Hexagram 57: The Gentle
Penetrating influence, wind
| Chinese | 巽 (Xùn) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☴ Wind — The Gentle (Wood) |
| Lower trigram | ☴ Wind — The Gentle (Wood) |
| Keywords | gentleness, penetration, influence, adaptability |
| Opposite | Hexagram 51: The Arousing |
| Inverted | Hexagram 58: The Joyous |
What does Hexagram 57 (The Gentle) mean?
The Gentle 巽 (Xùn) is hexagram 57 of the I Ching, formed by Wind (The Gentle) over Wind (The Gentle). Its theme is penetrating influence, wind, with key ideas of gentleness, penetration, influence, adaptability. The Judgment reads: “The Gentle. Success through what is small. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.”
The Judgment of The Gentle
The Gentle. Success through what is small. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
The Image of The Gentle
Winds following one upon the other.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 57
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Six at the beginning
“In advancing and in retreating, the perseverance of a warrior furthers.”
Gentle penetration requires the warrior's steadiness — neither rigidly advancing nor blindly retreating, but holding the course with quiet resolve.
Nine in the second place
“Penetration under the bed. Priests and magicians are used in great number. Good fortune. No blame.”
Seeking out hidden influences at their very root — using every means of discernment — clears what subtly undermines. Thoroughness in this search brings blessing.
Nine in the third place
“Repeated penetration. Humiliation.”
Persisting in gentle influence beyond the point of effectiveness becomes weakness rather than wisdom. Over-applying the penetrating approach brings embarrassment.
Six in the fourth place
“Remorse vanishes. During the hunt three kinds of game are caught.”
In the right position and with clear intent, the gentle approach yields abundant results. Three kinds of catch means nothing escapes the net.
Nine in the fifth place
“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.”
The midpoint of transformation — reflecting carefully before and after the pivotal shift — produces lasting good. Change prepared and reviewed is the most effective.
Nine at the top
“Penetration under the bed. He loses his property and his ax. Perseverance brings misfortune.”
Searching obsessively even at the end when the work is done leads to loss rather than discovery. Continued probing after resolution has been reached destroys what was gained.
Will The Gentle answer your question?
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