Gèn Immobility Stillness [hexagram 52]

Yang - controlling line Yin line Yin line Yang line Yin line Yin line
Limitation, stability
Earth Earth element

Lake Lake
Duì [58] Serenity; Joy
Opposite
Wood Wood
Zhèn [51] Excitation; Enactment
Inverse
Wood Water
Xiè [40] Disentangle; Relief
Mutual

Lunar month: 10 ; Host or Controlling line : 6
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: 背, , 庭, , . Gěn: gěn qí bèi, bù huò qí shēn, xíng qí tíng, bù jiàn qí rén, wú jiù.

When one's resting is like that of the back, and he loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, and does not see any (of the persons) in it, there will be no error.

: , . , , , . , . , . , , . Tuàn zhuàn: Gèn, zhǐ yě. Shí zhǐ zé zhǐ, shí xíng zé xíng, dòng jìng bù shī qí shí, qí dào guāng míng. Gèn qí zhǐ, zhǐ qí suǒ yě. Shàng xià dí yìng, bù xiāng yù yě. Shì yǐ bù huò qí shēn, xíng qí tíng bù jiàn qí rén, wú jiù yě.

Gen denotes stopping or resting; - resting when it is the time to rest, and acting when it is the time to act. When one‘s movements and pauses all take place at the proper time for them, his way (of proceeding) is brilliant and intelligent. Resting in one’s resting-point is resting in one‘s proper place. The upper and lower (lines of the hexagram) exactly correspond to each other, but are without any interaction; hence it is said that ’(the subject of the hexagram) has no consciousness of self; that when he walks in his courtyard, he does not see (any of) the persons in it; and that there will be no error.‘

: 兼, ; . Xiàng zhuàn: Jiān shān, gěn; jūn zǐ yǐ sī bù chū qí wèi.

(Two trigrams representing) a mountain, one over the other, form Gen. The superior man, in accordance with this, does not go in his thoughts beyond the (duties of the) position in which he is.

young yang young yin young yin young yang young yin changing yin
I Ching transform
Mountain
Fire
[22] Pattern; Elegance
Change
: 趾, , . Chū liù: gěn qí zhǐ, wú jiù, lì yǒng zhēn.

The first ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his toes at rest. There will be no error; but it will be advantageous for him to be persistently firm and correct.

: 趾, . Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí zhǐ, wèi shī zhèng yě.

‘He keeps his toes at rest:’ - he does not fail in what is correct (according to the idea of the figure).

young yang young yin young yin young yang changing yin young yin
I Ching transform
Mountain
Wind
[18] Corruption; Decay
Change
: 腓, 随, . Liù èr: gěn qí féi, bù zhěng qí suí, qí xīn bù kuài.

The second ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping the calves of his legs at rest. He cannot help (the subject of the line above) whom he follows, and is dissatisfied in his mind.

: 随, 退. Xiàng zhuàn: Bù zhěng qí suí, wèi tuì tīng yě.

‘He cannot help him whom he follows:’ (he whom he follows) will not retreat to listen to him.

young yang young yin young yin changing yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Mountain
Earth
[23] Dispersion; Peeling off
Change
: 限, 列夤, . Jiǔ sān: gěn qí xiàn, liè qí yín, lì xūn xīn.

The third ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject keeping his loins at rest, and separating the ribs (from the body below). The situation is perilous, and the heart glows with suppressed excitement.

: 限, 危熏. Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí xiàn, wēi xūn xīn yě.

‘He keeps the loins at rest:’ - the danger (from his doing so) produces a glowing, heat in the heart.

young yang young yin changing yin young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Fire
Mountain
[56] Wandering; Journeying
Change
: , . Liù sì: gěn qí shēn, wú jiù.

The fourth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his trunk at rest. There will be no error.

: , 诸躬. Xiàng zhuàn: Gěn qí shēn, zhǐ zhū gōng yě.

‘He keeps the trunk of his body at rest:’ - he keeps himself free (from agitation).

young yang changing yin young yin young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Wind
Mountain
Jiàn [53] Progression; Gradual development
Change
: 辅, 序, . Liù wǔ: gěn qí fǔ, yán yǒu xù, huǐ wáng.

The fifth ‘six’, divided, shows its subject keeping his jawbones at rest, so that his words are (all) orderly. Occasion for repentance will disappear.

辅, . Gěn qí fǔ, yǐ zhōng zhèng yě.

‘He keeps his cheek bones at rest:’ - in harmony with his central position he acts correctly.

changing yang young yin young yin young yang young yin young yin
I Ching transform
Earth
Mountain
Qiān [15] Modesty; Humility
Change
: 敦, . Shàng jiǔ: dūn gěn, jí.

The sixth ‘nine’, undivided, shows its subject devotedly maintaining his restfulness. There will be good fortune.

: 敦, . Xiàng zhuàn: Dūn gěn zhī jí, yǐ hòu zhōng yě.

‘There is good fortune through his devotedly maintaining his restfulness:’ - to the end he shows himself generous and good.

This translation of the YiJing classic text uses the original Chinese including the Xiàng zhuàn commentary converted to modern simplified characters and pinyin. The English translation is based on William Legge (1899) which is now out of copyright. We have changed some wording and converted to American spelling. We hope to replace this with a more modern translation.

See also