晉Advancing
jìnAlso known as “Progress” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Žin” (Legge)
In plain words
The sun rising over the earth: progress. The capable prince is rewarded with horses and received three times in a day — advancement in the light.
The attitude it asks for
Advance openly and brighten your own virtue; progress is steady when it is visible and deserved.
Structure
卦辭 The Judgment
晉：康侯用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接。In Žin we see a prince who secures the tranquillity (of the people) presented on that account with numerous horses (by the king), and three times in a day received at interviews.
晉，進也。明出地上，順而麗乎大明，柔進而上行。是以康侯用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接也。in denotes advancing. (In Žin we have) the bright (sun) appearing above the earth; (the symbol of) docile submission cleaving to that of the Great brightness; and the weak line advanced and moving above:—all these things give us the idea of 'a prince who secures the tranquillity (of the people), presented on that account with numerous horses (by the king), and three times in a day received at interviews.'
明出地上，晉；君子以自昭明德。(The trigram representing) the earth and that for the bright (sun) coming forth above it form Žin. The superior man, according to this, gives himself to make more brilliant his bright virtue.
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
- 上九Nine at the top
晉其角，維用伐邑，厲吉无咎，貞吝。
The topmost line, undivided, shows one advancing his horns. But he only uses them to punish the (rebellious people of his own) city. The position is perilous, but there will be good fortune. (Yet) however firm and correct he may be, there will be occasion for regret.
Its symbolism 維用伐邑，道未光也。
'He uses his horns only to punish (the rebellious people of) his city:'—his course of procedure is not yet brilliant.
- 六五Six in the fifth place
悔亡，失得勿恤，往吉，无不利。
The fifth line, divided, shows how all occasion for repentance disappears (from its subject). (But) let him not concern himself about whether he shall fail or succeed. To advance will be fortunate, and in every way advantageous.
Its symbolism 失得勿恤，往有慶也。
'Let him not concern himself whether he fails or succeeds:'—his movement in advance will afford ground for congratulation.
- 九四Nine in the fourth place
晉如鼫鼠，貞厲。
The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject with the appearance of advancing, but like a marmot. However firm and correct he may be, the position is one of peril.
Its symbolism 鼫鼠貞厲，位不當也。
'(He advances like) a marmot. However firm and correct he may be, his position is one of peril:'—his place is not that appropriate for him.
- 六三Six in the third place
眾允，悔亡。
The third line, divided, shows its subject trusted by all (around him). All occasion for repentance will disappear.
Its symbolism 眾允之，志上行也。
'All (around) trust him:'—their (common) aim is to move upwards and act.
- 六二Six in the second place
晉如，愁如，貞吉。受茲介福，于其王母。
The second line, divided, shows its subject with the appearance of advancing, and yet of being sorrowful. If he be firm and correct, there will be good fortune. He will receive this great blessing from his grandmother.
Its symbolism 受茲介福，以中正也。
'He will receive this great blessing:'—for he is in the central place and the correct position for him.
- 初六Six at the beginning
晉如，摧如，貞吉。罔孚，裕无咎。
The first line, divided, shows one wishing to advance, and (at the same time) kept back. Let him be firm and correct, and there will be good fortune. If trust be not reposed in him, let him maintain a large and generous mind, and there will be no error.
Its symbolism 晉如，摧如；獨行正也。裕无咎；未受命也。
'He appears wishing to advance, but (at the same time) being kept back:'—all-alone he pursues the correct course. 'Let him maintain a large and generous mind, and there will be no error:'—he has not yet received an official charge.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Read 晉 Advancing 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 晉 jìn · Advancing.
物不可以終壯，故受之以晉；晉者進也。Things cannot stay strong forever; therefore Jìn follows. Jìn means advancing.
iching.tools translation (from the Chinese)
晉晝也，明夷誅也。Jìn is daylight; Míng Yí is wounding.
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 35, Advancing, mean?
- The sun rising over the earth: progress. The capable prince is rewarded with horses and received three times in a day — advancement in the light.
- Which trigrams form Advancing?
- 離 above 坤 — fire over earth. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 蹇 Impasse.
- What happens when a line of Advancing 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 Advancing in a reading?
- Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern - - - - - - — - - — is Advancing. 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).