I Ching Hexagram 49 - Revolution
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 49 "Revolution"
革 - Gé
Trạch Hỏa Cách
Revolution
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☱ Dui, Lake
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☲ Li, Fire
Other Titles: Metamorphosis, Revolution(s), Transformation, Skinning, The Bridle, The Symbol of Change, Molting, Leather, Skin, Molt, Cut Off, Changing, Radical Change, Overthrowing
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Revolution. On your own day you are believed. Supreme success, furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears.
Legge: Metamorphosis is believed in only after it has been accomplished. Firm correctness abolishes regret and brings successful progress.
Blofeld: Revolution. Not before the day of its completion will men have faith in it -- sublime success! Determination in a righteous course brings reward; regret vanishes! [Very often, this means renovation, as of character, etc. But it may also mean exactly what it says; Confucius, though he regarded loyalty to the ruler as one of the highest virtues, recognized that evil men forfeit their right to rule by their excesses, and it is probable that this notion antedates him by many centuries.]
Liu: Revolution. When the appropriate day comes, the people will believe in it. Great success. It is beneficial to continue. Remorse vanishes.
Shaughnessy: The Bridle: on the si day then return; prime receipt; beneficial to determine; regret is gone.
Cleary (1): In revolution, the sun of the self is truth: This is creative, developmental, fruitful, and perfect. Regret vanishes. [In old texts when it says that the alchemical elixir is in people, but first they have to refine the self and wait for the proper time, this means to make a radical purge of all the pollution of past influences and not let any flaws remain in the heart.]
Cleary (2): Change is believed in on the day it is completed. It is very successful, beneficial if correct. Regret vanishes.
Wu: Reform indicates that revolution will become credible when the time is ripe. In this way, it is great and pervasive and advantageous to be persevering. Regret will disappear.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Fire in the lake: the image of Revolution. Thus the superior man sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear.
Legge: A fire in the marsh -- the image of Metamorphosis. The superior man synchronizes his astronomical calculations to clarify the times and seasons.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes fire rising from a marshy lake. The Superior Man regulates the calendar and thus ensures that men are clear about times and seasons.
Liu: Within the lake, fire -- this symbolizes Revolution. The superior man makes a calendar, clearly arranging the seasons.
Cleary (1): There is fire in a lake, changing. Thus do superior people make a calendar and clarify the seasons.
Cleary (2): Fire in a lake – changing. Leaders make calendars to define the seasons.
Wu: There is fire below the marsh; this is Reform. Thus, the jun zi is inspired to develop a calendrical system for keeping time.
Line 1
初九: 鞏用黃牛之革．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Wrapped in the hide of a yellow cow.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject as if he were bound with the skin of a yellow ox.
Blofeld: For strength, use yellow oxhide.
Liu: To strengthen it, use yellow oxhide.
Shaughnessy: Together use the yellow ox's bridle.
Cleary (1): Wrapped up in yellow ox-hide.
Cleary (2): Use yellow ox hide for wrapping.
Wu: He appears as if with a yellow cow’s hide.
Line 2
六二: 已日乃革之, 征吉, 无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: When one's own day comes, one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows its subject making her changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error.
Blofeld: On the day revolution is completed, to advance brings good fortune and is free from error. [We must not advance further until certain major changes have been completed.]
Liu: When the right day for revolution arrives, start. Good fortune. No blame.
Shaughnessy: On the si day then bridle it; to be upright is auspicious; there is no trouble.
Cleary (1): The sun of the self is the good fortune of expedition in revolution; no blame. [Emptying the mind and governing oneself, one understands revolution and can first get rid of personal desires... This is the revolution of emptying the mind to seek illumination.]
Cleary (2): On the day of completion, the change has taken place. An expedition leads to good fortune, without blame.
Wu: When the time is ripe, reform is in order. It will be auspicious to go forward with the plan. No error.
Line 3
九三: 征凶, 貞厲, 革言三就, 有孚．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Starting brings misfortune. Perseverance brings danger. When talk of revolution has gone the rounds three times, one may commit himself, and men will believe him.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows that action taken by its subject will be evil. Though he be firm and correct, his position is perilous. If the changes he contemplates have been three times fully discussed, he will be believed.
Blofeld: To advance now would bring misfortune and persistence would lead to further troubles. When talk of revolution has thrice arisen, then act with confidence. [We must make very sure that a rumored change will occur before we take further action.]
Liu: To advance leads to misfortune. To continue leads to danger. When the idea of revolution has been spoken publicly three times, the people will believe it.
Shaughnessy: To be upright is inauspicious; determination is dangerous. When bridling words thrice approach, there is a return.
Cleary (1): It is not auspicious to go on an expedition; even if correct, there is danger. Revolutionizing words formulated thrice, there is certainty.
Cleary (2): An expedition leads to misfortune, dangerous even if correct. Change, then speak; on the third presentation, there will be trust. [Here one is too adamant and unbalanced; but one is in correspondence with the top (magnetic line), which is flexible but upright, representing a leader that is like a spotted leopard and cannot be changed forcibly… One can only change oneself so as to go along with the leader.]
Wu: Going forward is foreboding. Remaining firm is perilous. In discussing reform thoroughly, he will gain confidence. [“Remaining firm is perilous”because by doing simply nothing, he will miss an opportunity in making contributions to reformation. In “discussing reform thoroughly” with others, such as his [6 th line] correlate, he will gain confidence in doing the right thing.]
Line 4
九四: 悔亡, 有孚, 改命, 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Remorse disappears. Men believe him. Changing the form of government brings good fortune.
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows occasion for repentance disappearing from its subject. Let him be believed in, and though he changes the existing ordinances, there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Regret vanishes and confidence is established. A change of government brings good fortune. [Taken out of its political context, this may presage a great change in some other walk of life.]
Liu: Remorse vanishes. People believe him. Changing the government brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Regret is gone; there is a return that changes the mandate; auspicious.
Cleary (1): Regret vanishes. With sincerity one changes destiny for the better. [If one is sincere in reforming oneself, while strong one can be yielding, and can transmute the temperament and not be constrained by yin and yang. This is the revolution of employing strength with flexibility.]
Cleary (2): Regret vanishes; there is trust. Changing one’s fate, there is good fortune.
Wu: Regret disappears. Confidence abounds. Revolution will be auspicious.
Line 5
九五: 大人, 虎變．未占有孚．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The great man changes like a tiger. Even before he questions the oracle he is believed.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows the great man producing his changes as the tiger does when he changes his stripes. Before he divines and proceeds to action, faith has been reposed in him.
Blofeld: The great man accomplishes the change like a tiger; he is so confident that he does not need to employ divination. ["Like a tiger" and "like a leopard" do not have any connotation of fierceness. The striped skin of the former and the spotted hide of the latter symbolize brilliance and beauty respectively.]
Liu: The great man transforms himself like a tiger. Even before prediction by the oracle, people will believe him.
Shaughnessy: The great man's tiger whip; not yet having prognosticated, there is a return.
Cleary (1): A great person changes like a tiger. There is certainty without divination.
Cleary (2): Great people change like tigers. There is certainty without augury.
Wu: The great man makes changes like a tiger. He is confident of success even without divination.
Line 6
上六: 君子豹變, 小人革面. 征凶, 居貞, 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The superior man changes like a panther. The inferior man molts in the face. Starting brings misfortune. To remain persevering brings good fortune.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows the superior man producing his changes as the leopard does when he changes his spots, while inferior men change their faces and show obedience. To go forward now would lead to evil, but there will be good fortune in abiding firm and correct.
Blofeld: The Superior Man brings about the change like a leopard and lesser men promptly switch their allegiance. ["Like a tiger" and "like a leopard" do not have any connotation of fierceness. The striped skin of the former and the spotted hide of the latter symbolize brilliance and beauty respectively.] To advance now brings misfortune. Righteous persistence brings good fortune to those who remain where they are.
Liu: The superior man transforms himself like a leopard. The inferior man changes his attitude. To advance leads to misfortune. To remain and persist leads to good fortune.
Shaughnessy: The gentleman's leopard whip; the little man bridles the face; to be upright is inauspicious; determination about dwelling is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Superior people transform, inferior people change on the surface. To go on an expedition is unlucky, to remain correct is auspicious. [Gentle non-striving revolution is only possible to superior people with faith. Inferior people without faith cannot accomplish it. Inferior people change their appearance, their surface, but they do not change their hearts; their wills are not firm, and they do not finish what they have started, eventually to fall into ruin, bringing on misfortune. Superior people always remain correct; their will becomes stronger with time, so that they ultimately attain the Tao and achieve good fortune. This is revolution in which false and true bear their fruits.]
Cleary (2): Developed people transform like leopards; undeveloped people change their faces … etc.
Wu: The jun zi makes changes like a leopard. The little man makes only cosmetic changes. Going forward is foreboding. Remaining firm is auspicious.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 49 consists of lake over fire. Water and Fire in nature act against each other. It can be compared to two brothers of totally different characters and ambitions that stay together even in disagreement.
It describes a group of people with different opinions. The conflict can be resolved in a new situation with drastic change. This requires the right leader and the right timing and must be carried out in the right way for success.
Be free of selfish aims and discuss the issues. This will win the group over. Great progress and supreme success will arise from the change.
