初
初六。无咎。
No blame. Simple release at the start.
䷧
Hexagram 40
Deliverance (雷水解)
Raisui-kai / Xiè
Thunder over water—tension breaks. After hardship, release arrives.
Judgment
解。利西南。无所往、其來復、吉。有攸往、夙吉。
Release. Favorable southwest. If you have nowhere to go, returning brings good fortune. If you do go, early going is good.
Let go of knots; timely action or timely return both bring relief.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
九二。田獲三狐、得黃矢、貞吉。
Hunting yields three foxes and yellow arrows—correctness brings fortune. Remove crafty trouble and gain tools.
三
六三。負且乘、致寇至、貞吝。
Carrying burdens while riding invites bandits—upright yet brings shame. Mixed signals attract trouble.
四
九四。解而拇、朋至斯孚。
Releasing the toes—friends arrive and trust forms. Small freeing invites allies.
五
六五。君子維有解、吉、有孚于小人。
The noble has release—good fortune. Even the petty feel sincere. Broad relief.
上
上六。公用射隼于高墉之上、獲之、无不利。
Shooting the falcon atop the high wall—you take it; nothing unfavorable. Remove the last threat.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 40, Xiè (Deliverance), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Zhen (Thunder) above and Kan (Water) below. Thunder over water—tension breaks. After hardship, release arrives. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Problems ease; communicate openly to clear air. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 40 (Xiè) describes the meeting point of Zhen (thunder) above and Kan (water) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Resolve issues decisively; early moves favored. In work and career, Xiè points to whether the outer market or workplace (Zhen (thunder)) and your inner stance (Kan (water)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Xiè situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Relief after strain; continue care to prevent relapse. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 40 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Xiè usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 40 (Xiè, Deliverance) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Thunder over water—tension breaks. After hardship, release arrives." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
Go Deeper in the I Ching App
Study real readings, changing lines, and FAQs. The AI edition gives tailored interpretations and dialogue.
📖 The app translation is now a book
Wilhelm's I Ching (Japanese edition)
is now available as a book
Free with Kindle Unlimited