Six in the fourth placethe kingdom's glory · guest of the king · close to power
- 九五Nine in the fifth placethe ruler views himself · seen in the people · central and correct
- 上九Nine at the topviewed by all · no rest yet · beyond office
Read 觀 Observation for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six at the beginning of hexagram 20, Observation, mean?
- Guan's two strong lines stand at the top, where everyone can see them; the four yin lines below are the viewers, and line one is the furthest away. Its view is a child's (童觀): it sees the great figure at line five as a child sees an adult, without understanding. The text says this is no fault in a small person but shameful in a superior one — the position is low and distant, and nothing better can be expected of it unless one claims more. The small Image calls it 'the way of the small person' (小人道也). 程頤 adds that the line is yin, at the bottom, with no correspondent above: it has nothing to lift its gaze.
- What does hexagram 20 become when line 1 changes?
- Observation becomes hexagram 42, 益 Augmenting: Wind and thunder strengthening each other: increase. Favourable to undertake something and to cross the great river; those above give to those below, and everyone rejoices.
- Is line 1 of Observation in its correct place?
- It is not in its correct place (不當位): a yang line in an even position or a yin line in an odd one, which the tradition reads as a line under some strain — often the reason a text sounds a warning.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).