Hexagram of the Day Sunday, February 15, 2026: #20 Contemplation (观)

Phonetic note for "guan" (contemplation/view). "Contemplation" means possessing that which is shown to others and looked up to by them.

Nine in the Fifth Place occupies the top, looked up to by the four yin lines; internally compliant and externally gentle, Nine in the Fifth Place displays central correctness to all under heaven; therefore it is Contemplation.

Washing hands ("guan") is cleansing hands before the sacrifice; offering ("jian") is presenting food and wine in sacrifice. "Yong" describes an appearance of solemn reverence.

It means that when one attains purity and does not act lightly out of self-will, one's sincere trust is centered within, inspiring solemn reverence and admiration. It warns that a diviner should be like this.

Some say: "Possessing trust and solemn reverence" refers to those below trusting and looking up to him.

In this hexagram, four yin lines grow while two yang lines wane, corresponding precisely to the eighth month; yet naming the hexagram and attaching the statements adopts other meanings, which also reflects the intention of supporting yang and restraining yin.

Explaining the name and meaning of the hexagram through its structure and virtue. Pronunciation note for "guan." Explaining the hexagram statement. Expressing the ultimate way of contemplation.

The four seasons not deviating is how Heaven serves as a contemplation; establishing instruction through the divine way is how the Sage serves as a contemplation.

Phonetic note for "xing" (inspect). Inspecting the regions to observe the people and establish instruction so as to serve as a contemplation.

Contemplation. The Sequence of Hexagrams says: "Approach means great. When things are great, they can then be viewed; hence it is received with Contemplation." This is why Contemplation follows Approach.

In general, looking at things is viewing; displaying oneself to those below is serving as a contemplation, just as a tower is called a "guan" because it provides a view to those below.

When a lord of men contemplates the Way of Heaven above and observes the customs of the people below, it is contemplation; when he cultivates virtue and conducts government to be looked up to by the people, it is serving as a contemplation.

Wind moving over the earth touches myriad kinds everywhere, presenting the image of broad contemplation. Two yang lines are above and four yin lines are below; firm yang occupies the honored position, looked up to by the multitude below—this is the meaning of contemplation.

In the individual lines, it solely takes the meaning of viewing and observing according to the time.

I heard Master Hu Yizhi say: When a noble person dwells above as a model for all under heaven, he must be utmost in solemn reverence; then those below will look up to him and be transformed.

Therefore, serving as a contemplation for all under heaven should be like the initial ablution in the ancestral temple sacrifice, and must not be like the state after offerings have been presented; then the common people will exhaust their utmost sincerity, looking up with solemn reverence.

Ablution refers to the beginning of the sacrifice, washing hands and pouring libations of fragrant wine onto the ground to invoke the spirits. Offering refers to presenting raw and cooked meats.

Ablution is the beginning of the ceremony, when human hearts fully exert their utmost sincerity and solemn reverence; after offerings are presented, the rituals become elaborate and burdensome, so human hearts scatter and their single-minded sincerity is not like that during the initial ablution.

When one dwelling above rectifies his conduct to serve as a contemplation for those below, he must be as solemn as the beginning of the ablution, never letting sincerity scatter as after the offering; then everyone under heaven will exhaust their sincere trust, looking up with solemn reverence.

"Yong" means looking up with reverence.

The fifth line occupies the honored position; with firm, yang, central, and upright virtue, it is viewed by those below. Its virtue is exceedingly great, hence saying "a great contemplation is above."

Below is The Receptive (Earth) and above is The Gentle (Wind), which means being able to comply and be gentle. The fifth line dwells in central correctness, displaying the virtue of gentle, compliant, central correctness to all under heaven.

As for the way of contemplation, if one is as solemn and reverent as at the time of initial ablution, the common people will look up with utmost sincerity and be transformed. "Not offering" means not allowing sincerity to scatter.

The Way of Heaven is utmost in divinity, hence called the "divine way." Observing Heaven's movement, the four seasons do not deviate, which reveals its divine subtlety.

The Sage observes the divinity of Heaven's Way and embodies this divine way to establish instruction; thus no one under heaven fails to submit. Now, the Way of Heaven is utmost in divinity, moving the four seasons and nourishing all things without error.

The utmost divine way cannot be named in words; only the Sage silently harmonizes with it, embodies its subtle functioning, and establishes governance and instruction.

Thus the people of all under heaven bathe in its virtue without knowing its merit, and are inspired by its transformation without fathoming its operation, naturally looking up with contemplation and submitting with veneration.

Hence it is said: "Establishing instruction through the divine way, all under heaven submits."

Wind moving over the earth reaches all things everywhere, presenting the image of traveling and viewing all around.

Therefore, the former kings embodied this to establish the ritual of inspecting the regions, observing the customs of the people, and establishing governance and instruction.

When the Son of Heaven tours and inspects the four quarters, observing the customs of the people, he establishes governance and instruction: if they are extravagant, he constrains them with frugality; if they are frugal, he demonstrates ritual propriety.

Inspecting the regions is observing the people; establishing instruction is providing a contemplation for the people.

Among things to be contemplated in the kingly way, none is grander than the ancestral temple; among things to be contemplated in the ancestral temple, none is grander than the ablution.

By the time of the offering, the ritual is simple and brief, no longer worthy of contemplation; hence one contemplates the ablution and not the offering. Confucius said: "At the Di sacrifice, after the pouring of the libation, I have no wish to look on."

When contemplation reaches the culmination of grandeur, "those below look on and are transformed." Therefore, when contemplation reaches the ablution, "there is trust and solemn reverence."

The lowly are below and the noble are above. Speaking comprehensively of the way of contemplation, it does not use penal regulations to compel things, but uses contemplation and feeling to transform things.

Spirit is formless: one does not see Heaven commanding the four seasons, "yet the four seasons do not deviate"; one does not see the Sage commanding the common people, yet the common people naturally submit.

"Contemplation: The ablution has been made" down to "solemn reverence." Zhengyi says: "Contemplation" refers to the beauty of the king's virtue and Dao being worthy of contemplation; hence it is called Contemplation.

"The ablution has been made, but not the offering": among things worthy of contemplation, nothing surpasses the ablution in the ancestral temple sacrifice, whose ritual is grand.

"Offering" refers to arranging the baskets and vessels after the libation; hence "contemplating the ablution and not the offering." "There is trust and solemn reverence": "fu" means trust.

When those below contemplate this grand ritual, none fails to be transformed, all possessing sincere trust and solemn reverence; hence saying "there is trust and solemn reverence."

Commentary on "Among things to be contemplated in the kingly way" down to "there is trust and solemn reverence."

Zhengyi says: "When contemplation reaches the culmination of grandeur, those below look on and are transformed": "contemplating grandeur" means that when one contemplates the grandeur of the ablution ritual, one pauses; this is contemplating the great rather than the small.

This is subordinates modeling themselves on superiors, being transformed through contemplation.

Therefore, "when contemplation reaches the ablution, there is trust and solemn reverence": "yong" is a dignified appearance, and "ruo" is a particle, meaning that "those below look on and are transformed," all possessing sincere trust and dignified demeanor.

Zhengyi says: It means that the great is below, and what is viewed is solely above; because being above is already noble, those below look up with great contemplation. Now the great contemplation is above. "Compliant and gentle" down to "all under heaven submits."

Zhengyi says: Being compliant and gentle, dwelling in the center and attaining correctness to serve as a contemplation for all under heaven, is called "Contemplation." This explains the name of the hexagram Contemplation.

"The ablution has been made, but not the offering; there is trust and solemn reverence; those below look on and are transformed" explains the meaning of "there is trust and solemn reverence," which fundamentally arises from those below contemplating and emulating those above to undergo transformation; hence "there is trust and solemn reverence."

"Contemplating the divine way of Heaven, the four seasons do not deviate": this greatly praises the excellence of Contemplation, saying that "contemplating the ablution" accords with the divine way of Heaven; contemplating this divine way of Heaven, the four seasons do not err.

"Divine way" refers to what is subtle, boundless, unfathomable in principle, and invisible to the eye; not knowing why it is so, yet it is so—this is called the "divine way," and the seasonal nodes of the four seasons appear.

How could one see what Heaven does, or know whence it comes? The four seasons circulate without error, hence saying "contemplating the divine way of Heaven, the four seasons do not deviate."

"The Sage establishes instruction through the divine way, and all under heaven submits": this clarifies that the Sage uses this divine way of Heaven to establish instruction through "contemplation," and all under heaven submits.

Since Heaven acts without speaking and accomplishes without contrivance, the Sage models himself on the divine way of Heaven: he personally practices goodness and extends transformation to people without relying on spoken commands or compelling with penal threats, and those below naturally contemplate the transformation and submit; hence saying "all under heaven submits."

Zhengyi says: "Wind moving over the earth": the wind governs commands moving across the earth, just as former kings established instruction over the people; hence saying "wind moving over the earth: Contemplation."

"The former kings, by inspecting the regions, observed the people and established instruction": inspecting all regions and observing the customs of the people to establish instruction is not what feudal lords and those below can do; hence it says "former kings."