Hexagram 21 噬嗑 changing to hexagram 44 姤
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 3, 5.
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 44 姤, line 4
包无魚，起凶。
The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject with his wallet, but no fish in it. This will give rise to evil.
Hexagram 44 姤, line 6
姤其角，吝，无咎。
The sixth line, undivided, shows its subject receiving others on his horns. There will be occasion for regret, but there will be no error.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 21 噬嗑 — judgment
亨。利用獄。
Shih Ho indicates successful progress (in the condition of things which it supposes). It will be advantageous to use legal constraints.
Hexagram 44 姤 — judgment
女壯，勿用取女。
Kâu shows a female who is bold and strong. It will not be good to marry (such) a female.
The changing lines of hexagram 21
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 屨校滅趾，无咎。 | The first line, undivided, shows one with his feet in the stocks and deprived of his toes. There will be no error. |
| 2 | 噬膚滅鼻，无咎。 | The second line, divided, shows one biting through the soft flesh, and (going on to) bite off the nose. There will be no error. |
| 3 | 噬昔肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。 | The third line, divided, shows one gnawing dried flesh, and meeting with what is disagreeable. There will be occasion for some small regret, but no (great) error. |
| 5 | 噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，无咎。 | The fifth line, divided, shows one gnawing at dried flesh, and finding the yellow gold. Let him be firm and correct, realising the peril (of his position). There will be no error. |
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.