Hexagram 31: Influence

Trigrams

Upper trigram: Dui (Lake) · Lower trigram: Gen (Mountain)

Judgment

Success, favorable to persevere. Fortunate to take a wife.

Image

A lake above the mountain: mutual influence. The noble one keeps himself open to receive others.

Meaning of Hexagram Influence

Influence (咸) is hexagram #31 of the 64 I-Ching hexagrams, formed by the upper trigram Dui (Lake) and lower trigram Gen (Mountain). It represents mutual attraction and sincere responsiveness between people. 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 (Six at the Beginning)

"Xian qi mu — Influence felt in the big toe"

Like a stirring felt in the big toe. The lowest line, where the degree of influence is still tiny, not yet enough to have an effect — merely an early sign.

Second Line (Six in the Second Place)

"Xian qi fei, xiong; ju ji — Influence felt in the calf; misfortune if hasty, good fortune if still"

Influence felt in the calf — misfortune if one rushes ahead, good fortune if one stays still. Advice against impatience in matters of the heart; hold to centred correctness and patience.

Third Line (Nine in the Third Place)

"Xian qi gu, zhi qi sui, wang lin — Influence felt in the thighs, clinging to what one follows; going on brings humiliation"

Influence felt in the thighs, wanting only to follow another — continuing this way brings humiliation. A warning against lacking independent judgement, merely and passively trailing after others.

Fourth Line (Nine in the Fourth Place)

"Zhen ji hui wang; chong chong wang lai, peng cong er si — Perseverance brings good fortune, remorse vanishes; if one keeps calculating back and forth, only close friends follow one's thoughts"

Holding to what is right brings good fortune and remorse disappears; but if one keeps weighing gains and losses, friends will not gather in number. An important lesson on genuine feeling, warning against calculation and self-interest in relationships.

Fifth Line (Nine in the Fifth Place)

"Xian qi mei, wu hui — Influence felt in the flesh of the back; no remorse"

Influence felt in the flesh along the spine; no remorse. High in position yet somewhat detached from the people, this line has no private motive, so there is nothing to regret.

Top Line (Six at the Top)

"Xian qi fu, jia, she — Influence felt in the jaws, cheeks and tongue"

Influence felt only in the jaws, cheeks and tongue — mere talk without sincerity. The final line warns against falseness, using flowery words without any real genuine feeling.

The Transformed Hexagram

The inner trigram is Gen (Mountain), the outer is Dui (Lake). This is the opening hexagram of the Lower Canon, concerned with human and male-female relationships (in contrast to Qian and Kun opening the Upper Canon with cosmic themes). If a line moves, the resulting hexagram varies with its position.

Applications by Area of Life

Work & Career

Xian speaks of mutual influence and connection between people — applicable to building cooperative relationships. Sincerity (as warned in line 4 against calculation) is needed to forge a lasting bond.

Love & Relationships

This hexagram is especially fitting for love and marriage — speaking directly of the mutual attraction and stirring between man and woman. Sincerity and naturalness (no calculation as in line 4, no falseness as in line 6) are needed for lasting affection.

Health

The lines use images of body parts (toe, calf, thigh, heart, back, mouth) to depict degrees of influence — relatable to noticing bodily signs from minor to major.

Wealth

Build business partnerships on sincerity rather than excessive mutual calculation of benefit (as warned in line 4), to secure long-lasting, broad cooperation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Influence

What does hexagram Xian (Influence) mean?

Xian means mutual influence, stirring — especially the natural, sincere attraction between man and woman, free of calculation. It opens the Lower Canon, shifting from cosmic themes (Upper Canon) to human affairs.

Why does the character “Xian” (natural influence) differ from “Gan” (feeling, with a mind/calculation element)?

As explained in the source, “Xian” lacks the “heart” radical found in “Gan” — meaning a natural mutual fit between two parties, free of private motive; one must be “empty-hearted” (free of calculation) to reach genuine, sincere influence.

Why do the lines use body-part images from bottom to top?

This is a figurative way of showing an increasing degree of influence — from the toe (a small, initial stirring) to the heart/back (a deep influence) and finally the mouth and tongue (words, which may be sincere or false) — representing the different stages of human connection.