Hexagram 31
泽山咸
Influence
Hexagram 31, Xian (Influence), is Lake above Mountain - the young lake resting on the ancient mountain, the attraction between youth and wisdom.
Upper Trigram
☱
兑 (金)
Lower Trigram
☶
艮 (土)
Palace
兑 Palace
Shi / Ying Lines
Shi: Line 3 · Ying: Line 6
The 兑 trigram (金) sits above the 艮 trigram (土), forming 泽山咸. This hexagram belongs to the 兑 Palace.
Judgment (卦辞)
Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.
Judgment text follows the Wilhelm–Baynes translation (The I Ching or Book of Changes, Princeton University Press), quoted for commentary.
Image (象辞)
A lake on the mountain: the image of Influence.
Line Texts (爻辞)
The influence shows itself in the big toe. (咸其拇)
The influence shows itself in the calves. (咸其腓)
The influence shows itself in the thighs. (咸其股)
Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. (贞吉悔亡)
The influence shows itself in the back of the neck. (咸其脢)
The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue. (咸其辅颊舌)
Hexagram 31 in Love & Relationships
Relationships: Attraction begins physically but must rise to the heart and tongue. A relationship stuck at the toe level is not yet love.
Hexagram 31 in Career & Decisions
Career: Influence is earned through presence, not persuasion. The most influential person in the room rarely speaks the most.
Hexagram 31 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 31, Xian (Influence), is Lake above Mountain - the young lake resting on the ancient mountain, the attraction between youth and wisdom. This is the hexagram of courtship, attraction, and influence that works through sensitivity rather than force. The judgment says to take a maiden to wife brings good fortune. The lines trace the rising path of attraction: from the big toe, to the calves, to the thighs, to the heart, to the neck, to the tongue. The hexagram teaches that genuine influence moves from below to above, from the physical to the spiritual, and that the most powerful attraction is wordless presence.
Historical Stories[+]
The courtship of Abelard and Heloise: their intellectual and physical attraction embodies Xian's movement from toe to tongue. Their tragedy also warns of the danger when influence is not properly ordered.
Martin Buber's philosophy of I-Thou relationship: genuine influence happens in the space between two beings, not through manipulation. Xian's silent mountain and still lake capture this meeting of presences.
Practical Applications[+]
Career: Influence is earned through presence, not persuasion. The most influential person in the room rarely speaks the most.
Relationships: Attraction begins physically but must rise to the heart and tongue. A relationship stuck at the toe level is not yet love.
Personal Growth: Who influences you? Trace the path from their effect on your body (excitement, calm, tension) to your mind and spirit.
Classical Sources for Hexagram 31
增删卜易 (Adding and Removing — A Divination Primer)清 (Qing Dynasty, 1644–1912)
The core case-study methodology, the Six-Relation classification system, and the framework for analyzing changing lines (Dong Yao).
Related Hexagrams
Learn More
Wonder how Hexagram 31 applies to your situation?
Ask the I Ching about Hexagram 31