Hexagram 63: Jì Jì (After Completion)

水火既济 · 第 63 卦 · Water over Fire · 中文版

The Judgment

Ji Ji intimates progress and success in small matters. There will be advantage in being firm and correct. There has been good fortune in the beginning; there may be disorder in the end.

既济：亨，小利贞，初吉终乱。

Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)

'Ji Ji intimates progress and success:' - in small matters, that is, there will be that progress and success. 'There will be advantage in being firm and correct:' - the strong and weak (lines) are correctly arranged, each in its appropriate place. 'There has been good fortune in the beginning: - the weak (second line) is in the centre. 'In the end' there is a cessation (of effort), and 'disorder arises:' - the course (that led to rule and order) is (now) exhausted.

彖曰：既济，亨，小者亨也。利贞，刚柔正而位当也。初吉，柔得中也。终止则乱，其道穷也。

The Great Image

(The trigram representing) fire and that for water above it form Ji Ji. The superior man, in accordance with this, thinks of evil (that may come), and beforehand guards against it.

象曰：水在火上，既济；君子以思患而预防之。

The six lines

  1. Line 1 (first): The first NINE, undivided, (shows its subject as a driver) who drags back his wheel, (or as a fox) which has wet his tail. There will be no error.

    'He drags back his wheel:' - as we may rightly judge, there will be no mistake.

    初九：曳其轮，濡其尾，无咎。 象曰：曳其轮，义无咎也。 · 单爻页

  2. Line 2 (second): The second SIX, divided, (shows its subject as) a wife who has lost her (carriage-)screen. There is no occasion to go in pursuit of it. In seven days she will find it.

    'In seven days she will find it:' - for the course pursued is that indicated by the central position (of the line).

    六二：妇丧其茀，勿逐，七日得。 象曰：七日得，以中道也。 · 单爻页

  3. Line 3 (third): The third NINE, undivided, (suggests the case of) K?o ?ung, who attacked the Demon region, but was three years in subduing it. Small men should not be employed (in such enterprises).

    'He was three years in subduing it:' - enough to make him weary.

    九三：高宗伐鬼方，三年克之，小人勿用。 象曰：三年克之，惫也。 · 单爻页

  4. Line 4 (fourth): The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject with rags provided against any leak (in his boat), and on his guard all day long.

    'He is on his guard all the day:' - he is in doubt about something.

    六四：繻有衣袽，终日戒。 象曰：终日戒，有所疑也。 · 单爻页

  5. Line 5 (fifth): The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject (as) the neighbour in the east who slaughters an ox (for his sacrifice); but this is not equal to the (small) spring sacrifice of the neighbour in the west, whose sincerity receives the blessing.

    'The slaughtering of an ox by the neighbour in the east is not equal to (the small sacrifice of) the neighbour in the west:' - because the time (in the latter case is more important and fit). 'His sincerity receives the blessing:' - good fortune comes on a great scale.

    九五：东邻杀牛，不如西邻之禴祭，实受其福。 象曰：东邻杀牛，不如西邻之时也；实受其福，吉大来也。 · 单爻页

  6. Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject with (even) his head immersed. The position is perilous.

    'His head is immersed; the position is perilous:' - how could such a state continue long?

    上六：濡其首，厉。 象曰：濡其首厉，何可久也。 · 单爻页

Previous: Hexagram 62 Xiǎo Guò · Next: Hexagram 64 Wèi Jì

English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text, checked against ctext.org. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.

Cast a hexagram · All 64 hexagrams · Worked examples