Corners of the Mouth
颐
Upper: 艮/山 | Lower: 震/雷
Overview
Hexagram 27, Yi, consists of Mountain above Thunder. Its shape suggests the jaws and the act of nourishment, but its meaning goes far beyond food. It concerns how one sustains body, mind, character, and relationships. The Judgment says, “Perseverance brings good fortune. Observe nourishment, and seek the means of filling your own mouth.” This points to a deep principle: while one may study how others are supported, the real task is to understand what truly nourishes oneself and to assume responsibility for it. Yi teaches that nourishment includes speech, habits, values, learning, and moral cultivation. What we take in becomes what we are. If one chases appetite alone, nourishment turns corrupt; if one practices restraint, discernment, and sincerity, nourishment becomes a path of growth. Thus this hexagram is not merely about provision, but about self-cultivation through mindful intake and disciplined expression.
Judgment
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.
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Get Corners of the Mouth ReadingJudgment Commentary
The Judgment, “Yi: Perseverance brings good fortune. Observe nourishment, and seek the means of filling your own mouth,” speaks not merely of eating but of the principles by which a person is formed. The Ten Wings explain: “Nourishment that is correct brings good fortune. To observe nourishment is to observe what one nourishes; to seek food for one’s own mouth is to observe how one nourishes oneself. Heaven and Earth nourish the myriad beings; the sage nourishes the worthy and thereby reaches the people. Great indeed is the time of nourishment.” The key word is correctness. Nourishment becomes auspicious only when it supports what is upright. This includes food, education, speech, emotional influences, and moral guidance. “Seeking one’s own mouth-filling” does not praise selfishness; rather, it emphasizes personal responsibility. One must not passively depend on others for one’s sustenance of body or spirit. Yi teaches discernment: what do I consume, what do I speak, and what do I cultivate? In this hexagram, nourishment is both an ethical and practical act. One must nourish oneself rightly, and from that foundation, extend support to others in a way that accords with the generative virtue of Heaven and Earth.
Image
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.
Image Commentary
The Image says, “Thunder beneath the mountain: Nourishment. Thus the superior person is careful in speech and moderate in eating and drinking.” Mountain above suggests stillness and containment; thunder below suggests movement and activation. Together they resemble the jaws in motion. This symbolism extends beyond physical feeding. The mouth is both the gate of intake and the gate of expression. What enters affects the body; what exits affects relationships, reputation, and moral force. Therefore the noble person learns two disciplines from this image: restraint in consumption and caution in speech. Excessive indulgence weakens the self, while reckless words damage trust and order. The image of Yi reminds us that true nourishment is holistic. One must feed the body without excess, feed the mind with worthy influences, and let speech emerge with timing and measure. Stillness like the mountain and responsive movement like thunder together form the proper rhythm of a nourished life.
Interpretation
Yi symbolizes nourishment. Thunder at the foot of the mountain resembles the jaw in motion. Be careful with words and moderate in consumption.
Line Texts
Nine at the beginning: You let your magic tortoise go, and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. Misfortune.
You abandon your own spiritual treasure and gaze enviously at others. Misfortune.
The first line is strong and capable, possessing the means for self-support, yet it “casts aside the sacred tortoise and looks at my moving jaws.” The sacred tortoise symbolizes inner resources, intuition, and what should be preserved; the moving jaws symbolize visible appetite and envy. This line warns against abandoning one’s true foundation in order to covet what others consume or enjoy. In practical terms, one should not lose principle through comparison, greed, or fascination with appearances. Such misplaced desire leads to misfortune.
Six in the second place: Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. Continuing to do this brings misfortune.
Seeking nourishment in the wrong way, deviating from the proper path. Continuing brings misfortune.
The second line is yielding and central, normally suited to receive nourishment properly, yet it “reverses nourishment, violates the norm, and seeks nourishment on the hill; to advance brings misfortune.” The hill suggests reaching upward inappropriately, abandoning what is near and proper for what is remote and unstable. This line describes dependence that ignores order and measure. One may seek favor, status, or support from the wrong place, hoping for quick gain, but improper pursuit leads to danger. Better to remain centered and accept nourishment through right channels.
Six in the third place: Turning away from nourishment. Perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years. Nothing serves to further.
Turning away from proper nourishment. Persisting brings misfortune for ten years. Nothing furthers.
The third line says, “Rejecting nourishment: steadfastness brings misfortune. For ten years do not act; nothing is favorable.” It is one of the harshest lines in the hexagram. Here the line is out of place and lacks balance, showing a profound deviation from proper nourishment. The person tries to sustain life or ambition through unhealthy means, distorted values, or stubborn insistence. Even perseverance becomes harmful because it is perseverance in the wrong direction. The warning is clear: when one’s entire mode of support is flawed, persistence is not strength but self-destruction. Stop, correct, and rebuild before acting again.
Six in the fourth place: Turning to the summit for provision of nourishment brings good fortune. Spying about with sharp eyes like a tiger with insatiable craving. No blame.
Seeking nourishment from above brings fortune. Watch keenly like a tiger. No blame.
The fourth line reads, “Reversed nourishment, good fortune. Like a tiger watching intently, its desire follows closely; no blame.” Though it still contains the idea of reversal, here the movement becomes auspicious because it is directed rightly. A person in a higher place looks downward for worthy support, remaining alert and focused like a tiger. The desire is strong, but not disorderly. This line often suggests a leader humbly seeking talent, instruction, or proper aid. There is no blame because the search for nourishment serves a valid purpose and is conducted with seriousness rather than greed.
Six in the fifth place: Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water.
Deviating from the path, yet remaining steadfast brings fortune. Do not cross the great water.
The fifth line, in the ruler’s place, says, “Rejecting the norm, dwelling in correctness brings good fortune. It is not favorable to cross the great river.” Though occupying authority, this line is yielding and therefore not suited to force matters alone. The deviation from the norm is mitigated by humility and correctness. A leader who knows personal limits, remains steady, and relies on worthy assistance can do well. However, major undertakings or hazardous ventures are not advised at this stage. The line favors responsible restraint, governance, and consolidation rather than dramatic expansion.
Nine at the top: The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
The source of nourishment. Danger awareness brings fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
The top line says, “From nourishment comes danger, yet good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.” At the end of the hexagram, strong yang reaches a position capable of sustaining others. “From nourishment” means acting on the basis of cultivated support and mature responsibility. There is danger because one stands in a high and exposed role, but good fortune follows if that danger is recognized and handled with clarity. Unlike the fifth line, this one is fit for a major crossing because nourishment has become fully developed into leadership. The highest teaching of Yi is thus fulfilled: one who has learned proper self-nourishment may become a source of nourishment for others and undertake weighty tasks successfully.
Modern Application
matters, this is a time to strengthen skills, improve systems, train teams, and ensure that resources are used wisely. Leaders should think carefully about how they “nourish” others: support should empower, not spoil
Yi asks whether nourishment is mutual. Love is not only passion but emotional steadiness, attentive listening, and responsible speech. If one partner only takes while the other endlessly gives, imbalance grows
the hexagram favors steady accumulation, sensible budgeting, and protection of fundamentals over speculative risk. Money, like food, must be taken in proper measure
Yi strongly points to diet, digestion, oral health, and daily rhythms. It also applies to mental consumption: news overload, toxic media, and chaotic communication can damage well-being just as poor eating can. The modern lesson of Yi is broad: nourish the body with moderation, the mind with clarity, relationships with kindness, and ambition with discipline. Sustainable success depends on what one consistently takes in and what one habitually sends out
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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.
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Yi symbolizes nourishment. Thunder at the foot of the mountain resembles the jaw in motion. Be careful with words and moderate in consumption.
Get AI Reading →Historical Story
A fitting historical illustration of Hexagram 27 is the story of Yi Yin and King Tang of Shang. Yi Yin is said to have risen from humble work associated with the kitchen, yet he did not regard the art of preparing food as trivial. Through balancing flavors, he grasped the broader principle of harmonizing affairs. Tang recognized his worth and entrusted him with state matters. Yi Yin then helped overthrow the Xia and establish the Shang, nourishing not only a ruler with wise counsel but also the people through sound governance. This reflects the Great Treatise on Yi: “The sage nourishes the worthy and thereby reaches the people.” True nourishment is never limited to feeding mouths. It also means cultivating talent, rectifying order, and sustaining society with moral and practical support. Yi Yin’s rise from culinary care to political stewardship shows how the principle of nourishment operates from the smallest daily acts to the largest structures of civilization.
Related Trigrams
颐与第24卦复皆重“返本”，但复重回归起点，颐重回归养道；与第48卦井同言供养，井偏公共资源之恒，颐偏个人与德性的摄取；与第42卦益相比，益重外加之增，颐重内在之养与节制。
References
Related Scenarios
Related Hexagrams
Further Reading
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