Hexagram 31, Xián (Influence): Line 6 (top)

咸卦上六 · 泽山咸 · 中文版

上六:咸其辅,颊,舌。

The line (Legge)

The sixth six, divided, shows one moving his jaws and tongue.

Small Image commentary

'He moves his jaws and tongue:' - he (only) talks with loquacious mouth.

象曰:咸其辅颊舌,滕口说也。

In plain words

Feeling in the jaws, cheeks and tongue. The top line is at the far end of the hexagram, and the upper trigram stands for the mouth: it tries to move people with words alone. The Small Image says it merely opens its mouth to talk.

Applying it to your situation

If you find you say more than you do, this line suggests people are moved by actions. How much of what you have said have you actually done?

Position

A broken (yin) line in the top place, which is a yin (even) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 3; one is yin and the other yang, so they respond to each other.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Xián changes into Hexagram 33 Dùn (Retreat). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·咸之遁.

The hexagram

Hexagram 31 Xián (Influence). The Judgment: Xian indicates that, (on the fulfilment of the conditions implied in it), there will be free course and success. Its advantageousness will depend on the being firm and correct, (as) in marrying a young lady. There will be good fortune.

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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

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