Influence (咸, Xián) is hexagram 31 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching,
in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Lake (☱) above
Mountain (☶).
Meaning of hexagram 31
Mutual attraction and sensitivity draw two together. Influence works
through openness, not pressure.
Advice
Stay open and sincere, respond rather than push, and let the connection
develop.
The two trigrams
Influence places ☱ Lake (Duì), joyful, open and pleasing, above ☶
Mountain (Gèn), still, steady and restrained. The lower trigram is the
inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.
Hexagram
31. Influence
Chinese name
咸 Xián
Upper trigram
☱ Lake (Duì)
Lower trigram
☶ Mountain (Gèn)
Lines
3 yang (solid) and 3 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
31 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Influence
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(yang, solid): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
Fourth line(yang, solid): 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(yin, broken): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.