• Hexagram 58 (our 49)
• Hexagram 31 (our 50)
• Hexagram 49 (our 51)
• Hexagram 45 (our 52)

58. Tui - The Joyous, Lake. Open / Enjoying Life

Statement: While enjoying life as you can, seek to comprehend its inherent dangers so as not to be outsmarted.

HEXAGRAM 58: Who borders on peril, may take pleasure in attracting lots of others.

After ridding himself of mistakes a man can have joy. (W)

One is to recognise the situation and comprehend its danger, and also know how to protect himself and remain unharmed. (W)

Seductive joyousness may cause one to give up direction of his own life. That is a recurrent danger. (W)

Seeking pleasure in what injures oneself, is seeking the perilous. (J)

The superior man, in accordance with this, encourages the conversation of friends and the stimulus of their common practice. (M)

You should not set the stage for unhappiness by putting trust in people and situations you do not know very well. (M)

31. Hsien - Influence, Wooing. Conjoining / Mutual Influence

Statement: To take a persevering maiden to wife brings good fortune by perseverance (at work in both).

HEXAGRAM 31: Some that marry young women get fortunes through it.

There is not to be remorse for firm correctness that serves one's good fortune. (L)

Deep magnetic attractions interact between persons. Our hearts should be open to the justified appeals of others. (M)

Each individual is constantly interacting with neighbours, friends, relatives and colleagues at work in the course of daily life. They would feel more deeply touched by the non-verbal appeal of an affectionate dog than by their neighbour's chatter. (M)

49. Ko - Revolution (Molting). Skinning / Profound Changes

Statement: Change is part of life, yet stability is also essential for survival. One is to alter little where things run very well. Yet one can let clear guiding lines come to the fore and bring good fortune too.

HEXAGRAM 49: What is believed only after being dealt with or accomplished, met with no favourable attention in the first place.

The great man changes as the tiger his stripes. The superior man also changes as the leopard his spots, while small men change their faces (put on airs to fit in) (L)

Times change, and with them their demands. We must be satisfied with the attainable. (W, M)

A premature offensive may bring untoward results. (W)

Public confidence brings good fortune to some. (W)

Some will meet with belief and will accomplish something through it. (W)

The form of government that works for bad, in the end meets with no success, even revolt.

45. Tsui - Gathering Together (Massing). Clustering / The Happy Union

Statement: You could have success by both heart-felt and spontaneous offerings. Also, the superior man renews his weapons in order to meet the unforeseen.

HEXAGRAM 45: Not a few victims have been used to make the fortunes of others.

Where possessions are collected, robbery may ensue. Under such circumstances we must arm promptly to ward off the unexpected. If we are prepared, woes from unexpected events and quarters can be prevented. (W)

If you do not find like-minded people, you may go lonely and sad through life. So when you associates with others, don't forget to check whether they are dear, or your kind of people. All things seem well on the surface through happy unions with like-minded people. Yet, to find like-minded people is not always easy (M).

It may happen that an individual would like to ally himself with another, but his good intentions are misunderstood. However, the best friendships emerge spontaneously. And sincerity encourages relationships when all goes well. (W, M)

Let sincere leaders go on managing if the are blamefree. General unity may give rise to good fortune.

In some circumstances it is undoubtedly right that formalities are necessary. (W)

(B) Baynes, Cary F., tr. I Ching or Book of Changes: The Richard Wilhelm Translation. London: Penguin Books, 2003.

(H) Barrett, Hilary. I Ching: Walking Your Path, Creating Your Future. London: Arcturus, 2010.

(L) Legge, James, tr. The Yî King. Part II of The Texts of Confucianism. Sacred Books of the East Vol. 16. The Sacred Books of China. Vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1882. - Online version.

(M) Markert, Christopher. I Ching. The No. 1 Success Formula. Wellingborough: Aquarian, 1988.

(R) Wing, R. L. I Ching arbejdsbogen (I Ching Workbook). Copenhagen: Borgen, 1988 (New York: Doubleday, 1979).