觀Guan · Contemplation
In one sentence
Don't move yet. Take a good look.
A situation of watching: you are looking at others, and others are looking at you. Quiet your mind, observe the situation and examine yourself, then decide whether to advance or withdraw. Whatever you do in others' sight should be dignified and sincere. This is not a time to rush into action.
Asking about work, love or money
- Work
- This is not a time to rush into action; it is a time to look: at which way the situation is heading, at how others do things, and at how well you are really doing yourself. Others are watching you too, so what passes through your hands and what you say should be dignified and solid. Once you see clearly, decide whether to advance or step back.
- Love
- Do not hurry to declare yourself or make a decision. Take a good look at what kind of person the other is, and at what you are like in this relationship. The other person is looking at you as well; there is no need to perform, since being sincere and upright is the best you can look. If you have a partner, watch more and judge less; if you are single, observe first and do not throw yourself forward.
- Money
- With money, watch first and do not move. Do not go into what you have not understood, and do not move just because others have. Use this time to examine your own income, spending and habits, and see clearly where the money has been going. If you handle money for others or have partners, keep the accounts clear enough to stand up to anyone's inspection.
This is the hexagram as a whole. If your cast has changing lines, the line text governs; each line's page has its own reading for work, love and money.
The judgment
In plain wordsBefore the sacrifice the hands have been washed clean; the offering has not yet been presented, and already the sincere reverence within makes people look up in awe. Conduct yourself uprightly and those watching will naturally be convinced.
The Tuan commentary
大觀在上，順而巽，中正以觀天下。觀，盥而不薦，有孚顒若，下觀而化也。觀天之神道，而四時不忒，聖人以神道設教，而天下服矣。
The great sight is above. Compliant and gentle, in the center and correct, it is there for all under heaven to contemplate. "Guan. The hands are washed, the offering not yet made. There is sincerity, solemn and looked up to": those below contemplate it and are transformed. Contemplate the spirit-like way of heaven: the four seasons do not err. The sage uses the spirit-like way to set up his teaching, and all under heaven submits.
The Tuan (“judgment”) commentary is one of the Ten Wings. It explains the hexagram name and the judgment from the two trigrams and the positions of the lines.
The image
風行地上，觀。先王以省方觀民設教。
Wind moves over the earth: Guan (Contemplation). The ancient kings toured the regions, observed the people, and set up their teaching.
The lines
Six at the beginning
Text童觀，小人无咎，君子吝。A child's view. For petty people, no blame; for the noble one, humiliation.In plain wordsSeeing things the way a small child does, not seeing far. For ordinary people that is no matter; for someone who carries responsibility, it is a disgrace. More on this line →
Six in the second place
Text窺觀，利女貞。Peeping through the door. It is favorable for a woman to stay true.In plain wordsPeeking out through the crack of the door, you see only a sliver. For someone who stays at home this does no harm; for someone who has to act out in the world, it is unfavorable. More on this line →
Six in the third place
Text觀我生，進退。Contemplating my own life, to advance or withdraw.In plain wordsLook back at what you have done, whether it went smoothly or not, and then decide whether to advance or withdraw. More on this line →
Six in the fourth place
Text觀國之光，利用賓于王。Beholding the glory of the realm. It is favorable to be a guest of the king.In plain wordsYou have seen a country's splendor with your own eyes. You are close to those above; it is a fitting time to throw yourself in and come out to serve. More on this line →
Nine in the fifth place
Text觀我生，君子无咎。Contemplating my own life. The noble one is without blame.In plain wordsExamine your own conduct. Everyone is watching you — only if you act rightly is there no blame. More on this line →
Nine at the top
Text觀其生，君子无咎。Contemplating his life. The noble one is without blame.In plain wordsOthers are watching his conduct. Though no longer in office, he is still being watched, and must still act rightly to be without blame. More on this line →
Lines are counted from the bottom. “Nine” is a yang (solid) line, “six” a yin (broken) line. A line applies to your reading only when it is a changing line.
Related hexagrams
Primary, resulting, nuclear, opposite and inverted hexagrams explained →
In the hexagram calendar
In the Tang monk Yixing’s Dayan calendar, Guan belongs to the second pentad of Autumn Equinox, “Insects seal their burrows” (September 28 to October 2, 2027). It is also one of the twelve sovereign hexagrams, standing for the eighth month of the traditional calendar: four yin lines below, yin grown strong.
The twelve sovereign hexagrams → The 24 solar terms, 72 pentads and their hexagrams →