I Ching · Hexagram 26 of 64
26. Dà Chù 大畜 · Great Taming
By Destiny Kua · Updated
Store up strength and knowledge before acting.
- Upper trigram
- Mountain 艮
- Lower trigram
- Heaven 乾
What hexagram 26 means
Dà Chù shows heaven held inside a mountain: great power stored and restrained. It is the taming of strength, gathering knowledge and resources before acting. When the time comes, the stored energy lets you cross great waters.
Hexagram 26 in daily life
At work
Build capacity: learn, save and prepare. The big move will come.
In relationships
Nurture the relationship. Restraint now builds strength later.
For yourself
Study, practise and absorb wisdom from the past.
The six changing lines
If your cast included changing lines (a 6 or a 9), read the matching lines below. Line 1 is the bottom line.
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | Danger lies ahead. It is better to stop and hold your strength in reserve. |
| Line 2 | The axles are removed from the wagon. Stay put for now. |
| Line 3 | Good horses running together. Practise daily and prepare; then move. |
| Line 4 | Restraining a young bull's horns early. Great good fortune. |
| Line 5 | The tusks of a tamed boar. Redirect energy rather than fighting it. |
| Line 6 | The way of heaven is open. Success. |
The two trigrams
The lower trigram, Heaven 乾 (Qián), stands for your inner state and the root of the situation. The upper trigram, Mountain 艮 (Gèn), stands for the outer circumstances. In element terms this is Earth over Metal. Heaven is the trigram of Kua 6 and Mountain is the trigram of Kua 8.
Related hexagrams
- Opposite (every line changed): 45. Cuì 萃 · Gathering Together
- Inverted (read upside down): 25. Wú Wàng 無妄 · Innocence
- Trigrams swapped: 33. Dùn 遯 · Retreat
Questions to reflect on
- What strength am I storing, and for what?
- What preparation is still missing?
- Where would restraint pay off?
Our line summaries are written in plain English in our own words, based on the traditional meanings. For reflection and entertainment, not prediction or professional advice.