Hexagram 64: Wèi Jì (Before Completion)
火水未济 · 第 64 卦 · Fire over Water · 中文版
The Judgment
Wei Ji intimates progress and success (in the circumstances which it implies). (We see) a young fox that has nearly crossed (the stream), when its tail gets immersed. There will be no advantage in any way.
未济：亨，小狐汔济，濡其尾，无攸利。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
'Wei Ji intimates progress and success (in the circumstances which it implies):' - the weak (fifth) line is in the centre. 'The young fox has nearly crossed the stream:' - but he has not yet escaped from the midst (of the danger and calamity). 'Its tail gets immersed. There will be no advantage in any way:' - there is not at the end a continuance (of the purpose) at the beginning. Although the places (of the different lines) are not those appropriate to them, yet a strong (line) and a weak (line always) respond to each other.
彖曰：未济，亨，柔得中也。小狐汔济，未出中也。濡其尾无攸利，不续终也。虽不当位，刚柔应也。
The Great Image
(The trigram representing) water and that for fire above it form Wei Ji. The superior man, in accordance with this, carefully discriminates among (the qualities of) things, and the (different) positions they (naturally) occupy.
象曰：火在水上，未济；君子以慎辨物居方。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first SIX, divided, shows its subject (like a fox) whose tail gets immersed. There will be occasion for regret.
'His tail gets immersed:' - this is the very height of ignorance.
In plain words: Getting one's tail wet: regret. This hexagram is "before completion", with every line out of its proper place; the first line is weak at the bottom and tries to cross before it is able, like a young fox that wets its tail. The Small Image says it does not know its limits.
初六：濡其尾，吝。 象曰：濡其尾，亦不知极也。
Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject dragging back his (carriage-) wheel. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune.
'The second NINE, (undivided), shows good fortune arising from being firm and correct:' - it is in the central place, and the action of its subject thereby becomes correct.
In plain words: Braking the wheels: steadfastness brings good fortune. The second line is strong and central, corresponds to the fifth, and can restrain itself, not rushing ahead. The Small Image says it walks the right way by the middle way.
九二：曳其轮，贞吉。 象曰：九二贞吉，中以行正也。
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, shows its subject, with (the state of things) not yet remedied, advancing on; which will lead to evil. But there will be advantage in (trying to) cross the great stream.
'(The state of things is) not yet remedied. Advancing will lead to evil:' - the place (of the line) is not that appropriate for it.
In plain words: Not yet across: pushing ahead brings misfortune, yet it is favourable to cross the great river. The third line is weak, neither central nor correct, at the top of the lower trigram of danger and about to come out; not strong enough alone, it must rely on the top line to get across. The Small Image says pushing ahead before crossing is unfortunate because its position is improper.
六三：未济，征凶，利涉大川。 象曰：未济征凶，位不当也。
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject by firm correctness obtaining good fortune, so that all occasion for repentance disappears. Let him stir himself up, as if he were invading the Demon region, where for three years rewards will come to him (and his troops) from the great kingdom.
(By firm correctness there is good fortune, and cause for repentance disappears:' - the aim (of the subject of the line) is carried into effect.
In plain words: Steadfastness brings good fortune and regret vanishes; rousing itself, it attacks the Devil Country, and in three years is rewarded by the great state. The fourth line is strong, has left the danger and entered the upper trigram of brightness, and acts with energy. The Small Image says its aims are carried out.
九四：贞吉，悔亡，震用伐鬼方，三年有赏于大国。 象曰：贞吉悔亡，志行也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth SIX, divided, shows its subject by firm correctness obtaining good fortune, and having no occasion for repentance. (We see in him) the brightness of a superior man, and the possession of sincerity. There will be good fortune.
'(We see) the brightness of a superior man: - 'the diffusion of that brightness tends to good fortune.
In plain words: Steadfastness brings good fortune, no regret: the light of the noble person; there is good faith: good fortune. The fifth line is yielding and central in the place of honour, the ruler of the upper trigram of brightness; it humbly employs the second line and is bright and sincere. The Small Image says the noble person's light shines, and that is fortunate.
六五：贞吉，无悔，君子之光，有孚，吉。 象曰：君子之光，其晖吉也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost NINE, undivided, shows its subject full of confidence and therefore feasting (quietly). There will be no error. (If he) cherish this confidence, till he (is like the fox who) gets his head immersed, it will fail of what is right.
'He drinks and gets his head immersed:' - he does not know how to submit to the (proper) regulations.
In plain words: With good faith, drinking wine at ease: no fault; but if one gets one's head wet, good faith loses its way. The top line is at the end of the hexagram: the task is nearly done and one may relax, but not overindulge. The Small Image says wetting one's head with wine is not knowing restraint. This is the last of the sixty-four hexagrams: the book ends on "not yet complete", for change never stops.
上九：有孚于饮酒，无咎，濡其首，有孚失是。 象曰：饮酒濡首，亦不知节也。
Line positions
No line stands in its proper place, the only hexagram of the 64 where this is so; yet every line has a correspondent of the opposite kind.
The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; being one strong and one weak, they correspond.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 3 pairs are made of one strong and one weak line.
| Line | Proper place | Central | Corresponds with |
|---|---|---|---|
| top (strong) | — | — | 3rd line: yes |
| 5th (weak) | — | yes | 2nd line: yes |
| 4th (strong) | — | — | 1st line: yes |
| 3rd (weak) | — | — | top line: yes |
| 2nd (strong) | — | yes | 5th line: yes |
| 1st (weak) | — | — | 4th line: yes |
Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.
These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.
Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces
Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Li palace runs: Lí (head), Lǚ (1st change), Dǐng (2nd change), Wèi Jì (3rd change), Méng (4th change), Huàn (5th change), Sòng (wandering soul), Tóng Rén (returning soul).
A recorded case from Takashima
Wei Ji to Kui: taking over a business that failed before: A friend asked about a manufacturing business and received the first line of Wei Ji, "wetting its tail; shame". Takashima said it must be an old business he had taken over and revived without learning from its earlier failure, so the goods were not selling and he was stuck, like a little fox that wets its tail crossing the river; at the second line, "dragging the wheels back; steadfast, good", next year he should ship the goods by cart to other places and would profit.
Previous: Hexagram 63 Jì Jì · Next: Hexagram 1 Qián
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.