Original Meaning of the Zhouyi, Volume 1: Upper Classic

Qian: Fundamentally creative, penetrating, beneficial, and correct. [Zhu Xi's commentary:] 'Qian' is the name of the trigram with three lines. Its image is Heaven; its attribute is strength. The six-line figure is the doubled hexagram. Qian is the nature and disposition of pure yang. A single yang line is an undivided stroke. The six-line hexagram is what Fuxi originally drew. Qian as a hexagram consists of six undivided yang lines. It is named Qian because its nature is purely yang. Three lines represent the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Human), and when tripled and placed above the eight trigrams, they form the sixty-four hexagrams. Yuan (元) means 'great'; heng (亨) means 'penetrating'; li (利) means 'beneficial'; zhen (貞) means 'correct and firm.' King Wen, finding that the Way of Qian is greatly penetrating and beneficial when correct and firm, appended this judgment: when one obtains this hexagram by divination and all six lines remain unchanged, the reading indicates great success, but only if one maintains correctness and firmness can the outcome be preserved.

Initial Nine: The dragon is hidden. Do not act. [Zhu Xi:] 'Initial Nine' is the name for the bottom yang line. In drawing hexagrams, one proceeds from bottom to top, so the bottom line is called 'Initial.' 'Nine' is the designation for yang lines. 'Hidden dragon, do not act' is the Duke of Zhou's line statement. 'Hidden' means 'concealed.' The dragon represents yang. Its statement says 'hidden dragon'; its divination reading says 'do not act.' Nine in the Second: The dragon appears in the field. It is beneficial to see the great person. [Zhu Xi:] The second position has already emerged above the ground, so its image is the dragon appearing in the field. Though Nine in the Second has not yet attained the ruler's position, his virtue is already manifest. Nine in the Third: The noble person is diligent all day and vigilant through the evening. Danger, but no error. [Zhu Xi:] The third position, being hard and strong, occupies the top of the lower trigram -- a dangerous place. Yet because its nature is strong and vigorous, capable of ceaseless diligence, though in danger there is no error. Nine in the Fourth: Perhaps leaping from the deep. No error. [Zhu Xi:] 'Perhaps' is a word of doubt and indecision. Nine in the Fourth occupies the bottom of the upper trigram -- a time of ascending but not yet having ascended, of being undecided between advancing and retreating. Nine in the Fifth: The dragon flies in the heavens. It is beneficial to see the great person. [Zhu Xi:] Nine in the Fifth, yang and strong, centered and correct, occupies the heavenly position -- like a dragon flying in the heavens. Top Nine: The dragon overreaches. There will be regret. [Zhu Xi:] 'Overreaching' means having risen too high to descend. Top Nine, yang and strong in the highest position, has reached the extreme -- its image is thus. Using Nine: See a group of dragons without a head. Auspicious. [Zhu Xi:] This is a general statement for yang lines. Because this hexagram is purely yang and stands first among all hexagrams, the sage appended this statement here: when one obtains this hexagram and all six lines change, consult this statement for the reading -- for all six yang lines changing produces pure yin, Kun.