Hexagram 15 謙 changing to hexagram 54 歸妹
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 3, 4.
What to read
Four changing lines: read the two unchanged lines of the resulting hexagram; the lower one is the main one. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)
Hexagram 54 歸妹, line 5
帝乙歸妹，其君之袂，不如其娣之袂良，月幾望，吉。
The fifth line, divided, reminds us of the marrying of the younger sister of (king) Ti-yi, when the sleeves of her the princess were not equal to those of the (still) younger sister who accompanied her in an inferior capacity. (The case suggests the thought of) the moon almost full. There will be good fortune.
Hexagram 54 歸妹, line 6
女承筐无實，士刲羊无血，无攸利。
The sixth line, divided, shows the young lady bearing the basket, but without anything in it, and the gentleman slaughtering the sheep, but without blood flowing from it. There will be no advantage in any way.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 15 謙 — judgment
亨，君子有終。
Khien indicates progress and success. The superior man, (being humble as it implies), will have a (good) issue (to his undertakings).
Hexagram 54 歸妹 — judgment
征凶，无攸利。
Kwei Mei indicates that (under the conditions which it denotes) action will be evil, and in no wise advantageous.
The changing lines of hexagram 15
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 謙謙君子，用涉大川，吉。 | The first line, divided, shows us the superior man who adds humility to humility. (Even) the great stream may be crossed with this, and there will be good fortune. |
| 2 | 鳴謙，貞吉。 | The second line, divided, shows us humility that has made itself recognised. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. |
| 3 | 勞謙君子，有終吉。 | The third line, undivided, shows the superior man of (acknowledged) merit. He will maintain his success to the end, and have good fortune. |
| 4 | 无不利，撝謙。 | The fourth line, divided, shows one, whose action would be in every way advantageous, stirring up (the more) his humility. |
English: James Legge (1882), public domain. Chinese: Zhou Yi.
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.