Guan · Contemplation

Judgment

盥而不荐，有孚颙若。

The hands have been washed but the offering not yet made. Sincerity, held with reverence, commands respect.

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)

风行地上，观，先王以省方，观民设教。

风吹拂大地，这是观卦，观察瞻仰的卦象，象征在上者应当巡察四方，体察民情以设立教化。

The Six Lines

• First line童观，小人无咎，君子吝。初六 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Second line窥观，利女贞。六二 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Third line观我生，进退。六三 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fourth line观国之光，利用宾于王。六四 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Fifth line观我生，君子无咎。九五 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.
• Top line观其生，君子无咎。上九 — classical Chinese line text. Translations vary substantially between traditions; consult a scholarly edition for depth.

Modern Interpretive Reference

Quality: Neutral

Tendency: Contemplation; observing before acting.

Guidance: Set an example if you lead; observe honestly if you follow. Look before moving.

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.