Hexagram 49 of 64
Revolution 泽火革
☱☲ Lake over Fire
Change that sheds the old.
Hexagram 49 is about meaningful change. Its image is fire beneath a lake: water and fire clash and transform what they touch. It describes a time when the old way no longer serves and a new order is needed. Change works best when it is timely, sincere, and carried out with steady integrity.
Judgment
己日乃孚，元亨利贞，悔亡。
On the appointed day, people come to trust the change. Sublime success through perseverance; regrets fade.
Image
泽中有火，革；君子以治历明时。
Fire in the lake: revolution. The noble person sets the calendar right and makes the seasons clear.
The six lines
Read from the bottom line (the beginning) to the top line (the outcome). Each line gives the classical text, our English translation, and a plain-language reading.
初九：巩用黄牛之革。
Hold it firmly with the hide of a yellow ox.
Before making a change, secure what you have. Use solid, practical steps and avoid moving too fast.
六二：已日乃革之，征吉，无咎。
When the time is right, the change is made. Moving forward brings good fortune and no blame.
Changing at the right moment, neither too early nor too late, leads to better results.
九三：征凶，贞厉，革言三就，有孚。
Advancing brings misfortune, and holding firm feels risky. When the case for change has been made three times, it can be trusted.
Pushing ahead before people are ready creates trouble. Explain your reasons clearly and repeatedly until trust is built.
九四：悔亡，有孚改命，吉。
Regret fades. With sincerity, the mandate is renewed. Good fortune.
A sincere change of direction can release old regrets. Commit openly to the new path, and it becomes easier to trust.
九五：大人虎变，未占有孚。
A great person changes like a tiger, bold and visible. Before consulting the omens, already trusted.
When you lead with clear, bold change, trust tends to follow. Show the change through what you actually do.
上六：君子豹变，小人革面，征凶，居贞吉。
The noble person changes like a leopard's spots; the petty person changes only the face. Advancing brings misfortune; staying steady brings good fortune.
Real change goes deep. Surface compliance without inner change does not last. Staying steady and sincere is more favorable than pushing.
In practice
Love and relationships
Relationships change most when both people are honest about what is no longer working. A clear, sincere conversation about a new arrangement is better than a dramatic break.
Work and decisions
A reorganization or new direction is easier to accept when you explain the reasons repeatedly and show results. Put the case in writing, and let your actions match your words.
Money
Changing financial habits works best in steps. Adjust one budget line or one routine at a time, and check whether each change holds before the next.
How to use this reading
Use this reading when you are considering a real change in direction and want to know whether the timing and sincerity are right. Ask: is this the right moment, and is my reason clear to the people it affects?
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.