Hexagram 44 姤 changing to hexagram 42 益
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 42 益, line 5
有孚惠心，勿問元吉。有孚惠我德。
The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject with sincere heart seeking to benefit (all below). There need be no question about it; the result will be great good fortune. (All below) will with sincere heart acknowledge his goodness.
Hexagram 42 益, line 6
莫益之，或擊之，立心勿恆，凶。
In the sixth line, undivided, we see one to whose increase none will contribute, while many will seek to assail him. He observes no regular rule in the ordering of his heart. There will be evil.
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 42 益 — judgment
利有攸往。利涉大川。
Yî indicates that (in the state which it denotes) there will be advantage in every movement which shall be undertaken, that it will be advantageous (even) to cross the great stream.
The changing lines of hexagram 44
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 系于金柅，貞吉，有攸往，見凶，羸豕，孚，蹢躅。 | The first line, divided, shows how its subject should be kept (like a carriage) tied and fastened to a metal drag, in which case with firm correctness there will be good fortune. (But) if he move in any direction, evil will appear. He will be (like) a lean pig, which is sure to keep jumping about. |
| 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. |
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.