---
title: 天山遯 — Retreat (Hexagram 33)
lang: en
canonical: https://ekidan.ai/library/33
alternates:
  - ja: https://ekidan.ai/ja/library/33
  - zh-Hant: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/33
  - zh-TW: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/33
  - zh-HK: https://ekidan.ai/zh/library/33
source: 高島易断 (Takashima Ekidan), public-domain 1893 English and 1901 Chinese editions
provider: ekidan.ai — AI-assisted I Ching reading grounded in 88 source-verified historical Takashima cases
license: Classical source text is public domain. This structured edition and its modern commentary are © ICHING LLC, ekidan.ai. Attribution requested when quoted.
---

# 天山遯 · Retreat — Hexagram 33

Hexagram 33 of the I Ching is 天山遯 (Retreat). Retreat — small men gain ground; the noble withdraws. Small things still benefit by uprightness. Do not contend; retreat gracefully and bide time.

## Work / Relationships / Health

- **Work**: Resigning, withdrawing, resting are auspicious.
- **Relationships**: Time to keep distance; do not force.
- **Health**: Mental fatigue; rest.

## Structure

- Number: 33
- Name: 天山遯
- English: Retreat
- Romaji: ten-san-ton
- Pinyin: dùn
- Upper: 天 (Heaven)
- Lower: 山 (Mountain)
- Lines (top to bottom):

```text
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
▬▬▬   ▬▬▬
```

## Recorded readings using this hexagram

### England and Russia over Afghanistan (1885)

- Hexagram 33 · Ton (遯) — Retreat, line 6
- With the Anglo-Russian boundary dispute over Afghanistan looking to many like the opening of a war, Takashima read a hexagram of withdrawal and concluded England would not engage.
- [Read the case](https://ekidan.ai/heritage/cases/anglo-russian-afghanistan-1885)

## Questions about this hexagram

### What does hexagram 33 (天山遯) mean?

Retreat — small men gain ground; the noble withdraws. Small things still benefit by uprightness.

### What does 天山遯 counsel?

Do not contend; retreat gracefully and bide time.

### What does 天山遯 say about work?

Resigning, withdrawing, resting are auspicious.

### What does 天山遯 say about relationships?

Time to keep distance; do not force.

### What does 天山遯 say about health?

Mental fatigue; rest.

### Which trigrams make up hexagram 33?

Upper trigram 天 (Heaven) over lower trigram 山 (Mountain).


Source: [Takashima Ekidan AI — ekidan.ai](https://ekidan.ai/library/33)