Hexagram 49: Revolution → Hexagram 32: Duration

Revolution
Lake / Fire
Duration
Thunder / Wind
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 5).

Line 1

初九 鞏用黃牛之革。

gǒngbound
yòngusing
huángyellow
niúcow
zhī...'s
rawhide

Nine at the beginning means: Wrapped in the hide of a yellow cow.

Line 2

六二 巳日乃革之。征吉无咎。

complete
the this
nǎiand
the change
zhīhas arrive(al)
zhēngto expedite
is promising
no
jiùblame

Six in the second place means: When one's own day comes, one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame.

Line 5

九五 大人虎變。未占有孚。

the mature
rénhuman being
tiger(-like)
biàntransformation
wèieven before
zhāndivining
yǒube
confident

Nine in the fifth place means: The great man changes like a tiger. Even before he questions the oracle He is believed.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake ThunderThe Joyous → The Arousing
Lower TrigramFire WindThe Clinging → The Gentle

Yilin Verse

三人俱行,北求大䍧。長孟病足,倩李負囊。柳下之貞,不失我糧。

Three men travel together, heading north to seek fine rams. The eldest, Meng, has a lame foot; he asks Li to carry the bags. With the constancy of Liuxia, we do not lose our provisions.

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

Commentary

Fire within the lake yields to thunder above wind — Duration, the hexagram of constancy through long effort. Three men travel together northward seeking fine rams. The eldest, Meng, injures his foot, so they ask Li to carry the provisions. With the steadfastness of Liuxia Hui, they do not lose their grain. Liuxia Hui, the sage of Lu famed for unwavering integrity — Mencius called him 'the sage of accommodation' — lends his name to a principle: hold firm to provisions and purpose regardless of hardship. From Revolution to Duration, the transformation shows that after upheaval, the journey continues only through mutual support, stubborn constancy, and the refusal to abandon what sustains the group.

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