King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Hexagram 5 需 changing to hexagram 39 蹇

xū
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jiǎn

Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 2.

What to read

Two changing lines: read both line texts of the original hexagram; the upper one is the main one. (Rule set out by Zhu Xi in the Yixue qimeng.)

Hexagram 5 需, line 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.

Hexagram 5 需, line 1

需于郊,利用恆,无咎。

The first line, undivided, shows its subject waiting in the distant border. It will be well for him constantly to maintain (the purpose thus shown), in which case there will be no error.

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 39 蹇 — judgment

利西南,不利東北;利見大人,貞吉。

In (the state indicated Kien advantage will be found in the south-west, and the contrary in the north-east. It will be advantageous (also) to meet with the great man. (In these circumstances), with firmness and correctness, there will be good fortune.

The changing lines of hexagram 5

LineChineseLegge
1需于郊,利用恆,无咎。The first line, undivided, shows its subject waiting in the distant border. It will be well for him constantly to maintain (the purpose thus shown), in which case there will be no error.
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.

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.