Hexagram 63 of the I Ching: Ji Ji (既濟), After Completion — meaning and lines
Hexagram 63 of the I Ching, Ji Ji (既濟): After Completion. Li beneath Kan, the judgment, six lines, a careful reading.
Key points
| Number | 63 of 64 (King Wen sequence) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | Ji Ji (既濟) |
| French name | Ji Ji, After Completion |
| Lower trigram | ☲ Li, Fire |
| Upper trigram | ☵ Kan, Water |
| Image | Water above fire: the cooking pot in the midst of cooking |
| Twin hexagram | No. 64, Wei Ji, Before Completion |
| Nature of the text | A book of wisdom and divination, a tool for reflection, not a prediction |
Ji Ji: what is it about?
Hexagram 63, Ji Ji (既濟, roughly pronounced “jee jee”), is the hexagram of completion: the ford has been crossed, the task is finished. The figure is remarkable: the six lines alternate regularly, yang then yin, each in the place that suits it. According to the commentary on the sequence of the hexagrams, it follows Preponderance of the Small: whoever has overstepped the mark must finish what they have undertaken.
The two trigrams
The first three lines (at the bottom) form the lower trigram, the last three the upper one. Here, Fire (Li) lies beneath Water (Kan).
| Position | Trigram | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Upper (top) | ☵ Kan, Water | Water |
| Lower (bottom) | ☲ Li, Fire | Fire |
Water above Fire: the pot over the flame, water that heats and cooks. The two forces are in place and in contact, which is the condition for success, and also what makes it fragile.
The judgment in brief
The judgment is nuanced: success in small matters, and perseverance is favorable; good at the start, disorder at the end. My summary: when everything is in order, the only possible movement is decline, so stay watchful at the peak. The Image says it plainly: the noble one thinks of possible misfortune and guards against it in advance.
General meaning
Ji Ji describes achieved success and its reverse: a perfect order tends to settle in and harden. The text does not condemn completion; it invites us not to fall asleep.
The six lines are almost all precautions: slowing down, not chasing, choosing collaborators well, plugging leaks.
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). You brake the wheel; the fox wets its tail: no blame. Moderate your momentum at the very start of success.
- Line 2 (yin). The woman loses the curtain of her carriage: there is no need to search, it will return in seven days. A loss that is repaired with patience.
- Line 3 (yang). King Gaozong attacks a distant people and takes three years to defeat them; petty people should not be employed. A long and costly undertaking, whose outcome depends on the choice of people.
- Line 4 (yin). In the leaking boat, one keeps rags to plug the gaps: stay on your guard all day. This line is obscure; this is the most common reading.
- Line 5 (yang). The neighbour to the east slaughters an ox; the neighbour to the west makes a modest offering, and it is he who receives the blessing. Sincerity is worth more than show.
- Line 6, at the top (yin). You wet your head: danger. Going too far in the crossing means drowning in it.
Changing lines
A “changing” line is about to turn into its opposite. One reads its text, then the hexagram that results from the change, taken as the direction the situation is taking; the schools diverge when several lines are changing.
| Changing line | Change | Resulting hexagram |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | yang becomes yin | No. 39, Jian, Obstruction |
| Line 2 | yin becomes yang | No. 5, Xu, Waiting |
| Line 3 | yang becomes yin | No. 3, Zhun, Difficulty at the Beginning |
| Line 4 | yin becomes yang | No. 49, Ge, Revolution |
| Line 5 | yang becomes yin | No. 36, Ming Yi, Darkening of the Light |
| Line 6 | yin becomes yang | No. 37, Jia Ren, The Family |
Changing all six lines together would give No. 64 (Wei Ji, Before Completion). Since each line sits in its place, any changing line upsets the balance: the hexagram shows what one risks by changing what works. Lines 1 and 6 (tail and head wet) frame the crossing.
A careful modern reading
Ji Ji is read in relation to a project that succeeds: a launch, a diploma, the end of building work, a reconciliation. The current reading finds in it advice on upkeep: once the goal is reached, stay vigilant. Nothing indicates that a completion awaits you: it is an angle for reflection.
Questions for reflection
- Which goal is nearly reached, and how will I sustain it afterwards?
- What simple precautions can I take right now?
- Where is sincerity worth more than show?
- Where do I tend to go too far once success is assured?
Mistakes to avoid
- Believing that “completed” means “guaranteed forever”: the judgment foretells disorder at the end of the course.
- Forgetting that lines 4 and 5 recommend vigilance and modesty, not celebration.
- Taking hexagram 63 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 “Ji Ji, After Completion” follows one translation tradition among others; in Chinese, Ji Ji (既濟). Other translations speak of achievement, accomplishment or a completed crossing, and English-language books use “After Completion” or “Already Fording”. Readings differ on line 4 (clothing or boat, rags), which is obscure.
In the King Wen sequence, it forms a pair with No. 64 (Wei Ji, Before Completion), whose figure is both its inversion and its reverse. Full list: all 64 hexagrams of the I Ching.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 63 of the I Ching mean?
Ji Ji, After Completion: the crossing is made, everything is in place, and it is time to stay vigilant, since perfect order is fragile.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 63?
Li, Fire, below, and Kan, Water, above.
Why is this hexagram called “perfect”?
Because its six lines alternate yang and yin, each in its place. Commentators see a completed balance, and therefore an unstable one.
What links After Completion and Before Completion?
They form a pair: After Completion (63) shows what is accomplished; Before Completion (64) shows the unfinished, which opens a new cycle.
What happens when a line of hexagram 63 is changing?
It turns into its opposite and gives rise to a second hexagram, read as the direction the situation is taking. The table on the page gives the resulting hexagram for each of the six lines.
Can I rely on hexagram 63 to make a decision?
It can feed your reflection, but it never replaces the advice of a professional. For health, money, law or safety, consult the competent person; in distress, call 3114 in France, or 112 (the emergency number throughout 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.