Hexagram 27

頤 Yí

Nourishment

☶ Mountain above ☳ Thunder

Judgment 卦辭

貞吉。觀頤。自求口實。

頤yíhungry, open mouth; appetite; nourishment

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, survival

吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

觀guānwatch, observe, behold, study; look at, to

頤yíthe hungry mouth, jaws, oral behavior

自zìstarting, beginning from original, with

求qiúa, the search, quest, seek, hunt, craving

口kǒuto the mouth, the length of food chain

實shíto the substance, incorporation, feeding

Commentary

Steady attention to what you feed yourself—body and mind—brings good fortune. Watch what a person takes in and what they put out. That tells you everything about their character. The mouth works both ways: what you consume and what you speak.

Classical Text

頤震下艮上頤，貞吉。觀頤，自求口實。

Yi (Nourishment). Zhen below, Gen above. Nourishment. Correctness brings good fortune. Observe the nourishment: seek for yourself what fills the mouth.

Image 象

山下有雷，頤。君子以慎言語，節飲食。

Thunder beneath the mountain. The wise person speaks carefully and eats moderately. Both words and food are movements—one outward, one inward. Both require discipline. Character forms through controlling these basic exchanges.

Lines 爻辭

舍爾靈龜觀我朵頤凶

舍shěforsake, abandon, give up, letting go of

爾ěryour

靈língspirit, medicine, magic, mystery, divine

龜guītortoise, turtle

觀guānand, while looking at, to, watching

我wǒme, us

朵duǒhanging open, down; with hang down

頤yíwith hungry mouth; mouth

凶xiōngunfortunate, disappointing, unlucky, sad

You abandon your own resources to gaze enviously at others. The tortoise that lives on air needs nothing, yet you drop it to stare at someone's feast. This brings misfortune. You had independence; you traded it for longing.

Classical commentary

初九，舍爾靈龜，觀我朵頤，凶。

Initial Nine. You abandon your numinous tortoise and gaze at me moving my jaws—misfortune.

顛頤拂經于丘頤征凶

顛diānabnormal, overwhelming, disproportionate

頤yíappetite, hunger, feeding, sustenance

拂fúdismiss, reject; shake, brushing off, aside

經jīngthe norms, al, standards; usual, customary

于yúand going to, into, up to, among, amidst

丘qiūthe hilltops, sides, mounds, high places

頤yíwith hungry mouth, appetites; hungrying

征zhēngpressing; venturing, going boldly into

凶xiōngis misfortune, unfortunate; failure, pitfalls

Looking upward for nourishment, turning from your own path for sustenance. If you can't support yourself and depend on favors from above, something is wrong. This pattern leads to shame if continued.

Classical commentary

六二，顛頤，拂經于丘，頤征凶。

Six in the Second. Overturned nourishment. It goes against the constant norm at the hill. Nourishment on the march—misfortune.

拂頤貞凶十年勿用無攸利

拂fúdismissing, rejecting; brushing off, aside

頤yíthe hungry mouth, appetites, hungering

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve

凶xiōngis unfortunate, unlikely, has pitfalls

十shífor ten

年niányears, harvests

勿wùnot to be, to be, of being not at all

用yònguseful, practical, functional, available

無wúthis is no, not; this lacks, has no

攸yōua direction, purpose; an aim, orientation

利lìwith merit, of value, with rewards

Turning away from real nourishment toward what doesn't satisfy. From desire to gratification to desire again—the cycle of craving. Ten years of this leads nowhere. Complete waste.

Classical commentary

六三，拂頤貞，凶。十年勿用，无攸利。

Six in the Third. Going against the correctness of nourishment—misfortune. For ten years, do not act. Nothing is beneficial.

顛頤吉虎視眈眈其欲逐逐無咎

顛diānabnormal, overwhelming, disproportionate

頤yíappetite, hunger

吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

虎hǔa, the tiger

視shìlooks, watches, observes, studies, searches

眈dānstaring, glaring

眈dānand staring, glaring; with fixed gaze

其qíwith its own; it, this is a

欲yùpassion, desire, longing, lust, hunger, want

逐zhúis to hunt, pursue

逐zhúand give chase, run wild

無wúbut no; not; nothing; without, with no

咎jiùblame; is wrong; a mistake, an error

Looking upward for provision—but from this position, this serves the greater good. Tiger-like intensity in seeking capable people. When you work for everyone rather than yourself, the hunger serves a purpose.

Classical commentary

六四，顛頤，吉。虎視耽耽，其欲逐逐，无咎。

Six in the Fourth. Overturned nourishment—good fortune. Watching like a tiger, intent and focused; its desires are steady and earnest. No blame.

拂經居貞吉不可涉大川

拂fúdismissing, rejecting; brushing off, aside

經jīngthe norms, standards, usual, customary

居jūto practice; abide, dwell in; abiding

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, truth

吉jíis promising, auspicious, hopeful, timely

不bùbut one is not, less than, ill-, un-, dis-

可kěsuited, likely, fit, inclined

涉shèto, for cross, ford, ferry, venturing

大dàthe great, big, major

川chuānstream, river, current, waters

Aware of your own insufficiency. You should be providing but lack the strength. Turn from the usual path to seek help from someone wiser but less visible. Stay in place; don't attempt the great crossing.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：居貞之吉，順以從上也。

The Image says: The good fortune of abiding in correctness—being compliant in order to follow the one above.

由頤厲吉利涉大川

由yóuat, as a, the source, origin, beginning of

頤yíthe appetites, hungering, as food itself

厲lìdistress; difficult, harsh, brutal, serious

吉jíbut promising, hopeful, positive

利lìit is worthwhile, rewarding, favorable

涉shèto cross, ford, ferry, venture, experience

大dàthe great, big, major

川chuānstream, river, current, waters

The source of nourishment for others. Great responsibility comes with this position. Stay aware of the danger, and you can undertake even the most difficult ventures. Success and general benefit follow.

Classical commentary

上九，由頤，厲吉，利涉大川。

Top Nine. Through it comes nourishment. Danger brings good fortune. It is beneficial to cross the great river.