Hexagram 63, Jì Jì (After Completion): Line 1

既济卦初九 · 水火既济 · 中文版

初九:曳其轮,濡其尾,无咎。

The line (Legge)

The first NINE, undivided, (shows its subject as a driver) who drags back his wheel, (or as a fox) which has wet his tail. There will be no error.

Small Image commentary

'He drags back his wheel:' - as we may rightly judge, there will be no mistake.

象曰:曳其轮,义无咎也。

In plain words

Braking the wheels, getting the tail wet: no fault. This hexagram is "after completion", with all six lines in their proper places; the first line is at the bottom and is careful from the start, not rushing ahead, like a young fox wetting its tail. The Small Image says in principle there is no fault.

Applying it to your situation

If something has just been completed, this line suggests not rushing into the next thing but steadying yourself first. Now it is done, what still needs checking?

Position

A solid (yang) line in the first place, which is a yang (odd) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 4; one is yin and the other yang, so they respond to each other.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Jì Jì changes into Hexagram 39 Jiǎn (Obstruction). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·既济之蹇.

The hexagram

Hexagram 63 Jì Jì (After Completion). The Judgment: Ji Ji intimates progress and success in small matters. There will be advantage in being firm and correct. There has been good fortune in the beginning; there may be disorder in the end.

Next: Line 2

English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

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