Hexagram 17 of 64 · Lake ☱ over Thunder ☳
Following
Suí
Following what is right, at the right time — and knowing when to rest.
The Judgment
Following has supreme success. Perseverance furthers. No blame. To be followed, one must first know how to follow; to lead others one must adapt to the time.
The Image
Thunder within the lake: in autumn the thunder retreats into the water and rests. The wise person goes indoors at nightfall for rest and recuperation — following the rhythm of the day rather than fighting it.
Hexagram 17 Meaning
The strong (thunder) places itself below the joyful (lake) and so is gladly followed. The hexagram is about willing adaptation: following a person, a principle, or a season because it is right, not because you are compelled. It also carries the image of rest — the thunder going quiet in autumn. If you have been driving hard, this may be permission to stop. Following well requires knowing what deserves to be followed.
Following in Love
In love, Following favours the one who can yield gracefully — who lets the other lead when they should, who adapts to a partner’s rhythm without losing themselves. It is a good hexagram for relationships that need to slow down and rest together. If you are asking whether to follow someone — move for them, join their life — the answer is favourable, with the condition that the person is worth following.
Following in Career & Money
Follow the right leader, the right process, the right timing. If you are junior, this is a time to learn by serving well. If you lead, the hexagram says the way to be followed is to adapt to your people and to the moment rather than to impose. Rest is also indicated: a pause after a push, a season of maintenance rather than expansion.
What to Do
Choose what is worth following and follow it wholeheartedly. Adapt to the time. Rest when it is evening — the thunder does not roar all year. Leading begins with knowing how to follow.
Following as a Yes or No
yes
Yes — going with the flow of this situation brings success; the way is to adapt, not to force.
The Trigrams
Above: Lake (兌 Duì) — the joyous — pleasure, openness, the youngest daughter.
Below: Thunder (震 Zhèn) — the arousing — movement, shock, the eldest son.
The Six Lines of Following
Read when the line is moving (a 6 or 9 in the cast). Bottom line first.
- 1
Line 1 · yang
The standard is changing, perseverance brings good fortune — going out the door brings achievement: leave your circle to meet others.
- 2
Line 2 · yin
If one clings to the little boy, one loses the strong man: choosing the easy, inferior attachment costs you the worthy one.
- 3
Line 3 · yin
If one clings to the strong man, one loses the little boy: giving up the lesser thing for the greater — perseverance furthers.
- 4
Line 4 · yang
Following creates success but perseverance brings misfortune, to go one’s way with sincerity brings clarity: watch for flatterers who follow you for gain.
- 5
Line 5 · yang
Sincere in the good: following what is genuinely good — good fortune.
- 6
Line 6 · yin
He meets with firm allegiance and is bound, the king offers sacrifice on the western mountain: a bond of loyalty that endures even beyond the ordinary.
Will Following Appear in Your Cast?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does hexagram 17, Following, mean?
The strong (thunder) places itself below the joyful (lake) and so is gladly followed. The hexagram is about willing adaptation: following a person, a principle, or a season because it is right, not because you are compelled. It also carries the image of rest — the thunder going quiet in autumn. If you have been driving hard, this may be permission to stop. Following well requires knowing what deserves to be followed.
What does Following mean in love?
In love, Following favours the one who can yield gracefully — who lets the other lead when they should, who adapts to a partner’s rhythm without losing themselves. It is a good hexagram for relationships that need to slow down and rest together. If you are asking whether to follow someone — move for them, join their life — the answer is favourable, with the condition that the person is worth following.
What does Following mean for career and money?
Follow the right leader, the right process, the right timing. If you are junior, this is a time to learn by serving well. If you lead, the hexagram says the way to be followed is to adapt to your people and to the moment rather than to impose. Rest is also indicated: a pause after a push, a season of maintenance rather than expansion.
Is hexagram 17 a yes or a no?
Following answers "yes". Yes — going with the flow of this situation brings success; the way is to adapt, not to force.
Previous hexagram
16. Enthusiasm
enthusiasm
Next hexagram
18. Work on What Has Been Spoiled
repair
Last updated: August 30, 2026
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