I Ching Hexagram 63 - After Completion
Description and interpretations of I Ching hexagram 63 "After Completion".
既濟- Jì Jì
Thủy Hỏa Ký Tế
After Completion
Upper Trigram: ☵ Kan, Water
Lower Trigram: ☲ Li, Fire
Other Titles: Completion, The Symbol of What is Already Past, Already Fording, Already Completed, Settled, Mission Accomplished, Tasks Completed, After the End, A state of Climax
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder.
Legge: Completion intimates progress and success in small matters. There is advantage in firm correctness. There had been good fortune in the beginning; there may be disorder in the end.
Blofeld: After Completion -- success in small matters! Persistence in a righteous course brings reward. Good fortune at the start; disorder in the end. [Perhaps persistence may help to lessen the disorder that threatens to come upon us after some initial success.]
Liu: Completion. Success in the small. It benefits to continue. Good fortune at first; disorder in the end.
Shaughnessy: Already Completed: Receipt; slightly beneficial to determine; initially auspicious, in the end disordered.
Cleary (1): Settlement is developmental, but it is minimized. It is beneficial to be correct. The beginning is auspicious, the end confused.
Cleary (2): Settlement is successful, even in small matters … etc.
Wu: Mission Accomplished indicates a small degree of pervasiveness and the advantage of being persevering. It is characterized by goodness in the beginning, but tumult in the end.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Water over fire: the image of the condition in After Completion. Thus the superior man takes thought of misfortune and arms himself against it in advance.
Legge: The image of water above fire forms completion. The superior man, in accordance with this, thinks of the evil that may come, and guards against it in advance.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes water above fire. The Superior Man deals with trouble by careful thought and by taking advance precautions.
Liu: Water above fire symbolizes Completion. The superior man ponders danger and takes precautions against it.
Cleary: Water is above fire, Settled. Thus superior people consider problems and prevent them.
Wu: There is water above fire; this is Mission Accomplished. Thus the jun zi conceives ways to prevent disaster.
Line 1
初九: 曳其輪, 濡其尾, 无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: He brakes his wheels. He gets his tail in the water. No blame.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, 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.
Blofeld: He brakes the wheel of his chariot and gets the rear part wet -- no error!
Liu: The brake to the wheel. The tail gets wet. No blame.
Shaughnessy: Dragging his ribbon, wetting his tail; there is no trouble.
Cleary (1): Dragging the wheel, wetting the tail, there is no fault.
Cleary (2): Dragging the wheels – it is right that there be no problem.
Wu: The wheels are pulled back. The tail is immersed in water. There will be no error.
Line 2
六二: 婦喪其茀, 勿逐, 七日得．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The woman loses the curtain of her carriage. Do not run after it; on the seventh day you will get it.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, 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.
Blofeld: The lady loses the blind from her chariot window. She should not go in search of it, for she will recover it in seven days.
Liu: A lady loses her carriage curtain. Without seeking it, it will be regained within seven days.
Shaughnessy: The wife loses her hair; do not follow, in seven days you will get it.
Cleary (1): A woman loses her protection. Do not pursue; you will get it in seven days.
Cleary (2): A woman loses her protection. Let her not give chase: she will find it in seven days.
Wu: A woman has lost the curtain of her carriage. There is no need to look for it. After seven days it will be found.
Line 3
九三: 高宗伐鬼方三年,克之．小人勿用．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The Illustrious Ancestor disciplines the devil's country. After three years he conquers it. Inferior people must not be employed.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, suggests the case of Kao Tsung who attacked the Demon region, but was three years in subduing it. Inferior men should not be employed in such enterprises.
Blofeld: The Illustrious Ancestor (namely, the Emperor Wu Ting, 1324 BC) carried out a punitive expedition in Kuei Fang (literally, the Land of the Devils) and conquered it after three years -- men of mean attainments would have been useless! (The Land of Devils was probably a territory inhabited by non-Chinese tribes. The implication is that only a man of outstanding capability should attempt any difficult task now.)
Liu: The emperor Kao Tsung chastised the barbarian country and conquered it in three years. The inferior man should no longer be employed.
Shaughnessy: The High Ancestor attacks the Devil-land, in three years conquering it; the little man should not use it.
Cleary: The emperor attacks the barbarians, and conquers them after three years. Do not employ inferior people.
Wu: Gao Zong took military actions against Guifan. After three years, he quelled the rebellion. Little men should not be trusted.
Line 4
六四: 繻有衣袽, 終日戒．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The finest clothes turn to rags. Be careful all day long.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject with rags provided against any leak in her boat, and on guard all day long.
Blofeld: Amidst the fine silk are ragged garments -- be cautious throughout the livelong day!
Liu: One has silk clothes but wears rags. Be cautious all day. (This line indicates that you can expect to have enough money to live comfortably.)
Shaughnessy: The short coat has jacket wadding; in winter days be warned.
Cleary (1): With wadding to plug leaks, one is watchful all day.
Cleary (2): There are rags in fine cloth – be alert all the time.
Wu: Rags are used to plug leaks. This is a matter of concern all day long.
Line 5
九五: 東鄰殺牛, 不如西鄰之禴祭, 實受其福．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The neighbor in the east who slaughters an ox does not attain as much real happiness as the neighbor in the west with his small offering.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows its subject as the neighbor in the east who slaughters an ox for his sacrifice; but this is not equal to the small spring sacrifice of the neighbor in the west, whose sincerity receives the blessing.
Blofeld: In terms of benefits, the neighbor to the east gained less from sacrificing an ox than the neighbor to the west obtained from carrying out the spring sacrifice.
Liu: The eastern neighbor sacrificed an ox; the western neighbor made a simple offering, but he received the blessing. (Many will succeed in small undertakings but fail in grand schemes.)
Shaughnessy: The eastern neighbor kills an ox to sacrifice; it is not as good as the western neighbor's spring sacrifice in really receiving its blessing; auspicious.
Cleary (1): Slaughtering an ox in the neighborhood to the east is not as good as the ceremomy in the neighborhood to the west, really receiving the blessing.
Cleary (2): ... The genuine get the blessings.
Wu: The neighbor on the east side slaughters an ox. What he does is less rewarding than the neighbor on the west side, who makes simple offerings in the summer and receives an abundance of blessings.
Line 6
上六: 濡其首, 厲．
Wilhelm/Baynes: He gets his head in the water. Danger.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject with even her head immersed. The position is perilous.
Blofeld: His head gets wet -- trouble!
Liu: His head gets wet. Danger. (Avoid evil persons lest you yourself become tainted.)
Shaughnessy: Wetting his head; danger.
Cleary (1): When the head gets wet, one is in danger.
Cleary (2): Getting the head wet is dangerous.
Wu: The fox immerses his head in water. Perilous.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 63 Ji Ji represents completion, accomplishment and success. All the lines of Yin and Yang are at their proper placement. This suggests success and fame.
Keep a close eye on details. Stay tuned to any possible problems arising and take nothing for granted as you consolidate your gains.
Life has entered a phase where everything appears almost flawless. It cautions us to be cautious because when luck is at its zenith, indications of decline may surface.
