豫 → 兌
Hexagram 16: Enthusiasm → Hexagram 58: The Joyous Lake
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 5).
Line 1
初六 鳴豫。凶。
Six at the beginning means: Enthusiasm that expresses itself Brings misfortune.
Line 2
六二 介于石。不終日。貞吉。
Six in the second place means: Firm as a rock. Not a whole day. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Line 5
六五 貞疾。恆不死。
Six in the fifth place means: Persistently ill, and still does not die.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
秋虵向穴,不失其節,夫人姜氏,自齊復入。
The autumn serpent heads for its burrow, not straying from its season. Lady Jiang from Qi returned of her own accord.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Thunder stirs the earth as the autumn snake seeks its burrow, perfectly timing its retreat. Lady Jiang, wife of a lord, returns from Qi to her husband's state. The snake entering its hole before winter captures the wisdom of seasonal withdrawal — knowing when to retreat is as vital as knowing when to advance. The lady's return from her natal state of Qi suggests a diplomatic or personal reconciliation, a wife returning to restore the household. From Enthusiasm to The Joyous, the transformation pairs movement with contentment. Paired lakes — friends learning together — create mutual delight. The snake's timely retreat and the lady's return both embody the joy of fitting action: satisfaction comes not from constant activity but from doing the right thing at the right moment.
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