䷫ Encountering gòu
Core Meaning
The Encountering hexagram reveals the wisdom of encounters. Life is full of encounters, some good and some bad. The Encountering hexagram emphasizes: encounters require caution. 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife' identifies unfavorable opportunities; 'Tied to a metal break' means preventing trouble before it arises by putting on the brakes; 'There is fish in the package' means not publicizing opportunities gained; if a loss occurs, reflect, 'There is no fish in the package' means reviewing lost opportunities; seize good opportunities, 'containing brilliance, there is a fall from Heaven' means virtue attracts good luck; being aloof brings regret, 'Encountering at its horns' means it's hard to find kindred spirits when one is too lofty. In modern society, there are many opportunities but also many pitfalls. The Encountering hexagram tells us: be discerning; not all encounters are good; have self-control, 'Tied to a metal break' means braking in time; cultivate virtue, 'containing brilliance' can attract good encounters. True wisdom lies in seizing good opportunities and avoiding bad encounters.
The Judgment
The woman is strong. Do not take such a woman as a wife.
Interpretation:
The woman is strong; it is not advisable to take such a woman as a wife.
The Image
Below the Heaven is wind, Encountering; thus the sovereign issues commands and publishes them to the four quarters.
Structure
The Gua of Encountering has Wind (Xun) below and Heaven (Qian) above, forming the image of Heavenly Wind. The wind blows throughout the world, reaching everywhere, and all things meet. This is the atmosphere of 'Encountering'. 'Encountering' means meeting; a single Yin line at the beginning meets five Yang lines, symbolizing the encounter of the yielding and the firm. The lower trigram Xun is compliant, and the upper trigram Qian is firm, indicating compliance meeting firmness. In the initial six line of the Encountering hexagram, a single Yin line is at the bottom, suggesting a soft and weak woman, but with five Yang lines above, one must guard against the smallest beginnings of evil. 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife,' though the Yin energy is subtle, it gradually strengthens, so vigilance is necessary. The encounter in 'Encountering' can be accidental; there are good encounters and bad encounters. The key lies in: whether one can seize opportunities, whether one can guard against the smallest beginnings of evil, and whether one can start well and finish well. The Encountering hexagram emphasizes: encounters require caution, preventing trouble before it arises, and seizing good opportunities.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Six: Tied to a metal break, perseverance brings good fortune. If one goes forth, there will be misfortune. A scrawny pig grunts and paces.
Nine in the second place: There is fish in the package. No blame. It is not favorable to guests.
Nine in the third place: The thighs have no flesh, its going is difficult and impeded. Peril, but no great blame.
Nine in the fourth place: There is no fish in the package, misfortune arises.
Nine in the fifth place: Wrapping a melon with mugwort, containing brilliance, there is a fall from Heaven.
Top Nine: Encountering at its horns. Regret, but no blame.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
Career encounters require careful selection. 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife,' not all opportunities should be seized, one must discern true from false. Initial six means 'Tied to a metal break,' if an unfavorable opportunity arises, brake in time. 'Perseverance brings good fortune' if one adheres to the right path. 'If one goes forth, there will be misfortune' if one rushes for success. Nine in the second place, 'There is fish in the package,' is the luckiest, getting a good opportunity, 'no blame' but 'it is not favorable to guests,' so do not publicize it. Nine in the third place, 'The thighs have no flesh,' means being in a dilemma, 'peril, but no great blame' means although dangerous, there won't be major problems. Nine in the fourth place, 'There is no fish in the package,' is the worst, losing opportunities, 'misfortune arises' if one quarrels as a result. Nine in the fifth place is the best, 'Wrapping a melon with mugwort' means having the ability to protect achievements, 'containing brilliance' means inner virtue, 'there is a fall from Heaven' means good luck comes naturally. Remember: choice is more important than effort; one must have discernment and self-control.
❤️ Relationships
Emotional encounters require rational judgment. 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife,' not all encounters are suitable for development; one must see the other person clearly. Initial six means 'Tied to a metal break,' if you meet an unsuitable person, cut losses in time. 'Perseverance brings good fortune' if you stick to your bottom line. 'If one goes forth, there will be misfortune' if you force it. Nine in the second place, 'There is fish in the package,' means getting a good match, 'no blame' but 'it is not favorable to guests,' so keep the relationship low-key. Nine in the third place, 'its going is difficult and impeded,' means relationship progress is difficult, 'peril, but no great blame' means although difficult, it can be overcome. Nine in the fourth place, 'There is no fish in the package,' means missing a good match, 'misfortune arises' means entanglement will only make it worse. Nine in the fifth place is ideal, 'containing brilliance' means inner virtue, 'there is a fall from Heaven' means a destined partner will appear naturally. Top nine, 'Encountering at its horns,' means being aloof and hard to meet, 'regret, but no blame' means although regrettable, there is no fault. Remember: not all encounters are destined; judge rationally and choose carefully.
🎯 Decision Making
Decisions require discerning the authenticity of opportunities. 'Encountering, meeting,' the timing of encounters is very important. One must understand 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife,' not all opportunities should be seized. Initial six means 'Tied to a metal break,' if something is wrong, brake immediately. 'Perseverance brings good fortune' if one adheres to principles. 'If one goes forth, there will be misfortune' if one acts impulsively. Nine in the second place, 'There is fish in the package,' means seizing good opportunities, 'it is not favorable to guests,' so do not publicize. Nine in the third place, 'its going is difficult and impeded,' means being in a dilemma, be cautious. Nine in the fourth place, 'There is no fish in the package,' means reflecting on lost opportunities, 'misfortune arises,' so do not quarrel over it. Nine in the fifth place, 'containing brilliance,' is the most crucial; inner cultivation attracts good opportunities, 'there is a fall from Heaven' means opportunities come naturally. Remember: have discernment to identify opportunities, have self-control to cut losses in time, and have virtue to attract good luck.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest warning of the Encountering hexagram is not distinguishing good from bad. 'The woman is strong; do not take such a woman as a wife' is the most important; not all encounters are good. Be vigilant: failing to brake in time when encountering unfavorable opportunities, publicizing opportunities gained and inviting trouble, clinging on after losing opportunities, rushing for success and forcing encounters, or wanting good luck without virtue. Remember: Encountering requires 'Tied to a metal break' to guard against the smallest beginnings of evil, 'There is fish in the package, it is not favorable to guests' to act discreetly, and 'containing brilliance' to cultivate virtue. Initial six, 'A scrawny pig grunts and paces,' is the most vivid image, like a thin pig agitated and restless, rushing forward will certainly lead to misfortune. True wisdom is: having discernment to choose good encounters, having self-control to reject bad temptations, and having virtue to attract ideal opportunities.
Applicable Scenarios
The Encountering hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
Bo Le identifying horses embodies the wisdom of the Encountering hexagram. Bo Le was skilled at recognizing horses and could identify a thousand-li horse among many. This is the 'Encountering' insight, the judgment at the time of encounter. When he saw a thousand-li horse, he 'had fish in the package,' treasuring the opportunity, and would not 'publicize it to guests.' When he met an inferior horse, 'the woman was strong; he did not take such a woman as a wife,' he could 'tie it to a metal break' and reject it in time, not 'going forth to see misfortune' by forcing it. He 'contained brilliance' with discerning eyes, so 'there was a fall from Heaven,' and thousand-li horses naturally encountered him. Conversely, people who did not understand horse identification 'had no fish in the package,' missing good steeds, and then 'misfortune arose' by quarreling incessantly. The Encountering hexagram tells us: life is full of encounters, the key is to have insight. One must be able to discern true from false, seize good opportunities; be able to guard against the smallest beginnings of evil, cut losses in time; and be able to cultivate virtue, attract good luck. This is 'the great significance of the time of Encountering!'
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the Encountering hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: