Guan, six at the beginningHexagram 20, line 1 · Guan (Contemplation) · changing to 42

The line

The Image commentary on this line

初六童觀，小人道也。

The six at the beginning, "a child's view": this is the way of petty people.

The small Image commentary is the earliest explanation of the line texts. It usually explains a line from its position: where it stands, whether it holds the center, and which line answers it.

Verdict

慎Proceed with care. There is some risk, or some regret left over, but nothing serious. Notice it early, correct it early, and things turn for the better.

• 无咎 no blame: no fault attaches, often because a mistake is corrected in time
• 吝 humiliation: a small, lingering difficulty that comes from not correcting course

How to read good fortune, misfortune, regret, humiliation and no blame →

Asking about work, love or money

Work

You are still watching the situation like a bystander, seeing the spectacle but not how it works. For most people that is no problem; but you are the one who must take responsibility and make the calls, and seeing this little will leave you embarrassed.

Love

You still see the other person and the relationship only shallowly, just the good or bad right in front of you. If you take a relationship seriously, you need to look further and deeper, or you will make things embarrassing for yourself.

Money

You look at money only in terms of what is right in front of you, like a child who cannot see far. That is fine when it is only your own pocket money. But if you are deciding for your household or business, think several steps ahead, or you will be shown up.

This is how to read it when this is the only changing line. With several changing lines, first see which text governs; for the hexagram as a whole, see Guan.

Line position

A yin line in a yang place: it is not in its proper place. Its partner is the fourth line, which is also yin, so there is no answer from it.

First place: the beginning of the matter. Low position, little power. Begin carefully.

Proper place, center and correspondence explained →

When you get this line

If this is the only changing line in your cast (three inscribed sides, old yin), this line is your answer. The primary hexagram is Guan (Contemplation); when this line changes it becomes Yi (Increase): hexagram 20 changing to 42.

Which text to read with several changing lines →