The 64 hexagrams · No. 20
Hexagram 20: Contemplation
Wind moving across Earth. Look at the wider scene.
An original modern reflection on the I Ching image. This is not a translation of the classical Judgment or line statements.
Look at the wider scene
Wind travels across a landscape larger than any single viewpoint. Step back far enough to see patterns and notice your own position within them. Observation asks for patience with incomplete information. You can describe what is happening before deciding why, or what it says about anyone involved.
A question to sit with
If you watched this situation from outside it, what detail would you notice first?
One small step
Write down three observable facts without explaining them. Add one thing you cannot currently see, and decide how you could learn more about it.
Reading the figure
The upper trigram is Wind; the lower trigram is Earth. Xun is associated with both wind and wood, so its imagery may describe a breeze or a growing tree. The first line is at the bottom, and the sixth is at the top. You identify this hexagram from its six-line figure, not from a word match to your question.
Read the image alongside the actual circumstances you know. Notice what fits and what does not. The relating hexagram depends on your changing lines, so there is no single fixed “next hexagram” for this pattern.
What changes when one line moves?
This map changes exactly one line at a time. If your cast has several changing lines, all of them flip together; the resulting pattern may differ from every row below. These are structural changes, not translations of the classical line statements.
| Changing position | Relating hexagram |
|---|---|
| Line 1 · bottom | 42. Increase |
| Line 2 | 59. Dispersion |
| Line 3 | 53. Development |
| Line 4 | 12. Standstill |
| Line 5 | 23. Splitting Apart |
| Line 6 · top | 8. Holding Together |
Learn how changing lines work →
Keep a reading journal
If this hexagram appeared in a reading, note your question, your six coin totals, and one thing you want to observe. Come back later to record what happened. Your notes can help you see how your understanding changed, even when a reflection did not fit.
Try the free three-coin I Ching tool →
Classical reference: The Book of Changes. English names vary by edition; the number, pinyin and figure make the identification clear. About our method and sources.