Hexagram 7, Line 3

The Line Text

Interpretation

**COMMENTARY_TEXT_EN:** The commentary says: "The army may be carrying corpses in the wagon" indicates a great lack of achievement.

Guidance for Action

**INTERPRETATION:** This line presents one of the most ominous images in the I Ching. It signifies a situation of catastrophic failure, disarray, and defeat. The "army," representing a collective effort or a personal campaign, is not advancing but is instead burdened with the dead. The image of "carrying corpses in the wagon" suggests that the endeavor has not only failed but has resulted in significant, tangible losses and is now engaged in the grim task of dealing with the aftermath. The core issue pointed to by this line is a failure of leadership and authority. In Hexagram 7, the true and capable leader is the single Yang line in the second place. The Yin line here, in the third place, is out of its proper position and may represent an unqualified or illegitimate leader attempting to take command. This could also signify a divided command, with multiple people vying for control, leading to confusion, internal conflict, and ultimately, a disastrous outcome. When authority is fragmented or usurped by the incompetent, the entire collective (the army) suffers. The effort becomes self-defeating, and the only result is loss and "a great lack of achievement." This is a stark warning against overreaching, misplaced ambition, and the chaos that ensues from a broken chain of command.

For Love & Relationships

**GUIDANCE:** This line is an urgent call to halt and reassess. Whatever course of action you are on is leading to disaster. Do not proceed. The leadership of this endeavor is flawed, either because you are trying to lead when it is not your place, or because the person in charge is incompetent. It is a time for radical honesty about the situation. Your primary task is to identify the source of the failure in command. Are there too many people trying to direct the effort? Are you overstepping your own authority? Is the current strategy completely wrong? You must step back from the conflict. Trying to force a win from this position will only increase the "corpse count." Defer to legitimate authority if it exists. If the leadership is hopelessly flawed, the wisest course of action may be to withdraw entirely to avoid being part of the inevitable collapse. Inaction is far superior to participating in a doomed enterprise.

For Career & Business

**LOVE:** In the context of a relationship, this line points to a toxic and destructive power struggle. Instead of working as a team, the partners may be in a state of conflict, each trying to dominate the other. This "war" is unwinnable and is destroying the love and vitality of the connection, leaving only emotional baggage and resentment—the "corpses." The relationship is not moving forward; it is stuck carrying the weight of past fights and unresolved issues. There may also be interference from outside parties (family, friends) acting as competing "generals," giving conflicting advice and fueling the conflict. The guidance is stark: the current dynamic is doomed. The power struggle must end. You must stop fighting to be "right" and assess the damage. A radical change in approach, possibly with a neutral third-party counselor, is needed to prevent a complete collapse.

For Financial Matters

**CAREER:** In a career or business setting, this line signifies a project or team in complete disarray. This is the classic "too many chiefs, not enough Indians" scenario. There is no clear leadership, or an incompetent person has taken charge, leading to chaos, wasted resources, and project failure. Team members are working at cross-purposes, and morale is at rock bottom. The project is effectively dead, and continuing to work on it is merely "carrying the corpse." If you are leading, you have lost control. If you are a team member, your ambitious attempts to direct things from the side are likely making things worse. The advice is to stop. A full project review is necessary to understand what went wrong. Roles must be clarified, and competent leadership must be re-established. If this is not possible, it may be time to cut your losses and move on from this project or even the job itself.