Hexagram 20: Contemplation

From the summit of Mount Holyoke, the Connecticut River valley spreads below in a vast panorama. Thomas Cole painted this view in 1836, positioning his easel—and himself, visible in the lower foreground—on elevated ground above the oxbow's curve. The composition divides between wilderness on the left and cultivated farmland on the right, with the artist observing both. The elevated vantage point allows comprehensive vision impossible from the valley floor.

The I-Ching calls this perspective Guān (觀), Contemplation—a character showing "to see" and "to be seen." The hexagram shows Wind (Xùn) above Earth (Kūn): gentle penetration moving over receptive ground. In ancient divination, this configuration appeared when someone needed to step back from direct action and observe patterns from a distance. But contemplation in I-Ching practice has a dual nature: the one who contemplates is also being contemplated. The watchtower on the mountain serves both lookout and landmark.

{artwork_reasoning}

The Judgment text speaks to Cole's composition: "Contemplation. The ablution has been made, but not yet the offering. Full of trust they look up to him." The text refers to the moment in religious ceremony when the priest has purified himself but not yet made the sacrifice—a pause for reverent observation. Ancient court rituals included this interval when subjects observed the ruler's bearing, assessing whether he embodied proper conduct. Cole paints himself small but present, both observer and observed element within the landscape.

The Image Text offers guidance: "The wind blows over the earth: the image of Contemplation. Thus the kings of old visited the regions of the world, contemplated the people, and gave them instruction." Effective contemplation requires movement, not static removal—the ruler who never leaves the palace cannot truly understand his realm. Cole, founder of the Hudson River School, traveled extensively to paint American landscapes, arguing that wilderness observation cultivated moral and spiritual insight. In the I-Ching sequence, Contemplation follows Approach: after the advance toward connection comes the withdrawal to higher ground for perspective. The next hexagram is Biting Through, when contemplation must give way to decisive action.