gòuAlso known as “Coming to Meet” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Kâu” (Legge)
encountertemptationunexpected arrival
In plain words
Wind under heaven: one yin line arriving beneath five yang. An encounter — the woman is strong; do not marry her. Something small and tempting enters; watch it from the start.
The attitude it asks for
Meet what comes with awareness; enjoy the encounter, but don't let a small influence take over.
Structure
Upper trigram☰乾Qian (the Creative)天 · heaven · Metal
Kâu has the significance of unexpectedly coming on. (We see in it) the weak (line) coming unexpectedly on the strong ones.
'It will not be good to marry (such) a female:'—one (so symbolised) should not be long associated with.
Heaven and earth meeting together (as here represented), all the variety of natural things become fully displayed.
When a strong (line) finds itself in the central and correct position, (good government) will greatly prevail all under the sky.
Great indeed is the significance of what has to be done at the time indicated by Kâu!
The Image
天下有風，姤；后以施命誥四方。
(The trigram representing) wind and that for the sky above it form Kâu. The sovereign, in accordance with this, delivers his charges, and promulgates his announcements throughout the four quarters (of the kingdom).
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
上九Nine at the top
姤其角，吝，无咎。
The sixth line, undivided, shows its subject receiving others on his horns. There will be occasion for regret, but there will be no error.
Its symbolism
姤其角，上窮吝也。
'He receives others on his horns:'—he is exhausted at his greatest height, and there will be cause for regret.
The fifth line, undivided, (shows its subject as) a medlar tree overspreading the gourd (beneath it). If he keep his brilliant qualities concealed, (a good issue) will descend (as) from Heaven.
Its symbolism
九五含章，中正也。有隕自天，志不舍命也。
'The subject of the fifth line, undivided, keeps his brilliant qualities concealed:'—as is indicated by his central and correct position. '(The good issue) descends (as) from Heaven:'—his aim does not neglect the ordinances (of Heaven).
The third line, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped so that he walks with difficulty. The position is perilous, but there will be no great error.
Its symbolism
其行次且，行未牽也。
'He walks with difficulty:'—but his steps have not yet been drawn (into the course of the first line).
The second line, undivided, shows its subject with a wallet of fish. There will be no error. But it will not be well to let (the subject of the first line) go forward to the guests.
Its symbolism
包有魚，義不及賓也。
'He has a wallet of fish:'—it is right for him not to allow (the subject of the first line) to get to the guests.
The first line, divided, shows how its subject should be kept (like a carriage) tied and fastened to a metal drag, in which case with firm correctness there will be good fortune. (But) if he move in any direction, evil will appear. He will be (like) a lean pig, which is sure to keep jumping about.
Its symbolism
繫于金柅，柔道牽也。
'Tied and fastened to a metal drag:'—(this describes the arrest of) the weak (line) in its advancing course.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Questions about this hexagram
What does Hexagram 44, Encounter, mean?
Wind under heaven: one yin line arriving beneath five yang. An encounter — the woman is strong; do not marry her. Something small and tempting enters; watch it from the start.
Which trigrams form Encounter?
乾 above 巽 — heaven over wind. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 乾 Heaven.
What happens when a line of Encounter changes?
A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.
How do I get Encounter in a reading?
Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern - - — — — — — is Encounter. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.