Hexagram 50 鼎 changing to hexagram 5 需
Changing lines (counted from the bottom): 1, 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 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 3
需于泥，致寇至。
The third line, undivided, shows its subject in the mud (close by the stream). He thereby invites the approach of injury.
The two hexagrams
Hexagram 50 鼎 — judgment
元吉，亨。
Ting gives the intimation of great progress and success.
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.
The changing lines of hexagram 50
| Line | Chinese | Legge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 鼎顛趾，利出否，得妾以其子，无咎。 | The first line, divided, shows the caldron overthrown and its feet turned up. (But) there will be advantage in its getting rid of what was bad in it. (Or it shows us) the concubine (whose position is improved) by means of her son. There will be no error. |
| 4 | 鼎折足，覆公餗，其刑渥，凶。 | The fourth line, undivided, shows the caldron with its feet broken; and its contents, designed for the rulers use, overturned and spilt. Its subject will be made to blush for shame. There will be evil. |
| 5 | 鼎黃耳金鉉，利貞。 | The fifth line, divided, shows the caldron with yellow ears and rings of metal in them. There will be advantage through being firm and correct. |
| 6 | 鼎玉鉉，大吉，无不利。 | The sixth line, undivided, shows the caldron with rings of jade. There will be great good fortune, and all action taken will be in every way advantageous. |
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.