Hexagram 56 of 64
旅 Lǚ · The Wanderer
上 離 Fire (Lí) over 下 艮 Mountain (Gèn)
On the road, go light.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: fire on the mountain.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Lǚ is fire on the mountain: fire does not tarry long on rocky heights. Lǚ speaks of traveling light: carry less, journey further. Fix your mind on seeing, not on what to bring; on a journey, what takes up the most space is rarely luggage, but the plans you cannot bear to let go.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“The traveler preoccupied with petty trifles: this draws calamity upon himself.” Living away from home, the traveler behaves in a petty, overly fussy manner, and this is precisely what brings trouble upon him. Suǒsuǒ describes pettiness and constrained behavior. This line depicts inappropriate conduct on a journey and its consequences, offering a reminder to maintain a proper sense of proportion even in difficult circumstances.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“The wanderer is petty; his will is exhausted, bringing disaster.” Being petty and haggling over trivialities while traveling abroad indicates that one’s vision and resolve are narrow and impoverished, thereby bringing disaster upon oneself.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“The traveler arrives at the inn, keeping funds close, gaining the loyalty of young servants: perseverance.” The traveler reaches a place to stay, retains his travel funds, and gains a faithful, reliable young servant. Cì means an inn; zī means the money needed for a journey; “steadfastness” here means loyalty. With lodging, funds, and dependable help all available, the traveler has support to rely on while away from home.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“Gaining steadfast servants, finally there is no blame.” Obtaining loyal young servants shows six in the second place is central and correct, ultimately bringing no fault or resentment.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“The traveler's inn burns down; losing his young servants. Perseverance brings danger.” The traveler’s lodging burns down, and he loses his young servant. The Xiàngzhuàn (Commentary on the Images) says only “yǐ lǚ yǔ xià, qí yì sàng yě”: dealing with those below in this way, while a traveler, rightly ends in loss. Wáng Bì and Kǒng Yǐdá take it as the traveler bestowing favors on those below and arousing his host’s suspicion, while Chéng Yí attributes it to the traveler’s excessive rigidity, arrogance, and improper treatment of servants, which leave him without support. “Steadfastness” means upholding what is right, and “danger” means being at risk. Together they indicate that in such circumstances, even keeping to the right path remains dangerous.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“The wanderer’s lodging is burned, causing injury. Dealing with subordinates while traveling, in principle one loses them.” Having one’s lodging burned while away brings real harm; nine in the third place still treats subordinates with excessive rigidity on the journey, which by reason will forfeit their loyalty.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“The traveler finds temporary shelter and acquires funds and an axe: my heart is not glad.” The traveler finds a temporary place to stay and obtains funds and an axe, yet feels no contentment. Chù means temporary lodging, and zīfǔ is interpreted as funds and an axe. Although he has what he needs for shelter, he has still not gained any real stability.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“The wanderer rests, but gains not his position. Gaining an axe and goods, his heart is not pleased.” Finding temporary shelter while traveling does not mean gaining a secure position (nine in the fourth place is improperly positioned); obtaining travel funds and an axe leaves one discontented. One view holds that the axe (zīfǔ) is used to clear brambles to build shelter.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“Shooting a pheasant, losing one arrow: in the end, praise and appointment come.” The traveler shoots a pheasant and uses up an arrow, yet ultimately receives praise and an appointment. Yù means praise; mìng refers to an order granting a position. Through a small expenditure in hunting, this line shows that although living away from home involves some cost, recognition can still come in the end.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“Finally gaining praise and rank; reaching up to the superior.” Receiving praise and appointment in the end is because the virtue of six in the fifth place reaches those above, winning appreciative recognition.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“A bird's nest burns down; the traveler first laughs, then wails and laments. Losing an ox through carelessness: misfortune.” A bird’s nest burns down. The traveler who laughed before now cries aloud. He also loses an ox through carelessness. Yì is read here as rashness or negligence; another reading takes it as “easily,” meaning that the ox is easily lost. These images depict a traveler deprived of a place to stay and support to rely on. “Misfortune” means that such circumstances are unfavorable.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“The wanderer at the top, by principle it is burned. Losing the ox through negligence, in the end nothing is heard.” When a wanderer sits at the highest position, reason dictates the fate of having his nest burned; losing an ox through carelessness—the livestock upon which livelihood depends (one view sees it as symbolizing docile virtue)—leaves him in the end without anyone to counsel him or point out his mistake.
Zhouyi, hexagram 56, line 12. Koyonari translation.