I Ching Hexagram 33 - Retreat
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 33 "Retreat"
遯 - Dùn
Thiên Sơn Độn
Retreat
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☰ Qian, Heaven
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☶ Gen, Mountain
Other Titles: The Symbol of Retirement, Yielding, Withdrawal, Retiring, Wielding, Strategic Withdrawal, Inaccessibility, Disassociation from Inferior Forces.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Retreat. Success. In what is small, perseverance furthers.
Legge: Retreat. means successful progress. Advantage comes from firm correctness and attention to details.
Blofeld: Yielding. Success! Persistence in small things wins advantage. [Much of the teaching of the Book of Changes is concerned with the wisdom of restraint or withdrawal as the best way of achieving our goal under certain circumstances; so this hexagram is not necessarily unfavorable to the wise. This is not a time when we can hope to achieve much; but attention to small matters will stand us in good stead later.]
Liu: Retreat. Success. To persist in small matters is of benefit.
Shaughnessy: Wielding: Receipt; little beneficial to determine.
Cleary (1): Withdrawal is developmental. The small is beneficial and correct.
Cleary (2): Withdrawal is successful. Small benefit is correct.
Wu: Retreat indicates pervasion. It will be advantageous for the little men to be persevering.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Mountain under heaven: the image of Retreat. Thus the superior man keeps the inferior man at a distance, not angrily but with reserve. [He does not hate him, for hatred is a form of subjective involvement by which we are bound to the hated object.]
Legge: A mountain beneath the sky -- the image of Retreat. The superior man keeps inferior men at a distance by his dignified bearing rather than hostility.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes mountains beneath the sky. The Superior Man, by keeping his distance from men of inferior character, avoids having to display wrath and preserves his dignity. [The component trigrams, symbolizing mountain and sky, indicate withdrawal to a solitary place when circumstances are unfavorable.]
Liu: The mountain beneath the sky symbolizes Retreat. The superior man keeps his distance from the inferior, not with anger, but with dignity.
Cleary (1): There are mountains under heaven, which is inaccessible. Thus do superior people keep petty people at a distance, being stern without ill will.
Cleary (2): … Being strict without ill will.[Petty people can be useful, so there is no ill-will, but their pettiness cannot wield authority, so be strict. In terms of learning to be a sage, the celestial ruler is the master, and the physical body takes orders from it, so that the desires of the various parts of the body cannot cause disturbance.]
Wu: There is a mountain under heaven; this is Retreat. Thus the jun zi distances himself from the little men, not because of despising them, but because of maintaining his own esteem. [The difference between the jun zi and the little men is one of education and not of birth. Confucius was a teacher first and a philosopher second, for he said: “Education is classless.” Every one of us has the potential of becoming a sage.]
Line 1
初六: 遯尾, 厲, 勿用有攸往．
Wilhelm/Baynes: At the tail in retreat. This is dangerous. One must not undertake anything. [Since the hexagram is the picture of something that is retreating, the lowest line represents the tail and the top line the head. In a retreat it is advantageous to be at the front.]
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows a retiring tail. The position is perilous. No movement in any direction should be made.
Blofeld: Withdrawal to the hindermost point -- trouble! It is useless to seek any goal or destination at such a time.
Liu: The tail in retreat. (Someone closely following.) Danger. No undertakings.
Shaughnessy: Wield the tail; danger; do not herewith have any place to go.
Cleary: Withdrawing the tail is dangerous; don’t go anywhere with this.
Wu: To retreat in the rear is perilous. He should not undertake it.
Line 2
六二: 執之用黃牛之革, 莫之勝說．
Wilhelm/Baynes: He holds him fast with yellow ox-hide. No one can tear him loose.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows its subject holding her purpose as if by a thong made from the hide of a yellow ox, which cannot be broken.
Blofeld: He bound it with thongs of yellow ox-hide and no one could untie it.
Liu: If his will is strong, like yellow ox-hide, no one can dissuade him.
Shaughnessy: Uphold it using a yellow ox's bridle; no one will succeed in overturning it.
Cleary: Use the hide of a yellow ox to fasten this; no one can loosen it.
Wu: He holds fast to his decision with the hide of a yellow cow. Nobody can dissuade him.
Line 3
九三: 係遯, 有疾厲, 畜臣妾, 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: A halted retreat is nerve-wracking and dangerous. To retain people as men-and maidservants brings good fortune.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows one retiring but bound -- to his distress and peril. If he were to deal with his binders as in nourishing a servant or concubine, it would be fortunate for him.
Blofeld: Yielding under constraint results in ills and trouble, but there is good fortune in store for those who are supporting servants and concubines.
Liu: Retreat with entanglements is dangerous and leads to illness. Take care of women and subordinates. Good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Do the wielding; there is sickness; danger; keeping servants and consorts is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Entangled withdrawal has affliction, but it is lucky in terms of feeding servants and concubines.
Cleary (2): Entangled in withdrawal, there is affliction and danger, but feeding servants and concubines leads to good results.
Wu: The retreat is tied to a string. It will be ominous to have illness, but auspicious to have maids and servants.
Line 4
九四: 好遯, 君子吉, 小人否．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Voluntary retreat brings good fortune to the superior man and downfall to the inferior man.
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows its subject retiring notwithstanding his likings. In a superior man this will lead to good fortune. An inferior man cannot attain to this.
Blofeld: Withdrawal for good reasons -- for the Superior Man, good fortune; for people of mean attainments, misfortune!
Liu: Voluntary retreat is good fortune for the superior man, but not for the inferior man.
Shaughnessy: Good wielding; for the gentleman auspicious, for the little man negative.
Cleary (1): A superior person who withdraws well is fortunate, an inferior person is not.
Cleary (2): Developed people who withdraw in the right way are fortunate; petty people are not.
Wu: To retreat from what he is fond of is easy for a Jun zi, but not so for a little man.
Line 5
九五: 嘉遯, 貞吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Friendly retreat. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows its subject retiring in an admirable way. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: An admirably carried out withdrawal. Persistence in a righteous course brings good fortune.
Liu: Appropriate retreat. To continue brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Enjoyable wielding; determination is auspicious.
Cleary: Excellent withdrawal; correctness is auspicious.
Wu: The commendable retreat is auspicious if persevering.
Line 6
上九: 肥遯, 无不利．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Cheerful retreat. Everything serves to further.
Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows its subject retiring in a noble way. It will be advantageous in every respect.
Blofeld: A "sleek" withdrawal -- everything is favorable! [The Chinese commentators suggest that this means going to live in retirement. They add that the phrase also implies excellent health.]
Liu: Retreat after success. Everything is favorable.
Shaughnessy: Fattened wielding; there is nothing not beneficial.
Cleary (1): Rich withdrawal is wholly beneficial.
Cleary (2): Withdrawal of the rich is beneficial to all.
Wu: Retreat at his leisure is never disadvantageous.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 33, heaven over mountain. Giving up your struggle to an opposing force by small adjustments is often the best way of achieving your future goal. If things are not in your favor, it is better to retreat rather than to advance.
For those in business, it is advisable to cut losses and not proceed any further. Also, it is not a good time to start new ventures or to expand. As a tactical move, retreat and conserve your energy for a new undertaking. This way, fewer people will suffer. Retreating is not regarded as defeat.
