䷷ The Wanderer lǚ
Core Meaning
The hexagram Lü reveals the wisdom of being a guest in a foreign land. 'Lü' is about traveling, leaving home to reside elsewhere, facing difficult circumstances. The hexagram Lü emphasizes: travel can only bring a small success; 'small success' does not mean great prosperity; be humble and yielding, 'softness gains the center externally' means being yielding and central; be submissive and attached, 'following the strong' means submitting to the powerful; be attached to brightness, 'stopping and being attached to brightness' means stopping and adhering to light; and adhere to the right path, 'perseverance in wandering brings good fortune' means righteousness leads to auspiciousness. In modern society, many people drift through foreign lands. The hexagram Lü tells us: when a guest, be humble, unlike the initial six 'the wanderer is trivial' who brings disaster because of vulgarity; stick to your duties, like the six in the second place 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant' who stays in the guest quarters and finds good fortune; do not overstep, like the nine in the third place 'the wanderer's inn is burned and loses his young servant' who oversteps his bounds by bestowing favors and causes destruction; be content, like the nine in the fourth place 'the wanderer settles down, acquiring resources and an axe; my heart is not pleased' means even with gains, one must accept; be humble to gain praise, like the six in the fifth place 'shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise'. The top nine is the most dangerous: 'a bird's nest burns, the wanderer first laughs, then wails' means a guest who occupies a high position will inevitably face disaster. 'The timing and meaning of wandering are indeed great!' The timing and meaning of traveling are profoundly significant.
The Judgment
The Wanderer. Small success. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Interpretation:
There is a small success. Maintaining righteousness while traveling brings good fortune.
The Image
Fire on the mountain: The Wanderer. The superior person uses clear and cautious punishment, and does not prolong imprisonment.
Structure
The hexagram Lü (The Wanderer) has Gen (Mountain) below and Li (Fire) above, forming the image of Fire on the Mountain. Fire on the mountain burns brightly but quickly passes, which is the quality of 'Wandering'. Wandering means traveling, staying as a guest in a foreign land, dependent on others, and unable to stay long. The lower trigram Gen signifies stopping, and the upper trigram Li signifies brightness. Stopping and being attached to brightness. The key points of Lü are: 'small success' means only small accomplishments; 'softness gains the center externally' means being yielding and central; 'following the strong' means submitting to the strong; 'stopping and being attached to brightness' means stopping and adhering to light; 'perseverance in wandering brings good fortune' means righteousness during travel leads to auspiciousness; 'the timing and meaning of wandering are indeed great!' The hexagram Lü emphasizes: When a guest in a foreign land, be humble, and be 'soft and central'; stick to your role, do not overstep your bounds; attach yourself to the strong, 'follow the strong'; maintain brightness, 'attached to brightness'; and adhere to the right path, 'perseverance in wandering brings good fortune'.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial six: The wanderer is trivial, bringing disaster upon himself.
Six in the second place: The wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources. He is attended by a young servant. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Nine in the third place: The wanderer's inn is burned, and he loses his young servant. Perseverance leads to danger.
Nine in the fourth place: The wanderer settles down, acquiring resources and an axe; my heart is not pleased.
Six in the fifth place: Shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise.
Top nine: A bird's nest burns. The wanderer first laughs, then wails. Losing an ox in an easy transaction. Misfortune.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In career, when a guest in a foreign land, be humble and principled. 'Small success, perseverance in wandering brings good fortune,' meaning only small success is possible, and only righteousness brings good fortune. Initial six: 'the wanderer is trivial, bringing disaster upon himself,' 'ambition is limited, bringing disaster' means a desperate will and vulgar behavior lead to disaster, so be humble. Six in the second place is the best: 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant,' 'ultimately no blame' means peacefully staying in the guest quarters, possessing resources and being served, without fault. Nine in the third place: 'the wanderer's inn is burned, and he loses his young servant; perseverance leads to danger,' 'also harmed by traveling with inferiors, its meaning is loss' means as a guest, bestowing favors on inferiors and overstepping bounds leads to destruction and loss of everything, so stick to your role. Nine in the fourth place: 'the wanderer settles down, acquiring resources and an axe; my heart is not pleased,' 'not in position, heart not pleased' means even with tools, the position is inappropriate, and the heart is not content, so accept reality. Six in the fifth place: 'shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise,' 'reaches above' means although one arrow is lost, ultimately good reputation is gained, because of receiving the ruler's reward. The top nine is the most dangerous: 'a bird's nest burns, the wanderer first laughs, then wails, losing an ox in an easy transaction, misfortune,' 'because the wanderer is in the upper position, its meaning is burning, ultimately no one hears of it' means a guest who occupies a high position will inevitably be consumed, losing great things without anyone knowing. The key is 'softness gains the center, following the strong, stopping and being attached to brightness,' meaning being yielding and central, submitting to the strong, and adhering to light.
❤️ Relationships
In relationships, when in a guest-like state, be humble and disciplined. 'Perseverance in wandering brings good fortune,' meaning only righteousness during travel brings good fortune. Initial six: 'the wanderer is trivial, bringing disaster upon himself,' 'ambition is limited, bringing disaster' means vulgar behavior leads to disaster, so maintain dignity and humility. Six in the second place is the best: 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant,' 'ultimately no blame' means staying in one's place, possessing resources, having companions, and being righteous without fault; this is the best guest-like state. Nine in the third place: 'the wanderer's inn is burned, and he loses his young servant; perseverance leads to danger,' 'by traveling with inferiors, its meaning is loss' means as a guest, carelessly bestowing favors and overstepping bounds leads to losing everything, so stick to your role and don't overstep. Nine in the fourth place: 'the wanderer settles down, acquiring resources and an axe; my heart is not pleased,' 'not in position, heart not pleased' means even with some gains, the position is not right, and the heart is not content, so accept and adjust your mindset. Six in the fifth place: 'shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise,' 'reaches above' means despite a small loss, ultimately good reputation is gained, by seizing the opportunity. The top nine is the most dangerous: 'a bird's nest burns, the wanderer first laughs, then wails, losing an ox in an easy transaction, misfortune,' 'because the wanderer is in the upper position, its meaning is burning' means a guest who aims for a high position will first be happy then sad, inevitably misfortune, 'ultimately no one hears of it' means no one cares. The key is 'softness gains the center externally, following the strong,' meaning being yielding and central, and submitting to the other party.
🎯 Decision Making
In decision-making within a guest-like state, be humble and righteous. 'Small success, perseverance in wandering brings good fortune,' meaning only small success is possible, and only righteousness brings good fortune. One should 'softness gains the center externally' by being yielding and central, not extreme; one should 'follow the strong' by submitting to the powerful and not confronting them; one should 'stop and be attached to brightness' by stopping and adhering to light; one should 'perseverance in wandering' by adhering to the right path. Avoid initial six 'the wanderer is trivial,' 'ambition is limited, bringing disaster' means desperate will and vulgar behavior lead to disaster. Six in the second place 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant' is a model, 'ultimately no blame' means staying in one's place without fault. Be wary of nine in the third place 'the wanderer's inn is burned,' 'by traveling with inferiors, its meaning is loss' means as a guest, overstepping bounds and bestowing favors will inevitably lead to loss. Accept nine in the fourth place 'the wanderer settles down, acquiring resources and an axe; my heart is not pleased,' 'not in position, heart not pleased' means an inappropriate position requires adjusting one's mindset. Six in the fifth place 'shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise' is the best outcome, 'reaches above' means seizing the opportunity to gain praise. Top nine 'a bird's nest burns, the wanderer first laughs, then wails' is the most dangerous, 'because the wanderer is in the upper position, its meaning is burning' means a guest occupying a high position will inevitably be consumed. The key is 'the timing and meaning of wandering are indeed great!' The timing and meaning of travel are profoundly significant, requiring humility and righteousness.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest warning of the Lü hexagram is a guest overstepping their position. Top nine 'a bird's nest burns, the wanderer first laughs, then wails, losing an ox in an easy transaction, misfortune' is the most dangerous, 'because the wanderer is in the upper position, its meaning is burning' means a guest occupying a high position will inevitably lead to destruction, 'ultimately no one hears of it' means losing something great without anyone knowing. Nine in the third place 'the wanderer's inn is burned, and he loses his young servant; perseverance leads to danger' is also dangerous, 'by traveling with inferiors, its meaning is loss' means as a guest, bestowing favors on inferiors and overstepping bounds will lead to loss. Be wary of: a guest who is not humble, occupies a high position overstepping their role, carelessly bestows favors beyond their authority, or whose will is desperate and behavior is vulgar. Remember: Lü means 'small success,' only small accomplishments are possible, not great achievements. One must 'softness gains the center externally' by being yielding and central, 'follow the strong' by submitting to the powerful and not confronting them, 'stop and be attached to brightness' by stopping and adhering to light, and 'perseverance in wandering brings good fortune' by adhering to the right path. Six in the second place 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant; ultimately no blame' is a model, staying in one's place, possessing resources, and being righteous without fault. Initial six 'the wanderer is trivial, ambition is limited, bringing disaster' is a warning, a desperate will and vulgar behavior lead to disaster. Nine in the fourth place 'not in position, heart not pleased' is a warning, an inappropriate position requires accepting reality and adjusting one's mindset. 'The timing and meaning of wandering are indeed great!' The timing and meaning of travel are profoundly significant, and when a guest in a foreign land, one must understand humility, righteousness, and sticking to one's role, not overstepping or occupying a high position.
Applicable Scenarios
The The Wanderer hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
Wu Zixu fleeing to Wu embodies the Lü hexagram. Wu Zixu, whose father and brother were killed by King Ping of Chu, fled Chu and 'wandered' as a guest in the state of Wu. He understood the wisdom of the Lü hexagram, 'softness gains the center externally, following the strong,' being yielding and central, and submitting to King Helü of Wu. Like the six in the second place 'the wanderer comes to a halt, holding his resources and attended by a young servant,' he stuck to his role and displayed his talents, 'ultimately no blame,' helping Wu grow strong. He 'stopped and was attached to brightness,' attaching himself to an enlightened ruler. He was not like the initial six 'the wanderer is trivial, ambition is limited, bringing disaster,' who brings disaster through vulgarity, but maintained his dignity. He helped Wu attack Chu, 'shooting a pheasant, one arrow is lost, but in the end, it brings praise,' gaining good reputation despite the cost. But later, he did not understand 'the timing and meaning of wandering,' advising King Fuchai of Wu too aggressively, like the nine in the third place 'by traveling with inferiors' overstepping his bounds, and was eventually granted death, 'the wanderer's inn is burned, and he loses his young servant,' losing everything. This is precisely the warning of the Lü hexagram: 'small success, perseverance in wandering brings good fortune,' means a guest can only achieve small success, and only righteousness brings good fortune. One must 'softness gains the center, following the strong,' being yielding and central, and submitting to the powerful. One must 'stop and be attached to brightness,' adhering to an enlightened ruler, and not be like the top nine 'because the wanderer is in the upper position, its meaning is burning,' where a guest occupying a high position will inevitably be consumed. 'The timing and meaning of wandering are indeed great!' When traveling, one must understand the timing and meaning, stick to one's role, and know when to advance and retreat.
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 The Wanderer 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: