Tojeong Bigyeol Hexagram 521

The original verse and its meaning

1. 敗軍之將 無面到營
   A general defeated in battle, you have no face to return to camp.
2. 負薪遇虎 進退兩難
   Carrying firewood, you meet a tiger; it is hard to go forward and hard to retreat.
3. 山石上走馬 不知功名
   You gallop a horse over mountain rocks, and where fame lies, no one can tell.
4. 春園蜂蝶 必逢燕子
   The bees and butterflies of the spring garden are likely to meet the swallow.

The verses follow the public-domain Tojeong Bigyeol held by the National Library of Korea; the meanings are Luna Alley's own retelling.

The year ahead

This is a year when you must bear the shame of failure. You may be unable to go forward or back, as if you'd met a tiger while carrying firewood. For now, protecting your body and mind comes before fame. Unexpected help arrives, like a butterfly in a spring garden meeting a swallow.

This is a year of enduring the pain of failure and building the strength to rise again. The first line, a defeated general, means the shame or regret of past events may weigh on your heart. But a defeated general who returns alive can raise an army again, so don't dwell in self-blame. The line about meeting a tiger while carrying firewood describes being stuck, with a heavy load and danger ahead. At times like this, lightening your load and protecting yourself comes first. Galloping a horse over rocks means chasing fame on a reckless path, so avoid risky gambles. The last line, the bees and butterflies of the spring garden meeting the swallow, means someone to be wary of appears amid enjoyment; it's a reminder to watch out for sweet talk and for a change of heart in someone close. There are many difficult months throughout the year, but in the eighth lunar month, the more you follow what's good and stay patient, the more good things happen. If you walk on, guarding yourself and enduring, this won't be a year of collapse but a year of growing stronger.

A word from Master Tojeong

“The general who returns alive from a lost battle is the one who wins the next. Think of this year as a time to sharpen your sword and guard yourself. Patience is the greatest of all; keep to that alone and it is enough.”

Month by month (summary)

Only a short note and the original verse for each month. Dates are the 2027 lunar months.

1. Lunar month 1Feb 7 – Mar 7Care

   Plans keep going awry from the very start of the year this month. Moving around from place to place, you could miss what really matters.

   謀事不成 紛紛移席 事務始終 心神散亂 · What you plan doesn't come about and you shift positions in confusion; from the beginning to the end of things, your heart and mind scatter.

2. Lunar month 2Mar 8 – Apr 6Care

   You may easily feel let down by someone you trusted this month. Even with an old friend, it's safer not to share money or important secrets.

   親人反仇 交友愼之 勿向南方 蕩敗之數 · A close friend turns into an enemy, so be careful in making friends, and don't go south. You could squander your wealth.

3. Lunar month 3Apr 7 – May 5Even

   Your body sends signals first this month. Even if you run around busily, little stays in your hands, so cut back your schedule and save your strength.

   此月之數 病殺來侵 東西奔走 別無所得 · This month the energy of illness invades, so even rushing east and west, you gain little.

4. Lunar month 4May 6 – Jun 4Even

   Your heart may feel as heavy as withered grass this month. Settled plans may be overturned or promises may fall through.

   秋草逢霜 愁心不解 事多反覆 外人愼之 · Like autumn grass meeting frost, worry doesn't lift, and things often reverse, so be careful of outsiders.

5. Lunar month 5Jun 5 – Jul 3Care

   Your heart is easily swayed by plausible words and big dreams this month. Most stories about making big money easily turn out to be empty.

   虛荒之事 愼勿爲之 東方不利 損財之處 · Refrain from empty, fanciful schemes; the east is not favorable, a place where wealth is lost.

6. Lunar month 6Jul 4 – Aug 1Even

   The outward splendor has passed this month, but inside, things are growing. Unseen expenses pile up and money leaks easily, so check small outgoings like automatic payments and subscriptions.

   花落盡損 草木茂盛 無形之金 至於千大海 · The flowers have all fallen, but grass and trees grow lush; formless wealth flows away like a great sea.

7. Lunar month 7Aug 2 – Aug 31Even

   Your surroundings are noisy and chaotic this month. Yet even amid it all, small unexpected gains come in.

   茫茫大海 四面風波 雖無勞力 小利可得 · On the wide, wide sea, storms rage on every side, but even without effort, you can gain a small profit.

8. Lunar month 8Sep 1 – Sep 29Bright

   This month the brightest light of your year shines in. Conduct yourself well and keep away from bad temptations, and happy things will come.

   從善遠惡 必有吉事 百事之中 忍之爲上 · Follow what is good and keep away from what is evil, and good things happen; of all things, patience is the greatest.

9. Lunar month 9Sep 30 – Oct 28Care

   The heavy energy lifts little by little this month. But your body and mind can tire easily from moving busily here and there.

   此月之數 災厄漸消 東奔西走 奔走之象 · This month calamity gradually fades, but you seem to be rushing busily east and west.

10. Lunar month 10Oct 29 – Nov 27Care

    Sweet offers come your way this month. It may look like a gain on the surface, but look inside and a big loss may be hiding.

    害者呈利 虛中有實 目前之利 害及十倍 · A harmful person offers profit, which seems like substance within emptiness, but the harm of an immediate gain reaches tenfold.

11. Lunar month 11Nov 28 – Dec 27Even

    This is a month to watch out for people whose words outrun their actions. Help given in good faith may come back as disappointment or resentment, so draw clear lines from the start.

    甘言莫信 恩反爲仇 事有長遠 損財多端 · Don't believe sweet words. Kindness turns into enmity, matters drag on, and there are many losses of wealth.

12. Lunar month 12Dec 28 – Jan 26, 2028Care

    You can't let your guard down right to the end of the year this month. Things that seemed done may wobble, and someone nearby may cause you harm.

    成敗多端 此數奈何 盜在不遠 切勿信人 · Much is built and much collapses, so what is to be done with this fortune? Thieves are not far, so never trust others.

The nine readings by area (money, love, work, health and more) and the long monthly readings open in the Tojeong Bigyeol app once you find your own hexagram.

Who gets this hexagram?

The hexagram depends on your lunar birth date and the year being read. The upper number comes from your Korean age that year plus the year's taese number, the middle from the length and month number of your birth month that year, and the lower from your birth day plus the day number. So the same person gets a different hexagram each year.

For example, someone born on lunar 8/4/1986 receives this hexagram in 2027.

Hexagrams with upper 5

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