Hexagram 37
The FamilyJiā Rén 家人
Also translated as The Household, The Clan, Family Members.
Wind / Wood above Fire below
Wind rises from fire, as warmth and influence spread outward from the hearth. Jia Ren is about the family or any close-knit group: clear roles, mutual responsibility and an atmosphere of trust. The influence that holds a household together comes from within, from words that mean something and behavior that is consistent. Order at home is the root of order outside.
Judgment
家人：利女貞。
The household: a woman's steadfastness is favorable.
Image
風自火出，家人；君子以言有物，而行有恆。
Wind rising from the fire: the household. Taking this as a model, the noble one speaks of real things and behaves with consistency.
- Family and household
- Clear roles
- Consistency of words and deeds
- Influence from within
- Mutual responsibility
- family
- home
- roles
- trust
- consistency
- care
- A group holds together when each person fulfills their role.
- Say what you mean and live consistently.
- Order begins at home and radiates outward.
The six lines
Lines are numbered from the bottom. In a reading, only the lines that are changing apply to your cast.
Line 1Nine at the beginning 初九
Line text
閑有家，悔亡。
Fencing in the household: regret passes.
Establishing clear expectations and boundaries from the start prevents later conflict and regret.
- Early boundaries
- Clear expectations
- Leaving things undefined
- Harmony through clear agreements
Line 2Six in the second place 六二
Line text
无攸遂，在中饋，貞吉。
Nothing pursued on a whim; she sees to the meals at the center. Steadfastness: good fortune.
Quietly taking care of what sustains everyone, without seeking attention, is the heart of a household. Steady care brings good fortune.
- Quiet care
- Sustaining the group
- Undervaluing unseen work
- Being the steady center others rely on
Line 3Nine in the third place 九三
Line text
家人嗃嗃，悔厲吉；婦子嘻嘻，終吝。
The household is harsh and severe: regret, danger, yet good fortune. Women and children giggle and tease: in the end, regret.
Too much strictness causes friction, but it is better than too much laxity, which ends in disorder. Seek the balance, erring if needed on the side of firmness.
- Strictness versus laxity
- Balance in discipline
- Permissiveness that leads to disorder
- Finding a fair middle
Line 4Six in the fourth place 六四
Line text
富家，大吉。
She is the wealth of the household: great good fortune.
Careful management of resources and caring attention make the household prosperous. Good stewardship brings great good fortune.
- Prosperity through stewardship
- Wise management
- Neglecting household resources
- A thriving home
Line 5Nine in the fifth place 九五
Line text
王假有家，勿恤，吉。
The king comes to his household. Do not worry: good fortune.
Leadership in the family through love and example, not fear. When the head of a group is trusted, there is no need for worry.
- Leadership through love
- Trust
- Ruling through fear
- A household united by affection
Line 6Nine at the top 上九
Line text
有孚威如，終吉。
Sincere and commanding respect: in the end, good fortune.
Lasting influence in a family rests on genuine sincerity and a dignity that others respect. It begins with your own conduct.
- Sincere dignity
- Responsibility for yourself
- Demanding respect you don't model
- Earning a lasting place through character
Related hexagrams
Have a question on your mind?
Cast a readingChinese text: Zhouyi 周易 (received classical text). English rendering and notes: Site rendering. About our sources
Commentary
Fire inside, wind outside: the warmth of the hearth spreading its influence beyond the house. Jia Ren concerns the inner circle, whether a family, a team or a close community, and the relationships and responsibilities that sustain it. The judgment emphasizes the role of the one who holds the home together. The reading may suggest attending to your closest relationships and the structure of daily life.
The image applies this to character: words with substance, conduct with consistency. A household is shaped less by rules than by example. The lines move from setting boundaries early to the trust and dignity that keep things working. In relation to a question, Jia Ren may emphasize home, belonging, clear expectations and leading by example.