初
初九。繫于金柅、貞吉。有攸往、見凶。
Tied to a metal brake—uprightness is good. If you advance, you meet misfortune. Hold still.
䷫
Hexagram 44
Coming to Meet (天風姤)
Tenpū-kō / Gòu
A sudden meeting with a strong influence (often feminine yin). Treat lightly and cautiously.
Judgment
姤。女壯、勿用取女。
Encounter. The woman is strong; do not take her in marriage.
Unexpected influence arrives; do not bind yourself; maintain control.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
九二。包有魚、无咎、不利賓。
A bag with fish—no blame; not good for guests. Keep it contained; don’t share widely.
三
九三。臀无膚、其行次且、厲、无大咎。
Buttocks without skin, walking halting—danger, but no great blame. Hurt by the encounter; proceed carefully.
四
九四。包无魚、起凶。
A bag without fish—starting brings misfortune. Nothing to gain.
五
九五。以杞包瓜、含章、有隕自天。
Wrapping melons with mulberry leaves—containing beauty; something falls from heaven. Protective restraint over attractive power.
上
上九。姤其角、吝、无咎。
Meeting at the horns—regret but no blame. Minor harm from the encounter.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 44, Gòu (Coming to Meet), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Qian (Heaven) above and Xun (Wind) below. A sudden meeting with a strong influence (often feminine yin). Treat lightly and cautiously. 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
An intense meeting—be cautious; not ideal for commitment. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 44 (Gòu) describes the meeting point of Qian (heaven) above and Xun (wind) 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
Tempting offer; evaluate carefully before agreeing. In work and career, Gòu points to whether the outer market or workplace (Qian (heaven)) and your inner stance (Xun (wind)) 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 Gòu situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Avoid sudden indulgences; stay balanced. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 44 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Gòu 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 44 (Gòu, Coming to Meet) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "A sudden meeting with a strong influence (often feminine yin). Treat lightly and cautiously." 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.
Go Deeper in the I Ching App
Study real readings, changing lines, and FAQs. The AI edition gives tailored interpretations and dialogue.
📖 The app translation is now a book
Wilhelm's I Ching (Japanese edition)
is now available as a book
Free with Kindle Unlimited