I Ching Hexagram 57 - Gentle Wind
Description and interpretations of I Ching hexagram 57 "Gentle Wind"
巽 - Xùn
Thuần Tốn
Gentle Wind
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☴ Xun, Wind
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☴ Xun, Wind
Other Titles: Penetration, The Penetrating, Wind, The Symbol of Bending to Enter, Willing Submission, Gentle Penetration, Ground, Calculations, Complaisance, Penetrating Influence, The Penetration of the Wind, Humility, Devoted Service, Submission
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: The Gentle. Success through what is small. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. It furthers one to see the great man.
Legge: Penetration indicates modest success. See the great man and move in the direction that implies.
Blofeld: Willing Submission -- success in small matters. It is advantageous to have in view a goal (or destination) and to visit a great man. [This is a reasonably auspicious hexagram; it augurs a certain amount of success for those who submit to circumstances -- unless a moving line indicating the contrary is received. This is not a time for resistance but for submission.]
Liu: Penetration. Small success. It is beneficial to go somewhere. It is beneficial to see a great man.
Shaughnessy: Calculations: Little receipt; beneficial to have someplace to go; beneficial to see the great man.
Cleary (1): Wind is small but developmental. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go. It is beneficial to see a great man.
Cleary (2): The small comes through successfully. It is beneficial to have a place to go. It is beneficial to see great people.
Wu: Complaisance indicates that the small are pervasive. It is advantageous to have undertakings. It is also advantageous to see the great man.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Winds following one upon the other: the image of the gently penetrating. Thus the superior man spreads his commands abroad and carries out his undertakings.
Legge: Two wind trigrams following each other form Penetration. The superior man proclaims his commands and undertakes his work.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes a favorable wind. The Superior Man performs his allotted tasks in consonance with heaven's (or the sovereign's) will. (The component trigrams combine the concepts of wind and blandness -- hence a favorable wind.)
Liu: Wind following wind symbolizes Penetration. The superior man proclaims his directives and executes his affairs.
Cleary: Wind following wind.Thus do superior people articulate directions and carry out tasks.
Wu: One breeze follows the other; this is Complaisance. Thus the jun zi gives further injunctions in order to administer public affairs.
Line 1
初六: 進退, 利武人之貞
Wilhelm/Baynes: In advancing and retreating, the perseverance of a warrior furthers.
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject now advancing, now retreating. It would be advantageous for her to have the firm correctness of a brave soldier.
Blofeld: Advancing and retreating; the righteous persistence of the warriors brings advantage.
Liu: Advance and retreat. It benefits the military person to be firm.
Shaughnessy: Entering the inside; beneficial for a military man's determination.
Cleary: Advancing and retreating. It is beneficial to be steadfast like a soldier.
Wu: There is hesitation. It will be advantageous to have the perseverance of a soldier.
Line 2
九二: 巽在床下, 用史巫 紛若, 吉,无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Penetration under the bed. Priests and magicians are used in great number. Good fortune. No blame.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows penetration under a bed, and one employing diviners and exorcists in a way bordering on confusion. There will be good fortune and no error.
Blofeld: Crawling below the bed. He employs the services of a disorderly rabble of diviners and wizards -- good fortune and no error! (This could be taken to refer to the lines of the hexagram up to this point, for this one is much more favorable than those (sic) preceding it. Or it may be taken to mean that affairs which begin by going ill with us will later take a change greatly for the better.)
Liu: Wind under the bed. Many fortune-tellers and witches are used. Good fortune. No blame.
Shaughnessy: Calculations are under the bed, herewith causing the magicians to be indignant-like; auspicious; there is no trouble.
Cleary (1): Obedient in the basement, frequently employing intermediaries, leads to good fortune, without blame.
Cleary (2): Obedience below the platform, using scribes and mediums frequently, etc.
Wu: He acts so agreeably as if he were under the bed. If he could use the sincerity of an augur to make himself understood, it would be auspicious.
Line 3
九三: 頻巽吝．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Repeated penetration. Humiliation.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject penetrating only by violent and repeated efforts. There will be occasion for regret.
Blofeld: Repeated submission -- shame!
Liu: Orders repeated many times. Humiliation.
Shaughnessy: Sequenced calculation; distress.
Cleary (1): Redundant obedience is humiliating.
Cleary (2): Repeatedly attempting obedience is humiliating.
Wu: He tries repeatedly to be obliging but he fails. This is humiliating.
Line 4
六四: 悔亡, 田獲三品．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Remorse vanishes. During the hunt three kinds of game are caught.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows all occasion for repentance in its subject passed away. She takes game for its threefold use in her hunting.
Blofeld: Regret vanishes! Three kinds of game are caught in the field.
Liu: Remorse disappears. One catches three kinds of game while hunting.
Shaughnessy: Regret is gone. In the fields bagging three types.
Cleary (1): Regret vanishes. The yield of the field is of three grades.
Cleary (2): Regret vanishes. The hunt yields three catches.
Wu: Regret no more. He hunts and bags three kinds of game.
Line 5
九五: 貞吉, 悔亡, 无不利, 无初有終.
先庚三日, 後庚三日．吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse vanishes. Nothing that does not further. No beginning, but an end. Before the change, three days. After the change, three days. Good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows that with firm correctness there will be good fortune to its subject. All occasion for repentance will disappear, and all his movements will be advantageous. There may have been no good beginning, but there will be a good end. Three days before making any changes, let him give notice of them; and three days after, let him reconsider them. There will thus be good fortune.
Blofeld: Persistence in a righteous course brings reward; regret vanishes, and everything is favorable! A poor beginning, but a good end! The three days before and the three days after a change (now due to occur) are especially propitious.
Liu: Firmness -- good fortune. Remorse disappears. Everything is of benefit. Loss in the beginning, gain in the end. Three days before change. Three days after change. Good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Determination is auspicious; regret is gone; there is nothing not beneficial; there is no beginning, there is an end. Preceding the geng day by three days, following the geng day by three days; auspicious.
Cleary (1): It is good to be correct; regret vanishes. There is all-around benefit. There is no beginning, but there is an end. The last three days of the lunar cycle and the first three days of the lunar cycle are auspicious.
Cleary (2): Correctness leads to good fortune; regret vanishes, none do not benefit. There is no beginning, but there is an end. The three days before a change and the three days after a change are auspicious.
Wu: Perseverance brings good fortune. Regret has gone. Every undertaking will be advantageous. The beginning may be rough, but the end will be great. It will be auspicious between three days before the change and three days thereafter.
Line 6
上九: 巽在床下, 喪其資斧, 貞凶．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Penetration under the bed. He loses his property and his ax. Perseverance brings misfortune.
Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows penetration beneath a bed, and its subject having lost the axe with which he executed his decisions. However firm and correct he may try to be, there will be evil.
Blofeld: Crawling below the bed. (This symbolizes exaggerated submission, servile humility, etc. Apparently, we have been guilty of this fault.) He loses what is required for his traveling expenses -- persistence brings misfortune!
Liu: Wind under the bed. He loses his wealth. Continuing leads to misfortune. (This line indicates possible loss or sickness.)
Shaughnessy: Calculations are under the bed; losing his goods and ax; determination is inauspicious.
Cleary (1): Obedient under the floor, one loses one’s resources; even if faithful, there is misfortune.
Cleary (2): The obedient are below the platform. Losing resources and tools, it is proper that there be misfortune.
Wu: He acts so agreeably as if he were under the bed. He loses his means of supporting and protecting himself. Even with perseverance it is foreboding.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 57 is made up of two wind trigrams. The double layer of wind means gentle and penetrating. From the gentleness of the wind, one must learn how to give and take. From the force of the wind, one can learn how to balance and control oneself. It is an energy that acts in invisible ways yet achieves visible results.
In nature, it is the wind that disperses the gathered clouds, leaving the sky clear. It is suggestive of news traveling far and wide.
To get things done, you have to follow the right orders. Your ultimate goal must be clear in your mind before you start. It will take time, but you can achieve enduring results.
