Hexagram 49: Revolution → Hexagram 7: The Army

Revolution
Lake / Fire
The Army
Earth / Water
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 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 3

九三 征凶貞厲。革言三就。有孚。

zhēngto expedite
xiōngis ill-omened
zhēnpersistence
is difficult
of change
yánwhen talk
sānthree times
jiùhas
yǒuthen be
confident

Nine in the third place means: Starting brings misfortune. Perseverance brings danger. When talk of revolution has gone the rounds three times, One may commit himself, And men will believe him.

Line 4

九四 悔亡有孚。改命吉。

huǐregret(s)
wángpass
yǒube
confident
gǎichange
mìngthe mandate
promising

Nine in the fourth place means: Remorse disappears. Men believe him. Changing the form of government brings good fortune.

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 EarthThe Joyous → The Receptive
Lower TrigramFire WaterThe Clinging → The Deep

Yilin Verse

買利求福,莫如南國。仁德所在,金玉為寶。

Seeking profit and blessing, none compares to the southern land. Where benevolence and virtue reside, gold and jade are the treasure.

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

Commentary

Fire within the lake transforms into water held within the earth — the hidden reserves of disciplined order. Seeking profit and fortune, nothing compares to the southern kingdom, where benevolence and virtue reside, and gold and jade serve as its treasure. Revolution overturns the old; the Army organizes what follows. The verse points south — in Chinese cosmology, the direction of fire, culture, and flourishing — and declares that true wealth lies not in plunder but in moral governance. From Revolution to the Army, the transformation shows that after upheaval, prosperity comes through disciplined administration, not through further raiding. Virtue itself is the treasury.

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