Hexagram 20 · Qian / Heaven (乾) palace · Metal (金) · Fourth generation (四世)
Guan · Observation
Hexagram 20, Guan · Observation, has Xun / Wind (巽) above Kun / Earth (坤). It belongs to the Qian / Heaven (乾) palace, whose reference element is Metal (金).
Updated
Guan is a fourth-generation member of the Qian palace. Self at line 4 and Other at line 1 are both Wei Earth Parent. The two sides can therefore be read as sharing institutional or practical concerns. Officer and Wealth each appear twice, while Sibling and Child are absent. Observation, review and preparation are the central themes; repeated categories do not by themselves establish stronger outcomes.
Relationships
Matching Parent roles draw attention to family considerations, approval, responsibilities or formal status. The two Wealth positions can be inspected if the question calls for them, but do not prove multiple partners. Child is absent, so child-related or ease-and-enjoyment themes have no direct line category here.
Money
Wealth appears at lines 3 and 6 as Mao Wood, outside Self and Other. The traditional reading therefore treats access as indirect and linked with Parent concerns such as agreements or review. Missing Child limits the visible resource-generating chain; it does not prove no money can arrive.
Career
Parent at Self emphasizes procedures, documents or qualifications. Si Fire Officer appears twice, at lines 2 and 5. Sibling is missing, so colleagues or partnership competition lack that direct category. Actual movement and the casting date are needed to distinguish which repeated Officer line matters.
Health
The traditional text associates Parent with effort and Officer with strain. Neither the Earth element nor repeated Fire lines can diagnose digestion or any other condition. Child’s absence is a chart limitation, not proof that treatment is weak or unavailable. Use ordinary care and actual evidence.
Health themes are traditional symbolism, not a diagnosis. Seek medical care for symptoms or concerns.
These themes describe the static structure. A particular cast also needs its moving lines, month and day, and focus-line context. The same hexagram can support different interpretations in different situations.
Judgment and Image
Judgment觀：盥而不薦，有孚顒若。
Image風行地上，觀；先王以省方，觀民設教。
The Judgment evokes the attentive moment before an offering, emphasizing sincerity and composure. The Image uses Wind over Earth to connect observation with understanding people before teaching or governing. This supports careful attention rather than hurried conclusions.
The Chinese Judgment is from the Zhou Yi; the Image is from the Image commentary. The displayed Chinese was collated against the recorded sources. This English explanation is our own, not a quotation from a modern translation. Read the Chinese source (opens a new tab).
The six lines: branches, Self/Other and relationships
Use the table to inspect each line’s branch, relationship and Self/Other role. To create your own cast, open the Six-line I Ching tool and cast three coins six times.
Xun / Wind (巽) above Kun / Earth (坤) · Self: line 4 · Other: line 1
| Line | Figure | Branch | Element | Relationship | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line 6 | Yang | Mao (卯) | Wood (木) | Wealth (妻財) | — |
| Line 5 | Yang | Si (巳) | Fire (火) | Officer (官鬼) | — |
| Line 4 | Yin | Wei (未) | Earth (土) | Parent (父母) | Self (世) |
| Line 3 | Yin | Mao (卯) | Wood (木) | Wealth (妻財) | — |
| Line 2 | Yin | Si (巳) | Fire (火) | Officer (官鬼) | — |
| Line 1 | Yin | Wei (未) | Earth (土) | Parent (父母) | Other (應) |
Swipe sideways to view the full table
Explore each layer: branch assignment in Na Jia, question categories in focus selection, and line positions in Self and Other.
Six Spirits depend on the casting day and are omitted from this static library. Hidden spirits are not calculated. A specific cast adds its Six Spirits, moving lines and resulting hexagram.
Reading the structure
Hexagram 20, Guan · Observation, has Xun / Wind (巽) above Kun / Earth (坤). It belongs to the Qian / Heaven (乾) palace, whose reference element is Metal (金).
This is the Fourth generation (四世) stage. Self is line 4: Wei (未), Earth (土), Parent (父母). Other is line 1: Wei (未), Earth (土), Parent (父母). Self locates the questioner’s side; Other locates the counterpart or target. They do not by themselves determine an outcome.
The palace element is the reference for the Five Relationships: what generates it is Parent; what it generates is Child; what controls it is Officer; what it controls is Wealth; the same element is Sibling. These are symbolic subject roles, not necessarily literal family members.
The visible lines have no Sibling (兄弟) or Child (子孫) category. Traditional practice may look for hidden spirits in the palace’s primary hexagram, but MingLiMR does not calculate that layer. A reading must disclose the missing focus and work only with the available Self/Other and moving-line context.
Frequently asked questions
- Do identical Self and Other roles mean we agree?
- They can suggest similar concerns, but do not establish agreement or the same desired result.
- Can this directly describe a business partner?
- Sibling is absent. The reading must use the available axis and movement with that limit explicit.
- Do two Officer lines mean twice the pressure?
- No. Repetition identifies two positions to inspect. Their strength and movement cannot be inferred from count alone.
Explore one question
Form one clear question and cast six lines. No birth information is needed. The free chart includes Six Spirits, moving lines and a resulting hexagram when applicable; the result page explains the available reading options.
Cast a hexagramNew to casting? Read the beginner’s I Ching guide for the three steps, example questions and how to distinguish primary and resulting hexagrams.
The library is for learning and reflection. It is not medical, legal or financial advice.