Chapter 30: The Traveler

Chapter 30: The Traveler

Overall Paraphrase

In the pursuit of fame and fortune 🌪, people often forget the joy and tranquility of home; when there has been no news from home for a long time, they rely on the hexagrams of the Zhouyi to infer the traveler's situation. To determine the time of return, the key lies in finding the main symbol (the Use Spirit). If the position of the main symbol's Yao is Jiao Chong (changing), it indicates the person has already set out; if the Use Yao is quiet (unchanging), they have not yet thought of returning. If the Yao is restrained, the return will be quick; if it is supported, the return will be delayed. If the Self Yao (representing the querent) restrains the Use Yao (representing the traveler), it is difficult to meet; San Men Si Hu (the gate and household Yao in the hexagram), if the Use Yao and the Self Yao are in harmony, the traveler will return home soon. If the Yao changes into a Retreat Spirit (declining Yao change), the person has set out but turned back; if a quiet Yao generates the Self position, the body has not moved but the heart yearns to return. If encountering An Chong (hidden impulse), seeing an object will trigger nostalgic feelings of living away from home; if meeting He Zhu (Yao being held by conjunction), trivial matters hinder the departure, preventing movement.

If the Self Yao restrains the Use Yao and both are changing, the traveler may have turned to another place; if the Use Yao and the Self Yao are in Bi (comparison) relationship and both are in emptiness, it is difficult to return to the hometown. For long journeys, the most feared is the Use Yao being harmed 🌡, especially disliking Ru Mu (Yao entering the tomb); for short trips, what harm is there if the main symbol is hidden? It is especially favorable to meet Chong (impulse is auspicious). If hidden in the land of emptiness, one must study the Liu He (Six Harmonies) in the hexagram; if hidden under the Official Ghost Yao, one should refer to the Liu Shen (Six Spirits - Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, etc.) on the Flying Yao. The Brother Yao concealing indicates not returning due to disputes; the Offspring Yao holding control indicates forgetting to return due to indulgence in pleasure and drink. The Parent Yao represents obstruction by documents 📜; the Wife/Wealth Yao is entangled by business affairs 💰. If the Use Yao is hidden under the Response Yao's wealth, the person may be staying in another's home; if the main symbol enters the wealth treasury, fame remains in a wealthy household.

If the Fifth Yao has an Official Ghost, it is all due to blocked roads 🛣; if a hexagram has no Wealth Yao, it is only due to lack of travel funds. If holding a tomb or a tomb is changing, one will inevitably lie ill and groan 🤒; if the Self Yao is in conjunction or impulse, one must send someone to search. Conjunction meeting Xuanwu (one of the Six Spirits) indicates being confused by wine and beauty, not missing home; obtaining a Wandering Soul hexagram indicates drifting in a foreign land without a fixed trace. If the Day Branch joins with the Hate Spirit rising, do not expect arrival; if the body is near the Use Spirit and it is changing, the person will certainly return home. If the Parent Yao is changing in the hexagram, there should be a letter coming ✉️; if the Wife/Wealth Yao is rising on the Self Yao, there should be no wild goose message (news) arriving. To determine whether the return date is near or far, one must examine the rise and decline of the main symbol. In movement and stillness, many auspicious and inauspicious images are implied; to the ends of the earth, how many people chasing fame and fortune are detained 🌍.

🧠 Deep Understanding

Core Concepts 💡

The core of this chapter is to predict a traveler's return date, condition, and obstacles through Yao position changes and Six Kinship relationships (such as Self Yao, Use Yao, Six Spirits, etc.) in the Zhouyi hexagrams. It emphasizes the "main symbol" (Use Spirit) as the judgment benchmark, combined with hexagram elements like generation and restraint, movement and stillness, conjunction and impulse, to reveal the relationships of timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony behind the traveler's movements. Essentially, it is an ancient divination wisdom system for assessing travel risks, integrating environmental observation and human insight.

Modern Interpretation 🌟

In modern society, although communication technology is advanced (e.g., mobile phones, the internet), the concepts in the hexagrams can be translated into real-world factors:

• Main Symbol Movement/Stillness: Symbolizes the traveler's willingness to act—for example, a quiet Use Yao might correspond to a modern person not deciding on a trip due to work pressure or procrastination.
• Restraint Means Fast, Support Means Delay: Restraint indicates quick resolution (e.g., smooth traffic), support indicates delay (e.g., flight delays or visa issues).
• San Men Si Hu and Harmony with Self: Gate/household Yao in harmony can be analogized to the trip aligning with family plans (e.g., consistent holiday arrangements), making it easy to return home.
• An Chong and He Zhu: An Chong is like an unexpected event triggering homesickness (e.g., seeing a photo of home); He Zhu is like last-minute work meetings or family matters hindering departure.
• Ru Mu and Hidden: Ru Mu may suggest health issues (e.g., falling ill while traveling); hidden in emptiness can be seen as a break in contact or lack of information, requiring verification through other channels (e.g., Liu He symbolizing social networks).
• Six Kinships like Brother, Offspring, etc.: Brother Yao disputes → modern workplace conflicts or legal issues; Offspring Yao pleasure/drink → indulgence in entertainment or extended vacation; Parent Yao documents → official document delays; Wife/Wealth Yao business → entanglement in financial affairs.
• Wandering Soul Hexagram and Xuanwu: Wandering Soul hexagram is like the modern life of frequent business trips or digital nomads, without a fixed abode; Xuanwu conjunction hints at confusion caused by alcohol or consumerism.

Overall, this is a decision-support tool that helps assess travel risks from multiple dimensions, rather than superstitious prediction. It encourages combining real-world data (e.g., traffic conditions, personal schedules) for rational judgment.

Practical Value ⚡

• Travel Planning: Use hexagram principles to check itineraries—for example, if the "Use Yao is harmed" (symbolizing obstacles), one should back up plans in advance, purchase insurance, or avoid high-risk travel times.
• Family Communication: When there is "no wealth, no message" (lack of news), actively maintain contact through multiple channels (e.g., social media, emergency contacts) rather than waiting passively.
• Risk Management: "Tomb changing, lying ill" suggests paying attention to health—get a check-up before travel or carry medicine; "Fifth Yao has a ghost" symbolizes blocked roads—check real-time traffic information.
• Psychological Adjustment: "An Chong triggering emotion" applies to managing homesickness—alleviate the anxiety of living away from home through objects (e.g., hometown food); "He Zhu hindering the body" reminds one to handle trivial matters before departure to reduce stress.
• Business Application: Used for evaluating business trips—for example, "Use hidden under wealth" may indicate an extended assignment, requiring negotiation of contract terms; "fame remaining in the wealth treasury" can motivate the pursuit of career achievement while balancing family.

It is recommended to use a "hypothesis-action-review" framework: for example, if the hexagram shows a delayed return (support means delay), hypothesize it is due to weather or work delays, take action by notifying family in advance, and review the actual cause to optimize future decisions.

Philosophical Reflection 🤔

This chapter deeply explores the contradiction between human nature and belonging: the eternal tension between the pursuit of fame and fortune (external drive) and attachment to family (internal need). The "movement and stillness" changes in the hexagrams reflect the swing between "advancement and return" in life—modern people often neglect emotional foundations while striving for career success, leading to a "Wandering Soul"-like sense of drift. At the same time, it emphasizes the interaction between environment and the individual: the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of a hexagram is not absolute but arises from combinations of conditions (e.g., conjunction/impulse, generation/restraint), reminding us that real-world decisions require considering multiple variables (social, economic, health) rather than linear thinking. Finally, "detaining those chasing fame and fortune" questions modern values: in the era of globalization, how do we define "home" and "success"? It encourages introspection on genuine needs and finding balance while pursuing external goals 🌱. This is not just divination but a philosophy of life—using ancient wisdom to reflect on the existential dilemmas of modern people.

📚 Related Knowledge

• Related Concepts:

  • Main Symbol (Use Spirit): In Six Yao divination, the Yao position representing the subject of inquiry, such as the traveler as the Use Yao.
  • Self and Response Yao: The Self Yao represents the querent, the Response Yao represents the other party or environment; this chapter emphasizes the Self-Use relationship.
  • Six Kinships: Parent, Brother, Offspring, Wife/Wealth, Official Ghost, symbolizing different life areas (e.g., documents, disputes, entertainment, wealth, pressure).
  • Six Spirits: Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Gou Chen, Teng She, White Tiger, Xuanwu, with additional imagery such as Azure Dragon for auspicious celebrations, Xuanwu for ambiguity.
  • Wandering Soul Hexagram: A type of hexagram, indicating wandering and instability, which can correspond to frequent movement or psychological restlessness in modern times.

• Further Reading:

  • The Book of Changes (Yijing) hexagram and Yao statements—basic divination principles.
  • Authentic Divination (Bu Shi Zheng Zong)—deepening Six Yao divination techniques.
  • Plum Blossom Numerology (Mei Hua Yi Shu)—focusing on image-number application, such as the "Observing Plum Blossoms" case.
  • Modern books: Zhouyi and Modern Decision-Making explores analogical applications of divination in business.

• Modern Research: Contemporary scholars like Professor Liu Dajun combine Yijing studies with psychology to analyze how hexagrams inspire decision-making cognition; empirical research shows that divination elements (e.g., generation and restraint) can be used as risk matrix tools in project management. It is recommended to critically absorb this knowledge, eliminating superstitious elements and focusing on the value of logical analysis and self-reflection.