Hexagram 9 · 风天小畜

Small Taming

Wood · Xun palace

Gentle restraint: accumulate small gains patiently.

Meaning

Wind above heaven: a soft force working on something strong. Small Taming describes influence applied gently and by degrees.

Decision Framework

Restrain lightly; build small advantages.

Decision Guidance

Small Taming is the reading of modest, cumulative constraint. The situation does not allow you to compel a large outcome, so the effective strategy is a series of small adjustments that add up.

Its signature image is a gentle wind shaping clouds. In practice this means persuasion over command, incremental savings over a single windfall, and repeated good habits over one dramatic effort. The hexagram also cautions that this phase is temporary and preparatory. Gather strength, and do not mistake the small scale of your current moves for the size of your eventual aim.

Judgment — Classical Text

亨。密云不雨，自我西郊。

EN Success. Dense clouds, no rain, from my western fields.

The Six Lines — Classical Text

初九：复自道，何其咎，吉。
EN Initial nine: return to your own path — what blame? Good fortune.
九二：牵复，吉。
EN Nine in the second: drawn back with others — good fortune.
九三：舆说辐，夫妻反目。
EN Nine in the third: the cart loses its spokes; husband and wife look away from each other.
六四：有孚，血去惕出，无咎。
EN Six in the fourth: with sincerity, blood departs and fear leaves — no blame.
九五：有孚挛如，富以其邻。
EN Nine in the fifth: sincere and bound together, rich with your neighbours.
上九：既雨既处，尚德载，妇贞厉。
EN Topmost nine: the rain has fallen and settled; virtue is loaded up; the woman's perseverance brings danger.

Keywords

I Ching hexagram 9, Small Taming hexagram, Xiao Xu hexagram meaning, hexagram for patience and restraint