What this change means
Wind moves over the earth as the fifth and top lines move. The top leads: it's not the time to lead, it's the time to follow, and reaching for the lead would draw retaliation on everyone. The fifth brings the yellow skirt: hold back a little and let your worth glow from inside. The resulting hexagram, 20 Observing, says to observe before you act. You may be a source of inspiration for others, even as you watch those who inspire you. That lets things unfold at the right moment. So don't fight for position. Watch. Learn how the situation actually works and who really moves it. Your reserved, centered conduct is already being seen. Influence that comes from example tends to be stronger and safer than influence taken by force.
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 2 Passivity
It's not the time to lead; it's the time to follow. Trying to take a leading position now will bring retaliation on you that affects everyone.
Dragons fight in the open country. Their blood is dark and yellow.
- Line 5 of 2 Passivity
Right now success depends on acting with reserve. Your light shines from within.
A yellow skirt. Great good fortune.
- The judgment of 2 Passivity
This is not the time to take the initiative to achieve things. It's better to let others guide you and to keep at your projects with patience.
Great success. The constancy of a mare is favorable. The noble person has somewhere to go: going ahead, they lose the way; following behind, they find someone to guide them. It is favorable to find friends in the southwest and to lose them in the northeast. Calm constancy brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 20 Observing
Observe before you act. Right now you're a source of inspiration for others, and at the same time you need to observe those who inspire you. This will let things unfold at the right moment, and perfectly.
Hands washed, the offering not yet made. There is sincere trust, solemn and grave.
The trigrams
The way back
20 Observing → 2 Passivitylines 5 and 6
Other transformations of Passivity
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1 and 2
- 36Darknesslines 1 and 3
- 46Going Uplines 2 and 3
- 51Shocklines 1 and 4
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 2 and 4
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 3 and 4
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 5
- 29Waterlines 2 and 5
- 39Held Backlines 3 and 5
- 45Meetinglines 4 and 5
- 27Nourishmentlines 1 and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 2 and 6
- 52Abidinglines 3 and 6
- 35Advancelines 4 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.