Hexagram 49 · Revolution

革 · Gé

Hexagram 49, Revolution (革, Gé), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Fire below and Lake above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “巳日乃孚，元亨利贞，悔亡。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with revolution — molting, and timely change. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Fire (离) — clarity, radiance and dependence
Upper trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Symbol: ䷰ · Name: 革 (Gé) · Number: 49 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   巩用黄牛之革。
   The Image says: “巩用黄牛”，不可以有为也。
2. 六二 (六二)
   巳日乃革之，征吉，无咎。
   The Image says: “巳日”“革之”，行有嘉也。
3. 九三 (九三)
   征凶，贞厉；革言三就，有孚。
   The Image says: “革言三就”，又何之矣！
4. 九四 (九四)
   悔亡，有孚改命，吉。
   The Image says: “改命”之“吉”，信志也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   大人虎变，未占有孚。
   The Image says: “大人虎变”，其文炳也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   君子豹变，小人革面；征凶，居贞吉。
   The Image says: “君子豹变”，其文蔚也；“小人革面”，顺以从君也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 49?

Hexagram 49 is Revolution (革, Gé), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Fire below and Lake above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Revolution?

The judgment of Revolution reads, in the Chinese original: “巳日乃孚，元亨利贞，悔亡。”. Its Great Image reads: “泽中有火，革。君子以治历明时。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Revolution symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Revolution is associated with revolution — molting, and timely change. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.