Hexagram 31

咸 Xián

Influence

☱ Lake above ☶ Mountain

Judgment 卦辭

亨。利貞。取女吉。

咸xiánreciprocity, mutuality; conjoined, symbiosis

亨hēngfulfillment, satisfaction; completeness

利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial

貞zhēnto persist; be loyal, dedicated, in earnest

取qǔto pair, mate with; choose, seek, court, marry

女nǚa, the maiden; young woman, lady

吉jíis promising, auspicious, hopeful, lucky

Commentary

Success. Persistence furthers. Taking a wife brings good fortune. Mutual attraction is a universal law—heaven and earth attract, and everything comes into being. The strong positions itself below the yielding, shows consideration. This is courtship, not seduction. The difference is perseverance.

Classical Text

咸艮下兌上咸，亨，利貞，取女吉。

Xian (Influence). Gen below, Dui above. Xian: Success. Benefit in Correctness. Taking a wife brings good fortune.

Image 象

山上有澤，咸。君子以虛受人。

A lake on the mountain, stimulated by the moisture it holds. Keep your mind humble and receptive. People stop advising someone who already knows everything. Openness invites influence; rigidity repels it.

Lines 爻辭

咸其拇

咸xiánmoving, persuaded, in touched with

其qíin, by the, one's own, that, those

拇mǔbig toes

Influence in the big toe. The intention forms before action is visible. Not yet apparent to others, leading to neither good nor bad. The beginning stirs.

Classical commentary

初六，咸其拇。

Initial Six: Influence in the big toe.

咸其腓凶居吉

咸xiánmoving, persuaded, in touched with

其qíin, by the, one's own, those

腓féilower legs, calves

凶xiōngdisappointing, unfortunate, unlucky

居jūto abide, maintain; remain, stay, sit still

吉jíis promising, fortunate, timely; bodes well

Influence in the calves. The leg moves reflexively, following the foot. Movement not self-governed is dangerous. Wait for genuine impulse before acting. Then no injury.

Classical commentary

六二，咸其腓，凶。居吉。

Six in the Second: Influence in the calf—misfortune. Remaining still brings good fortune.

咸其股執其隨往吝

咸xiánmoving, persuaded, in touched with

其qíin, by the, one's own, those

股gǔthighs, loins, hips, haunches

執zhímanage, control, round up, containing

其qíthose, these, such, one's; what, that which

隨suíconsequences, pursuits; follows, comes after

往wǎngto go ahead, proceed, continue on, thus

吝lìnis embarrassing, regrettable, wretchedness

Influence in the thighs. They follow wherever the heart desires, without pause. Acting on every caprice leads to humiliation. Learn to hold back. This restraint is the basis of freedom.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：咸其股，亦不處也。志在隨人，所執下也。

The Image states: Influence in the thigh—likewise unable to remain still. The intention is to follow others; what one clings to is lowly.

貞吉悔亡憧憧往來朋從爾思

貞zhēnpersistence; steady, firm, steadfastness

吉jíis promising, auspicious, hopeful, timely

悔huǐregrets, remorse; regret, repent and

亡wángpass, disappear, dissolves; move on

憧chōngif, where unsettled, irresolute, distracted

憧chōngand ambivalent, wavering, undecided, vacillating

往wǎngin whether to go; in goings

來láior to come; and comings

朋péngyour companions, associates; alliances

從cóngwill follow; attend to; conform to, be like

爾ěryour

思sīthoughts, thinking, train of thought, plan

Persistence brings good fortune. The heart is reached. When the quiet power of character operates, the effects are right. Conscious manipulation exhausts you and limits your reach. Let influence happen naturally.

Classical commentary

九四，貞吉，悔亡。憧憧往來，朋從爾思。

Nine in the Fourth: Correctness brings good fortune; regret vanishes. Restlessly going back and forth—friends follow your thinking.

咸其脢無悔

咸xiánmoving, persuaded, in touched with

其qíin, by the, one's own, that

脢méineck and shoulders, upper back, trapezius

無wúwithout, with no, avoiding; nothing

悔huǐregrets, remorse; to regret, repent

Influence in the back of the neck—the rigid part. The will stays firm, no confusion results. What happens in the unconscious depths cannot be forced. If you can't be influenced, you can't influence.

Classical commentary

九五，咸其脢，无悔。

Nine in the Fifth: Influence in the flesh of the upper back—no regret.

咸其輔頰舌

咸xiánmoving, persuaded, in touched with

其qíin, by one's own, those

輔fǔmaxilla

頰jiájawbones: and mandible, jowls

舌shéand tongue

Influence in the jaws, cheeks, tongue. All talk, nothing real behind it. The most superficial approach to influence. Results are necessarily insignificant. Neither good nor bad fortune mentioned—just irrelevance.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：咸其輔頰舌，滕口說也。

The Image states: Influence in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue—it is merely eager talk from the mouth.