Guan 風地觀
A time to watch and observe
Instead of stepping forward, this is a season for looking, listening and learning. Understand fully before you act.
What does I Ching hexagram 20 (Contemplation) mean?
Wind moving over the earth, surveying everything. A hexagram of observation: time to watch, learn and look carefully rather than step forward.
- Contemplation in love
- Observe and understand the other person well before you approach.
- Contemplation at work and with money
- Study the market and the trends and plan carefully.
- Advice
- For now, seeing the big picture and looking deeply come first.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · Contemplation
Neutral“The washing is done but the offering has not yet been made; sincerity inspires awe.”
The Image: Wind moving over the earth: contemplation. The ancient kings inspected every region and observed the people in order to teach them.
原文 · 盥而不薦，有孚顒若。 / 風行地上，觀；先王以省方，觀民設教。
The six lines of hexagram 20
Lines are read from the bottom up. When you cast a reading and a line is changing, its statement becomes the key message.
Line 1 · 初六
Neutral“A child’s view: no blame for a small person, but humiliating for a noble one.”
A narrow, naive view is excusable in a beginner, but not in someone who should know better.
原文 · 童觀，小人无咎，君子吝。
Line 2 · 六二
No blame“Peeping through a crack; fitting for a woman’s perseverance.”
You see only a small part of things. Fine for staying private, but a narrow view.
原文 · 窺觀，利女貞。
Line 3 · 六三
Neutral“Contemplating my own life, to advance or withdraw.”
Look at how your life is going and decide whether to move forward or pull back.
原文 · 觀我生，進退。
Line 4 · 六四
No blame“Contemplating the glory of the kingdom: it is fitting to be a guest of the king.”
You see a great example up close. Take a place in service to it.
原文 · 觀國之光，利用賓于王。
Line 5 · 九五
No blame“Contemplating my own life: the noble person has no blame.”
Look at yourself honestly, as an example for others. Good.
原文 · 觀我生，君子无咎。
Line 6 · 上九
No blame“Contemplating his life: the noble person has no blame.”
Look at the influence you have on others and be accountable for it.
原文 · 觀其生，君子无咎。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 34. Da Zhuang (Great Power)
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 19. Lin (Approach)
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.