Hexagram 33 of 64
Retreat 天山遁
☰☶ Heaven over Mountain
Withdrawing to preserve strength.
Hexagram 33 is about retreat, a deliberate step back when the time is not right to push forward. Its image is heaven above a mountain, where the mountain stands firm while the sky moves on. The advice is to withdraw with dignity, keep your principles and wait for a better moment. Here, retreat is a strategy, not a defeat.
Judgment
亨。小利贞。
Success. A small gain through perseverance.
Image
天下有山，遁；君子以远小人，不恶而严。
Heaven under the mountain: retreat. The noble person keeps away from petty people, not with hatred but with dignity.
The six lines
Read from the bottom line (the beginning) to the top line (the outcome). Each line gives the classical text, our English translation, and a plain-language reading.
初六：遁尾，厉，勿用有攸往。
Lagging at the tail of the retreat. Danger. Do not set out on any undertaking.
You are withdrawing late and with difficulty. Do not start a new move now; prepare first.
六二：执之用黄牛之革，莫之胜说。
Holding fast with a leather strap of yellow ox hide, so that no one can loosen it.
A firm, principled commitment held calmly keeps things from slipping away. Use restraint that is gentle but firm.
九三：系遁，有疾厉，畜臣妾吉。
Retreating while tied down. There is strain and danger. Keeping and caring for dependents brings good fortune.
Attachments and obligations are holding you back and creating strain. Look after those who depend on you and manage the load steadily.
九四：好遁君子吉，小人否。
Choosing to retreat is good for the noble person. For the petty person it brings obstruction.
Stepping back from something you cannot control can be wise if your motives are sound. Do not withdraw merely to avoid responsibility.
九五：嘉遁，贞吉。
A fine retreat. Steadfastness brings good fortune.
A dignified, deliberate withdrawal, chosen on clear principles, is good. Decide calmly and on your own terms.
上九：肥遁，无不利。
A broad, unhurried retreat. Nothing is unfavorable.
A relaxed withdrawal from pressure, with room to breathe, has no real downside. Let go of what is weighing on you.
In practice
Love and relationships
A little distance can help a relationship that has become too intense. Step back calmly, say what you need and avoid cutting things off abruptly.
Work and decisions
If a project or role is pulling you in a direction you do not share, a measured withdrawal or a request to reset the scope can protect your standards. Leave with your reputation intact.
Money
When costs or commitments pile up, pulling back from new spending is a sensible choice. Scale back in an orderly way rather than in a panic.
How to use this reading
Use this reading when you are weighing whether to step back, and ask: is this a timely withdrawal that keeps my principles, or simply avoidance?
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.