Hexagram 27 of 64
Corners of the Mouth
頤 (Yí)
Nourishment (yí) — the jaw that takes in, the care of what feeds
NourishmentAs shown in classical I Ching texts
Composition
Upper Trigram
Still, keeping, meditative — the power of not-moving
Outer situation / environment
Lower Trigram
Arousing, awakening, shocking — sudden movement from stillness
Inner situation / your state
Interaction
Mountain above Thunder — peak meeting storm. The outer energy of mountain shapes the inner disposition of thunder.
Meaning
Attend carefully to what you take in — food for the body and spirit. Nourish others wisely.
Classical Judgment
“The Corners of the Mouth. Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment.”
The classical judgment is the original oracle text — the answer the I Ching gives when this hexagram appears.
The Image
At the foot of the mountain, thunder. The superior one is careful of their words and temperate in eating.
The Image is a nature scene associated with this hexagram — a symbolic picture that distils its essence. In classic texts, meditating on the Image was considered the proper way to absorb the hexagram's teaching.
Nuclear Hexagram
Lines 2–5 of this hexagram form an inner hexagram called the nuclear hexagram. It reveals the hidden seed or underlying dynamic within the situation — what lies at the core beneath the surface.
#2 — Hidden within
The Receptive
坤 (Kūn) · Receptive Earth
In a Reading
When hexagram 27 appears in your reading, the I Ching is drawing your attention to the quality of nourishment. Sit with the Image — “At the foot of the mountain, thunder” — and consider how this pattern is playing out in your current situation. The Judgment offers the oracle’s direct guidance on how to move with this energy rather than against it.
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