Hexagram 17
泽雷随
Following
Hexagram 17, Sui (Following), is Thunder within Lake - movement contained within stillness.
Upper Trigram
☱
兑 (金)
Lower Trigram
☳
震 (木)
Palace
震 Palace
Shi / Ying Lines
Shi: Line 3 · Ying: Line 6
The 兑 trigram (金) sits above the 震 trigram (木), forming 泽雷随. This hexagram belongs to the 震 Palace.
Judgment (卦辞)
Following has supreme success. Perseverance furthers. No blame.
Judgment text follows the Wilhelm–Baynes translation (The I Ching or Book of Changes, Princeton University Press), quoted for commentary.
Image (象辞)
Thunder in the middle of the lake: the image of Following.
Line Texts (爻辞)
The standard is changing. Perseverance brings good fortune. (官有渝)
If one clings to the little boy, one loses the strong man. (系小子)
If one clings to the strong man, one loses the little boy. (系丈夫)
Following creates success. Perseverance brings misfortune. (随有获)
Sincere in the good. Good fortune. (孚于嘉)
He meets with firm allegiance. (拘系之)
Hexagram 17 in Love & Relationships
Relationships: Sometimes following means yielding. Not every disagreement needs a winner.
Hexagram 17 in Career & Decisions
Career: Identify the right mentors. Following the wrong person wastes years; following the right one accelerates growth exponentially.
Hexagram 17 as a yes / no answer
Leans yes
The hexagram's core image favors moving forward — conditions support the asking.
The I Ching reads situations, not fixed outcomes — your reading can weigh the moving lines with this leaning.
In-Depth Analysis[+]
Hexagram 17, Sui (Following), is Thunder within Lake - movement contained within stillness. The hexagram teaches the art of following: not passive submission but active adaptation. The judgment says Following has supreme success. The lines reveal the complexity of following: cling to the wrong guide and you lose the right one; follow with sincerity and clarity emerges. The key wisdom: knowing whom to follow, when to follow, and when following becomes self-betrayal are three distinct arts. True following is not weakness but the wisdom of recognizing when the current is stronger than your paddle.
Historical Stories[+]
Steve Jobs following his intuition to study calligraphy at Reed College - a seemingly impractical choice that later gave the Macintosh its revolutionary typography. Following an unexpected path requires trust in the process.
The Wright Brothers following the work of earlier aviation pioneers like Otto Lilienthal. They did not invent flight from scratch - they followed where others had led, then took the next step.
Practical Applications[+]
Career: Identify the right mentors. Following the wrong person wastes years; following the right one accelerates growth exponentially.
Relationships: Sometimes following means yielding. Not every disagreement needs a winner.
Personal Growth: The art of following includes knowing when to lead. Follow until you understand the terrain, then chart your own path.
Classical Sources for Hexagram 17
易隐 (The Hidden Changes)清 (Qing Dynasty, 1644–1912)
Advanced analytical frameworks for hexagram interpretation: Flying/Hidden lines, Six Animals contextual dynamics, and inter-hexagram comparison logic.
Related Hexagrams
Learn More
Wonder how Hexagram 17 applies to your situation?
Ask the I Ching about Hexagram 17