I Ching · Hexagram 39 of 64
39. Jiǎn 蹇 · Obstruction
By Destiny Kua · Updated
The way ahead is blocked. Turn back and seek help.
- Upper trigram
- Water 坎
- Lower trigram
- Mountain 艮
What hexagram 39 means
Jiǎn shows water on top of a mountain: a steep, difficult climb. The way ahead is blocked. The traditional advice is to stop pushing forward, turn back, seek help from people who know the terrain and use the obstacle to work on yourself.
Hexagram 39 in daily life
At work
A roadblock. Retreat, regroup and ask for experienced advice before trying again.
In relationships
Strain in a relationship. Seek counsel rather than pushing harder.
For yourself
Look inward: often the obstacle outside mirrors something within.
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 | Going forward meets obstruction; coming back earns praise. |
| Line 2 | A servant faces obstacle after obstacle, not through any fault of their own. Keep going. |
| Line 3 | Going forward leads to obstruction, so come back to the people who need you. |
| Line 4 | Going forward leads to obstruction; coming back brings you together with allies. |
| Line 5 | In the middle of the greatest obstruction, friends arrive to help. |
| Line 6 | Going forward meets obstruction, but coming back brings great good fortune. Seek out a wise person. |
The two trigrams
The lower trigram, Mountain 艮 (Gèn), stands for your inner state and the root of the situation. The upper trigram, Water 坎 (Kǎn), stands for the outer circumstances. In element terms this is Water over Earth. Mountain is the trigram of Kua 8 and Water is the trigram of Kua 1.
Related hexagrams
- Opposite (every line changed): 38. Kuí 睽 · Opposition
- Inverted (read upside down): 40. Xiè 解 · Deliverance
- Trigrams swapped: 4. Méng 蒙 · Youthful Folly
Questions to reflect on
- What obstacle is directly in front of me?
- Who knows this terrain and could help?
- What is this block teaching me about myself?
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.