初
初六。遯尾、厲。勿用有攸往。
Retreating too late—danger. Do not venture further.
䷠
Hexagram 33
Retreat (天山遯)
Tenzan-ton / Dùn
Heaven moves away from the mountain—sometimes retreat is best. Wise withdrawal preserves strength.
Judgment
遯。亨。小利貞。
Retreat. Success. Small correctness benefits.
Now is time to step back; wait for the right moment.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。執之用黄牛之革、莫之勝説。
Binding with yellow ox-hide—cannot be loosened. Strong will to stay put.
三
九三。係遯、有疾厲。畜臣妾吉。
Tied in retreat—sickness danger. Keeping dependents is fine; attachments hinder escape.
四
九四。好遯、君子吉、小人否。
Loving retreat—good for the noble, not for the petty. Noble can withdraw cleanly.
五
九五。嘉遯、貞吉。
Excellent retreat—correct and fortunate. A graceful exit.
上
上九。肥遯、无不利。
Rich retreat—nothing is unfavorable. Full withdrawal gains freedom.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 33, Dùn (Retreat), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Qian (Heaven) above and Gen (Mountain) below. Heaven moves away from the mountain—sometimes retreat is best. Wise withdrawal preserves strength. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Space can help; don’t push closeness. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 33 (Dùn) describes the meeting point of Qian (heaven) above and Gen (mountain) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Consider exit or pivot; cutting losses may be wise. In work and career, Dùn points to whether the outer market or workplace (Qian (heaven)) and your inner stance (Gen (mountain)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Dùn situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Rest rather than forcing activity. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 33 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Dùn usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 33 (Dùn, Retreat) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Heaven moves away from the mountain—sometimes retreat is best. Wise withdrawal preserves strength." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
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