歸妹
The Marrying Maiden
L'Épousée
Guī Mèi
Upper trigram
Thunder
Lower trigram
Lake
The Judgment
The Marrying Maiden. Undertakings bring misfortune. Nothing is advantageous.
The Image
Thunder over the lake: The image of The Marrying Maiden. Thus the superior man understands the transitory in the light of the eternity of the end.
Meaning
Premature engagement, subordination, acceptance of a secondary position. The moment calls for accepting one's place with grace, without forcing destiny.
The six lines
Line 1 (bottom)
The marrying maiden as a concubine. A lame man who can walk. Undertakings bring good fortune.
Line 2
A one-eyed man who can see. The perseverance of a solitary man is advantageous.
Line 3
The marrying maiden as a slave. She marries as a concubine.
Line 4
The marrying maiden postpones the term. A late marriage comes in its own time.
Line 5
King I gives his daughter in marriage. The embroidered garments of the princess were not as magnificent as those of the servant. The moon almost full brings good fortune.
Line 6 (top)
The woman holds the basket, but there are no fruits. The man stabs the sheep, but no blood flows. Nothing is advantageous.