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#9

The Taming Power of the Small

小畜 — Xiǎo Xù
Upper trigram: Wind (Xùn) · Lower trigram: Heaven (Qián)

Overall meaning

Hexagram The Taming Power of the Small symbolizes small accumulation and temporary restraint. Upper trigram is Wind, lower is Heaven — wind and clouds gather but no rain yet. This is a moment held back by small factors; persist in step-by-step accumulation rather than rushing a breakthrough.

Judgment text (Thoán từ)

Small Taming: success. Dense clouds without rain — coming from our western region. The time is not yet ripe; continue to accumulate.

Line texts (6 lines)

  1. 1
    First Nine: Returning to the way of one's own — what blame? Good fortune. Knowing how to return to the right path when blocked.
  2. 2
    Second Nine: Drawn back yet accompanied — good fortune. Accepting limitation in order to walk with the like-minded brings a good outcome.
  3. 3
    Third Nine: The wheel-spokes pop out, husband and wife glare at each other. Frustration without composure breeds discord at home and at work.
  4. 4
    Fourth Six: With sincerity — blood vanishes, fear gives way — no blame. Yin gentleness with sincerity dissolves danger; troubles resolve themselves.
  5. 5
    Fifth Nine: With sincerity, drawing together in bonds — wealth shared with neighbors. Sharing and uniting with those around brings shared prosperity.
  6. 6
    Top Nine: The rain has fallen, it has stopped — honor the perseverance of virtue. The woman is steadfast — danger. Moon almost full — the superior person who advances brings misfortune. The peak of accumulation has passed; know when to stop.

Applications by topic

Marriage
Romance is held back by external factors. Be patient; do not push. Build gradually — when conditions ripen, success follows.
Career
Encountering obstacles and restraint. Rather than forcing a breakthrough, accumulate more capacity and wait. Persist with small steps.
Wealth
Not yet a time for big returns. Accumulate bit by bit; manage spending tightly. Small, safe investment beats big risk in this phase.
Health
Health not fully stable. Rest and nourish. Watch lungs, respiration, liver and gallbladder.
Lawsuit
Conditions not yet right to win. Gather more evidence, find supporters. Wait for a more favorable moment to act.

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