In practice
The judgment
It's a time of change and adjustment, and it will happen naturally, without great upheaval, the way food cooks. Keep the flame lit: it's the enthusiasm that gives you the strength to keep going. And be clear about the resources you have, the way a cook chooses the ingredients. The change will come about little by little.
The poetry
The Cauldron
Great good fortune. Success.
The image
Fire above wood: the cauldron. So the noble person sets their place right and makes the mandate firm.
The lines
- Line 6上九
Your actions will be richly rewarded. Success in your projects: you find human favor and divine help.
The cauldron with a bar of jade. Great good fortune. Nothing that is not favorable.
- Line 5六五
Your qualities will carry you to success without your having to prove anything. Naturally, everything will go your way.
The cauldron with yellow ears and a bar of gold. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 4九四
If you stray from your purpose and get involved with the wrong people, you won't succeed.
The cauldron breaks a leg and spills the prince's stew. Its form is drenched. Misfortune.
- Line 3九三
For now you're in a place where your talents and qualities aren't recognized. There's nothing to worry about: if you stay true to yourself and act with integrity, success will come in the end.
The ears of the cauldron are altered; its going is blocked. The pheasant fat is not eaten. When the rain comes, regret wanes. In the end, good fortune.
- Line 2九二
If you do things the right way, don't fear the envy your achievements stir up.
The cauldron is full. My rival is ill and cannot come near me. Good fortune.
- Line 1初六
The change will happen under conditions that aren't ideal, but it will come to a good end.
The cauldron upended, feet in the air. It is favorable to tip out what has gone stale. A concubine is taken for the sake of her son. No fault.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, The Vessel of Nourishment turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 30The Flamelines 1 and 2
- 38Oppositeslines 1 and 3
- 35Advancelines 2 and 3
- 26Great Achievementslines 1 and 4
- 52Abidinglines 2 and 4
- 4Immaturitylines 3 and 4
- 1Activitylines 1 and 5
- 33Leaving Behindlines 2 and 5
- 6Conflictlines 3 and 5
- 57Gentlenesslines 4 and 5
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1 and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 2 and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 3 and 6
- 46Going Uplines 4 and 6
- 28Excesseslines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 21Bitinglines 1, 2, and 3
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 2, and 4
- 41Decreaselines 1, 3, and 4
- 23The Falllines 2, 3, and 4
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 2, and 5
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 3, and 5
- 12Declinelines 2, 3, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 4, and 5
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2, 4, and 5
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 3, 4, and 5
- 55Abundancelines 1, 2, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 3, and 6
- 16Passionlines 2, 3, and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 4, and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 2, 4, and 6
- 7The Armylines 3, 4, and 6
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 5, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 2, 5, and 6
- 47Overwhelmedlines 3, 5, and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 27Nourishmentlines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 25Innocencelines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 37The Tribelines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 61Inner Integritylines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 20Observinglines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 51Shocklines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 36Darknesslines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 2Passivitylines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 49Renewallines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 45Meetinglines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 5Inactionlines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 39Held Backlines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 29Waterlines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
鼎：元吉，亨。
象曰：木上有火，鼎；君子以正位凝命。
初六：鼎顛趾，利出否，得妾以其子，无咎。
九二：鼎有實，我仇有疾，不我能即，吉。
九三：鼎耳革，其行塞，雉膏不食，方雨虧悔，終吉。
九四：鼎折足，覆公餗，其形渥，凶。
六五：鼎黃耳金鉉，利貞。
上九：鼎玉鉉，大吉，无不利。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.