The 64 Hexagrams.A complete field guide to changing situations.
Each hexagram combines an inner lower trigram with an outer upper trigram to describe a distinct configuration of change. Use this matrix to identify the figure, orient yourself in the received sequence and continue into structural interpretation.
Begin with the figure. Continue with the relationships.
The received King Wen sequence numbers the hexagrams from Qian and Kun through After Completion and Before Completion. Sequence order helps you identify the figure; it is not a ranking from best to worst.
Read each six-line figure from the bottom upward. The lower trigram often frames the inner condition or initiating field; the upper trigram often frames the outer environment or unfolding expression.
A reliable reading adds the judgment, image, changing line positions, resulting hexagram and actual question context. A keyword alone is orientation—not interpretation.
Move from observable context to proportionate action.
Define the situation
Name the decision, timeframe, actors and evidence before consulting symbolism.
Read the primary figure
Identify the two trigrams, six positions and central tension.
Read active lines only
Locate where the present arrangement is unstable or transforming.
Choose the right scale
Advance, wait, repair, communicate, reduce or withdraw without surrendering judgment.
The King Wen sequence, 1–64.
Search by number, Chinese name, English title or situational theme. The figures shown are Unicode representations of the six-line hexagrams.
乾 The Creative
Initiating force, sustained direction and responsible leadership.
坤 The Receptive
Support, capacity, responsiveness and form.
屯 Difficulty at the Beginning
Emergence under pressure and incomplete conditions.
蒙 Youthful Folly
Learning, inexperience and the need for instruction.
需 Waiting
Preparation, nourishment and correct timing.
訟 Conflict
Contested interests, limits and disciplined resolution.
師 The Army
Collective force, organisation and legitimate command.
比 Holding Together
Alliance, belonging and dependable cooperation.
小畜 Small Taming
Gentle restraint and the accumulation of capacity.
履 Treading
Careful conduct within unequal or sensitive conditions.
泰 Peace
Open exchange, alignment and productive flow.
否 Standstill
Blocked exchange, separation and strategic conservation.
同人 Fellowship with Others
Shared purpose beyond private preference.
大有 Great Possession
Abundance, stewardship and visible responsibility.
謙 Modesty
Measured strength and the correction of excess.
豫 Enthusiasm
Mobilisation, readiness and the power of momentum.
隨 Following
Adaptation, responsiveness and choosing what deserves support.
蠱 Work on What Has Been Spoiled
Inherited disorder, repair and accountability.
臨 Approach
Growing influence and responsible proximity.
觀 Contemplation
Observation, example and the power of perspective.
噬嗑 Biting Through
Removing obstruction through clarity and enforcement.
賁 Grace
Form, presentation and substance disciplined by beauty.
剝 Splitting Apart
Erosion, loss of support and necessary simplification.
復 Return
Recovery, renewal and the first movement back.
無妄 Innocence
Correctness without contrivance or false intention.
大畜 Great Taming
Stored power, disciplined development and restraint.
頤 Nourishment
What sustains the body, mind and system.
大過 Great Exceeding
Exceptional load, structural strain and decisive support.
坎 The Abysmal
Repeated danger, depth and trained movement through risk.
離 The Clinging
Clarity, dependence and what requires sustained attention.
咸 Influence
Mutual responsiveness, attraction and subtle effect.
恆 Duration
Continuity, commitment and sustainable rhythm.
遯 Retreat
Strategic withdrawal and preservation of integrity.
大壯 Great Power
Strong momentum governed by proportion.
晉 Progress
Advancement, visibility and earned recognition.
明夷 Darkening of the Light
Protecting intelligence under adverse conditions.
家人 The Family
Roles, order and responsibility within the household.
睽 Opposition
Difference, divergence and limited cooperation.
蹇 Obstruction
Difficulty, reorientation and help from the right source.
解 Deliverance
Release, resolution and the easing of tension.
損 Decrease
Intentional reduction and the restoration of balance.
益 Increase
Growth, contribution and beneficial investment.
夬 Breakthrough
Resolution, declaration and removing a persistent problem.
姤 Coming to Meet
Sudden encounter and the management of emerging influence.
萃 Gathering Together
Concentration, assembly and shared commitment.
升 Pushing Upward
Gradual advancement through effort and support.
困 Oppression
Constraint, exhaustion and integrity under pressure.
井 The Well
Shared resources, infrastructure and dependable access.
革 Revolution
Necessary change, legitimacy and correct timing.
鼎 The Cauldron
Transformation, culture and the refinement of value.
震 The Arousing
Shock, movement and composure after disruption.
艮 Keeping Still
Stopping, boundaries and disciplined stillness.
漸 Development
Gradual progress, sequence and durable integration.
歸妹 The Marrying Maiden
Unequal position, desire and constrained agency.
豐 Abundance
Peak visibility, complexity and action at high noon.
旅 The Wanderer
Temporary position, adaptability and careful conduct.
巽 The Gentle
Penetration, influence and consistent small action.
兌 The Joyous
Exchange, persuasion and open expression.
渙 Dispersion
Dissolving separation and restoring circulation.
節 Limitation
Boundaries, measure and sustainable regulation.
中孚 Inner Truth
Sincerity, trust and alignment between inner and outer.
小過 Small Exceeding
Careful attention to modest corrections.
既濟 After Completion
Order achieved and the discipline of maintenance.
未濟 Before Completion
Transition, unfinished work and careful completion.
No hexagram matches that search. Try a number, Chinese name or broader theme.
Translation note: English titles vary across editions. These concise working titles are navigation aids; interpretation should return to the Chinese text, the selected translation and the structure of the reading.
Learn the grammar before expanding the interpretation.
I Ching Knowledge Hub
Return to the complete learning architecture.
I Ching Foundations
Begin with polarity, position, movement and cycles.
The Eight Trigrams
Learn the eight behaviours that compose every figure.
Hexagram Mechanics
Study line positions, correspondence, pairs and nuclear structure.