What this change means
The fourth and fifth lines move, and the earth above becomes a lake with no water left in it. The fifth line leads: choose the situations you're able to face, stay out of fights that lead nowhere, and let the experienced hand take command. The fourth line agrees from just below. If you don't have enough in place, pull back, make camp, and wait for a better moment.
The resulting hexagram, 47 Overwhelmed, describes a hard-pressed time, with the wrong people around you, your words not believed, and obstacles on every side. Its advice is to accept the situation, wait for better conditions, and lean on your inner strength. These lines make that bearable. You don't have to win every battle now, only avoid the useless ones. Watch for pride that wants to fight anyway. Conserving yourself is a wise move in a time like this.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 5 of 7 The Army
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 of 7 The Army
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.
- The judgment of 7 The Army
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 constancy of a seasoned leader brings good fortune. No fault.
- The judgment of 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 7 The Armylines 4 and 5
Other transformations of The Army
- 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
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.