Hexagram 7 of 64 · Earth ☷ over Water ☵
The Army
Shī
Organised strength under a worthy leader — power that works because it is disciplined.
The Judgment
The Army needs perseverance and a strong leader. Good fortune without blame — provided the cause is just and the discipline holds.
The Image
Water hidden within the earth: an army is hidden within the people, ready to be called. The wise person increases their numbers by generosity toward ordinary people — an army is recruited in peacetime by how you treat those you lead.
Hexagram 7 Meaning
This is a hexagram about collective power and the one thing that makes it work: a leader worth following and the discipline to follow them. It often appears when you must organise — a team, a family, a campaign, your own scattered energies. The old text insists on a just cause; an army without one becomes a mob. Ask who is leading, whether they deserve it, and whether the goal justifies the cost.
The Army in Love
A relationship under The Army is being tested by a shared campaign — a difficult family situation, an illness, a move, a fight against something outside the relationship. It calls for unity of command: decide together who handles what, then trust each other. If the conflict is inside the relationship, the hexagram asks whether you are fighting for a just cause or just fighting. Discipline your reactions.
The Army in Career & Money
Leadership and management are the theme. If you are in charge, be the general: clear orders, fair treatment, visible discipline, and a goal everyone understands. If you are not in charge, the question is whether your leader deserves your loyalty — the hexagram says an army under a weak general carries corpses in wagons. Organise, delegate, and choose your battles for the cause, not the ego.
What to Do
Get organised. Appoint or become a leader worth following. Make sure the cause is just before you commit people to it. Discipline beats enthusiasm; and generosity in ordinary times is what earns loyalty in hard ones.
The Army as a Yes or No
yes
Yes, if you bring order and a clear leader to it — organised effort wins here; chaos does not.
The Trigrams
Above: Earth (坤 Kūn) — the receptive — devotion, yielding, the mother.
Below: Water (坎 Kǎn) — the abysmal — danger, depth, the middle son.
The Six Lines of The Army
Read when the line is moving (a 6 or 9 in the cast). Bottom line first.
- 1
Line 1 · yin
An army must set out in proper order: get the rules and structure right at the start or all is lost.
- 2
Line 2 · yang
In the midst of the army, favoured by the king: the leader shares the soldiers’ hardship and is rewarded — good fortune.
- 3
Line 3 · yin
The army carries corpses in the wagon: weak or divided leadership brings disaster — misfortune.
- 4
Line 4 · yin
The army retreats: an orderly withdrawal when outmatched is wisdom, not cowardice — no blame.
- 5
Line 5 · yin
Game in the field, the eldest leads: act only when there is a real target; let the experienced lead and keep the rash ones back.
- 6
Line 6 · yin
The great prince issues commands: after victory, reward the worthy — but do not let unworthy people take power.
Will The Army Appear in Your Cast?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does hexagram 7, The Army, mean?
This is a hexagram about collective power and the one thing that makes it work: a leader worth following and the discipline to follow them. It often appears when you must organise — a team, a family, a campaign, your own scattered energies. The old text insists on a just cause; an army without one becomes a mob. Ask who is leading, whether they deserve it, and whether the goal justifies the cost.
What does The Army mean in love?
A relationship under The Army is being tested by a shared campaign — a difficult family situation, an illness, a move, a fight against something outside the relationship. It calls for unity of command: decide together who handles what, then trust each other. If the conflict is inside the relationship, the hexagram asks whether you are fighting for a just cause or just fighting. Discipline your reactions.
What does The Army mean for career and money?
Leadership and management are the theme. If you are in charge, be the general: clear orders, fair treatment, visible discipline, and a goal everyone understands. If you are not in charge, the question is whether your leader deserves your loyalty — the hexagram says an army under a weak general carries corpses in wagons. Organise, delegate, and choose your battles for the cause, not the ego.
Is hexagram 7 a yes or a no?
The Army answers "yes". Yes, if you bring order and a clear leader to it — organised effort wins here; chaos does not.
Previous hexagram
6. Conflict
dispute
Next hexagram
8. Holding Together
union
Last updated: August 30, 2026
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