Transformation · lines 3, 4, and 5

Water becomes What Lasts

Starting hexagram
Resulting hexagram

What this change means

Wind below and thunder above replace the double Water as the third, fourth and fifth lines move: a restless current becomes a pairing that endures. The judgment of 29 Water still describes the road. Difficulties follow one another, and you get through by moving, with a sincere and steady heart, never letting fear pin you down. The resulting hexagram, 32 What Lasts, asks for action, not stillness, guided by clear goals and conduct in line with them. That's how achievements grow and last. Held in balance, these two say the movement that gets you out of the pit should become a direction. Don't just react to each obstacle; decide where you're going and keep heading there. Watch for scattered effort. Standing firm in your course, as the image suggests, turns perseverance through danger into something durable.

What to read, in order

Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.

  1. The judgment of 29 Water

    Just as a stream moves through obstacles and gets past them, following its course without stagnating, you're at a time when obstacles will come one after another, but you'll get past them if you can keep moving. Letting fear paralyze you will only leave you stuck.

    There is sincere trust. Only the heart gets through. Going earns esteem.

  2. The judgment of 32 What Lasts

    This moment asks you for action, not stillness. It asks you to have clear goals to head toward and to act in line with them. That way you'll achieve things, and your achievements will keep growing and will last.

    Success. No fault. Constancy is favorable. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.

  3. Line 3 of 29 Water

    It's time to stop, watch and act only when you're sure that moving forward will lead to success. Ask for inner guidance.

    Coming and going: pit and pit. Danger, and depth besides. Entering the bottom of the pit. Do not act.

  4. Line 4 of 29 Water

    Obstacles will be overcome now only if you open up to help that seems minor but will make the difference.

    A jug of wine, a bowl of grain besides, in clay vessels. The simple offering passes in through the window. In the end, no fault.

  5. Line 5 of 29 Water

    You'll get out of the obstacles now if you follow the path of least resistance and, step by step, head toward your goal.

    The pit does not overflow; it fills just to the level. No fault.

The trigrams

Below Water Wind
Above Water Thunder

The way back

32 What Lasts → 29 Water
lines 3, 4, and 5

Other transformations of Water

Make your own cast

The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.

Toss the coins