In the Book of Changes, revolution starts as an animal shedding its winter coat.
Hexagram 49 is usually translated “Revolution,” which suggests barricades. The Chinese name, 革 (gé), is older and stranger: it is a picture of an animal hide with the hair scraped off. The Shuowen Jiezi, the classical dictionary of Chinese characters, defines it as a hide cured of its hair, and the hexagram’s image is a pelt changing with the seasons. Read that way, revolution is less an uprising than a molt: the old covering comes away because the creature underneath has changed.
English names flatten a lot of this. 解 (Deliverance) shows a knife cutting the horn from an ox. 師 (The Army) is also the everyday word for teacher. 否 (Standstill) and 泰 (Peace) are paired so tightly that Chinese still says 否極泰來 (pǐ jí tài lái): when standstill reaches its limit, peace comes. So the question this reference keeps asking is what each name meant before it was translated.
Each entry gives the hexagram’s sense in a sentence or two, what the character shows where the explanation is reliable, and a few modern words that still carry it. Popular etymologies of these characters are often folk inventions, so where the Shuowen or the classical commentaries give a reading, the entry follows them, and where no reliable account was at hand, the entry leaves the character unexplained.
Hexagrams 1–16
1. 乾 (Qián): The Creative. Heaven and pure yang: strong, forward movement and a time of great potential for those willing to act. Character: its left side derives from an old form showing the sun rising above the horizon. Words: 乾坤 (qiánkūn), heaven and earth, the universe.
2. 坤 (Kūn): The Receptive. Earth and pure yin: nurture, support, patience and the strength of yielding. It describes growth that comes through openness rather than force. Character: 土 (earth) beside 申. Words: 乾坤 (qiánkūn), heaven and earth; 坤道 (kūndào), the way of yin; 坤包 (kūnbāo), a woman’s handbag, using 坤 for the feminine.
3. 屯 (Zhūn): Initial Difficulties. The struggle at the start of any new undertaking. Progress comes through patience and building a firm foundation, not through forcing. Character: a sprout pushing up through hard ground. Words: as an everyday word the character is read tún: 屯兵 (túnbīng), to garrison troops; 屯積 (túnjī), to stockpile.
4. 蒙 (Méng): Youthful Folly. Inexperience, and the learning that comes from mistakes. The hexagram stresses the need for a teacher, and the student’s need to ask. Character: the plant radical over 冡, “to cover.” Words: 蒙昧 (méngmèi), benighted, ignorant; 蒙在鼓裡 (méng zài gǔ lǐ), literally “covered inside a drum,” kept in the dark; 蒙騙 (méngpiàn), to hoodwink.
5. 需 (Xū): Waiting. Patience before action: holding to one’s principles and staying alert until the right moment comes. Character: 雨 (rain) over 而; the Shuowen glosses it as being stopped by rain and waiting. Words: 需要 (xūyào), to need; 需求 (xūqiú), demand.
6. 訟 (Sòng): Conflict. Disputes and lawsuits. The advice is caution: avoid pressing a quarrel to the end, and look for resolution before the fight hardens. Character: 言 (speech) beside 公, which supplies the sound. Words: 訴訟 (sùsòng), a lawsuit; 爭訟 (zhēngsòng), to dispute.
7. 師 (Shī): The Army. Discipline and organisation in pursuit of a common goal, which depend on clear command and trusted leadership. Character: the Shuowen defines a 師 as a body of 2,500 soldiers. Words: 教師 (jiàoshī), teacher; 師傅 (shīfu), master craftsman; 軍師 (jūnshī), military strategist.
8. 比 (Bǐ): Holding Together. Alliance, loyalty and mutual support around a shared centre. Character: two people standing side by side. Words: 比較 (bǐjiào), to compare; 比賽 (bǐsài), a contest; 比翼雙飛 (bǐyì shuāngfēi), “two birds flying wing to wing,” a devoted couple.
9. 小畜 (Xiǎo Chù): Taming Power of the Small. Restraint by small means: modest, steady effort when large moves are blocked. Character: 小 (small) with 畜, to raise or tame animals, so “small taming.”
10. 履 (Lǚ): Treading Carefully. Careful conduct in a delicate position, keeping integrity while stepping near danger. Character: the word means both “shoe” and “to tread.” Words: 履行 (lǚxíng), to carry out an obligation; 履歷 (lǚlì), a résumé, one’s record of steps; 履帶 (lǚdài), caterpillar track.
11. 泰 (Tài): Peace. Harmony and prosperity, when heaven and earth are in communion and yin and yang balance. Character: 水 (water) beneath 大 (great). Words: 泰然 (tàirán), calm, composed; 安泰 (āntài), safe and well; 泰國 (Tàiguó), Thailand.
12. 否 (Pǐ): Standstill. Stagnation, when heaven and earth fail to meet and progress is blocked. The counsel is to keep one’s inner strength until the time turns. Character: 口 (mouth) with 不 (not), a spoken “no.” Words: in everyday use it is read fǒu: 否定 (fǒudìng), to deny; 否決 (fǒujué), to veto.
13. 同人 (Tóng Rén): Fellowship. People united by a shared aim, beyond family and faction. Character: 同 (same, together) with 人 (people). Words: 同事 (tóngshì), colleague; 同志 (tóngzhì), comrade.
14. 大有 (Dà Yǒu): Great Possessions. Abundance and success, which call for humility and responsible use. Character: 大 (great) with 有 (to have).
15. 謙 (Qiān): Modesty. Humility as a source of success: recognising one’s limits and valuing the contributions of others. Character: 言 (speech) with 兼, suggesting modest speech. Words: 謙虛 (qiānxū), modest; 謙讓 (qiānràng), to yield politely.
16. 豫 (Yù): Enthusiasm. Joyful readiness that moves others to follow. Character: 予 with 象 (elephant); the Shuowen glosses it as a large elephant. Words: 猶豫 (yóuyù), to hesitate, the opposite of the hexagram’s mood.
Hexagrams 17–32
17. 隨 (Suí): Following. Adapting to the times and going along with what is right, while keeping one’s principles. Words: 隨和 (suíhé), easygoing; 隨機 (suíjī), random; 隨時 (suíshí), at any time.
18. 蠱 (Gǔ): Correcting. Decay, and the work of correcting it, often decay inherited from those who came before. Character: 虫 (worms) inside 皿 (a vessel), decay left to breed. Words: 蠱惑 (gǔhuò), to bewitch; 蠱毒 (gǔdú), a sorcerer’s poison bred from insects.
19. 臨 (Lín): Approaching. Something drawing near: a time to prepare and to approach others with care. Character: a figure bending to look down over things, the stance of someone overseeing. Words: 臨時 (línshí), temporary; 臨近 (línjìn), close at hand.
20. 觀 (Guān): Contemplation. Observation and reflection, both seeing clearly and being seen as an example. Character: 見 (to see) with 雚, a heron-like bird. Words: 觀察 (guānchá), to observe; 觀點 (guāndiǎn), point of view; 觀眾 (guānzhòng), audience.
21. 噬嗑 (Shì Kè): Biting Through. Removing an obstacle by decisive force, and the just use of punishment. Character: 噬 (to bite) with 嗑 (to crack with the teeth). Words: 嗑瓜子 (kè guāzǐ), to crack melon seeds; 噬菌體 (shìjūntǐ), a bacteriophage, literally “bacteria-biting body.”
22. 賁 (Bì): Grace. Beauty, form and adornment, which serve substance but cannot replace it. Character: 貝 (cowrie shell) under 卉; the Shuowen glosses it as “ornament.”
23. 剝 (Bō): Peeling Away. Decline and erosion, when the inferior pushes out the superior. The counsel is to wait it out rather than resist. Character: 刂 (knife) with 彔. Words: 剝皮 (bāopí), to skin or peel; 剝落 (bōluò), to flake off.
24. 復 (Fù): Return. The turning point after decline, when the light comes back. Character: 彳 (step) with 复 (to go back and forth). Words: 恢復 (huīfù), to recover; 復興 (fùxīng), revival; 復習 (fùxí), to review.
25. 無妄 (Wú Wàng): Innocence. Freedom from falsehood and scheming, and acting without ulterior motive. It also covers the unexpected that strikes the innocent. Character: 無 (without) with 妄 (reckless, false). Words: 無妄之災 (wú wàng zhī zāi), an undeserved calamity, an idiom taken from this hexagram.
26. 大畜 (Dà Chù): Great Accumulation. Holding strength in reserve and accumulating it, through discipline and study, for long-term goals. Character: 大 (great) with 畜, livestock or to accumulate. Words: 畜牧 (xùmù), animal husbandry; 畜力 (chùlì), draught power.
27. 頤 (Yí): Nourishment. What we feed ourselves and others, in body and mind. Character: 頁 (head) with an old form for the jaw. Words: 頤養 (yíyǎng), to nurture one’s health; 頤和園 (Yíhéyuán), the Summer Palace in Beijing, “Garden of Nurtured Harmony.”
28. 大過 (Dà Guò): Excess. Excess that strains the structure, like a ridgepole sagging under too much weight. It calls for decisive change. Character: 大 (great) with 過 (to pass, exceed). Words: 過度 (guòdù), excessive; 過失 (guòshī), fault.
29. 坎 (Kǎn): The Abyss. Repeated danger, met by sincerity and steady movement, like water flowing through a gorge. Character: 土 (earth) with 欠, a pit in the ground. Words: 坎坷 (kǎnkě), bumpy; full of hardship.
30. 離 (Lí): Radiance, Fire. Radiance that depends on something to cling to, as fire clings to wood. Character: 离 with 隹 (bird); it was first the name of a bird. Words: 離開 (líkāi), to leave; 離婚 (líhūn), divorce; 離奇 (líqí), bizarre.
31. 咸 (Xián): Influence. Mutual attraction and courtship, influence that works by feeling. Character: the classical commentary glosses 咸 as 感, “to feel, to move,” the same character without the heart beneath. In modern simplified Chinese 咸 also means “salty.” Words: 咸魚翻身 (xiányú fānshēn), “the salted fish turns over,” a reversal of fortune.
32. 恆 (Héng): Perseverance. Constancy and endurance, the persistence that keeps a course for the long term. Character: 忄 (heart) with 亘. Words: 恆心 (héngxīn), perseverance; 恆久 (héngjiǔ), lasting.
Hexagrams 33–48
33. 遯 (Dùn): Retreat. Strategic withdrawal when circumstances are against you, as a way to preserve strength. Character: the walking radical with 豚 (piglet). Words: 遁逃 (dùntáo), to flee.
34. 大壯 (Dà Zhuàng): Great Power. Strength at its height, which must be used in line with what is right. Character: 大 (great) with 壯 (robust). Words: 壯志 (zhuàngzhì), lofty ambition; 壯觀 (zhuàngguān), magnificent; 壯年 (zhuàngnián), the prime of life.
35. 晉 (Jìn): Progress. Rapid advance and recognition, like the sun rising over the earth. Character: the Shuowen glosses it as “to advance: the sun comes out and all things advance.” Words: 晉升 (jìnshēng), promotion; 晉級 (jìnjí), to move up a level.
36. 明夷 (Míng Yí): Darkening of the Light. Adversity under a dark ruler, when it is wise to hide one’s light and keep one’s inner clarity. Character: 明 (brightness) with 夷, which the commentaries read as “wounded”: the light injured.
37. 家人 (Jiā Rén): Family. The household and its roles, where the order of the family is the model for the order of the state. Character: 家 (home) with 人 (people).
38. 睽 (Kuí): Opposition. Estrangement and divergence, in which small matters can still succeed. Character: 目 (eye) with 癸, which supplies the sound; the Shuowen glosses it as eyes not looking the same way. Words: 眾目睽睽 (zhòng mù kuí kuí), under the staring eyes of everyone.
39. 蹇 (Jiǎn): Obstruction. An obstacle ahead, met by turning back to examine oneself and seeking help. Character: its plain sense is “lame,” with 足 (foot) at the bottom.
40. 解 (Xiè): Deliverance. Release after hardship, when the knot loosens. The counsel is to return to normal quickly and forgive. Character: a knife (刀) cutting the horn (角) from an ox (牛). Words: 解決 (jiějué), to solve; 解釋 (jiěshì), to explain.
41. 損 (Sǔn): Decrease. Giving up something now for a deeper gain later, and simplifying in sincerity. Character: 扌 (hand) with 員. Words: 損失 (sǔnshī), loss; 減損 (jiǎnsǔn), to reduce.
42. 益 (Yì): Increase. Growth and benefit, which flow from the top down and should be shared. Character: water (水) brimming over a vessel (皿); the overflowing sense later went to 溢. Words: 利益 (lìyì), benefit; 公益 (gōngyì), public good.
43. 夬 (Guài): Breakthrough. Resolute action to remove what is wrong, carried out openly. Character: it survives as a component in 決 (to decide), 缺 (a gap) and 快 (quick).
44. 姤 (Gòu): Encounter. An unexpected encounter, attractive and potentially dangerous, which calls for discernment. Character: 女 (woman) with 后.
45. 萃 (Cuì): Gathering. People and resources assembling around a shared centre or purpose. Character: the plant radical with 卒. Words: 薈萃 (huìcuì), to gather the best together.
46. 升 (Shēng): Ascending. Steady ascent through effort, like a tree growing. Words: 上升 (shàngshēng), to rise; 提升 (tíshēng), to raise or promote; 升級 (shēngjí), to upgrade.
47. 困 (Kùn): Confinement. Exhaustion and confinement, which test one’s inner resources. Character: a tree (木) hemmed inside an enclosure (囗). Words: 困境 (kùnjìng), predicament; 困擾 (kùnrǎo), to trouble; 疲困 (píkùn), weary.
48. 井 (Jǐng): Well. The shared source that nourishes everyone and must be maintained. Towns move, but the well stays. Character: the square frame around a well. Words: 水井 (shuǐjǐng), a water well; 井然有序 (jǐngrán yǒuxù), orderly; 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā), a frog at the bottom of a well, someone with a narrow view.
Hexagrams 49–64
49. 革 (Gé): Revolution. Change whose time has come, when old forms must be stripped away. Character: an animal hide with its hair removed; the Shuowen defines it as a hide cured of its hair. Words: 變革 (biàngé), reform; 革命 (gémìng), revolution.
50. 鼎 (Dǐng): Cauldron. Transformation and nourishment, the sacrificial vessel that turns raw food into offering and sustains culture. Character: a three-legged bronze cauldron. Words: 鼎盛 (dǐngshèng), at the height of prosperity; 鼎力 (dǐnglì), full support; 鼎新 (dǐngxīn), to renew.
51. 震 (Zhèn): Shock. Sudden shock that brings fear and then awakening. Character: 雨 (rain) over 辰; the Shuowen glosses it as a thunderclap. Words: 震動 (zhèndòng), vibration; 震驚 (zhènjīng), to astonish.
52. 艮 (Gèn): Immobility. Stillness, knowing when to stop, and calming the mind.
53. 漸 (Jiàn): Gradual Progress. Gradual progress, like a tree growing on a mountain. Character: 氵 (water) with 斬. Words: 逐漸 (zhújiàn), gradually; 漸變 (jiànbiàn), gradual change; 漸進 (jiànjìn), step by step.
54. 歸妹 (Guīmèi): The Marrying Maiden. A union entered from a subordinate position, requiring tact and acceptance of limits. Character: 歸 (to return) is also the old word for a bride going to her husband’s house, so 歸妹 is a younger sister given in marriage.
55. 豐 (Fēng): Abundance. Fullness at its peak, to be enjoyed knowing it cannot last, like the sun at noon. Character: a 豆 ritual vessel heaped full; the simplified form is 丰. Words: 豐收 (fēngshōu), a bumper harvest.
56. 旅 (Lǚ): Journey. Travel and the stranger’s position, which calls for caution and modesty. Character: people gathered under a banner; the Shuowen defines a 旅 as a unit of 500 soldiers. Words: 旅行 (lǚxíng), to travel; 旅遊 (lǚyóu), tourism.
57. 巽 (Xùn): Gentle Wind. Gentle, persistent influence that penetrates, as wind does.
58. 兌 (Duì): Joy, Satisfaction. Joy and shared pleasure, kept true by firmness within. Character: the classical commentary glosses it as 說, “to delight,” and it is the root of 悅 (joy). Words: 兌換 (duìhuàn), to exchange or convert.
59. 渙 (Huàn): Dispersion, Dissipation. Dissolving what has hardened, whether rigid egos or divisions, so people can be reunited. Character: 氵 (water) with 奐. Words: 渙散 (huànsàn), to slacken or scatter; 渙然冰釋 (huànrán bīngshì), to melt away like ice, as doubts or tensions dissolve.
60. 節 (Jié): Restraint, Moderation. Setting limits and keeping moderation, without making the limits so harsh they cannot be kept. Character: 竹 (bamboo) with 即; the core sense is the joint of a bamboo stalk. The simplified 节 uses the plant radical instead. Words: 節約 (jiéyuē), to economise; 節奏 (jiézòu), rhythm.
61. 中孚 (Zhōng Fú): Inner Truth, Sincerity. Sincerity that can move even the unreceptive, and trust built from within. Character: 中 (centre, within) with 孚 (trust, sincerity).
62. 小過 (Xiǎo Guò): Minor Excess. A time for small things and modesty, when overstepping in small ways is tolerable but great undertakings are not.
63. 既濟 (Jì Jì): Completion. The crossing is done and everything is in place, which is when vigilance matters most. Character: 既 (already) with 濟 (to cross a river). Words: 救濟 (jiùjì), relief, aid.
64. 未濟 (Wèi Jì): Unfinished. Not yet across. The book ends here, unfinished, with the next crossing still ahead. Character: 未 (not yet) with 濟 (to cross). Words: 未來 (wèilái), the future; 未成年 (wèichéngnián), underage.
References:
- Explanation of I Ching Hexagrams and Lines, Wikibooks