Hexagram 33 · Qian / Heaven (乾) palace · Metal (金) · Second generation (二世)
Dun · Retreat
Hexagram 33, Dun · Retreat, has Qian / Heaven (乾) above Gen / Mountain (艮). It belongs to the Qian / Heaven (乾) palace, whose reference element is Metal (金).
Updated
Dun places Wu Fire Officer at Self on line 2 and Shen Metal Sibling at Other on line 5. Duty or pressure is prominent on the questioner’s side, with peer or competitive concerns at the counterpart. Child and Wealth are both absent. The published interpretation emphasizes restraint and observation, while acknowledging that money, some relationship questions and relief-related subjects lack their direct focus categories.
Relationships
When the selected relationship focus is Wealth, that category is absent. Sibling at Other can suggest a peer-like role, but cannot determine someone’s intentions or whether they are a suitable partner. The burden theme at Self makes patient clarification relevant without supplying a verdict.
Money
There is no visible Wealth line. The chart therefore cannot directly assess that focus, and the site does not calculate a hidden substitute. Any indirect discussion of resources must distinguish symbolic pressure from actual income, commitments and evidence.
Career
Officer at Self makes responsibility or constraints central. Fire controls the Metal Other line, but that direction alone does not mean the questioner has unrestricted power. The original interpretation combines external pressure with the effort of managing a peer or competitive situation.
Health
Officer at Self and missing Child are traditional burden/relief symbols. They do not establish chronic disease, weak treatment or an absence of recovery. Take actual fatigue, distress or symptoms seriously and use appropriate professional support.
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遯：亨，小利貞。
Image天下有山，遯；君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴。
The Judgment presents retreat with attention to steadiness. The Image of Mountain below Heaven connects withdrawal with maintaining a clear boundary without hostility. The theme is deliberate distance, not cowardice or a universal instruction to abandon a goal.
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.
Qian / Heaven (乾) above Gen / Mountain (艮) · Self: line 2 · Other: line 5
| Line | Figure | Branch | Element | Relationship | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line 6 | Yang | Xu (戌) | Earth (土) | Parent (父母) | — |
| Line 5 | Yang | Shen (申) | Metal (金) | Sibling (兄弟) | Other (應) |
| Line 4 | Yang | Wu (午) | Fire (火) | Officer (官鬼) | — |
| Line 3 | Yang | Shen (申) | Metal (金) | Sibling (兄弟) | — |
| Line 2 | Yin | Wu (午) | Fire (火) | Officer (官鬼) | Self (世) |
| Line 1 | Yin | Chen (辰) | Earth (土) | Parent (父母) | — |
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 33, Dun · Retreat, has Qian / Heaven (乾) above Gen / Mountain (艮). It belongs to the Qian / Heaven (乾) palace, whose reference element is Metal (金).
This is the Second generation (二世) stage. Self is line 2: Wu (午), Fire (火), Officer (官鬼). Other is line 5: Shen (申), Metal (金), Sibling (兄弟). 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 Child (子孫) or Wealth (妻財) 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
- Does missing Wealth mean there is no money available?
- No. It means the focus category is absent from the visible static chart, not that the real world lacks resources.
- Does Officer at Self show heavy work pressure?
- It supplies that traditional theme, but the degree and cause require the full cast and actual circumstances.
- Is Sibling at Other a competitor or partner?
- Either can be relevant to the category. The word alone does not establish an adversary.
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.