Hexagram 54 · The Marrying Maiden

归妹 · Guī Mèi

Hexagram 54, The Marrying Maiden (归妹, Guī Mèi), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Lake below and Thunder above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “征凶，无攸利。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with the marrying maiden — propriety within constraint. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Upper trigram: Thunder (震) — arousal and decisive motion
Symbol: ䷵ · Name: 归妹 (Guī Mèi) · Number: 54 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   归妹以娣，跛能履，征吉。
   The Image says: “归妹以娣”，以恒也；“跛能履”“吉”，相承也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   眇能视，利幽人之贞。
   The Image says: “利幽人之贞”，未变常也。
3. 六三 (六三)
   归妹以须，反归以娣。
   The Image says: “归妹以须”，未当也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   归妹愆期，迟归有时。
   The Image says: “愆期”之志，有待而行也。
5. 六五 (六五)
   帝乙归妹，其君之袂，不如其娣之袂良；月几望，吉。
   The Image says: “帝乙归妹”，“不如其娣之袂良”也，其位在中，以贵行也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   女承筐，无实；士刲羊，无血。无攸利。
   The Image says: 上六“无实”，“承”虚“筐”也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 54?

Hexagram 54 is The Marrying Maiden (归妹, Guī Mèi), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Lake below and Thunder above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of The Marrying Maiden?

The judgment of The Marrying Maiden reads, in the Chinese original: “征凶，无攸利。”. Its Great Image reads: “泽上有雷，归妹。君子以永终知敝。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does The Marrying Maiden symbolize?

In the classical tradition, The Marrying Maiden is associated with the marrying maiden — propriety within constraint. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.