Hexagram 31
Influence
Lake over Mountain
The judgment
亨。利贞。取女吉The lake rests on the mountain and the two respond without being pushed. Influence here moves through the empty space, and a full hand receives nothing.
The image
A lake sits on the mountain top and the slope answers with weight. What responds does so from below, where no order reaches.
The six lines
Read from the bottom up. A line that moves is read here, and read again in the hexagram it becomes.
- 初六Line 1
咸其拇
The toes are stirred, yet the body stays put; this step only tests the ground.
- 六二Line 2
咸其腓，凶，居吉
The calf is pulled and wants to move; staying put keeps the footing while motion costs balance.
Marked in the textominousauspicious
- 九三Line 3
咸其股，执其随，往吝
The thigh is moved along another's rhythm, and mid-way there is no easy way back.
Marked in the textnarrow going
- 九四Line 4
贞吉悔亡，憧憧往来，朋从尔思
The mind sways back and forth, weighing gain and loss, while companions follow only your present intent.
Marked in the textauspiciousregret clears
- 九五Line 5
咸其脢，无悔
The pull lands on the spine's center, beyond reach and beyond pushing; standing firm is enough here.
Marked in the textregret
- 上六Line 6
咸其辅，颊，舌
The pull settles on lips and tongue, words already spoken while the body lags; quieting now is steadier.
Where each changing line leads
Flip one line and it is a different hexagram. These are the six it becomes.
This page is for reference. To get a hexagram from six throws, cast your own.
The classical text is the Zhouyi, public domain, checked against a Wikisource transcript. The readings are ours. Daily hexagram