師
“Leading” — King Wen #7
Disciplined, organized action under firm and righteous leadership — a large undertaking, not a skirmish.
The Judgment 卦辞
貞，丈人吉，無咎。
Shi indicates how, in the case which it supposes, with firmness and correctness, and (a leader of) age and experience, there will be good fortune and no error.— The I Ching, trans. James Legge, 1899 (public domain)1
The Six Lines 爻辞
師出以律，否臧凶。
The first SIX, divided, shows the host going forth according to the rules (for such a movement). If these be not good, there will be evil.
在師中吉，無咎；王三錫命。
The second NINE, undivided, shows (the leader) in the midst of the host. There will be good fortune and no error. The king has thrice conveyed to him the orders (of his favour).
師或輿尸，凶。
The third SIX, divided, shows how the host may, possibly, have many inefficient leaders. There will be evil.
師左次，無咎。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows the host in retreat. There is no error.
田有禽，利執言，無咎；長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows birds in the fields, which it will be advantageous to seize (and destroy). In that case there will be no error. If the oldest son leads the host, and younger men (idly occupy offices assigned to them), however firm and correct he may be, there will be evil.
大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。
The topmost SIX, divided, shows the great ruler delivering his charges, (appointing some) to be rulers of states, and others to undertake the headship of clans; but small men should not be employed (in such positions).
Reading the Picture
Hexagram 7 places water (坎) beneath earth (坤) —water finding its way through hard gaps below, receptive ground holding all things above. This is why the tradition reads it as “Leading”:disciplined, organized action under firm and righteous leadership — a large undertaking, not a skirmish Whenever you cast this figure, the classical reading points back to that turning of forces.
Questions About Hexagram 7
What does 師 (shī) mean?
Hexagram 7 of the I Ching is named 師 (shī), usually rendered "Leading" in English editions. Its figure pairs water (坎) below with earth (坤) above.
Which trigrams form hexagram 7?
坤 (Earth) sits above and 坎 (Water) sits below — the classical picture is water finding its way through hard gaps beneath receptive ground holding all things.
How is hexagram 7 related to the other hexagrams?
Changing every line of hexagram 7 gives hexagram 13 — 同人 (Concording People). Turned upside down it becomes hexagram 8 — 比 (Grouping). Its nuclear hexagram — the inner pattern of lines 2 through 5 — is hexagram 24 — 復 (Returning).
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1 Legge, James. The Yi King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (1899), public domain. Classical Chinese from the received Zhouyi text. · For reflection and entertainment — not financial, medical, or life advice.