I Ching Hexagram 49: Ge (革), Revolution — Meaning and Lines
I Ching Hexagram 49, Ge (革): Revolution. Li below Dui, judgement, six lines, a careful reading.
Key points
| Number | 49 of 64 (King Wen sequence) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | Ge (革) |
| Name in French | Ge, la Révolution (Revolution) |
| Lower trigram | ☲ Li, Fire |
| Upper trigram | ☱ Dui, Lake |
| Image | Fire at the heart of a lake: two forces that clash and change form |
| Twin hexagram | No. 50, Ding, The Cauldron |
| Nature of the text | A book of wisdom and oracle, a tool for reflection, not a prediction |
Ge: what is it about?
Hexagram 49, Ge (革, pronounced roughly "guh"), evokes radical change. The character designates an animal hide stretched and then flayed, leather, and by extension that which moults and renews itself. In modern Chinese, the word "revolution" is geming (革命), "changing the mandate", an expression that comes precisely from this hexagram and its commentary.
The two trigrams
The first three lines (at the bottom) form the lower trigram, the last three the upper one. Here, the Fire (Li) lies beneath the Lake (Dui).
| Position | Trigram | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Upper (top) | ☱ Dui, the Lake | The lake |
| Lower (bottom) | ☲ Li, the Fire | The fire |
Fire beneath the Lake: water and fire in contact, each at risk of extinguishing or boiling the other. The ancient commentary also sees two young women who live in the same house without sharing the same desires, hence the tension that drives change.
The judgement in brief
The judgement fits into a few words: on the appointed day, trust comes; great success; perseverance is favourable; regrets disappear. The phrase "on the appointed day" is read in several ways (a day completed, or a day of the sixty-day cycle). My summary: a change is believed only once the moment has come and trust has been earned; the Image connects it to the work of the calendar, which puts the seasons back in order.
General meaning
Ge describes a profound metamorphosis: the moult of an animal, the tanning of a hide, the reform of an institution. The text does not glorify change for its own sake: it calls for time, repeated explanations and visible sincerity.
Tradition also sees in it the change of dynasty, the fall of the Shang replaced by the Zhou, as a "moulting of the mandate". Historians distinguish the legitimising account from what actually happened.
The six lines, from bottom to top
Each line is summarised in my own words; the ancient text is very elliptical and commentators complete it in different ways.
- Line 1, at the bottom (yang). One is tied up in a yellow ox hide: firmly held back. This is not the time to change.
- Line 2 (yin). When the day comes, one carries out the change; moving forward is favourable, without blame.
- Line 3 (yang). Rushing ahead would be unfortunate, insisting is perilous: a project of change must be discussed three times before it is believed.
- Line 4 (yang). Regrets fade. With sincerity, one can modify the established order, and this is favourable.
- Line 5 (yang). The great person changes like a tiger: before any consultation, trust is already won.
- Line 6, at the top (yin). The person of worth changes like a leopard, with finer spots; ordinary people change only their face. To press on would be harmful; remaining steadfast is good.
Changing lines
A "changing" line is about to turn into its opposite. One reads its text, then the hexagram that arises from the change, taken as the direction the situation is taking; schools differ when several lines are changing.
| Changing line | Change | Resulting hexagram |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | yang becomes yin | No. 31, Xian, Influence |
| Line 2 | yin becomes yang | No. 43, Guai, Breakthrough |
| Line 3 | yang becomes yin | No. 17, Sui, Following |
| Line 4 | yang becomes yin | No. 63, Ji Ji, After Completion |
| Line 5 | yang becomes yin | No. 55, Feng, Abundance |
| Line 6 | yin becomes yang | No. 13, Tong Ren, Fellowship with Men |
If all six lines changed together, the result would be No. 4 (Meng, Youthful Folly). Lines 1 and 2 oppose each other: one says not yet to change, the other says to change on the right day. Lines 5 and 6 move from tiger to leopard: first the visible transformation, then the refinement.
A careful modern reading
Ge can be read in relation to a change of trade, place or habits, or to the reform of an organisation. Modern readings retain three points: prepare the ground, explain several times, and do not confuse changing one's face with changing for real. The text does not, however, recommend upending everything: a break in one's life, a change of treatment or a financial commitment is not decided on the basis of a hexagram.
Questions for reflection
- What in my life has already moulted without my noticing?
- Has my plan for change been explained, discussed and heard?
- Which change is only on the surface (the face) and which one is deep?
- What, for me, is the "appointed day"?
Mistakes to avoid
- Reading "revolution" as an encouragement to smash everything: the text speaks of timing and trust.
- Rushing the decision because the hexagram speaks of change.
- Taking hexagram 49 as a prediction or as medical, financial, legal or safety advice: the I Ching is a tool for reflection, and such decisions belong to a professional.
Other names and other translations
The name "Ge, Revolution" follows one translation tradition among others; in Chinese, Ge (革). Other translations speak of change, moulting, reform or mutation; in English, "revolution", "molting" or "skinning".
In the King Wen sequence, it forms a pair with No. 50 (Ding, The Cauldron), whose figure is its own read upside down. Full list: the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 49 of the I Ching mean?
Ge, revolution: a profound change, compared to the moult of a skin, which succeeds when the moment has come and trust has been won.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 49?
Li, the Fire, below, and Dui, the Lake, above.
Why does the modern Chinese word for "revolution" come from this hexagram?
The word geming (革命) means "changing the mandate"; the expression is found in the ancient commentary on the hexagram, concerning the change of dynasty.
Does Ge advise changing one's life?
No. It describes the conditions for a successful change (timing, trust, sincerity) and does not replace personal reflection or professional advice.
What happens when a line of hexagram 49 is changing?
It turns into its opposite and gives birth to a second hexagram, read as the direction the situation is taking. The table on this page gives the resulting hexagram for each of the six lines.
Can hexagram 49 be relied on to make a decision?
It can nourish reflection, but it can never replace the advice of a professional. For health, money, law or safety, consult the competent person; in case of distress, call 3114 or 112 in France (112 is the emergency number across the European Union).
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 64 hexagrams of the Yi King.