Dragon Philosophy of I-Ching and Chinese Astrology
The I-Ching is the foundation of Chinese Yin Yang philosophy, describing the natural changes in our universe and deriving this philosophy into an oracle. The Chinese characters for I-Ching are 
. The second character means a book, a profound one. The first character means ease or change. Therefore, some people refer to it as "The Book of Ease" or "The Book of Changes". I-Ching philosophy was invented by Fu Xi around 2900 B.C., predating the establishment of Yellow King's China in 2697 B.C. It is the oldest oracle tool in China, and concepts such as Yin Yang and the seasonal changes of Chinese astrology are derived from I-Ching. Its theory has prevailed worldwide for thousands of years.
I-Ching is a numerology system developed from the River Diagram and Lo Shu. The River Diagram is related to a diagram on a horse's body, and the Lo Shu is related to a diagram on a turtle's back. Using the Yin and Yang concept, Fu Xi uses a solid bar 
to represent Yang (Sky) and a broken bar 
to represent Yin (Earth). A set of three bars becomes a Trigramb>, with a total combination of 8 Trigrams 
called Pa Kua or Ba Guo in Chinese. Later, I-Ching developed into 64 Hexagrams, formed by double Trigrams. 64 Hexagrams are
Dragon philosophy of I-Ching
The Dragon is a legendary creature, a triphibious animal capable of surviving on the ground, in the water, and in the sky. People view the dragon as mystical, cloudy, misty, blurred, and unreachable. Because the Dragon can travel in the sky, it is connected to heaven in China. Many Chinese emperors wore and wear imperial robes with dragon symbols, making the dragon an icon of power.
King Wen (1102-1056 BC) invented 64 hexagrams in a fixed order during his 7-year imprisonment. He applied the I-Ching theory to seize the opportunity to escape. Later, his son conquered China and built the Chou Dynasty. The sequence of his 64 hexagrams is called the King Wen sequence (文王卦序).
In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), the emperor's yellow imperial robes were woven with nine dragons. This is because the number 9 is the strongest in Yang (power), and Number 6 is the weakest in Yin. Old Yang and Old Yin information can be found in the pages of the River Diagram and Lo Shu. Therefore, the solid Yang bar in I Ching is connected to 9, and the broken Yin bar is connected to 6.
Now, we want to use the first hexagram 
of the King Wen sequence to interpret the Dragon philosophy. The first hexagram combines two Trigrams 
of Sky (
Chien) together, signifying Sky over Sky.
| Hexagram | Trigram | Sequence | Yao Name |
Dragon Name |
| |
Sky |
6 | 9-6 | Regretful Dragon |
| |
5 | 9-5 | Flying Dragon | |
| |
4 | 9-4 | Jumping Dragon | |
| |
Sky |
3 | 9-3 | Diligent and Vigilant Dragon |
| |
2 | 9-2 | Field Dragon | |
| |
1 | 9-1 | Hidden Dragon |
The hexagram sequence is from the bottom to the top. The level 1 is Yang. Since 9 can represents Yang, we can call level 1 as Nine 1. This hexagram are all Yang. Therefore, we can call all levels as Nine 1, Nine 2, Nine 3, Nine 4, Nine 5 and Nine 6.
Nine 1 - Hidden Dragon
This is the lowest level of Yang. The energy of Yang is just developing, much like a young baby dragon unable to handle anything. In this situation, the dragon needs to hide itself and refrain from taking any action. If the dragon becomes active, jumping around and showing off, that's a sign of danger. It means you will likely fail if you take action during this time.
Nine 2 - Field Dragon
The Yang energy is growing. The dragon grows up a little bit and emerges on the ground. Now, people around you can see you, a sign of hope. However, level 2 is an even number, representing Yin. This implies the Dragon is not in the right position. The dragon is still young and needs to learn more. The best way is to seek advice from mentors. If you go your own way, you won't get the support you need, and you won't succeed in reaching your goal. At this stage, it is best for the dragon to look for help and support.
Nine 3 - Diligent and Vigilant Dragon
The Dragon climbs up to a higher position. Level 3 is Yang, in the right position for the dragon. Now, the Dragon becomes stronger and smarter, attracting more attention. However, the Dragon also becomes a target, and thus, it is in a dangerous spot. If the Dragon makes any mistakes, it will be attacked by many competitors. Therefore, the Dragon needs to be alert and work harder to complete and survive. The status of Level 3 Diligent and Vigilant Dragon is riskier because the enemy is around.
Nine 4 - Jumping Dragon
Level 4 Jumping Dragon has jumped out of danger. Now the Dragon is even stronger and ready to take off. However, Level 4 is a Yin position, indicating that something is still against you. The Dragon must wait for the opportunity to jump higher, staying alert and assessing the situation. It's okay to try for multiple jumps. A Jumping Dragon is like a person with lots of knowledge and skill, possessing the ability to handle many positions and waiting for a better opportunity for the future. However, to prevent any mistakes, people need to pay attention to all aspects; otherwise, there is no chance to take off.
Nine 5 - Flying Dragon
The Dragon moves up to the highest Yang position. Finally, the Dragon is flying in the sky, enjoying the unlimited space of the sky and the power of potential. Now the Dragon is in the top position with many people under it. It's time to meet people and look for assistants, advisors, and leaders to solidify the territory and make its reign stronger. This is a sign connected to the emperor or president. The term The veneration of Nine Five in China signifies that the person holds the highest rank position in an organization, with reputation, wealth, and power at the same time. Therefore, this is a sign of success and victory.
Nine 6 - Regretful Dragon
When the Dragon flies to an even higher position, it will find there is no more room up there. The Dragon cannot fly higher and won't fly lower. Level 6 is a Yin position, meaning the Dragon arrives at the wrong position and will regret reaching this point. The only way is to discipline itself. If the Dragon is too greedy and looks for more satisfaction, then it will make mistakes and step into a dangerous situation. Therefore, the highest position in this context is not necessarily the best. A Flying Dragon at level 5 has more to enjoy than a Regretful Dragon.
Chien-Sky Hexagram
This is the first hexagram. The hexagram contains all Yang. This implies creation, aggressiveness, stubbornness, powerful strength, unlimited energy, or endless recycling. This is a sign of many dragons. If there is no competitor in the group, this is a good and peaceful sign. The attitude of conceitedness, waywardness, or impetuosity will bring trouble. People need a cool, objective, flexible mind and attitude to reach their goal. Therefore, the Chien-Sky Hexagram is both a good sign and an unlucky sign.
Many people dream of reaching the Flying Dragon level. However, there is no privacy for the Flying Dragon in the sky. In reality, people can make their lives easier by simply being at the Jumping Dragon level. They can adjust their jumping altitude and have more options in their lives.
Our Chinese Astrology Cycle of Sow and Reap page explains astrology cycles using Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth) and Six Gods (Friend, Parent, Fame, Money, Career, and Self) relationships. This Chinese astrology can be perfectly fitted into the Dragon philosophy of I-Ching.
| Cycle |
Dragon Name |
Chinese Astrology Cycle | Note |
| 6 | Regretful Dragon | Career Cycle | A career opportunity lets you become a leader |
| 5 | Flying Dragon | Money Cycle | Your good reputation can bring you wealth |
| 4 | Jumping Dragon | Reputation Cycle | Having good knowledge allows you to build a good reputation |
| 3 | Diligent and Vigilant Dragon | Friend Cycle | After getting out of school, we need to learn from friends or coworkers |
| 2 | Field Dragon | Parent Cycle | We need to go to school for knowledge |
| 1 | Hidden Dragon | Self - Early Cycle | We need parental protection and home education |
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