What is Hexagram 27, Nourishment?
Hexagram 27, Nourishment (頤 Yí), is built from Mountain (艮 Gèn) over Thunder (震 Zhèn), and the Wilhelm-Baynes translation reads its themes as nourishment, speech, sustenance. The classical sources describe it as a pattern in the Book of Changes (易經 Yìjīng), a situation to recognise, not a verdict to obey.
Key Takeaways
- Hexagram 27 is built from Mountain (艮 Gèn) over Thunder (震 Zhèn).
- Its central themes, nourishment, speech, sustenance, self-care, sit in the Wilhelm-Baynes lineage.
- The classical pairing matches the hexagram to Green Jade as the meditation stone.
- Read alongside BaZi, Kua, and Compass School sector mapping for a fuller picture.
- This is a pattern, not a verdict, the I-Ching frames reflection, not prediction.
The Judgment
The Corners of the Mouth. Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment and to what a person seeks to fill their own mouth with.
The Image
At the foot of the mountain, thunder: the image of Providing Nourishment. Thus the superior person is careful of their words and temperate in eating and drinking.
Master Wei Lin's Interpretation
Interpretation by Master Wei Lin, Chinese Metaphysics Scholar, pattern recognition, not fortune-telling
The open mouth, what you take in and what you put out. Nourishment asks you to examine what you're feeding: your body, your mind, your spirit, your relationships. What are you consuming? What words are you speaking? Your question is being reflected through this lens: the quality of what you take in determines the quality of what you can give out.
The Six Lines
When a changing line appears in your reading, its text carries special guidance for your situation.
Line 1 (bottom)
“You let your magic tortoise go, and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. Misfortune.”
Line 2
“Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. Continuing to do this brings misfortune.”
Line 3
“Turning away from nourishment. Perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years. Nothing serves to further.”
Line 4
“Turning to the summit for provision of nourishment brings good fortune. Spying about with sharp eyes like a tiger with insatiable craving. No blame.”
Line 5
“Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water.”
Line 6 (top)
“The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.”
🔮 Crystal for Hexagram 27
Green Jade
Hold Green Jade while meditating on Nourishment. Its energy resonates with the themes of nourishment, speech, sustenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 27 (Nourishment) mean?
In the Wilhelm-Baynes translation of the I-Ching (易經 Yìjīng), Hexagram 27, Nourishment (頤 Yí), is read through Mountain (艮 Gèn) over Thunder (震 Zhèn). The classical sources describe its themes as nourishment, speech, sustenance. This is pattern recognition, not prediction.
What is the Judgment for Nourishment?
The Judgment reads: "The Corners of the Mouth. Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment and to what a person seeks to fill their own mouth with.", the Judgment is the I-Ching's classical summary of the situation the hexagram describes, and what the present moment is asking of the reader.
What is the Image for Nourishment?
The Image reads: "At the foot of the mountain, thunder: the image of Providing Nourishment. Thus the superior person is careful of their words and temperate in eating and drinking.", in the classical sources the Image is the elemental picture, the upper and lower trigrams in conversation, that the reader holds while sitting with the hexagram.
What crystal pairs with Hexagram 27?
Green Jade is the traditional pairing for Nourishment. The classical Chinese gemology lineage associates this stone with the hexagram's central themes, hold it during meditation on the reading. This is reflective practice, not divination-as-prediction.
How is Hexagram 27 read in BaZi or Feng Shui?
An I-Ching cast is one consultation. The fuller reading, Four Pillars (四柱 Sì Zhù), Kua personal feng shui, and Compass School sector mapping, reads the hexagram alongside the chart. Master Wei Lin's Master Reading section synthesizes the Book of Changes alongside BaZi and the other Chinese metaphysics traditions.
More Hexagrams
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