I Ching hexagram 53
I Ching hexagram 53: Gradual Progress
渐 jiàn · wind above a mountain
Wild geese move inland stage by stage, and a bride goes through every proper step: steady progress that lasts.
- The judgment
- The young woman goes to her husband's home: good fortune. Firmness pays.
"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."
- What it says to you
- A tree grows on a mountain, slowly, and wild geese work their way inland in stages: the shore, a flat rock, the dry plain, the trees, the hilltop, the high plain again. The judgment uses the old picture of a bride going to her new home through every proper step of betrothal, and calls it good fortune, provided you keep steady. So the answer to your question is yes, at the pace of geese and trees. Each stage has its own rest; the rock where the geese eat and drink in peace belongs to the trip as much as the summit does. Trouble comes at line three, when the husband pushes off alone and nothing is brought to term. Take only the next step, do it properly, and let the whole thing grow at its natural speed.
Matter by matter
- Love
- Very favorable for marriage done properly. Courtship that takes its time ends well.
- Work
- Promotion step by step. Skipping stages backfires; build your reputation slowly.
- Money
- Gradual, patient growth. Gains compound; leaps do not.
- A yes or no question
- Yes, with a condition. Go one step at a time, through proper channels.
The six lines of Gradual Progress
A hexagram is built from the bottom up, so the first line is the lowest. You read a line's text only when your cast made it a moving line.
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Bottom line, broken
The wild goose moves slowly toward the shore. The young one is in danger and is talked about, but no mistake.
You are just starting and exposed, and people may criticize you. Do not let that rush you. Move carefully, accept the talk, and your slow start will turn out sound.
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Second line, broken
The wild goose moves to the great rock. Eating and drinking in peace and pleasure. Good fortune.
You have reached a secure place. Enjoy it and share it; rest and good company are part of progress. Do not hurry off before you have been fed.
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Third line, solid
The goose moves onto the high plain. The husband leaves and does not return; the wife conceives but does not raise the child. Misfortune. It pays to fend off raiders.
You have pushed out too far, too alone, and things are not being carried through. Stop advancing. Protect what you have and guard against trouble instead of reaching further.
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Fourth line, broken
The wild goose moves into the trees. Perhaps it finds a flat branch. No mistake.
You are somewhere awkward, a goose among branches. Look for one level, safe place to stand and settle there. Modest adaptability keeps you out of harm.
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Fifth line, solid
The wild goose moves to the hilltop. For three years the wife does not conceive. In the end nothing can stop it. Good fortune.
You are high up but isolated, and results are slow. Do not give up. Something keeps you apart for now, but it will not hold; the union or outcome you want will come.
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Top line, solid
The wild goose moves onto the high plain. Its feathers can be used in the sacred dance. Good fortune.
You have gone as far as this path goes, and what you have become is now an example for others. Your work and bearing are useful beyond yourself. Let them serve.
About hexagram 53
What does I Ching hexagram 53 mean?
Hexagram 53, Gradual Progress, puts wind above a mountain. Wild geese move inland stage by stage, and a bride goes through every proper step: steady progress that lasts. Its judgment reads: The young woman goes to her husband's home: good fortune. Firmness pays.
Is hexagram 53 a yes or a no?
Yes, with a condition. Go one step at a time, through proper channels.
What does hexagram 53 mean for love?
Very favorable for marriage done properly. Courtship that takes its time ends well.
What does hexagram 53 mean for work?
Promotion step by step. Skipping stages backfires; build your reputation slowly.
Cast the coins for a new question , or for a straight yes or no, throw the moon blocks
The I Ching reads a moment. For the years of your own life, cast your birth chart; on your chart page you can ask three questions of your own, answered against it, for $2.99.
The judgment and lines are rendered from the Chinese text; the quoted judgment is Legge's 1882 translation, and every other English line is Jade Almanac's own. A cast is a prompt for reflection, not advice about health, money or the law.