Hexagram 27 of 64 · King Wen order
頤The Corners of the Mouth
Yí · ䷚ · above: Mountain ☶ 艮 Gèn · below: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn
The importance of what we take in (food, information) and what we put out (words, actions).A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
貞吉。觀頤，自求口實。
Î indicates that with firm correctness there will be good fortune (in what is denoted by it). We must look at what we are seeking to nourish, and by the exercise of our thoughts seek for the proper aliment.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. 'I indicates that with firm correctness there will be good fortune:'—when the nourishing is correct, there will be good fortune. 'We must look at what we are seeking to nourish:'—we must look at those whom we wish to nourish. 'We must by the exercise of our thoughts seek the proper aliment:'—we must look to our own nourishing of ourselves.
2. Heaven and earth nourish all things. The sages nourish men of talents and virtue, by them to reach to the myriads of the people. Great is (the work intended by this) nourishing in its time!
The Image 象
山下有雷，頤；君子以慎言語，節飲食。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and under it that for thunder form Î. The superior man, in accordance with this, (enjoins) watchfulness over our words, and the temperate regulation of our eating and drinking.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
舍爾靈龜，觀我朵頤，凶。
The first NINE, undivided, (seems to be thus addressed), 'You leave your efficacious tortoise, and look at me till your lower jaw hangs down.' There will be evil.
Small Image: 'You look at me till your (lower) jaw hangs down:'—(the subject of the line) is thus shown unfit to be thought noble.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 23, Splitting Apart.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
顛頤，拂經于丘頤，征凶。
The second SIX, divided, shows one looking downwards for nourishment, which is contrary to what is proper; or seeking it from the height (above), advance towards which will lead to evil.
Small Image: 'The evil of advance by the subject of the second SIX, (divided),' is owing to his leaving in his movements his proper associates.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 41, Decrease.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
拂頤，貞凶，十年勿用，無攸利。
The third SIX, divided, shows one acting contrary to the method of nourishing. However firm he may be, there will be evil. For ten years let him not take any action, (for) it will not be in any way advantageous.
Small Image: 'For ten years let him not take any action:'—his course is greatly opposed (to what is right).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 22, Grace.
Line 4 六四
The fourth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
顛頤吉，虎視眈眈，其欲逐逐，無咎。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows one looking downwards for (the power to) nourish. There will be good fortune. Looking with a tiger's downward unwavering glare, and with his desire that impels him to spring after spring, he will fall into no error.
Small Image: 'The good fortune attached to looking downwards for (the power to) nourish,' shows how brilliant will be the diffusion (of that power) from (the subject of the line's) superior position.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 21, Biting Through.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
拂經，居貞吉，不可涉大川。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows one acting contrary to what is regular and proper; but if he abide in firmness, there will be good fortune. He should not, (however, try to) cross the great stream.
Small Image: 'The good fortune from abiding in firmness' is due to the docility (of the subject of the line) in following (the subject of the line) above.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 42, Increase.
Line 6 上九
The sixth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
由頤，厲吉，利涉大川。
The sixth NINE, undivided, shows him from whom comes the nourishing. His position is perilous, but there will be good fortune. It will be advantageous to cross the great stream.
Small Image: 'The good fortune, notwithstanding the peril of his position, of him from whom comes the nourishing,' affords great cause for congratulation.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 24, Return.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦28. Preponderance of the Great 大過
every line changed
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.