I Ching Reading

Hexagram 25: Innocence

無妄 · Wú Wàng · Heaven over Thunder

spontaneitysincerityintegritythe unexpected

Innocence (無妄, Wú Wàng) is hexagram 25 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Heaven (☰) above Thunder (☳).

Meaning of hexagram 25

Acting from a pure, unscheming heart is the safest course. Calculation and hidden motives backfire.

Advice

Be natural and honest, follow your true nature and avoid manipulation.

The two trigrams

Innocence places ☰ Heaven (Qián), strong, creative and persistent, above ☳ Thunder (Zhèn), arousing, sudden and energetic. The lower trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.

Hexagram
25. Innocence
Chinese name
無妄 Wú Wàng
Upper trigram
☰ Heaven (Qián)
Lower trigram
☳ Thunder (Zhèn)
Lines
4 yang (solid) and 2 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
25 of 64 (King Wen order)

The six lines of Innocence

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.

  1. First line (yang, solid): the beginning. The root of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet shown itself.
  2. Second line (yin, broken): the inner circle. Your immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close range.
  3. Third line (yin, broken): the threshold. A point of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push forward.
  4. Fourth line (yang, solid): the approach. Stepping into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good relationships matter here.
  5. Fifth line (yang, solid): the center of power. The place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most fully expressed.
  6. Sixth line (yang, solid): the culmination. The far edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.

Related hexagrams