Contemplation (觀, Guān) is hexagram 20 of the 64 hexagrams of the I
Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Wind (☴) above
Earth (☷).
Meaning of hexagram 20
Step back and see the bigger picture. Your conduct is being watched, and
being still in thought clarifies your view.
Advice
Observe before acting and lead by example rather than by instruction.
The two trigrams
Contemplation places ☴ Wind (Xùn), gentle, gradual and penetrating,
above ☷ Earth (Kūn), yielding, receptive and nourishing. The lower
trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer
side.
Hexagram
20. Contemplation
Chinese name
觀 Guān
Upper trigram
☴ Wind (Xùn)
Lower trigram
☷ Earth (Kūn)
Lines
2 yang (solid) and 4 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
20 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Contemplation
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing
line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its
position.
First line(yin, broken): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
Second line(yin, broken): the inner circle. Your
immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close
range.
Third line(yin, broken): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
Fourth line(yin, broken): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
Fifth line(yang, solid): the center of power. The
place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most
fully expressed.
Sixth line(yang, solid): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.