Hexagram 53 of 64 · King Wen order
漸Development
Jiàn · ䷴ · above: Wind ☴ 巽 Xùn · below: Mountain ☶ 艮 Gèn
Progress that is slow and steady, ensuring that growth is organic and lasting.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
女歸吉，利貞。
Kien suggests to us the marriage of a young lady, and the good fortune (attending it). There will be advantage in being firm and correct.
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. The advance indicated by Kien is (like) the marrying of a young lady which is attended by good fortune.
2. (The lines) as they advance get into their correct places:—this indicates the achievements of a successful progress.
The advance is made according to correctness:—(the subject of the hexagram) might rectify his country.
3. Among the places (of the hexagram) we see the strong undivided line in the centre.
4. 'In (the attributes of) restfulness and flexible penetration we have (the assurance of) an (onward) movement that is inexhaustible.
The Image 象
山上有木，漸；君子以居賢德，善俗。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and above it that for a tree form Kien. The superior man, in accordance with this, attains to and maintains his extraordinary virtue, and makes the manners of the people good.
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 初六
The first line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
鴻漸于干，小子厲，有言，無咎。
The first SIX, divided, shows the wild geese gradually approaching the shore. A young officer (in similar circumstances) will be in a position of danger, and be spoken against; but there will be no error.
Small Image: 'The danger of a small officer (as represented in the first line)' is owing to no fault of his in the matter of what is right.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 37, The Family.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
鴻漸于磐，飲食衎衎，吉。
The second SIX, divided, shows the geese gradually approaching the large rocks, where they eat and drink joyfully and at ease. There will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'They eat and drink joyfully and at ease:'—but not without having earned their food.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 57, The Gentle.
Line 3 九三
The third line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
鴻漸于陸，夫征不復，婦孕不育，凶；利御寇。
The third NINE, undivided, shows them gradually advanced to the dry plains. (It suggests also the idea of) a husband who goes on an expedition from which he does not return, and of a wife who is pregnant, but will not nourish her child. There will be evil. (The case symbolised) might be advantageous in resisting plunderers.
Small Image: 'A husband goes and does not return:'—he separates himself from his comrades. 'A wife is pregnant, but will not nourish her child:'—she has failed in her (proper) course. 'It might be advantageous in resisting plunderers:'—by acting as here indicated men would preserve one another.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 20, Contemplation.
Line 4 六四
The fourth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
鴻漸于木，或得其桷，無咎。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows the geese gradually advanced to the trees. They may light on the flat branches. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'They may light on the flat branches:'—there is docility (in the line) going on to flexible penetration.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 33, Retreat.
Line 5 九五
The fifth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
鴻漸于陵，婦三歲不孕，終莫之勝，吉。
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the geese gradually advanced to the high mound. (It suggests the idea of) a wife who for three years does not become pregnant; but in the end the natural issue cannot be prevented. There will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'In the end the natural issue cannot be prevented. There will be good fortune:'—(the subject of the line) will get what he desires.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 52, Keeping Still, Mountain.
Line 6 上九
The sixth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
鴻漸于逵，其羽可用為儀，吉。
The sixth NINE, undivided, shows the geese gradually advanced to the large heights (beyond). Their feathers can be used as ornaments. There will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'Their feathers can be used as ornaments. There will be good fortune:'—(the object and character of the subject of the line) cannot be disturbed.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 39, Obstruction.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦54. The Marrying Maiden 歸妹
every line changedInverse 綜卦54. The Marrying Maiden 歸妹
turned upside down
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.