I Ching hexagram · 12 of 64
Hexagram 12: Standstill 否 Pǐ · Stagnation, separation, integrity
Stagnation. Communication stalls; keep your integrity and wait it out. Standstill: the wrong people are in charge. It does not help the noble person to persevere. The great departs and the small approaches.
- Upper: ☰ Heaven
- Lower: ☷ Earth
- Nuclear: 53
- Opposite: 11
Number
12 of 64
Chinese name
否 Pǐ
Upper trigram
☰ Heaven
Lower trigram
☷ Earth
Nuclear hexagram
䷴ 53. Gradual Development
Opposite hexagram
䷊ 11. Peace
What hexagram 12 means
Hexagram 12 is the reverse of hexagram 11. Heaven rises away from the earth below, so the two lose contact: communication breaks down and nothing grows.
In a time of stagnation, inferior influences are in the ascendant. Keep your integrity, withdraw from what is corrupt and wait; a standstill does not last for ever.
The Judgement · 卦辞
否：否之匪人，不利君子贞，大往小来。
Standstill: the wrong people are in charge. It does not help the noble person to persevere. The great departs and the small approaches.
The Image · 象曰
天地不交，否；君子以俭德辟难，不可荣以禄。
Heaven and earth do not unite: the image of standstill. The noble person falls back on inner worth to avoid difficulties and does not accept honours or rewards.
The lines and trigrams
Standstill places ☰ Heaven (乾 Qián), the trigram of strength and creative power, above ☷ Earth (坤 Kūn), the trigram of receptivity and devotion. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 12 in your life
Love and relationships
Distance, poor communication or feeling stuck. Don't force things; stay true to yourself and wait for the right time to reconnect.
Personal growth
Use quiet times to strengthen your inner values. Integrity is what remains when outside support disappears.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 12 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
When the grass is pulled up, the roots come with it. Withdraw together with like-minded people; perseverance brings success.
Line 2 六二 · Six in the second place
Bearing and enduring. The ordinary person flatters to get by; the great person accepts the standstill and keeps to their way.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
Bearing shame. Those who rose by improper means begin to feel ashamed: a turning point.
Line 4 九四 · Nine in the fourth place
Acting at the right command brings no blame. Those who join you share in the blessing.
Line 5 九五 · Nine in the fifth place
The standstill is ending: good fortune for the great person. Stay alert, as if your safety were tied to a mulberry bush.
Line 6 上九 · Nine at the top
The standstill comes to an end. First stagnation, then joy.
Hexagram 12 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 12 mean?
Hexagram 12, Standstill (否 Pǐ), is about stagnation, separation, integrity. Stagnation. Communication stalls; keep your integrity and wait it out. Hexagram 12 is the reverse of hexagram 11. Heaven rises away from the earth below, so the two lose contact: communication breaks down and nothing grows.
What does hexagram 12 mean in love?
Distance, poor communication or feeling stuck. Don't force things; stay true to yourself and wait for the right time to reconnect.
What does hexagram 12 mean for work and money?
Progress is blocked and the environment may be unfavourable. Don't compromise your principles for rewards, and keep a low profile.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 12?
Hexagram 12 has Heaven (Qián) as its upper trigram and Earth (Kūn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 12?
Its nuclear hexagram is 53, Gradual Development. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 11, Peace. Turned upside down it becomes 11, Peace.
All 64 hexagrams
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