I Ching · Hexagram 9 of 64
Hexagram 9: Xiao Chu （小畜） — Small Taming
Wind above heaven: the wind moves through the sky, clouds gather but rain does not fall, for the store is not yet sufficient. The hexagram teaches the nourishing of the small self, that people be fed and clothed, and how prosperity is gathered by turning from evil, harmonizing and giving. It is the way from poverty toward sufficiency.
At a glance
| Hexagram | 9 of 64 |
|---|---|
| Name | Xiao Chu 小畜 · Small Taming |
| Upper trigram | Xun （巽）· Wind |
| Lower trigram | Qian （乾）· Heaven |
| Structure | Wind over Heaven |
| Lines | 6 lines |
The Judgment （卦辞）
Xiao Chu. Success. Dense clouds, no rain, coming from our western fields.
ExplainedXiao Chu is the beginning of nourishing: first feed and clothe the small self, so that life is not wanting, before one can speak of nourishing the great self. When a people are fed and clothed they are prosperous and the Way advances. Yet dense clouds do not yet release rain: blessing is near but one step short, and what is still missing is the deed of giving.
Tuan Zhuan — Commentary on the Judgment （彖传）
Xiao Chu: the yielding gains its place and above and below respond to it. This is called Small Taming. Strong yet gentle, firm within and with his will carried out, therefore success. Dense clouds, no rain: he still must go upward. From our western fields: the giving has not yet been carried out.
ExplainedIn this hexagram one yielding line gains its place and is answered by all the others: heaven above, the earth spirits and the worthy among people come to aid, so that even a weak and yielding person who resolves to practice begins to gather blessing. Strong yet gentle, firm within and carrying out his will, he meets no obstruction. The clouds have yet to break because effort must still go upward, and because giving has not yet been done.
Xiang Zhuan — Image Commentary （大象）
The wind moves above heaven: Xiao Chu. Thus the gentleman refines his cultural virtue.
ExplainedWind moving above heaven gathers the clouds that will make the harvest. The gentleman refines his cultural virtue: virtue itself is invisible, but when it shapes a person it shows as courtesy and grace, and only others can tell whether one grows gentler with practice.
The Six Lines （六爻）
The lines are read from the bottom upward. Each carries its own text, a Small Image commentary, and a plain-English reading.
Line 1 · YangLine 1
Returning to his own way: how could there be blame? Good fortune.
Small ImageReturning to his own way: in his meaning there is good fortune.
ExplainedWealth is not scraped down from the clouds: it comes by returning to one's own way and letting the good heart show. First be blameless, then let service and good works, and not the pursuit of reward, come first, and heaven grants the blessing.
Line 2 · YangLine 2
He is drawn back: good fortune.
Small ImageDrawn back and in the center, he also does not lose himself.
ExplainedThose who cannot return on their own are drawn back by teachers, elders and sages. To be led into the middle is not to lose oneself; those who stay near a hall of practice mend their tempers and recover their strength.
Line 3 · YangLine 3
The wagon's spokes fall out; husband and wife look at each other with anger.
Small ImageHusband and wife at odds: he cannot order his own household.
ExplainedThe wagon loses its spokes: to chase worldly gain by sheer ability, without blessing, ends in failure and goods scattered on the road. Even a clever man, once his blessing is spent, sees his enterprise collapse and his household quarrel.
Line 4 · YinLine 4
There is truthfulness: blood departs, fear goes out. No blame.
Small ImageTruthfulness and the departure of fear: he is in accord with the will above.
ExplainedSincere devotion dissolves karmic debt, and with it goes the lurking fear that never leaves the guilty. When the heart is clear before heaven, the hidden unease departs and there is no blame.
Line 5 · YangLine 5
Truthful and bound fast; he enriches his neighbors.
Small ImageTruthful and bound fast: he does not enrich himself alone.
ExplainedSincerity joins companions like twins, and one so anchored enriches those around him. His blessing is not kept but shared, for his will has become heaven's will.
Line 6 · YinLine 6
The rain has fallen and settled; the virtue is still being heaped up. The wife's steadfastness is perilous; the moon is near its full. The gentleman's expedition meets misfortune.
Small ImageThe rain falls and settles: the virtue is heaped up and borne. The gentleman's expedition meets misfortune: he has doubts.
ExplainedThe rain falls and then stops, for the virtue gathered is still not thick. Those who rush out to conquer as soon as they have a little merit invite misfortune; endurance through the test makes sincerity firm and brings the great blessing down.
Key takeaway
Before one can nourish the great self, one must nourish the small: gather blessing by turning from evil, harmonizing and giving.
Frequently asked questions
What does Hexagram 9 (Xiao Chu) mean in the I Ching?
Wind above heaven: the wind moves through the sky, clouds gather but rain does not fall, for the store is not yet sufficient. The hexagram teaches the nourishing of the small self, that people be fed and clothed, and how prosperity is gathered by turning from evil, harmonizing and giving. It is the way from poverty toward sufficiency.
What is the judgment of Hexagram 9?
Xiao Chu. Success. Dense clouds, no rain, coming from our western fields. Xiao Chu is the beginning of nourishing: first feed and clothe the small self, so that life is not wanting, before one can speak of nourishing the great self. When a people are fed and clothed they are prosperous and the Way advances. Yet dense clouds do not yet release rain: blessing is near but one step short, and…
What do the six lines of Hexagram 9 say?
Line 1: Returning to his own way: how could there be blame? Good fortune. Line 2: He is drawn back: good fortune. Line 3: The wagon's spokes fall out; husband and wife look at each other with anger. Line 4: There is truthfulness: blood departs, fear goes out. No blame. Line 5: Truthful and bound fast; he enriches his neighbors. Line 6: The rain has fallen and settled; the virtue is still being heaped up. The wife's steadfastness is perilous; the moon is near its full. The gentleman's expedition meets misfortune.
What is the main lesson of Hexagram 9 (Small Taming)?
Before one can nourish the great self, one must nourish the small: gather blessing by turning from evil, harmonizing and giving.
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