Hexagram 40 解 changing to hexagram 36 明夷
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 36 明夷, line 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.
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 two hexagrams
Hexagram 40 解 — judgment
利西南，无所往，其來復吉。有攸往，夙吉。
In (the state indicated by) Kieh advantage will be found in the south-west. If no (further) operations be called for, there will be good fortune in coming back (to the old conditions). If some operations be called for, there will be good fortune in the early conducting of them.
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.
The changing lines of hexagram 40
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 无咎。 | The first line, divided, shows that its subject will commit no error. |
| 2 | 田獲三狐，得黃矢，貞吉。 | The second line, undivided, shows its subject catch, in hunting, three foxes, and obtain the yellow ( = golden) arrows. With firm correctness there will be good fortune. |
| 3 | 負且乘，致寇至，貞吝。 | The third line, divided, shows a porter with his burden, (yet) riding in a carriage. He will (only) tempt robbers to attack him. However firm and correct he may (try to) be, there will be cause for regret. |
| 4 | 解而拇，朋至斯孚。 | (To the subject of) the fourth line, undivided, (it is said), 'Remove your toes. Friends will (then) come, between you and whom there will be mutual confidence' |
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.