Hexagram 36 明夷 changing to hexagram 52 艮

míng yí

→

gěn

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 6.

What to read

Two changing lines: read both line texts of the original hexagram; the upper one is the main one. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)

Hexagram 36 明夷, line 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.

The first line, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming I, flying, but with drooping wings. When the superior man (is revolving) his going away, he may be for three days without eating. Wherever he goes, the people there may speak (derisively of him).

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 52 艮 — judgment

艮其背，不獲其身，行其庭，不見其人，无咎。

When one's resting is like that of the back, Kăn he loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, and does not see any (of the persons) in it,—there will be no error.

The changing lines of hexagram 36

Line	Chinese	Legge
1	明夷于飛，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。	The first line, undivided, shows its subject, (in the condition indicated by) Ming I, flying, but with drooping wings. When the superior man (is revolving) his going away, he may be for three days without eating. Wherever he goes, the people there may speak (derisively of him).
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.