Retreat · Tian Shan Dun
Retreat — the strategic withdrawal that is not a defeat.
The traditional reading
Hexagram 33 is the quiet step backward that preserves your strength for the right season. The low forces are rising and the door is not the one you should push through. Retreat with grace, keep your dignity and your friendships, and choose your own ground rather than fighting on theirs.
Structure of the hexagram
- Lower trigram: Mountain (Gen) · Earth
- Upper trigram: Heaven (Qian) · Metal
- House: Heaven (Qian) · Metal
- Text in the original Chinese: 天山遁