Hexagram 44 姤 changing to hexagram 23 剝

→

bō

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 2, 3, 4, 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 23 剝, line 1

剝牀以足，蔑貞凶。

The first line, divided, shows one overturning the couch by injuring its legs. (The injury will go on to) the destruction of (all) firm correctness, and there will be evil.

The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject (as) a great fruit which has not been eaten. The superior man finds (the people again) as a chariot carrying him. The small men (by their course) overthrow their own dwellings.

The two hexagrams

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.

Hexagram 23 剝 — judgment

不利。有攸往。

Po indicates that (in the state which it symbolises) it will not be advantageous to make a movement in any direction whatever.

The changing lines of hexagram 44

Line	Chinese	Legge
2	包有魚，无咎，不利賓。	The second line, undivided, shows its subject with a wallet of fish. There will be no error. But it will not be well to let (the subject of the first line) go forward to the guests.
3	臀无膚，其行次且，厲，无大咎。	The third line, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped so that he walks with difficulty. The position is perilous, but there will be no great error.
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.
5	以杞包瓜，含章，有隕自天。	The fifth line, undivided, (shows its subject as) a medlar tree overspreading the gourd (beneath it). If he keep his brilliant qualities concealed, (a good issue) will descend (as) from Heaven.

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.