Hexagram 49 革 changing to hexagram 48 井
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2, 4.
What to read
Three changing lines: read the judgments of the original and the resulting hexagram; the original is the main one. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)
Judgment of hexagram 49 革
已日乃孚,元亨。利貞。悔亡。
(What takes place as indicated by) Ko is believed in only after it has been accomplished. There will be great progress and success. Advantage will come from being firm and correct. (In that case) occasion for repentance will disappear.
Judgment of hexagram 48 井
改邑不改井,无喪无得,往來井井。汔至亦未繘井。羸其瓶,凶。
(Looking at) Zing, (we think of) how (the site of) a town may be changed, while (the fashion of) its wells undergoes no change. (The water of a well) never disappears and never receives (any great) increase, and those who come and those who go can draw and enjoy the benefit. If (the drawing) have nearly been accomplished, but, before the rope has quite reached the water, the bucket is broken, this is evil.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 49 革 — judgment
已日乃孚,元亨。利貞。悔亡。
(What takes place as indicated by) Ko is believed in only after it has been accomplished. There will be great progress and success. Advantage will come from being firm and correct. (In that case) occasion for repentance will disappear.
Hexagram 48 井 — judgment
改邑不改井,无喪无得,往來井井。汔至亦未繘井。羸其瓶,凶。
(Looking at) Zing, (we think of) how (the site of) a town may be changed, while (the fashion of) its wells undergoes no change. (The water of a well) never disappears and never receives (any great) increase, and those who come and those who go can draw and enjoy the benefit. If (the drawing) have nearly been accomplished, but, before the rope has quite reached the water, the bucket is broken, this is evil.
The changing lines of hexagram 49
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 鞏用黃牛之革。 | The first line, undivided, shows its subject (as if he were) bound with the skin of a yellow ox. |
| 2 | 已日乃革之,征吉,无咎。 | The second line, divided, shows its subject making his changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error. |
| 4 | 悔亡,有孚改命,吉。 | The fourth line, undivided, shows occasion for repentance disappearing (from its subject). Let him be believed in; and though he change (existing) ordinances, there will be good fortune. |
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.