易經 · I Ching · #39
䷦
Jian · Limping · Obstruction
蹇
Obstruction — one of the sixty-four archetypal situations in the Book of Changes.
The Judgment
A hard obstacle blocks the way. Stop, reflect and look for help instead of pushing.
The Image
Water on the mountain, so the wise person turns attention inward and shapes their own character.
How to use it
Pause and reassess. Seek guidance and fix what is within your control.
Structure
Six lines: 坎 Water (Kan) above and 艮 Mountain (Gen) below. Lines are read from the bottom up.
Related hexagrams
- ䷥ 38. Polarizing · Opposition — Opposite: every line reversed
- ䷧ 40. Taking-Apart · Deliverance — Reversed: the same lines turned upside down
- ䷿ 64. Not Yet Fording · Before Completion — Inner (nuclear): the hidden structure formed by lines 2 to 5
Each BaZi pillar maps to a hexagram through its stem and branch. Coin casting uses a different method — both are valid paths into the Book of Changes. The I Ching is a traditional wisdom text. It describes the character of a moment, not a fixed outcome.