Hexagram 32 恒 changing to hexagram 21 噬嗑
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 3, 6.
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 21 噬嗑, line 4
噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
The fourth line, undivided, shows one gnawing the flesh dried on the bone, and getting the pledges of money and arrows. It will be advantageous to him to realise the difficulty of his task and be firm,—in which case there will be good fortune.
Hexagram 21 噬嗑, line 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.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 32 恒 — judgment
恆：亨，无咎。利貞，利有攸往。
Hăng indicates successful progress and no error (in what it denotes). But the advantage will come from being firm and correct; and movement in any direction whatever will be advantageous.
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.
The changing lines of hexagram 32
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 浚恆，貞凶，无攸利。 | The first line, divided, shows its subject deeply (desirous) of long continuance. Even with firm correctness there will be evil; there will be no advantage in any way. |
| 2 | 悔亡。 | The second line, undivided, shows all occasion for repentance disappearing. |
| 3 | 不恆其德，或承之羞，貞吝。 | The third line, undivided, shows one who does not continuously maintain his virtue. There are those who will impute this to him as a disgrace. However firm he may be, there will be ground for regret. |
| 6 | 震恆，凶。 | The topmost line, divided, shows its subject exciting himself to long continuance. There will be evil. |
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.