Yijing CompassI Ching reading
All hexagrams

Hexagram 22 · King Wen sequence

Form and Substance

賁 · bì

Modern reflection

Good form can reveal meaning, but should not replace substance.

Lower trigram: 離 Fire
Upper trigram: 艮 Mountain

Historical source

Pî indicates that there should be free course (in what it denotes). There will be little advantage (however) if it be allowed to advance (and take the lead).

(The trigram representing) a mountain and that for fire under it form Pî. The superior man, in accordance with this, throws a brilliancy around his various processes of government, but does not dare (in a similar way) to decide cases of criminal litigation.

James Legge, 1882, public domain. Historical wording is shown for source transparency, not as a guaranteed prediction.

Changing-line passages

  1. Line 1The first NINE, undivided, shows one adorning (the way of) his feet. He can discard a carriage and walk on foot.
  2. Line 2The second SIX, divided, shows one adorning his beard.
  3. Line 3The third NINE, undivided, shows its subject with the appearance of being adorned and bedewed (with rich favours). But let him ever maintain his firm correctness, and there will be good fortune.
  4. Line 4The fourth SIX, divided, shows one looking as if adorned, but only in white. As if (mounted on) a white horse, and furnished with wings, (he seeks union with the subject of the first line), while (the intervening third pursues), not as a robber, but intent on a matrimonial alliance.
  5. Line 5The fifth SIX, divided, shows its subject adorned by (the occupants of) the heights and gardens. He bears his roll of silk, small and slight. He may appear stingy; but there will be good fortune in the end.
  6. Line 6The sixth NINE, undivided, shows one with white as his (only) ornament. There will be no error.

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