Hexagram 49, line 2
六二Line 2 of Reform
Six in the second place · 革 gé
爻辭 The line text
巳日乃革之，征吉，无咎。The second line, divided, shows its subject making his changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error.
巳日革之，行有嘉也。'He makes his changes when some time has passed:'—what he does will be matter of admiration.
In plain words
'On the completed day, then change it; to go forward is auspicious, no blame.' Line two is yin, central and in its correct place, and it corresponds to the strong ruler at five — the one line in the hexagram that has both the right timing and the right backing. It sits at the centre of Li, clarity, so it sees what must be done; it answers the ruler, so it will be supported when it acts. The judgment's 巳日乃孚 belongs to this line: wait until the day has come round, then move. The small Image calls the result 行有嘉, action that is admirable.
If this line is changing
The time for the change you have been weighing has come, and the people above you will back it; go ahead, but do it as the one who waited, not the one who rushed.
Where the line stands
- A broken line, yin — written 六 (six), the number of an old yin line that moves when cast.
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands.
- It is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
- It belongs to the lower trigram 離 Li (the Clinging) (fire).
- It corresponds (應) with line 5: one yin and one yang, the two lines answer each other across the hexagram.
之卦 When this line moves
革 Reform becomes ䷪ 43 夬 Decisiveness
The lake risen to heaven: the cloudburst about to fall. Five yang lines resolve to remove the last yin — declare it openly at court, stay alert, and don't rely on arms.
What it becomes43 · 夬 DecisivenessguàiThe six lines of 革 Reform
- 初九Nine at the beginningbound fast · not yet · hold firm
- 六二Six in the second placethe ripe day · timing · go forward
- 九三Nine in the third placethree times over · haste · earn belief
- 九四Nine in the fourth placechange the mandate · trust · regret gone
- 九五Nine in the fifth placetiger's stripes · visible change · trusted before asking
- 上六Six at the topleopard's spots · changed faces · stop and hold
Read 革 Reform for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six in the second place of hexagram 49, Reform, mean?
- 'On the completed day, then change it; to go forward is auspicious, no blame.' Line two is yin, central and in its correct place, and it corresponds to the strong ruler at five — the one line in the hexagram that has both the right timing and the right backing. It sits at the centre of Li, clarity, so it sees what must be done; it answers the ruler, so it will be supported when it acts. The judgment's 巳日乃孚 belongs to this line: wait until the day has come round, then move. The small Image calls the result 行有嘉, action that is admirable.
- What does hexagram 49 become when line 2 changes?
- Reform becomes hexagram 43, 夬 Decisiveness: The lake risen to heaven: the cloudburst about to fall. Five yang lines resolve to remove the last yin — declare it openly at court, stay alert, and don't rely on arms.
- Is line 2 of Reform in its correct place?
- It is in its correct place (當位): a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even one, which the tradition reads as a line at ease where it stands. It is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).