The Marrying Maiden (歸妹, Guī Mèi) is hexagram 54 of the 64 hexagrams
of the I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Thunder
(☳) above Lake (☱).
Meaning of hexagram 54
A connection made from an awkward or subordinate position. Ends and
beginnings are tangled, and good feelings alone do not settle matters.
Advice
Look at where you stand, avoid rushing and keep your dignity.
The two trigrams
The Marrying Maiden places ☳ Thunder (Zhèn), arousing, sudden and
energetic, above ☱ Lake (Duì), joyful, open and pleasing. The lower
trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer
side.
Hexagram
54. The Marrying Maiden
Chinese name
歸妹 Guī Mèi
Upper trigram
☳ Thunder (Zhèn)
Lower trigram
☱ Lake (Duì)
Lines
3 yang (solid) and 3 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
54 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of The Marrying Maiden
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(yang, solid): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
Second line(yang, solid): 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(yang, solid): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
Fifth line(yin, broken): 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.