I Ching hexagram · 7 of 64
Hexagram 7: The Army 师 Shī · Discipline, organisation, command
Discipline and organisation. Lead people with clear purpose and fair rules. The army needs perseverance and a strong, experienced leader. Good fortune, without blame.
- Upper: ☷ Earth
- Lower: ☵ Water
- Nuclear: 24
- Opposite: 13
Number
7 of 64
Chinese name
师 Shī
Upper trigram
☷ Earth
Lower trigram
☵ Water
Nuclear hexagram
䷗ 24. Return
Opposite hexagram
䷌ 13. Fellowship
What hexagram 7 means
Hexagram 7 pictures water stored beneath the earth, the hidden strength of a people who can be organised when they are needed. It is about discipline, leadership and working as a group towards a common goal.
Success depends on a leader who is experienced, fair and trusted, and on a cause that is just. Order, clear roles and morale matter more than numbers.
The Judgement · 卦辞
师：贞，丈人吉，无咎。
The army needs perseverance and a strong, experienced leader. Good fortune, without blame.
The Image · 象曰
地中有水，师；君子以容民畜众。
Water hidden in the middle of the earth: the image of the army. The noble person is generous to the people and builds up their strength.
The lines and trigrams
The Army places ☷ Earth (坤 Kūn), the trigram of receptivity and devotion, above ☵ Water (坎 Kǎn), the trigram of danger and depth. 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 7 in your life
Love and relationships
A relationship needs teamwork and clear roles now. Work together on shared goals, and make sure decisions are made fairly rather than imposed.
Personal growth
Self-discipline is your army. Order your habits and priorities around a worthwhile aim.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 7 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
An army must set out in proper order. Without discipline there is misfortune, so begin with a clear plan.
Line 2 九二 · Nine in the second place
In the midst of the army: good fortune, no blame. A leader who stays close to their people earns recognition.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
The army carries corpses in the wagon. Misfortune comes from incompetent or divided leadership.
Line 4 六四 · Six in the fourth place
The army retreats. No blame. Pulling back from a battle you cannot win is wise, not cowardly.
Line 5 六五 · Six in the fifth place
There is game in the field, so it is right to act. Put the experienced person in charge; if the inexperienced lead, there is misfortune.
Line 6 上六 · Six at the top
The great prince issues his commands and rewards are given. Do not give power to people of poor character.
Hexagram 7 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 7 mean?
Hexagram 7, The Army (师 Shī), is about discipline, organisation, command. Discipline and organisation. Lead people with clear purpose and fair rules. Hexagram 7 pictures water stored beneath the earth, the hidden strength of a people who can be organised when they are needed. It is about discipline, leadership and working as a group towards a common goal.
What does hexagram 7 mean in love?
A relationship needs teamwork and clear roles now. Work together on shared goals, and make sure decisions are made fairly rather than imposed.
What does hexagram 7 mean for work and money?
Organise, delegate and lead with discipline. Projects succeed with clear responsibilities and a leader people respect. Don't put inexperienced people in charge.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 7?
Hexagram 7 has Earth (Kūn) as its upper trigram and Water (Kǎn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 7?
Its nuclear hexagram is 24, Return. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 13, Fellowship. Turned upside down it becomes 8, Holding Together.
All 64 hexagrams
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