Hexagram 40 for love
Hexagram 40 Release in love and relationships
Xie is thunder and rain: the storm that breaks the tension and leaves the air clear. It follows Jian, obstruction, and its Judgment is about what to do once the hard time has passed — 'if there is nowhere to go, coming back is fortunate; if there is somewhere to go, early is fortunate'. For a relationship this is the moment after a knot has loosened: a quarrel that has broken, a long strain that has eased. The Great Image's counsel is to 'pardon faults and forgive offences', and the hexagram's whole stance is that release should be completed quickly and then not dwelt on.
The lines show the work that follows a release. Line one simply rests. Two clears away the small, sly things that complicated matters, straightforwardly. Three is a warning against displaying what one has no right to, and inviting trouble. Four lets go of lesser attachments so that trust can come. Five disengages cleanly and the people who caused the difficulty withdraw. Six removes the last obstruction in one act. A changing line below says let the tension go; above, finish the untying and do not linger over it.
The hexagram in brief
Thunder and rain: the storm breaks and tension dissolves. Favourable to the southwest; if there is nowhere to go, returning brings good fortune; if there is, act early.
Release what was knotted — forgive, settle, finish quickly — then return to normal without lingering.
The judgment
解：利西南，无所往，其來復吉。有攸往，夙吉。In (the state indicated by) Kieh advantage will be found in the south-west. If no (further) operations be called for, there will be good fortune in coming back (to the old conditions). If some operations be called for, there will be good fortune in the early conducting of them.
Which line changed?
A changing line sharpens the answer. Each line of 解 Release has its own page:
- 初六Six at the beginningno fault · where hard meets soft · simply rest
- 九二Nine in the second placethree foxes · the yellow arrow · the straight middle way
- 六三Six in the third placea porter in a carriage · inviting robbers · self-inflicted
- 九四Nine in the fourth placerelease your toe · letting go of the unworthy · friends come
- 六五Six in the fifth placethe superior person unties · small people withdraw · trust shown
- 上六Six at the topshooting the hawk · the high wall · removing the last rebel
The same hexagram for
Questions
- Is hexagram 40, Release, a good sign for love?
- Xie is thunder and rain: the storm that breaks the tension and leaves the air clear. It follows Jian, obstruction, and its Judgment is about what to do once the hard time has passed — 'if there is nowhere to go, coming back is fortunate; if there is somewhere to go, early is fortunate'. For a relationship this is the moment after a knot has loosened: a quarrel that has broken, a long strain that has eased. The Great Image's counsel is to 'pardon faults and forgive offences', and the hexagram's whole stance is that release should be completed quickly and then not dwelt on.
- What does Hexagram 40, 解 Release, mean?
- Thunder and rain: the storm breaks and tension dissolves. Favourable to the southwest; if there is nowhere to go, returning brings good fortune; if there is, act early.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).