Gradual Development (漸, Jiàn) is hexagram 53 of the 64 hexagrams of the
I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Wind (☴)
above Mountain (☶).
Meaning of hexagram 53
Growth that unfolds step by step, like a tree on a hillside. Lasting
results cannot be hurried.
Advice
Take it slowly, build a solid foundation and trust the process.
The two trigrams
Gradual Development places ☴ Wind (Xùn), gentle, gradual and
penetrating, 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
53. Gradual Development
Chinese name
漸 Jiàn
Upper trigram
☴ Wind (Xùn)
Lower trigram
☶ Mountain (Gèn)
Lines
3 yang (solid) and 3 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
53 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Gradual Development
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(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.