Hexagram 27
The Corners of the Mouth (Providing Nourishment)
頤 (Yí)
Mountain over Thunder
Hexagram 27 represents the fundamental principle of nourishment in all its forms, both physical and spiritual. The image shows an open mouth with the upper and lower jaws, symbolizing how we take in sustenance and what we give out through our words. This hexagram teaches the critical importance of being mindful about what we consume, whether food, information, or influences, and equally careful about what we express. Proper nourishment sustains life, builds character, and determines our health and spiritual development. The wisdom here extends beyond mere eating to encompass all forms of intake and output in our lives.
Key Concepts
The Judgment (卦辞)
Translation: "The Corners of the Mouth. Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment and to what a man seeks to fill his own mouth with."
Hexagram 27 reveals profound wisdom about nourishment as the foundation of existence and development. This hexagram teaches that success and well-being depend fundamentally on what we take into ourselves and how we sustain both body and spirit. The emphasis on perseverance indicates that proper nourishment requires consistent attention and discipline, not occasional effort. We must carefully observe both the quality of what nourishes us and our methods of obtaining sustenance. This applies equally to physical food, intellectual input, emotional relationships, and spiritual practices. The hexagram warns against careless consumption and encourages mindful selection of influences that truly support our growth and health.
The second aspect of this judgment directs attention to our own responsibility in seeking nourishment. We cannot passively wait to be fed but must actively pursue what sustains us in wholesome ways. This includes earning our livelihood through proper means, choosing nutritious foods over empty calories, selecting uplifting companions over toxic relationships, and seeking wisdom rather than mere entertainment. The mouth serves dual functions: taking in and giving out. Therefore, this hexagram also governs our speech and expression, reminding us that what comes from our mouth should nourish others just as what enters it nourishes us. Careful attention to both aspects brings the promised good fortune.
The Image (大象传)
君子以慎言語，節飲食。
Translation: "At the foot of the mountain, thunder: the image of Providing Nourishment. Thus the superior man is careful of his words and temperate in eating and drinking."
The image presents thunder at the mountain's base, representing energy contained and controlled, much like the jaw's movement in eating and speaking. This powerful symbolism teaches that nourishment involves both restraint and appropriate release of energy. The superior person understands that the mouth is a gateway requiring vigilant guardianship. Words, once spoken, cannot be recalled, just as food, once consumed, affects the body. Therefore, wisdom demands careful consideration before opening the mouth for either purpose. The mountain's stillness above the thunder's movement illustrates the balance between inner vitality and outer composure that characterizes proper nourishment. We must maintain this equilibrium in all our consumptive and expressive activities.
The dual instruction to be careful with words and temperate with food reveals the interconnected nature of physical and verbal nourishment. Excessive eating dulls the mind and spirit, while careless speech depletes our moral energy and damages relationships. Conversely, measured eating maintains health and clarity, while thoughtful speech builds trust and harmony. The superior person practices moderation not through deprivation but through conscious choice, selecting quality over quantity in both sustenance and expression. This disciplined approach to nourishment cultivates inner strength, preserves vital energy, and establishes the foundation for all other achievements. By governing these fundamental gateways, we gain mastery over our entire life direction.
The Six Lines (六爻)
Nine at the Beginning (初九)
Bottom line - Yang
"You let your magic tortoise go, and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. Misfortune."
This line warns against abandoning your inner resources and spiritual wisdom while enviously watching others consume. The magic tortoise represents your own inner guidance and self-sufficiency. When you neglect your spiritual nourishment to covet what others possess, you create misfortune. Focus on cultivating your own sources of sustenance rather than depending on or envying external provisions. Self-reliance in nourishment, both physical and spiritual, forms the foundation of independence and dignity. Restore attention to your inner wisdom and develop your own capacities.
Six in the Second Place (六二)
Second line - Yin
"Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. Continuing in this way brings misfortune."
This line cautions against seeking nourishment from inappropriate sources or through improper means. When you abandon natural, sustainable sources to pursue unusual or unworthy channels of sustenance, you violate natural order and invite disaster. This applies to accepting support from those you should be supporting, or seeking help from unreliable sources. Whether in career, relationships, or spiritual matters, maintain proper relationships and seek nourishment through appropriate channels. Dependency on wrong sources, even if temporarily satisfying, ultimately leads to weakness and misfortune.
Six in the Third Place (六三)
Third line - Yin
"Turning away from nourishment. Perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years. Nothing serves to further."
A severe warning against rejecting proper nourishment or pursuing harmful indulgences. This line indicates behavior contrary to your true needs and well-being. Whether through addiction, poor habits, or misguided choices, you are consuming what harms rather than sustains you. The ten-year prohibition emphasizes the long-term damage such patterns create. Immediate change is essential. Examine your consumption patterns honestly, identify what truly nourishes versus what merely gratifies, and make fundamental corrections. Nothing positive can emerge from continuing destructive nourishment patterns.
Six in the Fourth Place (六四)
Fourth line - Yin
"Turning to the summit for provision of nourishment brings good fortune. Spying about with sharp eyes like a tiger with insatiable craving. No blame."
This line represents the responsibility of providing nourishment for others, requiring vigilance and strength. Like a tiger hunting to feed its young, you must be alert, focused, and determined in securing sustenance for those who depend on you. This intense focus and strong desire to provide is not only blameless but praiseworthy. Whether as a parent, leader, teacher, or provider, your dedicated effort to nourish others brings good fortune. Maintain your vigilant attention and powerful commitment to ensuring adequate provision for your dependents.
Six in the Fifth Place (六五)
Fifth line - Yin
"Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water."
This line counsels recognizing your limitations in providing nourishment. Though you hold a position of responsibility, you lack the resources or capacity to nourish others independently. The wise course is to remain in your position, maintain your principles, but seek assistance from those with greater capability. Do not undertake major initiatives or ventures beyond your means. There is no shame in acknowledging limitations and working within them. Good fortune comes from honest self-assessment and appropriate restraint, not from overextending yourself in attempts to provide what you cannot sustain.
Nine at the Top (上九)
Top line - Yang
"The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water."
The top line represents being a source of nourishment for many others, a position of great responsibility and potential danger. You possess the wisdom, resources, or capability to sustain others, but this position requires constant awareness of the serious obligations involved. Success comes through recognizing the weight of your responsibility and the dangers of failure. With this consciousness, you can undertake great endeavors and provide sustenance for important collective efforts. Your capacity to nourish others enables significant achievements, but never forget the gravity of your role as a source upon which others depend.
Love & Relationships (爱情)
In romantic relationships, hexagram 27 emphasizes the importance of mutual nourishment and healthy emotional sustenance. A thriving partnership requires both people to provide genuine support, encouragement, and care while also receiving the same in return. Examine whether your relationship truly nourishes your spirit and growth, or whether it depletes your energy and diminishes your well-being. Equally important, assess whether you are providing wholesome nourishment to your partner through your words, actions, and presence. Relationships built on mutual nourishment create lasting bonds, while those based on emotional consumption or neglect inevitably wither. Pay attention to the quality of communication, ensuring your words build up rather than tear down.
For those seeking love, this hexagram advises first cultivating your own sources of emotional and spiritual nourishment. Develop self-sufficiency and inner contentment before seeking a partner, as relationships formed from neediness rather than wholeness often become unhealthy dependencies. When you do pursue connection, choose someone whose presence genuinely enriches your life and whose values align with your own growth. Avoid relationships that offer only superficial gratification or temporary excitement without deeper sustenance. The right partnership will feel nourishing to your authentic self, supporting your development while allowing you to contribute meaningfully to another's well-being. Quality of nourishment matters far more than intensity of initial attraction.
Within established relationships, practice temperance in both giving and receiving. Excessive demands for attention or support can drain your partner, while withholding necessary emotional nourishment creates distance and resentment. Find the balanced middle path where both partners feel adequately sustained without either becoming depleted. Be mindful of your words, speaking with care and consideration, as careless speech can poison even the strongest bond. Similarly, pay attention to what you consume together, whether media, social influences, or activities, ensuring these shared experiences nourish your connection rather than introducing toxicity. Healthy relationships require ongoing attention to the quality and balance of mutual nourishment.
Career & Business (事业)
Professionally, hexagram 27 directs attention to how you sustain yourself through your work and what your work provides to others. Examine whether your career truly nourishes your skills, values, and aspirations, or whether it merely provides financial sustenance while starving your spirit. The ideal career offers both material support and meaningful contribution, feeding your sense of purpose while developing your capabilities. If your current work feels depleting rather than sustaining, consider what changes might bring better alignment between your livelihood and your authentic needs. This might involve shifting roles, developing new skills, or completely changing direction. Sustainable career success requires work that nourishes you on multiple levels, not just financially.
For business owners and entrepreneurs, this hexagram emphasizes providing genuine value and nourishment to your customers or clients. Businesses that truly serve people's real needs create lasting success, while those offering empty promises or harmful products ultimately fail regardless of short-term profits. Examine your business model honestly: does it provide authentic nourishment to your market, or does it exploit weaknesses and create dependencies? Build your enterprise on the foundation of genuine service, offering products or services that truly improve people's lives. Also attend to how you nourish your team, ensuring fair compensation, supportive culture, and opportunities for growth. Organizations that properly nourish all stakeholders create sustainable prosperity.
In workplace relationships and professional development, be mindful of both what you consume and what you contribute. Seek mentors and colleagues who provide genuine wisdom and support rather than those who merely flatter or enable poor habits. Similarly, offer real value to your organization through quality work and constructive communication, not just empty words or superficial efforts. Guard your professional reputation by being careful with your speech, avoiding gossip, careless promises, or harsh criticism. Your words in professional contexts should nourish collaboration and progress. Invest in continuous learning and skill development, feeding your professional growth with quality education and meaningful challenges that expand your capabilities and market value.
Health & Wellness (健康)
Hexagram 27 speaks most directly to physical health through its emphasis on proper nourishment and moderation in eating and drinking. This is an ideal time to examine your dietary habits with complete honesty, identifying what truly nourishes your body versus what you consume out of habit, emotional need, or convenience. Focus on whole, natural foods that provide genuine nutrition rather than processed items offering empty calories or harmful additives. Practice moderation in all consumption, avoiding both deprivation and excess. The ancient wisdom of this hexagram reminds us that health begins with what we put into our bodies. Consider not just what you eat, but how you eat: mindfully and with gratitude, or hastily and unconsciously. Proper nourishment requires attention and respect for the body's true needs.
Beyond physical food, consider what else you consume that affects your health and well-being. The information you take in through media, the emotional atmosphere of your relationships, the quality of air and water in your environment, and the thoughts you habitually entertain all serve as forms of nourishment or poison. Cultivate a health-supporting environment by carefully selecting what you allow into your physical and mental space. Reduce exposure to toxic influences, whether chemical pollutants, negative people, or disturbing content. Increase your intake of health-promoting elements: fresh air, clean water, uplifting relationships, inspiring ideas, and peaceful surroundings. Your overall vitality depends on the cumulative effect of everything you consume.
The hexagram's emphasis on temperate consumption applies equally to rest, exercise, and all health practices. Avoid extremes in any direction, whether excessive training that depletes your body or complete inactivity that weakens it. Find the sustainable middle path in all health habits, creating routines you can maintain long-term rather than dramatic interventions you cannot sustain. Pay attention to your body's signals about what it needs, developing sensitivity to genuine requirements versus conditioned cravings. Regular, moderate practices in nutrition, movement, rest, and stress management provide the consistent nourishment that builds lasting health. Remember that true wellness comes from daily attention to proper nourishment, not from occasional dramatic efforts.
Financial Matters (财运)
Financially, hexagram 27 teaches that prosperity depends on how you nourish and sustain your economic foundation. Examine your income sources: do you earn your livelihood through means that align with your values and provide sustainable support, or do you depend on questionable sources that may fail or compromise your integrity? Build financial security on solid foundations of genuine value creation and ethical practice. Just as the body requires consistent, quality nutrition rather than occasional feasts, your finances need regular, reliable income from trustworthy sources. Diversify your income streams to ensure you are not overly dependent on any single source, creating resilience in your financial nourishment. Invest in developing skills and relationships that can provide ongoing economic sustenance.
In spending and consumption, practice the moderation and mindfulness that hexagram 27 emphasizes. Distinguish between purchases that genuinely serve your needs and contribute to your well-being versus those that provide only temporary gratification or status. Avoid both miserly deprivation and wasteful excess, finding the balanced approach that allows you to enjoy life while building security. Be particularly careful about consuming on credit or beyond your means, as this creates future scarcity rather than present abundance. Instead, live within your income and save consistently, nourishing your future security through present discipline. Quality matters more than quantity in financial decisions; one well-made item that lasts provides better value than multiple cheap replacements.
Consider also how your financial resources nourish others and contribute to the broader community. Money, like food, is meant to circulate and provide sustenance, not to be hoarded excessively. Find appropriate ways to share your prosperity through fair payment to those who serve you, support for worthy causes, and generosity to those in genuine need. However, maintain discernment about where you direct your financial support, ensuring it goes to sources that will use it wisely rather than waste it. Your financial health depends on balanced flow: earning through proper means, spending with wisdom, saving for security, and sharing appropriately. This complete approach to financial nourishment creates sustainable prosperity and peace of mind.
Personal Growth (个人成长)
For personal development, hexagram 27 reveals that growth depends fundamentally on what nourishes your mind, heart, and spirit. Examine your intellectual diet carefully: what books do you read, what ideas do you engage with, what conversations do you participate in? Are these inputs genuinely expanding your understanding and wisdom, or are they merely entertaining distractions that leave you unchanged? Seek out teachings, mentors, and experiences that provide real spiritual and intellectual nourishment, challenging you to grow while supporting your development. Avoid the junk food of personal growth: superficial self-help that offers easy answers without requiring real work, or trendy practices that promise transformation without substance. True development requires sustained nourishment from authentic wisdom traditions and genuine self-examination.
The hexagram's emphasis on careful speech applies powerfully to personal growth through the practice of mindful communication. Your words shape your reality and relationships, making speech a crucial area for self-cultivation. Practice speaking with intention and integrity, ensuring your words align with your values and contribute positively to situations. Notice when you speak carelessly, critically, or dishonestly, and work to transform these patterns. Equally important, develop the capacity for wise silence, recognizing when speaking serves no good purpose. The discipline of governing your speech builds character, strengthens relationships, and conserves vital energy. As you become more conscious of your words, you naturally become more aware of your thoughts, opening deeper levels of self-understanding and transformation.
Personal growth also requires attention to what you express and contribute to the world, not just what you consume. Consider how you nourish others through your presence, actions, and creations. Are you providing genuine value and support to those around you, or are you primarily taking without giving back? Balanced development involves both receiving nourishment for your own growth and offering sustenance to others from your developing wisdom and capabilities. Find ways to share what you are learning, to support others on their paths, and to contribute meaningfully to your communities. This reciprocal flow of giving and receiving creates the conditions for continuous growth. Remember that the most profound personal development comes from consistent daily practice rather than dramatic occasional efforts, just as health comes from regular proper nourishment.
Timing & Advice (时机与建议)
The current timing calls for careful attention to all forms of nourishment in your life, both what you take in and what you give out. This is not a period for dramatic action or major initiatives, but rather for establishing sustainable foundations through proper self-care and mindful consumption. Focus on building healthy routines in eating, speaking, learning, and relating that can support you long-term. Examine your current patterns honestly, identifying what truly nourishes your well-being and what merely provides empty gratification or actual harm. Make necessary adjustments to align your consumption with your authentic needs and highest values. The changes you make now in how you nourish yourself will determine your capacity for future growth and achievement.
Pay particular attention to your speech and communication during this period. Words carry power to nourish or poison relationships, opportunities, and your own self-concept. Before speaking, pause to consider whether your words will contribute something valuable or merely add noise. Practice speaking with care, honesty, and kindness, avoiding gossip, harsh criticism, or careless promises. Also develop your capacity for receptive listening, taking in others' perspectives and wisdom as a form of nourishment. In all interactions, aim to leave people feeling better than you found them, offering verbal nourishment through encouragement, appreciation, and constructive input. Your reputation and relationships will strengthen through this disciplined approach to communication.
The wisdom of hexagram 27 emphasizes that sustainable success in any area requires proper nourishment of the foundations. Whether in health, relationships, career, or spiritual development, attend to the basics with consistency and care. Avoid the temptation to seek dramatic shortcuts or quick fixes, recognizing that genuine growth happens gradually through proper sustenance over time. Be patient with yourself and others, understanding that transformation requires sustained nourishment, not forced change. Trust that by attending carefully to what you consume and express, by practicing moderation and mindfulness, and by seeking quality over quantity in all things, you create the conditions for natural, healthy development. The good fortune promised by this hexagram comes to those who respect the fundamental principles of proper nourishment.