Hexagram 17: Following

Trigrams

Upper trigram: Dui (Lake) · Lower trigram: Zhen (Thunder)

Judgment

Sublime success, favorable to persevere; no blame.

Image

Thunder within the lake: following. The noble one rests at nightfall, following the natural rhythm of day and night.

Meaning of Hexagram Following

Following (隨) is hexagram #17 of the 64 I-Ching hexagrams, formed by the upper trigram Dui (Lake) and lower trigram Zhen (Thunder). It represents adapting to circumstances and following what is right with sincerity. When this hexagram is cast, the querent should meditate on the judgment and image to grasp what the Yi is saying about the current situation.

The Six Lines Explained

First Line (Nine at the Beginning)

"Guan you yu, zhen ji, chu men jiao you gong — Advocating change; perseverance brings good fortune; going out to associate widely brings merit"

Advocating change: if one holds to what is right, it is fortunate; going out and connecting widely brings merit. This advises following what is right objectively, without letting personal feelings create favoritism.

Second Line (Six in the Second Place)

"Xi xiao zi, shi zhang fu — Clinging to the little child, losing the mature man"

Binding oneself to someone lowly while losing a person of real ability. A warning about lacking discernment in choosing whom to rely on, attaching oneself out of momentary feeling rather than sound judgment.

Third Line (Six in the Third Place)

"Xi zhang fu, shi xiao zi. Sui you qiu de, li ju zhen — Clinging to the mature man, losing the little child; following brings what one seeks; perseverance is favorable"

Binding oneself to a person of real ability, letting go of the lowly one — following this way, whatever one seeks can be attained, but one must hold to what is right to benefit. The opposite of line 2 — the right choice, yet one must still be careful not to exploit it for selfish gain.

Fourth Line (Nine in the Fourth Place)

"Sui you huo, zhen xiong. You fu, zai dao, yi ming he jiu — Being followed brings great gain; perseverance meets danger; with sincerity and adherence to the Way, clear-sightedness averts blame"

Followed by many, gaining greatly — yet even acting rightly one may meet danger (suspicion from others); one must hold utter sincerity, follow the right path, and respond with clarity to avoid fault. A lesson that great success easily breeds envy and suspicion in others.

Fifth Line (Nine in the Fifth Place)

"Fu yu jia, ji — Sincere trust in the good; good fortune"

Being sincere about what is good brings good fortune. The ruling line, firm, central and correct — it symbolizes holding fast to faith in goodness, which brings a good result.

Top Line (Six at the Top)

"Gou xi zhi, nai cong wei zhi. Wang yong heng yu Xi Shan — Bound and tied fast, further secured; the king offers sacrifice at Mount Xi"

Bound tightly, winning people's hearts to the point of such close attachment — like King Tai of Zhou, who built a great enterprise at Mount Xi thanks to the people's devoted following. The final line, showing trust and bonding reaching its peak.

The Transformed Hexagram

The inner trigram is Zhen (Thunder), the outer is Dui (Lake). If the first line moves, the inner trigram changes from Zhen to Kun, forming hexagram 45, Gathering Together (Lake over Earth). Identify the exact moving line for the correct transformation.

Applications by Area of Life

Work & Career

This hexagram speaks of flexibility, of acting according to the moment. Choose the right person and the right time to cooperate (as contrasted in lines 2 and 3), and stay cautious after great success to avoid arousing suspicion (line 4).

Love & Relationships

The hexagram advises choosing wisely whom to commit to for the long term, based on genuine character rather than fleeting feeling. Sincerity and steadfastness will be rewarded (as in the top line).

Health

Learn to adapt your lifestyle and habits to real circumstances (“following the times”) rather than rigidly sticking to one way of doing things.

Wealth

Favorable for adapting and changing investment strategy according to actual conditions. Choose the right partners (capable, trustworthy) for long-term cooperation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Following

What does hexagram Sui (Following) mean?

Sui means to follow, to go along with. This hexagram speaks of flexibility, acting according to the moment rather than rigidly, while also stressing that one must follow what is right, not just anyone.

Is drawing hexagram Sui a good sign?

This is a fairly favorable hexagram, especially if one follows the right person at the right time. One must distinguish between “following” out of righteousness and “following” out of self-interest.

Why does the hexagram advise “following the times”?

Because the Tuan Commentary says “the meaning of following the times is truly great” — even a right action performed at the wrong time can lead to failure, as with certain historical reforms in China mentioned in the commentary.