Line 1 Yang
Bind firmly with yellow oxhide. Before the time is ripe, preserve stability rather than launching reform.
← The 64 hexagrams
HEXAGRAM 49 · Gé
Reform
Deep change needs appropriate timing and trust grounded in action.
☱ Above: Dui · Lake☲ Below: Li · Fire
Meaning
Fire and lake water act against each other, making the old arrangement untenable. Reform needs understanding and credibility; once necessary change is made, consolidation matters.
FOR REFLECTION
What truly requires change, and what evidence shows that the time has come?
The six lines
Read from line 1 at the bottom to line 6 at the top. These are paraphrases, not verbatim translations.
Line 2 Yin
Make the change when its time arrives, then proceed. Readiness gives action a sound basis.
Line 3 Yang
Rushing is dangerous; the proposal is considered three times before trust forms. Resolve cannot replace careful deliberation.
Line 4 Yang
Trust supports a changed mandate and dispels regret. Revising rules requires credibility and a clear purpose.
Line 5 Yang
A great person changes like a tiger's visible markings. Credibility comes from an unmistakable change in conduct.
Line 6 Yin
The principled person changes like a leopard; others change only their faces. Consolidate progress instead of prolonging upheaval.
References
Classical Zhouyi · 革James Legge, The Yî King (1882), Sacred Books of the East XVI, hexagram 49
Editorial policy & bibliography →For reference and reflection. This commentary makes no certain claim about the future.