革 → 井
Hexagram 49: Revolution → Hexagram 48: The Well
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4).
Line 1
初九 鞏用黃牛之革。
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。
Six in the second place means: When one's own day comes, one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame.
Line 4
九四 悔亡有孚。改命吉。
Nine in the fourth place means: Remorse disappears. Men believe him. Changing the form of government brings good fortune.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
水為火壯，患厭不起。季伯夜行，與喜相逢。
Water is strengthened by fire; the affliction is suppressed and will not rise. Ji Bo travels by night and meets with joy along the way.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Fire within the lake yields to water above wind — the Well, an inexhaustible source that serves all who draw from it. Water empowered by fire grows strong, yet illness and worry keep one from rising. Ji Bo travels by night and encounters joy on the road. The opening line plays on Revolution's own trigram composition — fire and water in creative tension. The Well's water rises through the wood of the windlass, nourishing the community. The nocturnal journey of 'Ji Bo' suggests one who persists through darkness to find unexpected good fortune. From Revolution to the Well, the transformation shows that beneath upheaval lies an inexhaustible source: those who draw from it through patient effort find renewal even in the dead of night.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store