I Ching Reading

Hexagram 37: The Family

家人 · Jiā Rén · Wind over Fire

householdrolesloyaltysincerity

The Family (家人, Jiā Rén) is hexagram 37 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Wind (☴) above Fire (☲).

Meaning of hexagram 37

The health of the whole grows from the home. Clear roles, sincerity and care within the closest circle set the tone for everything else.

Advice

Attend to your home and inner circle, keep your words and actions consistent.

The two trigrams

The Family places ☴ Wind (Xùn), gentle, gradual and penetrating, above ☲ Fire (Lí), bright, clinging and clear. The lower trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.

Hexagram
37. The Family
Chinese name
家人 Jiā Rén
Upper trigram
☴ Wind (Xùn)
Lower trigram
☲ Fire (Lí)
Lines
4 yang (solid) and 2 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
37 of 64 (King Wen order)

The six lines of The Family

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 (yang, solid): the threshold. A point of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push forward.
  4. Fourth line (yin, broken): 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