Hexagram 27, line 5
六五Line 5 of Jaws / Nourishment
Six in the fifth place · 頤 yí
爻辭 The line text
拂經，居貞吉，不可涉大川。The fifth line, divided, shows one acting contrary to what is regular and proper; but if he abide in firmness, there will be good fortune. He should not, (however, try to) cross the great stream.
居貞之吉，順以從上也。'The good fortune from abiding in firmness' is due to the docility (of the subject of the line) in following (the subject of the line) above.
In plain words
The ruler's place is held by a yin line that cannot provide for the realm on its own: 'against the norm', says the text, because a sovereign is supposed to be the one who nourishes. Line five is central but weak, with no proper correspondent at two, and it depends on the strong line above it, the real source of nourishment. The counsel is 'abide steadily: good fortune; do not cross the great river' — accept the dependence, keep the seat, and attempt nothing large. The small Image gives the reason for the good fortune: 'compliant in following the one above' (順以從上也). A leader who knows what they lack and leans on the right helper is doing their job.
If this line is changing
You hold the position but not the means; keep the position, rely openly on the person who has what you lack, and do not launch anything ambitious until that changes.
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 is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
- It belongs to the upper trigram 艮 Gen (Keeping Still) (mountain).
- It has no correspondence (無應) with line 2: both lines are yin, so this line must find its support in its neighbours or in itself.
之卦 When this line moves
頤 Jaws / Nourishment 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 頤 Jaws / Nourishment
- 初九Nine at the beginningthe spirit tortoise · envy · self-sufficiency lost
- 六二Six in the second placeupside-down seeking · no proper partner · losing one's kind
- 六三Six in the third placeagainst nourishment · ten years · the way reversed
- 六四Six in the fourth placetiger's gaze · nourishing others · focused desire
- 六五Six in the fifth placedependent ruler · stay put · do not cross the river
- 上九Nine at the topsource of nourishment · heavy charge · great cause for joy
Read 頤 Jaws / Nourishment for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six in the fifth place of hexagram 27, Jaws / Nourishment, mean?
- The ruler's place is held by a yin line that cannot provide for the realm on its own: 'against the norm', says the text, because a sovereign is supposed to be the one who nourishes. Line five is central but weak, with no proper correspondent at two, and it depends on the strong line above it, the real source of nourishment. The counsel is 'abide steadily: good fortune; do not cross the great river' — accept the dependence, keep the seat, and attempt nothing large. The small Image gives the reason for the good fortune: 'compliant in following the one above' (順以從上也). A leader who knows what they lack and leans on the right helper is doing their job.
- What does hexagram 27 become when line 5 changes?
- Jaws / Nourishment 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 5 of Jaws / Nourishment 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. It is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).