Hexagram 27 · ䷚
This hexagram is about nourishment in the broadest sense: what you take in, what you sustain, and how you sustain others. Right nourishment brings good fortune.
Judgment
This hexagram is about nourishment in the broadest sense: what you take in, what you sustain, and how you sustain others. Right nourishment brings good fortune.
Image
Thunder at the foot of the mountain represents Providing Nourishment. The noble person is careful with words and temperate in eating and drinking.
Lines
Abandoning your innate wisdom like a discarded tortoise, you look with greedy desire. Misfortune follows. Turning to the worthy for nourishment while deviating from the proper path...
Perseverance brings good fortune. Observe the nourishment; observe what seeks to fill the mouth.
This hexagram is about nourishment in the broadest sense: what you take in, what you sustain, and how you sustain others. Right nourishment brings good fortune.
Providing Nourishment brings good fortune because to nourish rightly is good fortune. Observing nourishment means observing what one nourishes. Observing what seeks to fill the mouth means observing how one nourishes oneself. Heaven and earth nourish all beings; the sage nourishes the worthy and thereby reaches all people. Great indeed is the time of nourishment.
The key question is not only what is fed, but by what standard one feeds. The world is nourished by heaven and earth; human order is nourished by sustaining the worthy and extending care outward.
At the foot of the mountain thunder: the image of Providing Nourishment. The noble person is careful of his words and temperate in eating and drinking.
Thunder at the foot of the mountain represents Providing Nourishment. The noble person is careful with words and temperate in eating and drinking.
You let your magic tortoise go, and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. Misfortune.
Abandoning your innate wisdom like a discarded tortoise, you look with greedy desire. Misfortune follows.
Small Image
You look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. This is not valued by the wise.
Looking with drooping mouth corners shows what the wise do not value.
Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. Continuing to do this brings misfortune.
Turning to the worthy for nourishment while deviating from the proper path brings misfortune.
Small Image
Seeking nourishment from the hill. The light of the great man is not yet brilliant.
Seeking nourishment from the hill shows the great person's light is not yet fully shining.
Turning away from nourishment. Perseverance brings misfortune. For ten years one does not progress. Nothing serves to further.
Turning away from proper nourishment brings misfortune. For ten years no progress is made.
Small Image
Turning away from nourishment. For ten years one does not progress, because one turns away from the way.
Turning away brings ten years without progress because one abandons the proper way.
Turning to the summit for nourishment, bringing good fortune. Looking around with the eyes of a tiger, keenly and with desire. No blame.
Turning to the worthy for nourishment brings good fortune. Looking with keen tiger's eyes brings no blame.
Small Image
Looking around with the eyes of a tiger shows the keen desire of the great man.
Looking with tiger's eyes shows the great person's keen desire for proper nourishment.
Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water.
Turning away from wrong paths to remain persevering brings good fortune. But do not undertake great risks.
Small Image
To remain persevering brings good fortune, because he follows the one above him.
Remaining persevering brings good fortune through following what is above.
The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
Seeking the source of nourishment with awareness of danger brings good fortune. Great undertakings are favored.
Small Image
The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. He is blessed from above.
Seeking the source of nourishment brings blessing from above through awareness of danger.
What does I / Nourishment mean in the I Ching?
This hexagram is about nourishment in the broadest sense: what you take in, what you sustain, and how you sustain others. Right nourishment brings good fortune.
How should I study Hexagram 27 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. Abandoning your innate wisdom like a discarded tortoise, you look with greedy desire. Misfortune follows. Turning to the worthy for nourishment while deviating from the proper path...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
The key question is not only what is fed, but by what standard one feeds. The world is nourished by heaven and earth; human order is nourished by sustaining the worthy and extending care outward.
Primary text: Zhouyi / I Ching, including the Judgment, Image, line texts, and related commentaries.
Translation basis: public-domain and modern study references, with AI used only as a learning aid.