Hexagram 1 · Qián ䷀

Qian (Heaven): Supreme success. Steadfastness is favorable.

Nine at the beginning: Hidden dragon. Do not act.

Nine in the second place: A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.

Nine in the third place: The noble person strives without cease all day and is watchful at dusk. Danger, but no blame.

Nine in the fourth place: Perhaps leaping in the abyss. No blame.

Nine in the fifth place: A dragon flies in heaven. It is favorable to see the great person.

Nine at the top: The dragon soars too high. There is regret.

All lines nine: A host of dragons appears, with none at their head. Good fortune.

The Judgment Commentary says: Great is the supreme principle of Qian! All beings draw their beginnings from it, and it governs heaven. Clouds travel and rain falls; beings of every kind assume their forms. Its great light illuminates beginning and end; the six positions take shape in their time. At the right time it rides the six dragons and rules the heavens. Qian's way changes and transforms, setting right the nature and destiny of each, preserving their union in great harmony. Thus steadfastness is favorable. It emerges foremost among all beings, and the myriad realms are at peace.

The Image Commentary says: Heaven moves with strength. Thus the noble person strengthens himself without rest.

The hidden dragon must not act because yang is below.

The dragon appears in the field: virtue spreads everywhere.

Striving without cease all day: he traverses the way again and again.

Perhaps leaping in the abyss: advancing brings no blame.

The dragon flies in heaven: the great person rises to his work.

The soaring dragon has regret: fullness cannot endure.

All lines nine: heaven's virtue cannot take the foremost place.

The Commentary on the Words of the Text says: The supreme is the foremost of goodness; success is the gathering of all that is fine; favor is the harmony of rightness; steadfastness is the trunk of affairs. The noble person embodies humanity and so can lead others; gathering the fine, he conforms to ritual; benefiting beings, he harmonizes with justice; firm in steadfastness, he can sustain affairs. The noble person practices these four virtues. Thus it says: “Qian: supreme, successful, favorable, steadfast.”

Of “Nine at the beginning: Hidden dragon. Do not act,” what is meant? The Master said: “It is one who has a dragon's virtue but remains hidden. He does not alter himself for the world or make a name for himself. He withdraws from the world without distress and feels no distress when his worth goes unrecognized. If glad, he acts; if troubled, he keeps away. Unshakable in his conviction, he is the hidden dragon.”

Of “Nine in the second place: A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person,” what is meant? The Master said: “He has a dragon's virtue and occupies the upright center. His ordinary speech is trustworthy, his ordinary conduct careful. He wards off corruption and preserves sincerity; he benefits the world without boasting and his ample virtue transforms it. The Classic says, ‘A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.’ This is the virtue of a ruler.”

Of “Nine in the third place: The noble person strives without cease all day and is watchful at dusk. Danger, but no blame,” what is meant? The Master said: “The noble person advances in virtue and cultivates his work. Loyalty and trust are how he advances in virtue; cultivating speech and establishing sincerity are how he sustains his work. Knowing when to arrive and arriving, he can speak of subtle beginnings. Knowing when to finish and finishing, he can preserve what is right. Thus he occupies a high station without arrogance, a low station without anxiety. Striving without cease, he is watchful according to the time; even in danger he is free of blame.”

Of “Nine in the fourth place: Perhaps leaping in the abyss. No blame,” what is meant? The Master said: “Neither above nor below is constant, yet this is not wickedness. Neither advance nor retreat is fixed, yet this is not abandoning one's kind. The noble person advances in virtue and cultivates his work, wishing to seize the time. Thus there is no blame.”

Of “Nine in the fifth place: A dragon flies in heaven. It is favorable to see the great person,” what is meant? The Master said: “Like sounds answer one another, like vital breaths seek one another. Water flows to the wet, fire approaches the dry; clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger. When the sage rises, all beings behold him. What is rooted in heaven draws close to what is above; what is rooted in earth draws close to what is below. Each follows its own kind.”

Of “Nine at the top: The dragon soars too high. There is regret,” what is meant? The Master said: “Noble but without position, exalted but without a people; the worthy remain in low positions and offer no help. Thus to move brings regret.”

“The hidden dragon must not act”: it is below.

“The dragon appears in the field”: the time bids it rest.

“Striving without cease all day”: it goes about its work.

“Perhaps leaping in the abyss”: it tests itself.

“The dragon flies in heaven”: it governs above.

“The soaring dragon has regret”: this is the calamity of reaching the limit.

“When all lines are nine in Qian's supreme principle”: all under heaven is governed.

“The hidden dragon must not act”: yang energy lies concealed.

“The dragon appears in the field”: all under heaven is luminous and cultured.

“Striving without cease all day”: it moves in step with the time.

“Perhaps leaping in the abyss”: Qian's way is changing.

“The dragon flies in heaven”: it takes its place in heaven's virtue.

“The soaring dragon has regret”: it reaches its extreme along with the time.

“When all lines are nine in Qian's supreme principle”: heaven's rule becomes visible.

Qian's supreme principle begins things and brings them to success. Favor and steadfastness are its nature and disposition. Qian begins things and can benefit all under heaven with beautiful bounty, without specifying whom it benefits: how great! Great indeed is Qian's supreme principle, firm and strong, centered and upright, pure and refined. Its six lines unfold and disclose the feelings of all around. In due time it rides six dragons and governs heaven. Clouds travel, rain falls, and all under heaven is at peace.

For the noble person, completing virtue is his practice, a practice visible every day. “Hidden” means concealed and not yet seen, acting without achievement. That is why the noble person does not act.

The noble person gathers virtue through learning, distinguishes things through questioning, dwells in generosity, and acts through humanity. The Classic says, “A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.” This is the virtue of a ruler.

The third nine doubles firmness without occupying the center. Above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field. Thus it strives without cease and watches according to the time. Even in danger, it bears no blame.

The fourth nine doubles firmness without occupying the center. Above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field; midway, it is not among humanity. Hence the word “perhaps.” “Perhaps” expresses uncertainty. Thus there is no blame.

The great person's virtue accords with heaven and earth, his brightness with sun and moon, his order with the four seasons, his good fortune and misfortune with spirits. If he goes before heaven, heaven does not oppose him; if he follows heaven, he serves its time. Heaven itself does not oppose him: how much less could people? How much less could spirits?

“To soar too high” means knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to survive but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose. Is it only the sage who knows? To know advance and retreat, survival and destruction, yet never lose what is right: is that not the sage alone?

Qian (Heaven): Supreme success. Staying steady is favorable.

Nine at the beginning: A hidden dragon. Do not act.

Nine in the second place: A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.

Nine in the third place: The noble person works tirelessly all day and stays alert at night. There is danger, but no blame.

Nine in the fourth place: Perhaps the dragon leaps in the deep pool. No blame.

Nine in the fifth place: A dragon flies in the sky. It is favorable to see the great person.

Nine at the top: A dragon rises too high. There will be regret.

All lines nine: A group of dragons appears with no leader. Good fortune.

The Judgment Commentary says: Great is Qian's supreme beginning! Everything depends on it for its start, and it governs heaven. Clouds move and rain falls; all kinds of things take shape. Its great brightness knows the beginning and end, and the six positions are formed in due time. At the right times it rides the six dragons to drive through heaven. Qian's way changes and transforms things, setting each creature's nature and life in its proper place. It preserves and unites the great harmony; this makes staying steady favorable. It comes first among all things, and every nation is at peace.

The Image Commentary says: Heaven moves with strength. The noble person therefore works to strengthen himself without stopping.

A hidden dragon must not act because yang is still below.

A dragon appears in the field: its goodness reaches everyone.

Working tirelessly all day means following the way over and over.

Perhaps leaping in the deep pool means moving forward brings no blame.

A dragon flies in the sky: the great person takes action.

A dragon rising too high has regret because fullness cannot last.

All lines nine means that heaven's goodness cannot take the lead.

The Commentary on the Words of the Text says: The supreme is the first among good things. Success is the coming together of what is excellent. Favorability is the harmony of what is right. Steadfastness is the support of all actions. The noble person practices kindness and can thereby lead others. Bringing good things together allows him to observe proper conduct. Helping things brings him into harmony with what is right. Staying firm enables him to carry out his work. The noble person practices these four virtues. That is why it says, “Qian: supreme, success, favorable, steadfast.”

Nine at the beginning says, “A hidden dragon. Do not act.” What does this mean? The Master said, “This is a person with the dragon's virtue who stays out of sight. The world does not change him, and he does not seek fame. He withdraws from the world without feeling troubled; he is not recognized as right, but remains untroubled. If he is glad to do something, he does it; if concerned, he avoids it. Firm and impossible to uproot, he is the hidden dragon.”

Nine in the second place says, “A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.” What does this mean? The Master said, “This is someone with the dragon's virtue who is centered and upright. His everyday words are trustworthy and his everyday actions careful. He keeps wrongdoing away and preserves his sincerity. He benefits the world without boasting, and his wide-reaching goodness changes things. The Classic says, ‘A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.’ This is the virtue of a ruler.”

Nine in the third place says, “The noble person works tirelessly all day and stays alert at night. There is danger, but no blame.” What does this mean? The Master said, “The noble person improves his character and develops his work. Loyalty and trust are how he improves his character. He refines his words and makes his sincerity clear to establish his work. Knowing when a point has been reached and then reaching it means he can be told about the first signs of change. Knowing when to stop and stopping means he can uphold what is right. Thus he is not arrogant when he holds a high position and is not worried when he is in a low one. He keeps working and remains alert as the times demand. Though in danger, he has no blame.”

Nine in the fourth place says, “Perhaps the dragon leaps in the deep pool. No blame.” What does this mean? The Master said, “Moving up or down without a fixed pattern is not wrongdoing. Advancing and withdrawing without a fixed routine is not abandoning others. The noble person improves his character and develops his work because he wants to act when the time is right. So there is no blame.”

Nine in the fifth place says, “A dragon flies in the sky. It is favorable to see the great person.” What does this mean? The Master said, “Sounds of the same kind answer each other, and things with the same breath seek each other. Water flows toward wet places; fire moves toward dry places. Clouds follow the dragon and wind follows the tiger. When a wise person rises, all things look toward him. Things rooted in heaven draw near what is above, and things rooted in earth draw near what is below. Each follows its own kind.”

Nine at the top says, “A dragon rises too high. There will be regret.” What does this mean? The Master said, “He is honored but has no position. He is high up but has no people. Capable people are in low positions and cannot help him. This is why acting brings regret.”

“A hidden dragon must not act” means he is below.

“A dragon appears in the field” means the time allows him a place.

“Working tirelessly all day” means getting things done.

“Perhaps leaping in the deep pool” means testing himself.

“A dragon flies in the sky” means governing from above.

“A dragon rises too high and has regret” means the trouble of reaching the limit.

“Qian's supreme beginning employs all lines nine” means the world is well governed.

“A hidden dragon must not act” means yang energy is concealed.

“A dragon appears in the field” means the world becomes bright and ordered.

“Working tirelessly all day” means acting in step with the times.

“Perhaps leaping in the deep pool” means Qian's way now changes.

“A dragon flies in the sky” means taking one's place in heaven's virtue.

“A dragon rises too high and has regret” means reaching the limit along with the times.

“Qian's supreme beginning employs all lines nine” means heaven's pattern becomes visible.

Qian's supreme beginning is what starts things and gives them success. Favorability and steadfastness are its nature and disposition. Qian begins things and can benefit the whole world with fine gifts, without saying what the benefit will be. How great it is! Great is Qian's supreme beginning: firm, strong, centered, upright, pure, and refined. Its six lines unfold and communicate the nature of things in every direction. At the right times it rides the six dragons to drive through heaven. Clouds move, rain falls, and the world is at peace.

The noble person makes completed character the basis of action, something visible in what he does each day. Being hidden means being concealed and not yet seen, and that the work is not yet finished. So the noble person does not act.

The noble person learns to gather knowledge, asks questions to distinguish things, remains generous in his position, and acts with kindness. The Classic says, “A dragon appears in the field. It is favorable to see the great person.” This is the virtue of a ruler.

Nine in the third place is firm on top of firm but is not in the middle. Above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field. So the noble person works tirelessly and remains alert as the times demand. Though in danger, he has no blame.

Nine in the fourth place is firm on top of firm but is not in the middle. Above, it is not in heaven; below, it is not in the field; in the middle, it is not among people. That is why the text says “perhaps.” “Perhaps” expresses uncertainty, so there is no blame.

The great person has a virtue that matches heaven and earth, a brightness that matches the sun and moon, an order that matches the four seasons, and good and bad fortunes that match those of spirits and gods. If he acts before heaven, heaven does not oppose him; if he acts after heaven, he follows heaven's timing. Heaven itself does not oppose him. How could people oppose him? How could spirits and gods?

Rising too high means knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to survive but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose. Is it only the wise person who understands this? Knowing advance and retreat, survival and death, without losing what is right—isn't that something only a wise person can do?