Hexagram 53
风山渐
Gradual Progress
Hexagram 53, Jian (Gradual Progress), is Wind over Mountain - a tree growing slowly on the mountainside, rising inch by inch over years.
Upper Trigram
☴
巽 (木)
Lower Trigram
☶
艮 (土)
Palace
艮 Palace
Shi / Ying Lines
Shi: Line 3 · Ying: Line 6
The 巽 trigram (木) sits above the 艮 trigram (土), forming 风山渐. This hexagram belongs to the 艮 Palace.
Judgment (卦辞)
Gradual Progress. The maiden is given in marriage. 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)
On the mountain, a tree: the image of Development.
Line Texts (爻辞)
The wild goose draws near the shore. (鸿渐于干)
The wild goose draws near the cliff. (鸿渐于磐)
The wild goose draws near the plateau. (鸿渐于陆)
The wild goose draws near the tree. (鸿渐于木)
The wild goose draws near the summit. (鸿渐于陵)
The wild goose draws near the cloud heights. (鸿渐于逵)
Hexagram 53 in Love & Relationships
Relationships: A bond matures gradually. Do not rush what only time and proper steps can build.
Hexagram 53 in Career & Decisions
Career: Advance step by step. The wild goose rests at each stage; the one who skips steps falls.
Hexagram 53 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 53, Jian (Gradual Progress), is Wind over Mountain - a tree growing slowly on the mountainside, rising inch by inch over years. This is the hexagram of patient, orderly development. The judgment likens it to a maiden given in marriage - a union approached through proper steps, not haste. The lines follow the wild goose as it draws near the shore, the cliff, the plateau, the tree, the summit, and finally the cloud heights - each stage a necessary step. Jian teaches that genuine progress is gradual: the wild goose does not fly straight to the summit, but rests at each stage on the way.
Historical Stories[+]
The wild goose's migration, resting at each stage - shore, cliff, plateau, summit - the model of progress that honors each step.
A scholar who masters one text before opening the next, building knowledge the way the tree grows on the mountain.
Practical Applications[+]
Career: Advance step by step. The wild goose rests at each stage; the one who skips steps falls.
Relationships: A bond matures gradually. Do not rush what only time and proper steps can build.
Personal Growth: Progress is a staircase, not an elevator. Honor each stage, and the summit will come.
Classical Sources for Hexagram 53
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
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