TOJEONG BIGYEOL · 853
Tojeong Bigyeol Hexagram 853
The sign of hunting a tiger on eight mountains, not knowing whether you'll live or die
At a glance
- Hexagram
- 853
- Upper · middle · lower
- 8 · 5 · 3
- The year overall
- A year to take care
- Brighter months
- lunar months 1, 5 and 12
- Months to take care
- lunar months 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11
Luna Alley's Tojeong readings are for fun and reflection. Read even a difficult hexagram as a guide to how you carry yourself through the year.
The original verse and its meaning
- 八山擒虎 生死未知
You hunt tigers across eight mountains, not knowing whether you'll live or die. - 白鳩失巢 衆鳥斷腹
The white dove has lost its nest, and all the birds grieve to the heart. - 日出雲中 其明未奇
The sun rises within the clouds, so its brightness is feeble. - 有弓無矢 左右不知
You have a bow but no arrows, so you cannot tell left from right.
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 to avoid risky gambles. Worries may arise at home, like a flock fretting when a white dove loses its nest. Even when the sun rises through the clouds, its brightness is dimmed, so when you have a bow but no arrows, don't step forward.
This is a year when avoiding risky contests and getting prepared matters above all. The first line, hunting tigers across eight mountains, warns not to leap into a big adventure whose outcome can't be guaranteed. As in the white dove losing its nest, worries may arise about your home or base, and those around you may fret along with you. The sun rising within clouds shows a time when your light doesn't show right away even with effort. The last line, a bow without arrows, means if you step out with drive but incomplete preparation, you'll lose your direction. In the first, fifth and twelfth lunar months benefactors and money arrive and you can catch your breath. From the seventh to the eleventh lunar month your heart wavers and you easily lose your way, so give it your full devotion and hold your place. It's a year you'll surely get past if you're careful, so prepare, as if making arrows one by one, and wait for next year.
A word from Master Tojeong
“Going into the mountains to hunt tigers is not courage but recklessness. Equip your arrows first and wait for your time. Give your full devotion and you can get past this year's trouble too.”
Month by month (summary)
Only a short note and the original verse for each month. Dates are the 2027 lunar months.
- Lunar month 1Feb 7 – Mar 7Bright
You start the year brightly this month. Your home is peaceful and someone who helps appears, so you may be recognized at work.
家運大吉 一家泰平 貴星助我 官祿臨身 · The household's fortune is greatly auspicious so the whole home is at peace, and a noble star helps me so office and rewards come to me.
- Lunar month 2Mar 8 – Apr 6Care
It's a precarious month, like a small boat on a rough sea. Don't step into official disputes or others' lawsuits.
萬里滄波 一葉扁舟 勿參官事 不利之數 · A single leaf of a skiff on ten thousand li of blue waves; don't get involved in government matters, it's an unfavorable fortune.
- Lunar month 3Apr 7 – May 5Even
Money comes in, but there's something to attend to at home this month. Carefully look after your spouse's or family's health.
財星隨身 求財可得 財爻帶殺 妻宮有憂 · The star of wealth follows you so seeking money you gain it, but a deadly energy clings to the wealth and there's worry on your wife's side.
- Lunar month 4May 6 – Jun 4Care
You have the drive, but the road isn't visible and it's frustrating this month. Moving impatiently makes it easy to lose your direction.
有志未就 徒傷心神 在家不利 出頭何向 · You have the will but can't achieve it and only hurt your heart; staying home is unfavorable, yet trying to set out you don't know where to go.
- Lunar month 5Jun 5 – Jul 3Bright
Unexpected help comes at a difficult moment this month. Don't struggle to solve it alone; ask someone trustworthy for help.
入山逢虎 進退兩難 貴人來助 喜事重重 · You enter the mountains and meet a tiger, hard to advance or retreat, but a noble person comes to help and happy events overlap.
- Lunar month 6Jul 4 – Aug 1Even
Your home is warm and close-knit this month. Time with family becomes a great strength.
和氣方濃 室家團欒 若逢火姓 家道昌盛 · Warmth is now running deep so the home is close-knit, and meeting a surname of Fire energy, the household prospers.
- Lunar month 7Aug 2 – Aug 31Care
It's easy to lose your direction and wander this month. Even if things look calm, letting your guard down may cause trouble.
山中行人 失路彷徨 此月之數 安中防危 · One walking in the mountains loses the way and wanders; this month's fortune calls for guarding against danger amid comfort.
- Lunar month 8Sep 1 – Sep 29Care
Your heart easily grows uneasy this month. Refrain from big spending and look after your parents' or family elders' health.
心神退散 常有恐怕 若無損財 親憂奈何 · Your heart scatters and there's always fear; if there's no financial loss, what can be done about worry for your parents?
- Lunar month 9Sep 30 – Oct 28Care
Your heart feels adrift and it's hard to get your bearings this month. The verse says that with full devotion you escape trouble.
心神不安 心如浮雲 致誠神明 可免此厄 · Your heart isn't at ease and is like a floating cloud; give your full devotion and gather your heart, and you can escape this trouble.
- Lunar month 10Oct 29 – Nov 27Care
You can't see well ahead this month. Rather than forcing your way forward, step back and hold steady.
日落西山 前路暗黑 金姓不利 西方有害 · The sun sets over the western mountain so the road ahead is dark; Kim is unfavorable and there's harm in the west.
- Lunar month 11Nov 28 – Dec 27Care
Your heart may feel lonely and forlorn this month. You may get into trouble swept up in others' wrongs, so avoid co-signing or taking responsibility on others' behalf.
寂寞山窓 空然自嘆 他人之罪 厄在眉間 · By the window in the silent mountains you sigh alone for nothing, and trouble from others' wrongs is before your eyes.
- Lunar month 12Dec 28 – Jan 26, 2028Bright
At the end of a hard year, heaven helps this month. Your body and heart grow comfortable and unexpected money comes in.
吉人天佑 自無疾苦 財星隨我 意外得財 · Heaven helps the fortunate so there's naturally no pain, and the star of wealth follows me so I unexpectedly gain wealth.
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 2/4/1991 receives this hexagram in 2027.
Find my hexagram
Frequently asked questions
Is Tojeong hexagram 853 a good one?
Hexagram 853 is read as a year that calls for keeping low and holding steady. This is a year to avoid risky gambles. Worries may arise at home, like a flock fretting when a white dove loses its nest.
Which months need care in hexagram 853?
In hexagram 853, the lower months are lunar months 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Avoid rushing big decisions then, and go easy on your body and your words.
How do I find my own Tojeong hexagram?
Enter your birth date in the Luna Alley Tojeong Bigyeol page and it converts solar to lunar and works out the hexagram for you. To do it by hand, the 2027 guide shows the formula with an example.