夬 → 坎
Hexagram 43: Breakthrough → Hexagram 29: The Abysmal Water
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 3, 4).
Line 1
初九 壯于前趾。往不勝為咎。
Nine at the beginning means: Mighty in the forward-striding toes. When one goes and is not equal to the task, One makes a mistake.
Line 3
九三 壯于頄。有凶。君子夬夬。獨行遇雨。若濡有慍。无咎。
Nine in the third place means: To be powerful in the cheekbones Brings misfortune. The superior man is firmly resolved. He walks alone and is caught in the rain. He is bespattered, And people murmur against him. No blame.
Line 4
九四 臀无膚。其行次且。牽羊悔亡。聞言不信。
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.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
城壞壓境，數為齊病。侵伐不休，君臣擾憂。上下屈竭，士民無財。
The walls crumble and crush the border; again and again Qi suffers this affliction. Invasion and attack without cease; lord and minister writhe in worry. Above and below are drained and spent; soldiers and people have no wealth.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Lake risen above heaven plunges into doubled water, the repeated abyss. City walls crumble, pressing against the border — an affliction that Qi has suffered time and again. Invasions never cease; ruler and ministers fret in turmoil. Above and below are exhausted; soldiers and people have nothing left. The collapse is total: fortifications, treasury, morale, resources — all depleted simultaneously. From Breakthrough to the Abysmal, decisive action falls into the pit from which there is no easy escape. Water upon water, danger compounding danger. The verse captures a state that has broken through one crisis only to plunge into another, deeper one. The walls that should protect now crush; the remedy has become the disease.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store