What this change means
Turning back is the wisdom of the second line. As it moves, the Water below becomes Earth, and Heaven above no longer meets anything that answers it. You can't win this dispute, and the line says so plainly: withdraw while you still can, even if someone calls it cowardice. In the old text, the one who slips away keeps a whole town of three hundred households from harm. Stepping back protects more than your pride.
12 Decline, the resulting hexagram, confirms the setting. Adverse people and situations surround you, and this isn't a good time to act or decide. Withdraw to a safe place, keep a low profile, and don't get involved with those people, whatever they offer. Watch for staying in the fight to save face. Retreat here isn't surrender; it's how you wait for better conditions.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 6 Conflict
Withdrawing in time, even if it looks cowardly, is the best move right now.
Unable to win the lawsuit. Turning back, slipping away; the people of the town, three hundred households, come to no harm.
- The judgment of 6 Conflict
A conflict is arising that can't be solved by action; cleverness works better than force. Recognizing that you can't resolve anything right now, letting events take their course, and seeking the advice of someone wise in this area will help you get out of the conflict.
There is sincere trust, but it is blocked. Caution: stopping halfway brings good fortune; going all the way to the end, misfortune. It is favorable to see the great person. It is not favorable to cross the great river.
- The judgment of 12 Decline
You're surrounded by adverse people and situations. Avoid getting involved with those people, no matter what they offer you. Circumstances aren't good for acting or making decisions; it's time to withdraw to a safe place and wait for conditions to change. It's time to keep a low profile.
Stagnation: these are not worthy people. The constancy of the noble person is not favorable. The great goes, the small comes.
The trigrams
The way back
12 Decline → 6 Conflictline 2
Other transformations of Conflict
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.