Xun 巽爲風
A time to seep in gently
Quiet persuasion works better than a hard push. Keep applying small influence steadily.
What does I Ching hexagram 57 (The Gentle (Wind)) mean?
Wind on wind, gently penetrating. Gentle, persistent influence gets you what you want.
- The Gentle (Wind) in love
- Gentle, seeping sincerity wins hearts.
- The Gentle (Wind) at work and with money
- Repeated persuasion and steady influence bring results.
- Advice
- Softness overcomes hardness.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · The Gentle (Wind)
Auspicious“A little success. It is fitting to undertake something; it is fitting to meet a great person.”
The Image: Winds following one another: the gentle. The noble person repeats his commands and carries out his work.
原文 · 小亨。利有攸往。利見大人。 / 隨風，巽；君子以申命行事。
The six lines of hexagram 57
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
No blame“Advancing and retreating; it is fitting for a warrior to persevere.”
You’re unsure. A firm, disciplined attitude settles it.
原文 · 進退，利武人之貞。
Line 2 · 九二
Very auspicious“The gentle is under the bed; using priests and shamans in numbers brings good fortune and no blame.”
There’s hidden anxiety. Honest, thorough investigation clears it.
原文 · 巽在牀下，用史巫紛若，吉无咎。
Line 3 · 九三
Caution“Repeated gentleness: humiliation.”
Giving in again and again makes you look weak.
原文 · 頻巽，吝。
Line 4 · 六四
No blame“Regret vanishes; in the hunt he catches three kinds of game.”
Gentle, patient effort produces rich returns.
原文 · 悔亡，田獲三品。
Line 5 · 九五
Very auspicious“Perseverance brings good fortune; regret vanishes; nothing is unfavorable. No beginning but an end. Three days before the change, three days after: good fortune.”
Rough start, good finish. Think carefully before and after you change.
原文 · 貞吉悔亡，无不利。无初有終，先庚三日，後庚三日，吉。
Line 6 · 上九
Misfortune“The gentle is under the bed; he loses his resources and ax; perseverance brings misfortune.”
Too much yielding costs you your power to act.
原文 · 巽在牀下，喪其資斧，貞凶。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 51. Zhen (The Arousing (Thunder))
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 58. Dui (The Joyous (Lake))
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.