Hexagram 27
INourishment
Mountain (Gen) · Thunder (Zhen)
The image
At the foot of the mountain, thunder: The image of PROVIDING NOURISHMENT. Thus the superior man is careful of his words And temperate in eating and drinking.
This hexagram in one line
This hexagram is a picture of an open mouth; above and below are the firm lines of the lips, and between them the opening. Starting with the mouth, through which we take food for nourishment, the thought leads to nourishment itself. Nourishment of oneself, specifically of the body, is represented in the three lower lines, while the three upper lines represent nourishment and care of others, in a higher, spiritual sense.
Core Meaning
The core judgment of this hexagram.
Thunder beneath mountain
Hexagram Judgment
THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH. Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment And to what a man seeks To fill his own mouth with.
In bestowing care and nourishment, it is important that the right people should be taken care of and that we should attend to our own nourishment in the right way. If we wish to know what anyone is like, we have only to observe on whom he bestows his care and what sides of his own nature he cultivates and nourishes. Nature nourishes all creatures. The great man fosters and takes care of superior men, in order to take care of all men through them. Mencius says about this: If we wish to know whether anyone is superior or not, we need only observe what part of his being he regards as especially important. The body has superior and inferior, important and unimportant parts. We must not injure important parts for the sake of the unimportant, nor must we injure the superior parts for the sake of the inferior. He who cultivates the inferior parts of his nature is an inferior man. He who cultivates the superior parts of his nature is a superior man.
Upper and Lower Trigrams
- Mountain (Gen)
- Mountain · Stillness
- Thunder (Zhen)
- Thunder · Arousing
Lines
What each of the six positions expresses.
Classics
Tuan CommentaryThe reasoning behind the judgment.
Providing Nourishment brings good fortune because to nourish rightly is good fortune. Observing nourishment means observing what one nourishes. Observing what seeks to fill the mouth means observing how one nourishes oneself. Heaven and earth nourish all beings; the sage nourishes the worthy and thereby reaches all people. Great indeed is the time of nourishment.
The key question is not only what is fed, but by what standard one feeds. The world is nourished by heaven and earth; human order is nourished by sustaining the worthy and extending care outward.
Great ImageThe image itself, read as a picture of the situation.
At the foot of the mountain, thunder: The image of PROVIDING NOURISHMENT. Thus the superior man is careful of his words And temperate in eating and drinking.
“God comes forth in the sign of the Arousing”2: when in the spring the life forces stir again, all things come into being anew. “He brings to perfection in the sign of Keeping Still”: thus in the early spring, when the seeds fall to earth, all things are made ready. This is an image of providing nourishment through movement and tranquillity. The superior man takes it as a pattern for the nourishment and cultivation of his character. Words are a movement going from within outward. Eating and drinking are movements from without inward. Both kinds of movement can be modified by tranquillity. For tranquillity keeps the words that come out of the mouth from exceeding proper measure, and keeps the food that goes into the mouth from exceeding its proper measure. Thus character is cultivated.
Further
Related hexagrams
Related Guides
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- Hexagram HealthHexagram 27 (The Corners of the Mouth) in Health: I Ching Guidance for Wellbeing and VitalityWhat does Hexagram 27 (The Corners of the Mouth) suggest about health and wellbeing? In bestowing care and nourishment, it is important that the right people should be taken care of and that we should attend to our own nourishment in the right w... Explore how the I Ching frames the balance of energy, rest, and renewal.
Frequently asked questions
What does I / Nourishment mean in the I Ching?
In bestowing care and nourishment, it is important that the right people should be taken care of and that we should attend to our own nourishment in the right w...
How should I study Hexagram 27 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. The magic tortoise is a creature possessed of such supernatural powers that it lives on air and needs no earthly nourishment. The image means that a man fitted by nature and positi...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
The key question is not only what is fed, but by what standard one feeds. The world is nourished by heaven and earth; human order is nourished by sustaining the worthy and extending care outward.
Test this hexagram against your question
A hexagram page is useful for study, but a real reading starts from your situation. Choose a question and cast directly.
Original text from the I Ching; translation based on Richard Wilhelm's German version.