Hexagram 43: Breakthrough → Hexagram 11: Peace

Breakthrough
Lake / Heaven
Peace
Earth / Heaven
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 2 changing lines (lines 4, 5).

Line 4

九四 臀无膚。其行次且。牽羊悔亡。聞言不信。

túnrump
without
skin
one's
xíngwalking
is second-rate
qiěfor now
qiānin tow
yángas
huǐregrets
wángwill
wénbut to hear
yánthis
is not
xìnto believe

Nine in the fourth place means: There is no skin on his thighs, And walking comes hard. If a man were to let himself be led like a sheep, Remorse would disappear. But if these words are heard They will not be believed.

Line 5

九五 莧陸夬夬。中行无咎。

xiànwild edible greens
on the dry land
guàiresolved
guàito purge
zhōngto balance
xíngthe action
is not
jiùwrong

Nine in the fifth place means: In dealing with weeds, Firm resolution is necessary. Walking in the middle Remains free of blame.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake EarthThe Joyous → The Receptive
Lower TrigramHeaven Heaven

Yilin Verse

清冷如雲,為兵導先。民人冤急,不知西東。

Cold and clear as cloud, it leads the vanguard of war. The common people cry in anguish, not knowing west from east.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Lake risen above heaven meets the great exchange of earth below and heaven above. Cold and clear as clouds, the vanguard leads the army forward. But the common people cry out in panic, not knowing east from west. Military force sweeps through like freezing mist — effective as a spearhead yet devastating to those caught in its path. The people are disoriented, overwhelmed by the speed of events. From Breakthrough to Peace, the promise is that heaven and earth will eventually meet in harmonious exchange. But the verse captures the violent transitional moment when old order is shattered before new peace can settle. Resolution requires upheaval, and those on the ground suffer the chaos of forces they cannot control.

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