初
初九。鞏用黄牛之革。
Secure with yellow ox-hide. Prepare firm foundations before change.
䷸
Hexagram 49
Revolution (Molting) (革)
Kaku / Gé
Like shedding skin, deep change is called for. Act at the right time with clear mandate.
Judgment
革。己日乃孚。元亨利貞、悔亡。
Revolution. On the day of Ji, sincerity. Great success, benefit in correctness; regret disappears.
Transform boldly when the moment is ripe and legitimacy is clear.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。己日乃革之、征吉、无咎。
Change it on the right day; going forth is lucky, no blame. Act at proper time.
三
九三。征凶、貞厲。革言三就、有孚。
Going now brings misfortune; correct but dangerous. State change thrice to gain trust.
四
九四。悔亡、有孚改命、吉。
Regret gone; sincere mandate changed—good fortune.
五
九五。大人虎變、未占有孚。
The great person changes like a tiger; even without divination, there is trust. Majestic change inspires confidence.
上
上六。君子豹變、小人革面、征凶、居貞吉。
The noble transforms like a leopard; the petty only changes his face. Going brings misfortune; staying correct is good. Hold position after change.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 49, Gé (Revolution), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Dui (Lake) above and Li (Fire) below. Like shedding skin, deep change is called for. Act at the right time with clear mandate. 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
Refresh the relationship; honest change brings new life. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 49 (Gé) describes the meeting point of Dui (lake) above and Li (fire) 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
Reforms succeed if timed and justified well. In work and career, Gé points to whether the outer market or workplace (Dui (lake)) and your inner stance (Li (fire)) 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 Gé situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Adopt new health routines decisively. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 49 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Gé 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 49 (Gé, Revolution) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Like shedding skin, deep change is called for. Act at the right time with clear mandate." 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.
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