Hexagram 39 of 64 · Water ☵ over Mountain ☶
Obstruction
Jiǎn
Obstruction — the mountain ahead and the water behind, and the turn inward that finds the way around.
The Judgment
Obstruction: the southwest furthers, the northeast does not. It furthers one to see the great person. Perseverance brings good fortune — go the easy way, seek help, and look at yourself.
The Image
Water on the mountain: a dangerous abyss before you and a steep height behind. The wise person turns their attention to themselves and moulds their character — an outer obstacle is the occasion for inner work.
Hexagram 39 Meaning
An obstacle you cannot go through. The hexagram does not counsel force — it counsels three things. Take the easy road (the southwest, the plain) rather than the hard one (the northeast, the mountain). Seek the great person — advice from someone wiser or better placed. And turn inward: use the block as a reason to examine what in you contributed to it. Obstruction is temporary, and the lines say that going leads to obstacles while coming (returning, regrouping) leads to praise and union.
Obstruction in Love
The path to what you want is blocked — by circumstances, by the other person’s situation, by something in you. Forcing it does not work. The counsel is to go around (find the gentler approach), get counsel (a wise friend, a therapist), and look inward: what pattern of yours keeps producing this wall? Line 5 says in the midst of the greatest obstruction, friends come. You are not alone in this, and the block is not permanent.
Obstruction in Career & Money
A wall — a blocked promotion, a project stalled by forces above you, a market that will not move. Do not charge at it. Find the flanking route; ask the senior, wise person for advice; use the pause to sharpen the skills or fix the flaws the obstruction has revealed. The hexagram repeatedly favours returning and regrouping over pressing forward. Obstruction breaks when approached from the right side.
What to Do
Stop pushing at the wall. Take the easier road around it. Ask someone wise for help. Turn inward and work on what you can change — the obstacle outside is pointing at something inside.
Obstruction as a Yes or No
no
No — the direct way is obstructed; go around, seek help, and re-ask when the situation has shifted.
The Trigrams
Above: Water (坎 Kǎn) — the abysmal — danger, depth, the middle son.
Below: Mountain (艮 Gèn) — keeping still — stillness, boundary, the youngest son.
The Six Lines of Obstruction
Read when the line is moving (a 6 or 9 in the cast). Bottom line first.
- 1
Line 1 · yin
Going leads to obstructions, coming meets with praise: do not advance — wait for the right moment.
- 2
Line 2 · yin
The king’s servant is beset by obstruction upon obstruction, but it is not his own fault: duty compels you into difficulty — no blame.
- 3
Line 3 · yang
Going leads to obstructions, hence he comes back: retreat to those who depend on you — they are glad of it.
- 4
Line 4 · yin
Going leads to obstructions, coming leads to union: do not go alone — return and gather allies.
- 5
Line 5 · yang
In the midst of the greatest obstructions, friends come: help arrives when it is most needed.
- 6
Line 6 · yin
Going leads to obstructions, coming leads to great good fortune — it furthers one to see the great person: the sage who has withdrawn returns to help; act on their counsel.
Will Obstruction Appear in Your Cast?
Cast the coins on your own question — free, instant, with every moving line explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does hexagram 39, Obstruction, mean?
An obstacle you cannot go through. The hexagram does not counsel force — it counsels three things. Take the easy road (the southwest, the plain) rather than the hard one (the northeast, the mountain). Seek the great person — advice from someone wiser or better placed. And turn inward: use the block as a reason to examine what in you contributed to it. Obstruction is temporary, and the lines say that going leads to obstacles while coming (returning, regrouping) leads to praise and union.
What does Obstruction mean in love?
The path to what you want is blocked — by circumstances, by the other person’s situation, by something in you. Forcing it does not work. The counsel is to go around (find the gentler approach), get counsel (a wise friend, a therapist), and look inward: what pattern of yours keeps producing this wall? Line 5 says in the midst of the greatest obstruction, friends come. You are not alone in this, and the block is not permanent.
What does Obstruction mean for career and money?
A wall — a blocked promotion, a project stalled by forces above you, a market that will not move. Do not charge at it. Find the flanking route; ask the senior, wise person for advice; use the pause to sharpen the skills or fix the flaws the obstruction has revealed. The hexagram repeatedly favours returning and regrouping over pressing forward. Obstruction breaks when approached from the right side.
Is hexagram 39 a yes or a no?
Obstruction answers "no". No — the direct way is obstructed; go around, seek help, and re-ask when the situation has shifted.
Previous hexagram
38. Opposition
estrangement
Next hexagram
40. Deliverance
release
Last updated: August 30, 2026
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