I Ching hexagram · 56 of 64
Hexagram 56: The Wanderer 旅 Lǚ · Travel, transience, adaptability
Stay modest and careful when away from home. Success in small matters. Perseverance brings good fortune to the wanderer.
- Upper: ☲ Fire
- Lower: ☶ Mountain
- Nuclear: 28
- Opposite: 60
Number
56 of 64
Chinese name
旅 Lǚ
Upper trigram
☲ Fire
Lower trigram
☶ Mountain
Nuclear hexagram
䷛ 28. Great Exceeding
Opposite hexagram
䷻ 60. Limitation
What hexagram 56 means
Hexagram 56 shows fire moving across a mountain, never staying in one place. It describes the wanderer, the traveller and the stranger: anyone away from home without a fixed position.
When you are a guest in someone else's world, be modest, careful and correct. Small successes are possible; keep good company and don't stay too long in one place.
The Judgement · 卦辞
旅：小亨，旅贞吉。
Success in small matters. Perseverance brings good fortune to the wanderer.
The Image · 象曰
山上有火，旅；君子以明慎用刑，而不留狱。
Fire on the mountain: the image of the wanderer. The noble person is clear and careful in imposing penalties and does not let lawsuits drag on.
The lines and trigrams
The Wanderer places ☲ Fire (离 Lí), the trigram of clarity and brightness, above ☶ Mountain (艮 Gèn), the trigram of stillness and restraint. 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 56 in your life
Love and relationships
Long-distance or short-term connections, or a feeling of being unsettled. Be honest about your situation and treat others with respect.
Personal growth
Embrace being a learner in unfamiliar places. Every journey teaches humility.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 56 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
The wanderer busies himself with trivial things. Pettiness invites misfortune.
Line 2 六二 · Six in the second place
The wanderer reaches an inn with his money and a loyal servant. Modesty brings security.
Line 3 九三 · Nine in the third place
The wanderer's inn burns down and he loses his servant. Arrogance brings danger.
Line 4 九四 · Nine in the fourth place
The wanderer finds a resting place and gains money and an axe, but his heart is not glad.
Line 5 六五 · Six in the fifth place
Shooting at a pheasant, you lose one arrow. In the end, praise and an appointment.
Line 6 上九 · Nine at the top
The bird's nest burns. The wanderer laughs at first and weeps afterwards. Carelessness brings misfortune.
Hexagram 56 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 56 mean?
Hexagram 56, The Wanderer (旅 Lǚ), is about travel, transience, adaptability. Stay modest and careful when away from home. Hexagram 56 shows fire moving across a mountain, never staying in one place. It describes the wanderer, the traveller and the stranger: anyone away from home without a fixed position.
What does hexagram 56 mean in love?
Long-distance or short-term connections, or a feeling of being unsettled. Be honest about your situation and treat others with respect.
What does hexagram 56 mean for work and money?
Travel, contract work, a new environment or a temporary role. Be adaptable and courteous, and don't make long-term commitments yet.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 56?
Hexagram 56 has Fire (Lí) as its upper trigram and Mountain (Gèn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 56?
Its nuclear hexagram is 28, Great Exceeding. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 60, Limitation. Turned upside down it becomes 55, Abundance.
All 64 hexagrams
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