In love
In a relationship, Gou points to an encounter that shakes things up: let yourself be surprised without committing too quickly, and give getting to know each other time.
Hexagram 44
I Ching hexagram 44: Coming to Meet (Gou)
Gou means coming to meet, an unexpected arrival: a new influence appears and calls for discernment before you commit.
- encounter
- discernment
- caution
The essentials
Gou at a glance
For you, Gou points to an encounter or an influence that surfaces: welcome it with curiosity, without opening every door to it at once.
A strength
An openness to the unexpected, which can bring fresh air if you keep your lucidity.
Something to watch
Becoming attached too quickly to what is appealing: an influence that is modest at the start can take over.
- What it advises
- Welcome the encounter with curiosity, take the time to observe it, and do not give it all the room at once.
- Its opposite
- 24. Return (Fu)
The situation
Gou places Wind beneath Heaven: a single broken line appears at the bottom, beneath five solid lines. Something small and soft invites itself in beneath strength. The ancient Judgment speaks of a bold woman whom it would not be fitting to marry: an image of its time, which the commentaries apply to any influence that imposes itself.
It is not a matter of judging a person: the commentators read in it an influence that is modest at the start and grows fast if it is allowed to take over. The encounter is real, and so is the caution.
The hexagram invites you to stay welcoming without being overwhelmed, to observe what arrives before binding yourself to it, and to keep your course.
The image: Heaven above Wind
- AboveHeaven: the force that creates
- BelowWind: gentleness that penetrates
Wind beneath Heaven: the breath that passes beneath the sky, everywhere. For the Great Image, the sovereign finds in it the image of his orders, which he publishes to the four corners of his territory.
Consult the I Ching
Throw three coins six times: your hexagram, the lines that change, and the direction they point to.
Free, no account · nothing is sent · no predictions
The six lines
- 1st line (bottom) · brokenA metal brake to be fastened: integrity and a good outcome, but advancing would be unfortunate, like a lean pig that keeps fidgeting. Contain the influence at its start.
- 2nd line · solidA basket with a fish: no fault. But it is better not to let the influence reach the guests.
- 3rd line · solidWalking with difficulty, the skin bruised: a perilous position, but no great fault. Holding back avoids the worst.
- 4th line · solidA basket without a fish: a lack that prepares the setback. Nothing is left once you have let what mattered drift away.
- 5th line · solidA medlar tree covering a gourd: you hide your qualities, and a blessing comes down as if from heaven. A discretion that opens the way.
- 6th line (top) · solidMeeting with the tips of your horns: a regret, but no fault. You run up against what you held at a distance too firmly.
Gou in your life
At work
Professionally, Gou describes the arrival of an unexpected person or project: test, observe, before giving it a central role.
The I Ching helps you reflect on how to act: it does not say what is coming.
How is it built?
- Character
- 姤 (gòu)
- Number
- 44 in the King Wen sequence
- Trigrams
- Heaven (乾) above, Wind (巽) below
- Inner hexagram
- 1. The Creative (Qian) (lines 2 to 4 and 3 to 5)
- Read upside down
- 43. Breakthrough (Guai)
- Symbol
- ䷫ (U+4DEB)
The English names are the usual renderings of the Chinese characters; the texts rely on the Chinese and on early public-domain translations (Legge, 1882; Philastre, 1885–1893).
Sources
- Wikipedia (English), “List of hexagrams of the I Ching,” read on October 15, 2026: numbers, characters, pinyin, lower and upper trigrams.
- Wikipedia (English), “Bagua,” read on October 15, 2026: lines of the eight trigrams, from bottom to top.
- James Legge (1815–1897), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East, vol. XVI, 1882 (Wikisource): public domain.
- Paul-Louis-Félix Philastre (1837–1902), Le Yi King ou Livre des changements de la dynastie des Tsheou, Annales du Musée Guimet, 1885–1893: public domain (the author died more than 70 years ago).
Frequently asked questions about hexagram 44
What does I Ching hexagram 44 mean?
Hexagram 44, Gou, means coming to meet: a new or unexpected influence that appears, and that you must welcome with discernment.
Is the Judgment of Gou hostile to a person?
It reads as an image about an influence that grows fast, not as a verdict on anyone. The figure shows a single weak line beneath five strong ones: the contrast is a matter of proportions.