Halting Needing [hexagram 5]

Yin line Yang - controlling line Yin line Yang line Yang line Yang line

Procrastination, delay
Water over
Heaven
Water Water element

Fire Earth
Jìn [35] Rapid advance; Gain ground
Opposite
Heaven Water
Sòng [6] Strife; Contention
Inverse
Fire Lake
Kuí [38] Opposition; Diversity
Mutual

Lunar month: 2 ; Host or Controlling line : 5
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需: , , . . Xū: yǒu fú, guāng hēng, zhēn jí. lì shè dà chuān.

Xu intimates that, with the sincerity which is declared in it, there will be brilliant success. With firmness there will be good fortune; and it will be advantageous to cross the great stream.

: 需, 须; . 陷, 矣. 需, , . , . , . Tuàn zhuàn: Xū, xū yě; xiǎn zài qián yě. gāng jiàn ér bù xiàn, qí yì bù kùn qióng yǐ. xū yǒu fú, guāng hēng, zhēn jí. wèi hū tiān wèi, yǐ zhèng zhōng yě. lì shè dà chuān, wǎng yǒu gōng yě.

Xu denotes waiting. (The figure) shows peril in front; but notwithstanding the firmness and strength (indicated by the inner trigram), its subject does not allow himself to be involved (in the dangerous defile); - it is right he should not be straitened or reduced to extremity. When it is said that, ‘with the sincerity declared in Xu, there will be brilliant success, and with firmness there will be good fortune,’ this is shown by the position (of the fifth line) in the place assigned by Heaven, and its being the correct position for it, and in the center. ‘It will be advantageous to go through the great stream;’ - that is, going forward will be followed by meritorious achievement.

: , 需; . Xiàng zhuàn: Yún shǎng yú tiān, xū; jūn zǐ yǐ yǐn shí yàn lè.

(The trigram for) clouds ascending over that for the sky forms Xu. The superior man, in accordance with this, eats and drinks, feasts and enjoys himself (as if there were nothing else to employ him).

young yin young yang young yin young yang young yang changing yang
I Ching transform
Water
Wind
Jǐng [48] Source; Replenish
Change
: 需. 恒, . Chū jiǔ: xū yú jiāo. lì yòng héng, wú jiù.

The first ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject waiting in the distant border. It will be well for him constantly to maintain (the purpose thus shown), in which case there will be no error.

: 需, . 恒, ; . Xiàng zhuàn: Xū yú jiāo, bù fàn nán háng yě. lì yòng héng, wú jiù; wèi shī cháng yě.

‘He is waiting in the (distant) border:’ - he makes no movement to encounter rashly the difficulties (of the situation). ‘It will be advantageous for him constantly to maintain (the purpose thus shown), in which case there will be no error:’ - he will not fail to pursue that regular course.

young yin young yang young yin young yang changing yang young yang
I Ching transform
Water
Fire
Jì jì [63] Consumation; Sated
Change
: 需沙. , . Jiǔ èr: xū yú shā. xiǎo yǒu yán, zhōng jí.

The second ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject waiting on the sand (of the mountain stream). He will (suffer) the small (injury of) being spoken (against), but in the end there will be good fortune.

: 需沙, 衍. , . Xiàng zhuàn: Xū yú shā, yǎn zài zhōng yě. suī xiǎo yǒu yán, yǐ zhōng jí yě.

‘He is waiting on the sand:’ - he occupies his position in the center with a generous forbearance. Though ‘he suffer the small injury of being spoken (against),’ he will bring things to a good issue.

young yin young yang young yin changing yang young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Water
Lake
Jié [60] Regulation; Restriction
Change
: 需泥, . Jiǔ sān: xū yú ní, zhì kòu zhì.

The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject in the mud (close by the stream). He thereby invites the approach of injury.

: 需泥, . 寇, 敬慎. Xiàng zhuàn: Xū yú ní, zāi zài wài yě. Zì wǒ zhì kòu, jìng shèn bù bài yě.

‘He is waiting in the mud:’ - calamity is (close at hand, and as it were) in the outer (trigram). ‘He himself invites the approach of injury:’ - if he be reverent and careful, he will not be worsted.

young yin young yang changing yin young yang young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Lake
Heaven
Guài [43] Eruption; Breakthrough
Change
: 需血, . Liù sì: xū yú xuè, chū zì xué.

The fourth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject waiting in (the place of) blood. But he will get out of the cavern.

: 需血, . Xiàng zhuàn: Xū yú xuè, shùn yǐ tīng yě.

‘He is waiting in (the place of) blood:’ - he accommodates himself (to the circumstances of the time), and hearkens to (its requirements).

young yin changing yang young yin young yang young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Earth
Heaven
Tài [11] Elevation; Advance
Change
: 需, . Jiǔ wǔ: xū yú jiǔ shí, zhēn jí.

The fifth ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject waiting amidst the appliances of a feast. Through his firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.

,. Xiàng zhuàn: Jiǔ shí zhēn jí, yǐ zhōng zhèng yě

‘The appliances of a feast, and the good fortune through being firm and correct,’ are indicated by (the position in) the central and correct place.

changing yin young yang young yin young yang young yang young yang
I Ching transform
Wind
Heaven
Xiǎo xù [9] Taming; Small accumulation
Change
: , , 敬. Shǎng liù: rù yú xué, yǒu bù sù zhī kè sān rén lái, jìng zhī zhōng jí.

The topmost ‘six’, divided, shows its subject entered into the cavern. (But) there are three guests coming, without being urged, (to his help). If he receive them respectfully, there will be good fortune in the end.

: , 敬. , . Xiàng zhuàn: Bù sù zhī kè lái, jìng zhī zhōng jí. suī bù dàng wèi, wèi dà shī yě.

‘Guests come without prompting (to give their help), and if (the subject of the line) receive them respectfully, there will be good fortune in the end:’ - though the occupant and the place are not suited to each other, there has been no great failure (in what has been done).

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also