Qian · The Creative

Judgment

元亨利贞。

Sublime success. Persevering in what is right brings reward.

The Chinese above is the received classical text. The English below it is a plain-language rendering written for this site — not a scholarly translation. The classical wording is terse and genuinely open to more than one reading, so where interpretations diverge we follow the mainstream one.

The Image (Da Xiang)

天行健，君子以自强不息。

天体运行不息，这是乾卦，天体刚健而运转不停的卦象，君子因此知道要自强不息。

The Six Lines

• First line潜龙，勿用。初九 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Second line见龙在田，利见大人。九二 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Third line君子终日乾乾，夕惕若厉，无咎。九三 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fourth line或跃在渊，无咎。九四 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fifth line飞龙在天，利见大人。九五 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Top line亢龙有悔。上九 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.

Modern Interpretive Reference

Quality: Very Auspicious

Tendency: Creative force, initiative, and sustained self-renewal.

Guidance: Move forward with confidence, but guard against arrogance and overreach.

This section is editorial reflection written for this site, not classical commentary. Hexagram qualities are not fixed outcomes — context and response matter more than the label. For cultural reflection only; not a basis for any decision.