师
7. The Army
shī; Organised force
Judgment
师：贞，丈人吉，无咎。
The army needs perseverance and a strong, experienced leader: good fortune, no blame.
Image
地中有水，师；君子以容民畜众。
In the middle of the earth is water: the image of the army. The noble person increases the masses by generosity toward the people.
Lines
- Line 1, yin (six)
初六：师出以律，否臧凶。
An army must set forth in proper order; if the order is not good, misfortune. Rules before action.
- Line 2, yang (nine)
九二：在师中，吉，无咎，王三锡命。
In the midst of the army: good fortune, no blame; the king bestows a triple decoration. Empower capable middle leaders—and recognise them.
- Line 3, yin (six)
六三：师或舆尸，凶。
Perchance the army carries corpses in the wagon: misfortune. Divided command, amateurs overruling experts.
- Line 4, yin (six)
六四：师左次，无咎。
The army retreats and camps: no blame. Tactical withdrawal is rational, not shameful.
- Line 5, yin (six)
六五：田有禽，利执言，无咎。长子帅师，弟子舆尸，贞凶。
There is game in the field; it furthers to seize it—no blame. Let the eldest lead the army; if the younger ones interfere, corpses in the wagon. Clear mission, single command.
- Line 6, yin (six)
上六：大君有命，开国承家，小人勿用。
The great prince issues commands, founds states, vests families with fiefs. Inferior people should not be employed. When rewarding, never hand power to those without integrity.
In the enterprise
The hexagram of mobilisation, programme governance and execution discipline: major projects, restructurings, crisis war rooms. Keys: a clear chain of command, rules first, delegation with accountability.
Psychological lens
Resonates with research on legitimacy and procedural justice: people comply with rules mainly when the process is fair, not when the outcome favours them.
Related hexagrams
24. 复 Return
Lines 2–4 and 3–5: the hidden dynamics inside the situation.Opposite
13. 同人 Fellowship with Others
Every line reversed: the shadow side and blind spots.Inverse
8. 比 Holding Together
The figure turned upside down: the counterpart's or stakeholder's view.King Wen pair
8. 比 Holding Together
Situations in the library that use this hexagram
- Centralise or decentralise? Enterprise, Line 5, yin (six)
- A matrix where nobody owns anything Enterprise, Line 3, yin (six)
- High performer, wrong values Enterprise, Line 6, yin (six)
- Too many projects, resources spread thin Enterprise, Line 4, yin (six)
- PM accountability without authority Enterprise, Line 2, yang (nine)
- Kicking off a major programme Enterprise, Line 1, yin (six)
- Building a 231 compliance model Enterprise, Line 1, yin (six)
- Leading a team for the first time Individuals, Judgment
Situation readings are a reflective framework for discussion—not predictions and not a substitute for professional advice.