In practice
The judgment
Whatever your question, the favorable answer comes from acting with discipline and organization: face the situation head-on and speak clearly, say what you want, without trying to impose it.
The poetry
The Army
The constancy of a seasoned leader brings good fortune. No fault.
The image
Within the earth there is water: the army. So the noble person takes in the people and cares for the multitude.
The lines
- Line 6上六
You'll get real achievements and results, but choose carefully who you surround yourself with right now.
The great prince gives his command: founding states, conferring houses. Do not employ the petty person.
- Line 5六五
Choosing the situations you're able to face will keep you out of useless fights.
There is game in the field. It is favorable to seize it. No fault. The eldest son leads the army; the younger son hauls corpses. Even with constancy, misfortune.
- Line 4六四
If you feel you don't have enough in place to succeed, it's better to pull back and wait for a better moment to act again.
The army withdraws and makes camp. No fault.
- Line 3六三
If you don't keep up the conditions needed for success and you slacken in your task, there will be misfortune.
Perhaps the army hauls corpses on its carts. Misfortune.
- Line 2九二
Keep up your activity and discipline to reach what you want, and you'll get it.
In the midst of the army: good fortune. No fault. Three times the king bestows his charge.
- Line 1初六
There has to be a just cause for you to move in the direction you want.
The army sets out under discipline. Without good order: misfortune.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, The Army turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 24Coming Backlines 1 and 2
- 11Well-Beinglines 1 and 3
- 15Simplicitylines 2 and 3
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1 and 4
- 16Passionlines 2 and 4
- 32What Lastslines 3 and 4
- 60Thriftlines 1 and 5
- 8Unionlines 2 and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 3 and 5
- 47Overwhelmedlines 4 and 5
- 41Decreaselines 1 and 6
- 23The Falllines 2 and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 3 and 6
- 64Transitionlines 4 and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 36Darknesslines 1, 2, and 3
- 51Shocklines 1, 2, and 4
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1, 3, and 4
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 2, 3, and 4
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 5
- 5Inactionlines 1, 3, and 5
- 39Held Backlines 2, 3, and 5
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 4, and 5
- 45Meetinglines 2, 4, and 5
- 28Excesseslines 3, 4, and 5
- 27Nourishmentlines 1, 2, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 3, and 6
- 52Abidinglines 2, 3, and 6
- 38Oppositeslines 1, 4, and 6
- 35Advancelines 2, 4, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 3, 4, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 1, 5, and 6
- 20Observinglines 2, 5, and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 3, 5, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 55Abundancelines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 63After the Endlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 21Bitinglines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 42Increaselines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
師：貞丈人吉，无咎。
象曰：地中有水，師；君子以容民畜衆。
初六：師出以律，否臧，凶。
九二：在師中吉，无咎；王三錫命。
六三：師或輿尸，凶。
六四：師左次，无咎。
六五：田有禽，利執言，无咎。長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。
上六：大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.