震 → 夬
Hexagram 51: The Arousing Thunder → Hexagram 43: Breakthrough
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 2, 3, 5).
Line 2
六二 震來厲。億喪貝。躋于九陵。勿逐。七日得。
Six in the second place means: Shock comes bringing danger. A hundred thousand times You lose your treasures And must climb the nine hills. Do not go in pursuit of them. After seven days you will get them back again.
Line 3
六三 震蘇蘇。震行无眚。
Six in the third place means: Shock comes and makes one distraught. If shock spurs to action One remains free of misfortune.
Line 5
六五 震往來厲。意无喪有事。
Six in the fifth place means: Shock goes hither and thither. Danger. However, nothing at all is lost. Yet there are things to be done.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
三幸飛來,自我逢時。俱行先至,多得大利。
Three blessings fly hither; fortune comes to meet me in its season. Traveling together, arriving first; gaining great profit abundantly.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Thunder doubled meets lake over heaven: shock decisive as Breakthrough. Three fortunes come flying in, and I meet my moment of opportunity. Traveling together yet arriving first, one gains great profit. The 'three fortunes' (三幸) descending like birds suggests luck arriving in multiples, converging at the perfect time. The one who moves decisively within the group reaches the goal ahead of all others. From The Arousing to Breakthrough, lake above heaven, the verse captures the moment when accumulated tension finally discharges. Breakthrough is the hexagram of decisive action — the lake's water breaking through the dam of heaven. Thunder's energy, channeled into this single moment of resolution, yields abundance. Fortune favors the one who acts when the moment breaks open.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store