King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Hexagram 5 需 changing to hexagram 30 離

xū
→
lí

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 2, 4, 5, 6.

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 30 離, line 1

履錯然,敬之无咎。

The first line, undivided, shows one ready to move with confused steps. But he treads at the same time reverently, and there will be no mistake.

Hexagram 30 離, line 3

日昃之離,不鼓缶而歌,則大耋之差,凶。

The third line, undivided, shows its subject in a position like that of the declining sun. Instead of playing on his instrument of earthenware, and singing to it, he utters the groans of an old man of eighty. There will be evil.

The two hexagrams

Hexagram 5 需 — judgment

有孚,光亨。貞吉,利涉大川。

Hsü intimates that, with the sincerity which is declared in it, there will be brilliant success. With firmness there will be good fortune; and it will be advantageous to cross the great stream.

Hexagram 30 離 — judgment

利貞。亨。畜牝牛,吉。

Lî indicates that, (in regard to what it denotes), it will be advantageous to be firm and correct, and that thus there will be free course and success. Let (its subject) also nourish (a docility like that of) the cow, and there will be good fortune.

The changing lines of hexagram 5

LineChineseLegge
2需于沙,小有言,終吉。The second line, undivided, shows its subject waiting on the sand (of the mountain stream). He will (suffer) the small (injury of) being spoken (against), but in the end there will be good fortune.
4需于血,出自穴。The fourth line, divided, shows its subject waiting in (the place of) blood. But he will get out of the cavern.
5需于酒食,貞吉。The fifth line, undivided, shows its subject waiting amidst the appliances of a feast. Through his firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.
6入于穴,有不速之客三人來,敬之終吉。The topmost line, divided, shows its subject entered into the cavern. (But) there are three guests coming, without being urged, (to his help). If he receive them respectfully, there will be good fortune in the end.

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.