King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Hexagram 36 明夷 changing to hexagram 25 无妄

míng yí
→
wú wàng

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 3, 4, 5, 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 25 无妄, line 1

无妄,往吉。

The first line, undivided, shows its subject free from all insincerity. His advance will be accompanied with good fortune.

Hexagram 25 无妄, line 2

不耕穫,不菑畬,則利有攸往。

The second line, divided, shows one who reaps without having ploughed (that he might reap), and gathers the produce of his third year's fields without having cultivated them the first year for that end. To such a one there will be advantage in whatever direction he may move.

The two hexagrams

Hexagram 36 明夷 — judgment

利艱貞。

Ming Î indicates that (in the circumstances which it denotes) it will be advantageous to realise the difficulty (of the position), and maintain firm correctness.

Hexagram 25 无妄 — judgment

元亨。利貞。其匪正有眚,不利有攸往。

Wû Wang indicates great progress and success, while there will be advantage in being firm and correct. If (its subject and his action) be not correct, he will fall into errors, and it will not be advantageous for him to move in any direction.

The changing lines of hexagram 36

LineChineseLegge
3明夷于南狩,得其大首,不可疾貞。The third line, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming I, hunting in the south, and taking the great chief (of the darkness). He should not be eager to make (all) correct (at once).
4入于左腹,獲明夷之心,于出門庭。The fourth line, divided, shows its subject (just) entered into the left side of the belly (of the dark land). (But) he is able to carry out the mind appropriate (in the condition indicated by) Ming I, quitting the gate and courtyard (of the lord of darkness).
5箕子之明夷,利貞。The fifth line, divided, shows how the count of Ki fulfilled the condition indicated by Ming t. It will be advantageous to be firm and correct.
6不明晦,初登于天,後入于地。The sixth line, divided, shows the case where there is no light, but (only) obscurity. (Its subject) had at first ascended to (the top of) the sky; his future shall be to go into the earth.

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.