What is Hexagram 9, Small Taming?
Hexagram 9, Small Taming (小畜 Xiǎo Chù), is built from Wind (巽 Xùn) over Heaven (乾 Qián), and the Wilhelm-Baynes translation reads its themes as patience, gentle influence, preparation. The classical sources describe it as a pattern in the Book of Changes (易經 Yìjīng), a situation to recognise, not a verdict to obey.
Key Takeaways
- Hexagram 9 is built from Wind (巽 Xùn) over Heaven (乾 Qián).
- Its central themes, patience, gentle influence, preparation, refinement, sit in the Wilhelm-Baynes lineage.
- The classical pairing matches the hexagram to Green Aventurine as the meditation stone.
- Read alongside BaZi, Kua, and Compass School sector mapping for a fuller picture.
- This is a pattern, not a verdict, the I-Ching frames reflection, not prediction.
The Judgment
The Taming Power of the Small has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western region.
The Image
The wind drives across heaven: the image of the Taming Power of the Small. Thus the superior person refines the outward aspect of their nature.
Master Wei Lin's Interpretation
Interpretation by Master Wei Lin, Chinese Metaphysics Scholar, pattern recognition, not fortune-telling
The wind blows across heaven, gentle force meeting something vast. This is the power of small, persistent influence rather than dramatic confrontation. Your situation calls for patience with incremental progress. The clouds are gathering but the rain hasn't come yet. The conditions are building. Continue your quiet work, refine yourself, prepare, stay consistent. The breakthrough will come, but it comes through accumulation, not explosion.
The Six Lines
When a changing line appears in your reading, its text carries special guidance for your situation.
Line 1 (bottom)
“Return to the way. How could there be blame in this? Good fortune.”
Line 2
“One lets oneself be drawn into returning. Good fortune.”
Line 3
“The spokes burst out of the wagon wheels. Husband and wife roll their eyes.”
Line 4
“If you are sincere, blood vanishes and fear gives way. No blame.”
Line 5
“If you are sincere and loyally attached, you are rich in your neighbor.”
Line 6 (top)
“The rain comes, there is rest. This is due to the lasting effect of character. Perseverance is dangerous for the woman. The moon is nearly full.”
🔮 Crystal for Hexagram 9
Green Aventurine
Hold Green Aventurine while meditating on Small Taming. Its energy resonates with the themes of patience, gentle influence, preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 9 (Small Taming) mean?
In the Wilhelm-Baynes translation of the I-Ching (易經 Yìjīng), Hexagram 9, Small Taming (小畜 Xiǎo Chù), is read through Wind (巽 Xùn) over Heaven (乾 Qián). The classical sources describe its themes as patience, gentle influence, preparation. This is pattern recognition, not prediction.
What is the Judgment for Small Taming?
The Judgment reads: "The Taming Power of the Small has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western region.", the Judgment is the I-Ching's classical summary of the situation the hexagram describes, and what the present moment is asking of the reader.
What is the Image for Small Taming?
The Image reads: "The wind drives across heaven: the image of the Taming Power of the Small. Thus the superior person refines the outward aspect of their nature.", in the classical sources the Image is the elemental picture, the upper and lower trigrams in conversation, that the reader holds while sitting with the hexagram.
What crystal pairs with Hexagram 9?
Green Aventurine is the traditional pairing for Small Taming. The classical Chinese gemology lineage associates this stone with the hexagram's central themes, hold it during meditation on the reading. This is reflective practice, not divination-as-prediction.
How is Hexagram 9 read in BaZi or Feng Shui?
An I-Ching cast is one consultation. The fuller reading, Four Pillars (四柱 Sì Zhù), Kua personal feng shui, and Compass School sector mapping, reads the hexagram alongside the chart. Master Wei Lin's Master Reading section synthesizes the Book of Changes alongside BaZi and the other Chinese metaphysics traditions.
More Hexagrams
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