Contemplation
觀Guan
No. 20 · Wind over Earth
Guan (Contemplation)
Those above set an example for those below, and those below look up to them. It is about seeing and being seen: reading the situation clearly, and seeing yourself clearly too.
Cast your own hexagramGuan (Contemplation) is about looking: reading the situation clearly, and being looked at by others. Right now observing, understanding and reflecting suit you better than rushing to act. People notice your sincerity and attitude, and doing things with care says more than any words.
Favorable
- Look longer before acting
- Take an honest look at yourself
- Gather the full picture
- Act with sincerity and care
Avoid
- Judging from a partial view
- Rushing to commit or buy
- Living for other people's eyes
Work and money
- Job search
- Don't rush to apply or jump ship. Find out about the target company's culture and how the managers lead. The fourth line, "contemplating the splendor of the kingdom", favors joining a strong place once you understand it.
- Business
- A good time for market research and studying how competitors work, not for a big new commitment. Customers are watching your integrity too. Like washing your hands before the offering, keep the details clean.
- Money
- Research first and wait and see. Don't rush to buy. Get in once you actually understand it.
Love and people
- Single
- They may be quietly watching you. Rather than rushing a confession, let them see how you work and treat people day to day. The fifth line, "contemplating my own life", says to get yourself in order first.
- In a relationship
- Look at what they actually do more than what they say in the moment. Look at yourself in the relationship too. The third line weighs your own life before deciding whether to advance or step back; see clearly, then choose the way forward.
- Getting back together
- Not a time to chase. Watch how they are doing and how they act now, and get clear on why it ended. Judging from a glimpse, like the second line peeping through a crack in the door, easily leads to misunderstanding.
- People and partnerships
- People are watching how you act. Carry yourself with care in the group and do what you say, and trust tends to follow. Before teaming up, look at the other person's track record, not just your first impression.
Daily life
- Exams and study
- Read widely, watch how others solve problems and study patterns in past exams. Go easy on quick summaries and cheat sheets. The first line's "looking like a child" only ever sees the surface.
- Moving and travel
- A great time to travel, scout a new area or view apartments. The Image has the kings touring the regions to see how people live. If you are really moving, see several places and ask locals before you decide.
- Body and mind
- It is easy to overthink and worry about how others see you. Scroll less through other people's lives and make time to check in on your own moods and sleep. If poor sleep goes on or your body feels off, talk to a doctor.
Traditional questions
- Something you are waiting for
- Slow. You are still being watched and assessed. Like the hands washed but the offering not yet made, the other side moves only after they have seen enough and feel sure. Stay sincere in the meantime.
- Disputes and lawsuits
- Don't make your move yet. Find out what the other side really holds and what evidence they have. Wind over earth: information tends to drift your way. Gather the full picture before you talk, which beats firing back in anger.
- Lost things and people
- Findable, but only with a careful look. Search near the floor and in piles of fabric: bedding, clothes, the inner pockets of bags. Also check by windows and doors where a draft comes through.
Making a decision
Don't rush to decide yet. Gather more information, watch a while longer, and ask yourself what you really want.
If you are…
Guan (Contemplation) asks you to see clearly before you answer. Talk to people who work there and watch how the owner runs the place, then set it against the life you want. The third line weighs your own life before advancing or withdrawing: decide from where you really stand.
Everyone is watching how you handle it. Guan (Contemplation) says sincerity is what makes people look up to you. Open books and keeping your word earn more respect than throwing a big season party.
This is the reading when no line is changing. With changing lines, Zhu Xi’s method says which line to read, and the result page after a casting tells you directly.
盥而不薦，有孚顒若。
The hands have been washed for the sacrifice, but the offering is not yet made. Full of sincerity, solemn enough to be looked up to.
Wind over Earth: Xun (Wind) above, Kun (Earth) below. Wind passes over the land and touches every place, which is Guan (Contemplation). The two yang lines sit high at the top, and the four yin lines below look up at them.
Six at the beginning
童觀，小人无咎，君子吝。
Looking like a child. For the petty person, no blame; for the noble person, humiliation.
You are seeing things too shallowly, only the surface. That's fine if you're just watching from the side, but if you have to take responsibility and make the call, it isn't enough. Dig deeper.
Small Image: 初六童觀，小人道也。
Six in the second place
窺觀，利女貞。
Peeping through the crack of a door. It pays for a woman to stay steadfast.
You are only seeing one corner, and your view is limited. Staying within your role is fine, but for a big decision, find a way to see the whole picture instead of judging from partial information.
Small Image: 窺觀女貞，亦可醜也。
Six in the third place
觀我生，進退。
Contemplating my own life, to decide whether to advance or withdraw.
Before deciding whether to move forward, look back at how you have actually been doing and where your abilities really stand. Decide based on that, not on other people's reactions or a sudden urge.
Small Image: 觀我生，進退；未失道也。
Six in the fourth place
觀國之光，利用賓于王。
Contemplating the splendor of the kingdom. It pays to be a guest of the king.
You have a chance to get close to a good platform, a good manager or a strong organization. Go for it and offer your skills where they can really be used.
Small Image: 觀國之光，尚賓也。
Nine in the fifth place
觀我生，君子无咎。
Contemplating my own life. For the noble person, no blame.
Many people are watching you, and what you say and do sets the example. Check whether you are living up to what you should. If you are doing it right, there is no problem.
Small Image: 觀我生，觀民也。
Nine at the top
觀其生，君子无咎。
Contemplating his own life. For the noble person, no blame.
You may not be on the front line anymore, but people still watch you. Keep checking your own words and actions. Stepping back is no reason to let things slide.
Small Image: 觀其生，志未平也。
大觀在上，順而巽，中正以觀天下。觀，盥而不薦，有孚顒若，下觀而化也。觀天之神道，而四時不忒，聖人以神道設教，而天下服矣。
The great sight is above, yielding and gentle, centered and correct, and so it is seen by all under heaven. Guan (Contemplation): "The hands have been washed, but the offering is not yet made; full of sincerity, solemn enough to be looked up to": those below watch it and are transformed. Look at the spirit-like way of heaven, and the four seasons never stray. The sage uses this spirit-like way to teach, and all under heaven submit.
The Image風行地上，觀；先王以省方，觀民設教。
The wind moves over the earth: this is Guan (Contemplation). The ancient kings, seeing this, toured the regions, observed the people and set up their teaching.
The Sequence: why it comes here物大然後可觀，故受之以觀。
Only when something has grown large is it worth looking at, so Lin (Approach) is followed by Guan (Contemplation). Lin is momentum growing strong; once strong, there is something to see. Those above set the example, and those below look up.
Miscellaneous Notes臨、觀之義，或與或求。
The meaning of Lin (Approach) and Guan (Contemplation) is giving in one and seeking in the other. In Guan, others look up to you and ask of you, the reverse of Lin, where you go toward people to look after them.
Related hexagramsFAQ
What does Guan mean for love?
They may be quietly watching you. Rather than rushing a confession, let them see how you work and treat people day to day. The fifth line, "contemplating my own life", says to get yourself in order first. Look at what they actually do more than what they say in the moment. Look at yourself in the relationship too. The third line weighs your own life before deciding whether to advance or step back; see clearly, then choose the way forward.
What does Guan mean for work?
Don't rush to apply or jump ship. Find out about the target company's culture and how the managers lead. The fourth line, "contemplating the splendor of the kingdom", favors joining a strong place once you understand it. Watch how the organization, the market and the people around you are moving before you act. Your attitude is being watched, so holding to your professional standards matters more than trying to stand out.
With Guan, will what I am waiting for come?
Slow. You are still being watched and assessed. Like the hands washed but the offering not yet made, the other side moves only after they have seen enough and feel sure. Stay sincere in the meantime.
With Guan, will I find what I lost?
Findable, but only with a careful look. Search near the floor and in piles of fabric: bedding, clothes, the inner pockets of bags. Also check by windows and doors where a draft comes through.
A hexagram answers one question; your chart shows the whole of you and your year.
The classical text follows the standard edition of the Zhouyi. The plain readings are Xingge’s own, offered as a reference, not as the final word.