Hexagram 44 of the I Ching: Gou, Coming to Meet (姤), meaning and lines
Gou, Coming to Meet: Wind below Heaven. An unexpected encounter, small in appearance, which can take up a lot of room if it is allowed to settle in without thought.
Key points
| Number | 44 of 64 (King Wen sequence) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | Gou (姤) |
| Approximate pronunciation | “go” |
| Lower trigram | ☴ Xun, Wind (Wood) |
| Upper trigram | ☰ Qian, Heaven |
| Lines (bottom to top) | yin, yang, yang, yang, yang, yang |
| Opposite hexagram | No. 24, Fu, Return |
| Other names | Coming to Meet, Chance Encounter |
Hexagram 44 at a glance
Gou (姤) is the 44th hexagram of the I Ching. The character evokes an encounter, a crossing, sometimes a union; its ancient usage is ambiguous. It is translated as “Coming to Meet” or “Encounter”.
The figure is striking: five solid lines, and a single broken line that emerges right at the bottom. A small, discreet force has just appeared beneath a great, established force, like a first shadow under a clear sky.
The two trigrams
A hexagram is read from bottom to top. The lower trigram, called the lower or inner one, is Xun (Wind (Wood)); the upper trigram, called the upper or outer one, is Qian (Heaven). The bottom represents the base of the situation, the top its context or outcome. The Wind passes beneath Heaven: it circulates everywhere without being stopped. The image commentary sees in this the ruler who issues his orders and makes them known to the four corners of the realm.
Line diagram, from the first to the sixth: yin, yang, yang, yang, yang, yang. In the King Wen sequence, this hexagram forms a pair with No. 43, Guai, Breakthrough. Its opposite (all lines inverted) is No. 24, Fu, Return, and its reverse (read from top to bottom) is No. 43, Guai, Breakthrough. Its nuclear hexagram, formed by the central lines, is No. 1, Qian, The Creative.
The judgment, in brief
The judgment is enigmatic: “the woman is strong; do not marry such a woman”. This formula reflects the gender relations of its time and is not to be taken literally; the tradition reads it as a warning about a rising force, regarded as small, but able to grow quickly.
In other words: an unexpected encounter calls for discernment before any lasting commitment.
General meaning
Gou describes the moment when something new enters a stable whole: an encounter, an idea, a temptation, a habit just forming. At first, everything seems small; the text advises measuring its significance before becoming attached to it.
The Han-period tradition links this figure to the fifth month, around the summer solstice, when the first shadow appears in the full light; it is a symbolic reading of the seasons, not a rule.
The six lines, one by one
Lines are counted from bottom to top. These very short paraphrases do not replace reading a full translation.
| Line | Image and idea |
|---|---|
| 1 (yin) | Tied to a bronze brake: staying steady is good; going forward is dangerous. A small, thin pig struggles, a sign of agitation. |
| 2 (yang) | A fish in the bag: without fault, but there is none for the guests; keeping the good encounter to yourself. |
| 3 (yang) | With skinned buttocks, one walks with difficulty: a danger without great fault. |
| 4 (yang) | No more fish in the bag: what was held has been lost through carelessness; a setback is rising. |
| 5 (yang) | A gourd wrapped in foliage (willow or boxthorn, depending on the reader), a hidden beauty: something falls from heaven like a gift. |
| 6 (yang) | Meeting with horns: a confrontation, a shame, but without fault. |
Moving lines and the resulting hexagram
A moving line (a total of 6 or 9 when the three coins are cast) changes into its opposite and gives a second hexagram, the resulting hexagram, which describes the direction the situation is taking. Here, lines 2 to 6 are yang, and line 1 is yin. Gou has only one yin line, the first. If it is moving, the figure becomes entirely yang, No. 1, The Creative. The five yang lines are the great force that can either welcome or be overwhelmed.
| If the moving line is | Resulting hexagram |
|---|---|
| 1 (yin becomes yang) | No. 1, Qian, The Creative |
| 2 (yang becomes yin) | No. 33, Dun, Retreat |
| 3 (yang becomes yin) | No. 6, Song, Conflict |
| 4 (yang becomes yin) | No. 57, Xun, The Gentle |
| 5 (yang becomes yin) | No. 50, Ding, The Cauldron |
| 6 (yang becomes yin) | No. 28, Da Guo, Preponderance of the Great |
Six moving lines give the opposite, No. 24, Fu, Return. With several moving lines, schools of interpretation disagree on which one to give priority.
A modern reading, with caution
Gou appears when something new enters your life: an encounter, a project, an influence, a habit. It invites you to check the nature of what is arriving before opening every door to it, without rejecting it outright.
- At work: test a new idea or collaboration before committing to it.
- In relationships: take the time to get to know someone, without excessive enthusiasm or excessive mistrust.
- For yourself: notice a habit just forming and decide whether to feed it.
Reminder: the I Ching is a book of wisdom and oracle, a tool for reflection and not a prediction; it does not replace medical, financial, legal or safety advice.
Questions to reflect on
- What has just entered my life, small but already present?
- What do I really know about this encounter?
- Which door is it wise to open only halfway?
- What might I lose for lack of attention?
Mistakes to avoid
- Reading the judgment literally as a verdict on women.
- Shunning every unexpected encounter out of excessive caution.
- Becoming attached too quickly to a first impression.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 44 of the I Ching mean?
Gou, Coming to Meet, describes the appearance of a small force within an established whole and calls for discernment before any commitment.
Which trigrams make up Gou?
Wind or Wood (Xun) below and Heaven (Qian) above.
Why does the judgment mention a strong woman?
It is a formula from its era about a rising yin force, to be read as a symbol, not as a statement about women.
Which hexagram is paired with Gou?
No. 43, Guai, Breakthrough: the decision on one side, the encounter on the other.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 64 hexagrams of the Yi King.