lǚAlso known as “The Wanderer” (Wilhelm/Baynes) and “Lü” (Legge)
the travellerimpermanencecaution abroad
In plain words
Fire on the mountain: the wanderer who does not stay long. Small success; perseverance brings good fortune to the traveller — be modest, correct, and careful with your resources and companions.
The attitude it asks for
Travel light, respect local ways, and keep your centre; a stranger's safety lies in good conduct.
Lü intimates that (in the condition which it denotes) there may be some little attainment and progress. If the stranger or traveller be firm and correct as he ought to be, there will be good fortune.
Commentary on the Judgment
旅，小亨，柔得中乎外，而順乎剛，止而麗乎明，是以小亨，旅貞吉也。旅之時義大矣哉！
'Lü indicates that there may be some small attainment and progress:'—the weak (line) occupies the central place in the outer (trigram), and is obedient to the strong (lines on either side of it). (We have also the attributes of quiet) resting closely attached to intelligence (in the component trigrams). Hence it is said, 'There may be some small attainment and progress. If the stranger or traveller be firm and correct as he ought to be, there will be good fortune.'
Great is the time and great is the right course to be taken as intimated in Lü!
The Image
山上有火，旅；君子以明慎用刑，而不留獄。
(The trigram representing) a mountain and above it that for fire form Lü. The superior man, in accordance with this, exerts his wisdom and caution in the use of punishments and not allowing litigations to continue.
爻辭 The six lines
When one line moves, the hexagram becomes another:
上九Nine at the top
鳥焚其巢，旅人先笑後號咷。喪牛于易，凶。
The sixth line, undivided, suggests the idea of a bird burning its nest. The stranger, (thus represented), first laughs and then cries out. He has lost his ox(-like docility) too readily and easily. There will be evil.
Its symbolism
以旅在上，其義焚也。喪牛于易，終莫之聞也。
'Considering that the stranger is here at the very height (of distinction),' with the spirit that possesses him, it is right he (should be emblemed by a bird) burning (its nest). 'He loses his ox (- like docility) too readily and easily:'—to the end he would not listen to (the truth about the course to be pursued).
The fourth line, undivided, shows the traveller in a resting-place, having (also) the means of livelihood and the axe, (but still saying), 'I am not at ease in my mind.'
Its symbolism
旅于處，未得位也。得其資斧，心未快也。
'The stranger is in a resting-place:'—but he has not got his proper position. 'He has the means of livelihood, and the axe:'—but his mind is not at ease.
The third line, undivided, shows the stranger, burning his lodging-house, and having lost his servants. However firm and correct he (try to) be, he will be in peril.
Its symbolism
旅焚其次，亦以傷矣。以旅與下，其義喪也。
'The stranger burns his lodging-house:'—and he himself also suffers hurt thereby. When, as a stranger, he treats those below him (as the line indicates), the right relation between him and them is lost.
The second line, divided, shows the stranger, occupying his lodging-house, carrying with him his means of livelihood, and provided with good and trusty servants.
Its symbolism
得童僕貞，終无尤也。
'He is provided with good and trusty servants:'—he will in the end have nothing of which to complain.
Shown in the classical Chinese with James Legge's English (1882).
Questions about this hexagram
What does Hexagram 56, Traveling, mean?
Fire on the mountain: the wanderer who does not stay long. Small success; perseverance brings good fortune to the traveller — be modest, correct, and careful with your resources and companions.
Which trigrams form Traveling?
離 above 艮 — fire over mountain. Its nuclear hexagram (lines 2–5) is 大過 Great Excess.
What happens when a line of Traveling changes?
A moving line turns the hexagram into another one; the list above shows all six. With several moving lines, the guide to changing lines explains which text to read.
How do I get Traveling in a reading?
Build six lines from the bottom up with three coins or yarrow stalks; the pattern - - - - — — - - — is Traveling. You can also cast a reading here — the lines are decided by code, the text is this page's.