Transformation · lines 1, 2, 5, and 6
Small Things becomes Simplicity
What this change means
A mountain within the earth: with four lines moving, the third and fourth lines of 15 Simplicity stay still and speak for this reading. The third says that if you stay humble despite your position and fame, you won't create rivalries and you'll succeed. The fourth says that carrying out your tasks with dedication, without expecting recognition, brings great success. From Small Things, this movement asks you to put your achievements in the background. It isn't the time to boast or show off; keeping things simple and acting fairly lets your qualities show on their own. So do the work well and let it speak. Resist the urge to point to what you've done, and be generous with credit. Recognition tends to come to people who aren't chasing it, and rivalry tends to follow those who are.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 15 Simplicity, which stays still
If, despite your position and fame, you stay humble, you won't create rivalries and you'll succeed.
A noble person humble in toil. Reaching the end: good fortune.
- Line 4 of 15 Simplicity, which stays still
If you carry out your tasks with dedication and without expecting recognition, you'll have great success.
Nothing that is not favorable. Humility spread wide.
- The judgment of 9 Small Things
You're facing a situation that promises success, but it isn't time yet. There are still obstacles on the way that you need to resolve. For now you can take small actions and wait for the right moment to act on a large scale.
Success. Dense clouds and no rain, from my western outskirts.
- Line 1 of 9 Small Things
What's called for now is to fall back to situations where you have more control. This isn't a loss: it's a smart move.
Returning by its own way. What fault could there be? Good fortune.
- Line 2 of 9 Small Things
Even though circumstances push you to advance, for now it's time to go back and prepare to act at a better moment.
Led back. Good fortune.
- Line 5 of 9 Small Things
Allying with others and being loyal in that alliance will bring success.
There is sincere trust, bound together as by a cord. Growing rich alongside the neighbor.
- Line 6 of 9 Small Things
You get what you want thanks to step-by-step work. Still, don't rest on your laurels: you have to stay constant and keep working little by little.
The rain has come, the rest has come. Virtue has piled up like a load. The wife's constancy is in danger. The moon is nearly full. For the noble person, setting out brings misfortune.
- The judgment of 15 Simplicity
This isn't the time to boast or show off. It's time to keep things simple and to make sure you act fairly; your qualities and talents will show on their own and be recognized.
Success. The noble person reaches the end.
The trigrams
The way back
15 Simplicity → 9 Small Thingslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Small Things
- 12Declinelines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 23The Falllines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 64Transitionlines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 8Unionlines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 47Overwhelmedlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 7The Armylines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 32What Lastslines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.