What this change means
Five lines move, and only the top one stays: a mountain resting on earth, almost all of Heaven's strength stripped away. The reading then turns to the single unmoved line of the resulting hexagram, 23 The Fall. That top line says adverse situations will give way little by little, and adversity will gradually become opportunity. It's a hard passage, and an honest one. Obstacles pile up; even when you're right, your words may not be believed; people who misuse power may be rising. The strength you had isn't gone, but it's not the tool for this moment. Don't try to push ahead. Hold your ground, be generous toward those who depend on you, and keep your dwelling secure. Something is still alive at the top. What remains after the stripping tends to be the seed of what comes next.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 6 of 23 The Fall, which stays still
Little by little the adverse situations will give way, and gradually adversity will turn into opportunity.
A great fruit left uneaten. The noble person gains a carriage; the petty person's hut is stripped.
- The judgment of 1 Activity
The creative principle. Activity. New beginnings, flourishing, and the qualities you need to carry any undertaking or project through to success.
Great success. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 1 of 1 Activity
It's not yet time to act.
A dragon under the water. Do not act.
- Line 2 of 1 Activity
It's time to talk with the people who can help you.
The dragon shows itself in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.
- Line 3 of 1 Activity
Things are working, yet you worry for no apparent reason.
The noble person strives and strives all day long, and at nightfall is still watchful. Danger. No fault.
- Line 4 of 1 Activity
It's time to decide whether you want to keep moving forward or stop.
Perhaps it leaps in the abyss. No fault.
- Line 5 of 1 Activity
What you undertake brings good results, and help is there if you ask for it.
The dragon flies in the sky. It is favorable to see the great person.
- The judgment of 23 The Fall
It's a time of obstacles and difficulties when, even if you're right, your words aren't believed. Lesser people who misuse power are on the rise, and you could become their victim. Recognizing this time without trying to push ahead, and being generous and giving toward those beneath you, will help you hold on while circumstances change.
It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
The trigrams
The way back
23 The Fall → 1 Activitylines 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Other transformations of Activity
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.