Hexagram 56: The Wanderer
Travel, transience
| Chinese | 旅 (Lǚ) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☲ Fire — The Clinging (Fire) |
| Lower trigram | ☶ Mountain — Keeping Still (Earth) |
| Keywords | wandering, travel, transience, adaptability |
| Opposite | Hexagram 60: Limitation |
| Inverted | Hexagram 55: Abundance |
What does Hexagram 56 (The Wanderer) mean?
The Wanderer 旅 (Lǚ) is hexagram 56 of the I Ching, formed by Fire (The Clinging) over Mountain (Keeping Still). Its theme is travel, transience, with key ideas of wandering, travel, transience, adaptability. The Judgment reads: “The Wanderer. Success through smallness. Perseverance brings good fortune to the wanderer.”
The Judgment of The Wanderer
The Wanderer. Success through smallness. Perseverance brings good fortune to the wanderer.
The Image of The Wanderer
Fire on the mountain.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 56
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Six at the beginning
“If the wanderer busies himself with trivial things, he draws down misfortune upon himself.”
In a foreign situation, wasting energy on petty matters signals lack of seriousness and invites trouble. The wanderer must maintain dignity and focus.
Six in the second place
“The wanderer comes to an inn. He has his property with him. He wins the steadfastness of a young servant. Good fortune.”
Finding safe lodging while retaining one's essential resources, and earning the loyalty of a trustworthy helper — this is the ideal wanderer's position.
Nine in the third place
“The wanderer's inn burns down. He loses the steadfastness of his young servant. Danger.”
Loss of both shelter and reliable support simultaneously is the wanderer's worst situation. When the foundation and the ally are gone at once, the danger is acute.
Nine in the fourth place
“The wanderer rests in a shelter. He obtains his property and an ax. My heart is not glad.”
Temporary security obtained in unfamiliar territory — resources and means of defence in hand — is a practical achievement, yet the heart knows it is not home. Security without belonging is incomplete.
Six in the fifth place
“He shoots a pheasant. It drops with the first arrow. In the end this brings both praise and office.”
A single skilled act in a foreign place demonstrates one's quality instantly. Competence recognised in transit leads to permanent recognition and position.
Nine at the top
“The bird's nest burns up. The wanderer laughs at first, then must needs lament and weep. Through carelessness he loses his cow. Misfortune.”
Careless celebration of a temporary advantage destroys the very place of rest. Laughter turning to weeping marks the price of inattention at the critical moment of the wanderer's journey.
Will The Wanderer answer your question?
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