Yijing CompassI Ching reading
All hexagrams

Hexagram 60 · King Wen sequence

Useful Limits

節 · jié

Modern reflection

Useful limits give freedom a form it can sustain.

Lower trigram: 兌 Lake
Upper trigram: 坎 Water

Historical source

Kieh intimates that (under its conditions) there will be progress and attainment. (But) if the regulations (which it prescribes) be severe and difficult, they cannot be permanent.

(The trigram representing) a lake, and above it that for water, form Kieh. The superior man, in accordance with this, constructs his (methods of) numbering and measurement, and discusses (points of) virtue and conduct.

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 its subject not quitting the courtyard outside his door. There will be no error.
  2. Line 2The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject not quitting the courtyard inside his gate. There will be evil.
  3. Line 3The third SIX, divided, shows its subject with no appearance of observing the (proper) regulations, in which case we shall see him lamenting. But there will be no one to blame (but himself).
  4. Line 4The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject quietly and naturally (attentive to all) regulations. There will be progress and success.
  5. Line 5The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject sweetly and acceptably enacting his regulations. There will be good fortune. The onward progress with them will afford ground for admiration.
  6. Line 6The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject enacting regulations severe and difficult. Even with firmness and correctness there will be evil. But though there will be cause for repentance, it will (by and by) disappear.

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