Hexagram 56 Lu - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of The Wanderer
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BY NICOLE LAU
Hexagram 56 Lu - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of The Wanderer
The six lines of Lu describe the perilous, highly volatile journey of being an outsider in foreign territory. The narrative moves from the petty traveler who invites disaster by bickering over pocket change at an inn, to finding loyal companionship and gold, to the catastrophe of burning down one's own shelter through arrogance, the skilled diplomat who shoots a pheasant with a single arrow, culminating in the tragic arrogance of the wanderer who burns down their own nest and loses everything. It is a psychological masterclass in outsider behavior.
Line 1 — Six at the Bottom: The Petty Traveler
If the wanderer busies himself with trivial things, he draws down misfortune upon himself.
The first line describes the most foolish mistake a traveler can make: acting small-minded, arrogant, or demanding when entering a foreign town. The person of Line 1 is a weak yin line at the very bottom of the mountain. They have no money, no connections, and no status.
Yet, the moment they arrive at the roadside inn, they complain about the food, bicker with the staff over pennies, demand VIP service, and meddle in local affairs that are none of their business ("busies himself with trivial things"). By making a nuisance of themselves while completely defenseless, they draw down the contempt and hostility of the locals. They make themselves a target for robbers or arrest. Total misfortune. The first rule of traveling: keep your head down and show respect.
- Stage: Entering foreign territory with petty arrogance and entitlement
- Action: Stop complaining about minor inconveniences; do not meddle in local affairs
- Wisdom: Misfortune — an outsider who makes a scene over trifles paints a target on their back
Line 2 — Six in the Second Place: The Safe Inn and the Loyal Servant
The wanderer comes to an inn. He has his property on him. He wins the steadfastness of a young servant.
The second line describes the ideal, successful traveler. The person is central, yielding, and correct. When they arrive at the foreign town, they behave with such quiet dignity, politeness, and fairness that they find a safe, hospitable resting place ("comes to an inn").
Furthermore, because they are cautious and disciplined, they have kept their traveling funds safe in their money belt ("has his property on him"). Most importantly, through their kindness and integrity, they win the absolute loyalty of a local assistant or junior employee ("a young servant"). Having safe shelter, adequate capital, and a loyal local guide makes the wanderer safe and respected. Exemplary conduct.
- Stage: Establishing a safe basecamp and winning local trust
- Action: Be exceptionally fair and generous to local helpers; protect your core capital quietly
- Wisdom: Safety and loyalty — humility and prompt payment turn strangers into loyal allies
Line 3 — Nine in the Third Place: Burning Down the Inn
The wanderer's inn burns down. He loses the steadfastness of his young servant. Danger.
The third line describes a catastrophic failure of temperament. The person here is a strong yang line sitting at the top of the lower trigram (the mountain). Instead of remaining humble and adaptable as an outsider, they become aggressive, haughty, and quarrelsome. They treat the local innkeeper with contempt and abuse their loyal servant.
The result is a self-inflicted disaster: their arrogance "burns down the inn." They lose their shelter, and their loyal servant flees in disgust or betrays them. Now, the wanderer is standing alone on a freezing mountain road at midnight, with no roof over their head, no guide, and surrounded by hostile locals who want revenge. Acute danger. Arrogance in an outsider is suicidal.
- Stage: Aggressive entitlement alienating hosts and destroying shelter
- Action: (Warning) Stop bullying subordinates and disrespecting your hosts; you are burning your own roof
- Wisdom: Danger — an outsider who loses their temper loses their shelter and their allies
Line 4 — Nine in the Fourth Place: The Restless Traveler on the Highway
The wanderer rests in a shelter. He obtains his property and an ax. My heart is not glad.
The fourth line describes a traveler who has achieved physical safety, but lacks spiritual peace. They have reached a temporary shelter, they have their money, and they even possess an "ax"—a sharp tool that represents the ability to defend themselves and cut their way through obstacles.
Yet, the text whispers: "My heart is not glad." Why? Because they know this shelter is not a home. They are still an outsider, a guest, an expatriate. The ax and the money protect them from physical attack, but they cannot buy a sense of belonging. The person longs for permanent roots, but the season of wandering is not yet finished. They must endure the loneliness of the road.
- Stage: Physical security without emotional belonging
- Action: Accept the loneliness of the road; do not mistake temporary shelter for permanent home
- Wisdom: Heart is not glad — material safety cannot cure the existential ache of exile
Line 5 — Six in the Fifth Place: The Shot Pheasant
He shoots a pheasant. It drops with a single arrow. In the end this brings praise and orders.
The fifth line is the ruler's position—the highest achievement possible for an outsider. The person has traveled to the royal court of a foreign kingdom. They do not boast, nor do they hide. When given the opportunity, they display their skill with breathtaking, effortless elegance: they shoot a flying pheasant out of the sky with a single arrow!
In ancient diplomacy, a pheasant was the traditional gift presented to high dignitaries. The foreign king sees this brilliant display of precision, character, and skill, and is deeply impressed. Instead of treating the traveler as a suspicious alien, the king honors them: "In the end this brings praise and orders" (high appointments and honors). The outsider becomes a trusted royal minister through undeniable excellence and diplomatic grace.
- Stage: Achieving high recognition and honor through exceptional competence
- Action: Demonstrate your unique craft with effortless precision; win over foreign leaders through excellence
- Wisdom: Praise and appointments — undeniable skill and tact turn the wanderer into an honored statesman
Line 6 — Nine at the Top: The Bird Burns Its Own Nest
The bird burns its own nest. The wanderer first laughs and then must lament and weep. Through carelessness he loses his cow. Misfortune.
The top line represents the ultimate, tragic collapse of the wanderer. Having risen high (Line 5), the person becomes arrogant. They forget that they are still a guest in a foreign land. They act as if they own the place. They build a high, haughty "nest" in the top branches of the tree, looking down with contempt on the locals below.
First, they "laugh" in their arrogant hubris. But their haughtiness provokes the wrath of the entire community. In their carelessness, they burn down their own nest! Worse: "he loses his cow." The cow represents docility, yielding, and humility. By losing their cow-like humility, they lose their only protection. The locals turn on them, and the traveler is left weeping and lamenting in the ashes of their own creation. Total, irrecoverable misfortune.
- Stage: Arrogant hubris at the top destroying the final sanctuary
- Action: (Warning) Never forget you are a guest; never lose your docile humility
- Wisdom: Misfortune — the arrogant traveler who forgets humility burns down their own nest and dies in tears
The Complete Journey: A Summary
- Line 1: Bickering over trifles at the inn — petty entitlement draws down misfortune.
- Line 2: The safe inn, money belt, and loyal servant — modest integrity wins local safety.
- Line 3: Burning down the inn — aggressive arrogance destroys shelter and drives allies away.
- Line 4: The traveler with an ax — physical safety achieved, but the heart longs for home.
- Line 5: Shooting the pheasant — effortless excellence wins the praise and appointment of kings.
- Line 6: The bird burns its nest — forgetting humility at the summit leads to laughter followed by weeping.
What Is Next in This Series
- Part 1: The Symbol and Structure
- Part 2 (This Article): The Six Lines — Complete Line-by-Line Commentary
- Part 3: Divination Guide — How to Read Lu in Practice
- Part 4: Philosophy — The Ethics of the Stranger in Classical Thought
- Part 5: Practical Applications — Digital Nomadism, Cross-Cultural Business, Outsider Diplomacy
- Part 6: Modern Interpretations — Liminality, Culture Shock, Psychological Unattachment
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