Hexagram 1 of 64
乾 qián
Heaven · The Creative
乾 (qián, Heaven) above · 乾 (qián, Heaven) below
The Judgment 卦辞
Pure creative energy. What you begin now carries great force — success comes through sustained, principled effort. Lead rather than follow, but never force.
The Image 大象
Heaven above heaven: strength doubled. The wise person makes themselves strong and untiring, moving with the rhythm of the day.
The six lines 爻辞
Each line of 乾 has its own classical text. If a line in your cast is changing, its text is the heart of your reading.
Line 1 · 初九
The dragon lies hidden in the deep. Do not act yet — gather strength.
「潜龙勿用」
Line 2 · 九二
The dragon appears in the field. Meet the people who matter; make yourself visible.
「见龙在田，利见大人」
Line 3 · 九三
Work earnestly all day; stay vigilant into the evening. Caution this sharp keeps you safe.
「君子终日乾乾，夕惕若厉，无咎」
Line 4 · 九四
The dragon tests its leap from the depths. You may advance or hold — either is safe if you stay flexible.
「或跃在渊，无咎」
Line 5 · 九五
The dragon flies in the sky. This is the moment of full power — seek out the great and act boldly.
「飞龙在天，利见大人」
Line 6 · 上九
The dragon flies too high. Past the peak lies regret — know when to stop climbing.
「亢龙有悔」
If you drew this in a reading
A favorable pattern. Among the sixty-four patterns, this one belongs to the favorable family: its core movement supports what you would do with it. Favorable does not mean automatic — the hexagram still asks you to hold up your end with steadiness and good faith.
In yes/no questions this hexagram leans yes — the pattern supports proceeding.
The trigrams give the flavor: 乾 (Heaven) above — creative force — initiative, clarity, persistence — over 乾 (Heaven) below — creative force — initiative, clarity, persistence. Where those two energies meet, 乾 is born.
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