In practice
The judgment
Every time you advance, something blocks you, forcing you to stop, step back, and look for help from like-minded people who give you their support. That way you'll get past the obstacles one by one until the final victory.
The poetry
Hard Going
The southwest is favorable; the northeast is not. It is favorable to see the great person. Constancy brings good fortune.
The image
Water on the mountain: hard going. So the noble person turns back to themselves and cultivates virtue.
The lines
- Line 6上六
You've reached such maturity and confidence that you can face difficulties calmly and help others; in the same way, you'll receive help from those above you.
Going: hardship. Coming: greatness. Good fortune. It is favorable to see the great person.
- Line 5九五
You have great conviction and clear goals, which let you keep going despite the obstacles. Your inner strength will draw help to you.
Great hardship: friends arrive.
- Line 4六四
You won't get past the obstacles on your own. It's time to return to more stable conditions and look for support from like-minded people; with their help you'll succeed.
Going: hardship. Coming: joined with others.
- Line 3九三
The right thing now is to step back from the obstacles and return to normal conditions, with the people who love you, until the time to act comes.
Going: hardship. Coming: a return.
- Line 2六二
It's time to face the difficulties, which seem to grow as you advance. Still, if your actions go hand in hand with inner integrity, you'll succeed in the end.
The king's servant, in hardship upon hardship, and not of their own doing.
- Line 1初六
A strategic retreat in the face of obstacles will help you reflect, come up with new strategies, and act when conditions are right.
Going: hardship. Coming: praise.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Held Back turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 5Inactionlines 1 and 2
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 3
- 29Waterlines 2 and 3
- 49Renewallines 1 and 4
- 28Excesseslines 2 and 4
- 45Meetinglines 3 and 4
- 36Darknesslines 1 and 5
- 46Going Uplines 2 and 5
- 2Passivitylines 3 and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 4 and 5
- 37The Tribelines 1 and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 2 and 6
- 20Observinglines 3 and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 4 and 6
- 52Abidinglines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 60Thriftlines 1, 2, and 3
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 2, and 4
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 47Overwhelmedlines 2, 3, and 4
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 2, and 5
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 3, and 5
- 7The Armylines 2, 3, and 5
- 55Abundancelines 1, 4, and 5
- 32What Lastslines 2, 4, and 5
- 16Passionlines 3, 4, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 2, and 6
- 42Increaselines 1, 3, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2, 3, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 4, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 4, and 6
- 12Declinelines 3, 4, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 5, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2, 5, and 6
- 23The Falllines 3, 5, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 51Shocklines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 61Inner Integritylines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 1Activitylines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 35Advancelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
蹇：利西南，不利東北；利見大人，貞吉。
象曰：山上有水，蹇；君子以反身修德。
初六：往蹇，來譽。
六二：王臣蹇蹇，匪躬之故。
九三：往蹇來反。
六四：往蹇來連。
九五：大蹇朋來。
上六：往蹇來碩，吉；利見大人。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.