䷚ Nourishment Yí
Core Meaning
The Hexagram of Nourishment reveals the wisdom of sustenance. 'Thunder under the mountain' signifies external stillness and internal movement, the way of cultivating life. The shape of the hexagram, like a mouth, emphasizes 'caution in speech and moderation in food and drink'—speech is the voice of the heart, and food is the basis of the body; both must be moderate. 'Right nourishment brings good fortune' is the core; nourishment must follow the right path. 'Observe how one is nourished' has two layers: 'observe what is nourished' (what to nourish) and 'seek nourishment for oneself' (how to nourish). 'Heaven and Earth nourish all beings, the Sage nourishes the worthy and the common people,' from personal health to social welfare, 'the timeliness of nourishment is truly great.' Initial Nine's 'gaping for food' is greed; Six in the third place's 'turning away from nourishment' violates the right path; Top Nine's 'originating from nourishment' is correct nourishment.
The Judgment
Nourishment. Firmness brings good fortune. Observe how one is nourished, and seek nourishment for oneself.
Interpretation:
The Nourishment hexagram symbolizes nourishment. Adhering to the right path brings good fortune. Observing the way of nourishment, one should understand how to obtain what is needed based on one's own actual circumstances.
The Image
Under the mountain is thunder: Nourishment. A superior person is cautious with speech and moderate with food and drink.
Structure
The Nourishment hexagram has Zhen (Thunder) below and Gen (Mountain) above. Zhen is thunder, representing movement; Gen is mountain, representing stillness. Thunder under the mountain signifies external stillness and internal movement. The hexagram's shape, with two solid lines at the top and bottom resembling lips, and four broken lines in the middle resembling teeth, symbolizes the mouth and nourishment. 'Heaven and Earth nourish all beings, the Sage nourishes the worthy and the common people.' Nourishment has three layers: nourishing the body, nourishing the worthy, and nourishing the people. 'Observe how one is nourished, and seek nourishment for oneself' means observing how to provide nourishment and obtaining it according to actual needs. 'Be cautious with speech and moderate with food and drink' is the cultivation path of a superior person. This hexagram emphasizes that right nourishment brings good fortune, and nourishment must follow the right path.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Nine: You abandon your spiritual tortoise, yet gape at others for food. Misfortune.
Six in the second place: Turning upside down for nourishment, contrary to the regular course. Nourishing at the mound. Going forward brings misfortune.
Six in the third place: Turning away from nourishment. Firmness brings misfortune. For ten years, do not act; there will be no advantage.
Six in the fourth place: Turning upside down for nourishment brings good fortune. Watchful like a tiger, with desires pursuing one another. No blame.
Six in the fifth place: Contrary to the regular course, but firmness in dwelling brings good fortune. One should not cross the great stream.
Top Nine: Originating from nourishment. Danger, but good fortune. It is advantageous to cross the great stream.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In career, focus on cultivation and development. Top Nine 'originating from nourishment, danger, but good fortune' (由颐厉吉), where the world relies on your nourishment, is the highest state, earning 'great blessings' (大有庆也). Six in the fourth place 'turning upside down for nourishment brings good fortune' (颠颐吉), gaining resources from below to distribute above, 'spreading light upwards' (上施光也). But avoid the greed of Initial Nine's 'gaping for food' (朵颐), as it is 'not worthy of esteem' (亦不足贵也). Six in the third place's 'turning away from nourishment' (拂颐) violates the right path; 'for ten years, do not act' (十年勿用) means a long period without being able to manifest. 'Be cautious with speech' (慎言语): speak carefully. 'Observe what is nourished' (观其所养): see what kind of talent is being cultivated. 'Seek nourishment for oneself' (自求口实): develop according to actual needs. 'Right nourishment brings good fortune' (养正则吉): cultivation must follow the right path.
❤️ Relationships
In relationships, mutual nourishment is key. 'Observe how one is nourished' (观颐): observe how to mutually sustain each other. 'Seek nourishment for oneself' (自求口实): interact based on actual needs. 'Be cautious with speech' (慎言语): speak carefully and gently. Six in the second place 'turning upside down for nourishment, contrary to the regular course' (颠颐，拂经), seeking nourishment improperly, 'going forward brings misfortune' (征凶), 'losing one's kind' (行失类也). Six in the fourth place 'turning upside down for nourishment brings good fortune' (颠颐吉), understanding giving can 'spread light upwards' (上施光). 'Watchful like a tiger, with desires pursuing one another' (虎视眈眈，其欲逐逐): be vigilant and restrain your desires. Top Nine 'originating from nourishment' (由颐): become a source of reliance for the other. Six in the fifth place 'firmness in dwelling brings good fortune' (居贞吉): abide by one's duties. Avoid Initial Nine's greed 'gaping for food' (朵颐) and Six in the third place's 'turning away from nourishment' (拂颐).
🎯 Decision Making
Decisions should follow 'right nourishment brings good fortune' (养正则吉). 'Observe how one is nourished' (观颐): observe how to provide nourishment. 'Observe what is nourished' (观其所养): see what is being nurtured. 'Seek nourishment for oneself' (自求口实): act according to actual needs. 'Be cautious with speech and moderate with food and drink' (慎言语节饮食): be cautious and self-controlled. 'Heaven and Earth nourish all beings, the Sage nourishes the worthy and the common people' (天地养万物，圣人养贤以及万民): have a grand vision. Top Nine 'originating from nourishment, danger, but good fortune' (由颐厉吉): becoming a reliance for others; 'it is advantageous to cross the great stream' (利涉大川): able to overcome difficulties. Six in the fourth place 'turning upside down for nourishment brings good fortune' (颠颐吉): understanding how to take first and then give. Avoid the mistakes of Initial Nine's 'gaping for food' (朵颐), Six in the second place's 'turning upside down for nourishment, contrary to the regular course' (颠颐拂经), and Six in the third place's 'turning away from nourishment' (拂颐). 'The timeliness of nourishment is truly great' (颐之时大矣哉): grasping the timing of nourishment is very important.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest danger is deviating from the right path of nourishment. Initial Nine's 'gaping for food' (朵颐) is greedy; 'not worthy of esteem' (亦不足贵也) will lead to 'misfortune' (凶). Six in the second place's 'turning upside down for nourishment, contrary to the regular course' (颠颐拂经): seeking nourishment improperly, 'going forward brings misfortune' (征凶), 'losing one's kind' (行失类也). Six in the third place's 'turning away from nourishment' (拂颐) is the most severe; 'for ten years, do not act' (十年勿用) because 'the path is greatly deviated' (道大悖也). Six in the fifth place 'contrary to the regular course' (拂经) can still bring 'firmness in dwelling brings good fortune' (居贞吉), but 'one should not cross the great stream' (不可涉大川): unable to handle major challenges. 'Be cautious with speech and moderate with food and drink' (慎言语节饮食): carelessness will harm the body and corrupt virtue. One must 'cultivate what is right' (养正); without cultivating what is right, there will be no good fortune. One must 'observe what is nourished' (观其所养) and 'seek nourishment for oneself' (自求口实); blind nourishment will lead to problems.
Applicable Scenarios
The Nourishment hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
Emperor Wen of Han's 'caution in speech and moderation in food and drink' embodies the spirit of the Nourishment hexagram. He 'cultivated what was right and found good fortune' (养正则吉), nourishing the people with virtue. 'Observed how one is nourished' (观颐), observing how to govern the world. 'Sought nourishment for oneself' (自求口实), implementing policies based on actual needs, without extravagance. 'Cautious with speech' (慎言语), speaking carefully and not making rash statements. 'Moderate with food and drink' (节饮食), living frugally and setting an example. 'Heaven and Earth nourish all beings, the Sage nourishes the worthy and the common people' (天地养万物，圣人养贤以及万民); he reduced taxes and corvée labor to nourish the common people, and highly valued worthy talents like Jia Yi. Top Nine 'originating from nourishment, danger, but good fortune' (由颐厉吉): the people relied on him for nourishment, and 'great blessings' (大有庆也) were achieved, initiating the 'Rule of Wen and Jing'. This is precisely the wisdom of the Nourishment hexagram: right nourishment brings good fortune, caution in speech and moderation in food, nourishing the people and the worthy, leading to peace throughout the land.
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the Nourishment hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: