觀Observation
guānAlso known as “Contemplation” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Kwân” (Legge)
In plain words
Wind over the earth: a tower from which all is seen, and which all can see. Observe deeply before acting, and remember that you are watched — sincerity even before the offering is made.
The attitude it asks for
Look carefully at the whole picture and at yourself; set an example rather than issuing orders.
Structure
卦辭 The Judgment
觀：盥而不薦，有孚顒若。Kwân shows (how he whom it represents should be like) the worshipper who has washed his hands, but not (yet) presented his offerings;—with sincerity and an appearance of dignity (commanding reverent regard).
大觀在上，順而巽，中正以觀天下。觀，盥而不薦，有孚顒若，下觀而化也。觀天之神道，而四時不忒，聖人以神道設教，而天下服矣。The great Manifester occupies an upper place (in the figure), which consists of (the trigrams whose attributes are) docility and flexibility. He is in the central position and his correct place, and thus exhibits (his lessons) to all under heaven. 'Kwân shows its subject like a worshipper who has washed his hands, but not (yet) presented his offerings;—with sincerity and an appearance of dignity (commanding reverent regard):'—(all) beneath look to him and are transformed. When we contemplate the spirit-like way of Heaven, we see how the four seasons proceed without error. The sages, in accordance with (this) spirit-like way, laid down their instructions, and all under heaven yield submission to them.
風行地上，觀；先王以省方，觀民設教。(The trigram representing) the earth, and that for wind moving above it, form Kwan. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, examined the (different) regions (of the kingdom), to see the (ways of the) people, and set forth their instructions.
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
- 上九Nine at the top
觀其生，君子无咎。
The sixth line, undivided, shows its subject contemplating his character to see if it be indeed that of a superior man. He will not fall into error.
Its symbolism 觀其生，志未平也。
'He contemplates his own character:'—he cannot even yet let his mind be at rest.
- 九五Nine in the fifth place
觀我生，君子无咎。
The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject contemplating his own life(-course). A superior man, he will (thus) fall into no error.
Its symbolism 觀我生，觀民也。
'He contemplates his own life (- course):'—he should (for this purpose) contemplate (the condition of) the people.
- 六四Six in the fourth place
觀國之光，利用賓于王。
The fourth line, divided, shows one contemplating the glory of the kingdom. It will be advantageous for him, being such as he is, (to seek) to be a guest of the king.
Its symbolism 觀國之光，尚賓也。
'He contemplates the glory of the kingdom:'—(thence) arises the wish to be a guest (at court).
- 六三Six in the third place
觀我生，進退。
The third line, divided, shows one looking at (the course of) his own life, to advance or recede (accordingly).
Its symbolism 觀我生，進退；未失道也。
'He looks at (the course of) his own life, to advance or recede (accordingly):'—he will not err in the path (to be pursued).
- 六二Six in the second place
闚觀，利女貞。
The second line, divided, shows one peeping out from a door. It would be advantageous if it were (merely) the firm correctness of a female.
Its symbolism 窺觀女貞，亦可醜也。
'The firm correctness of a woman, in peeping out from a door' is also a thing to be ashamed of (in a superior man).
- 初六Six at the beginning
童觀，小人无咎，君子吝。
The first line, divided, shows the looking of a lad;—not blamable in men of inferior rank, but matter for regret in superior men.
Its symbolism 初六童觀，小人道也。
'The looking of a lad shown by the first line, divided,' indicates the way of the inferior people.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Read 觀 Observation for a question about
古籍
From the classics
Two of the Ten Wings speak of every hexagram: the Sequence (Xù Guà) says why it follows the one before, the Miscellany (Zá Guà) sums it up in a phrase. Here is what they say of 觀 guān · Observation.
物大然後可觀，故受之以觀。When things are great, they can be looked upon; therefore Guān follows.
iching.tools translation (from the Chinese)
臨、觀之義，或與或求。The meaning of Lín and Guān: one gives, the other seeks.
iching.tools translation (from the Chinese)
The classical Chinese is the authoritative text. Translations are iching.tools' own from the Chinese unless another translator is named; several attributions are traditional rather than historical (託名).
Questions about this hexagram
- What does Hexagram 20, Observation, mean?
- Wind over the earth: a tower from which all is seen, and which all can see. Observe deeply before acting, and remember that you are watched — sincerity even before the offering is made.
- Which trigrams form Observation?
- 巽 above 坤 — wind over earth. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 剝 Peeling Away.
- What happens when a line of Observation changes?
- A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.
- How do I get Observation in a reading?
- Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern - - - - - - - - — — is Observation. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).