I Ching Hexagram 64: Not Yet Fulfilled (未濟)
Overview
This hexagram indicates a time when the transition from disorder to order is not yet completed. The change is indeed prepared for, since all the lines in the upper trigram are in relation to those in the lower. However, they are not yet in their places. While the preceding hexagram offers an analogy to autumn, which forms the transition from summer to winter, this hexagram presents a parallel to spring, which leads out of winter's stagnation into the fruitful time of summer. With this hopeful outlook the Book of Changes come to its close.
The Judgment — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
BEFORE COMPLETION. Success. But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing, Gets his tail in the water, There is nothing that would further.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (Princeton University Press, 1950)
The Image — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
Fire over water: The image of the condition before transition. Thus the superior man is careful In the differentiation of things, So that each finds its place.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (1950)
Commentary
When fire, which by nature flames upward, is above, and water, which flows downward, is below, their effects take opposite directions and remain unrelated. If we wish to achieve an effect, we must first investigate the nature of the forces in question and ascertain their proper place. If we can bring these forces to bear in the right place, they will have the desired effect and completion will be achieved. But in order to handle external forces properly, we must above all arrive at the correct standpoint ourselves, for only from this vantage can we work correctly.
The Six Lines — Complete Commentary
Each line represents a stage in the unfolding situation. A line becomes "changing" when it transforms during divination.
-
Line 1
He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating.
In times of disorder there is a temptation to advance oneself as rapidly as possible in order to accomplish something tangible. But this enthusiasm leads only to failure and humiliation if the time for achievement has not yet arrived. In such time it is wise to spare ourselves the opprobrium of failure by holding back. -
Line 2
He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Here again the time to act has not yet come. But the patience needed is not that of idle waiting without thought of the morrow. Kept up indefinitely, this would not lead to any success. Instead, an individual must develop in himself the strength that will enable him to go forward. He must have a vehicle, as it were, to effect the crossing. But he must for the time being use the brakes. Patience in the highest sense means putting brakes on strength. Therefore he must not fall asleep and lose sight of the goal. If he remains strong and steadfast in his resolve, all goes well in the end. -
Line 3
Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
The time of transition has arrived, but one lacks the strength to complete the transition. If one should attempt to force it, disaster would result, because collapse would then be unavoidable. What is to be done? A new situation must be created; one must engage the energies of able helpers and in this fellowship take the decisive step-cross the great water. Then completion will become possible. -
Line 4
Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears.
Shock, thus to discipline the Devil's Country.
For three years, great realms are rewarded.
Now it is the time of struggle. The transition must be completed. We must make ourselves strong in resolution; this brings good fortune. All misgivings that might arise in such grave times of struggle must be silenced. It is a question of a fierce battle to break and to discipline the Devil's Country, the forces of decadence. But the struggle also has its reward. Now is the time to lay the foundations of power and mastery for the future. -
Line 5
Perseverance brings good fortune.
No remorse.
The light of the superior man is true.
Good fortune.
The victory has been won. The power of steadfastness has not been routed. Everything has gone well. All misgivings have been overcome. Success has justified the deed. The light of a superior personality shines forth anew and makes its influence felt among men who have faith in it and rally around it. The new time has arrived, and with it good fortune. And just as the sun shines forth in redoubled beauty after rain, or as a forest grows more freshly green from charred ruins after a fire, so the new era appears all the more glorious by contrast with the misery of the old. -
Line 6
There is drinking of wine In genuine confidence. No blame. But if one wets his head, He loses it, in truth.
Before completion, at the dawning of the new time, friends foregather in an atmosphere of mutual trust, and the time of waiting is passed in conviviality. Since the new era is hard on the threshold, there is no blame in this. But one must be careful in all this to keep within proper bounds. If in his exuberance a man gets drunk, he forfeits the favorableness of the situation through his intemperance.
♥ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Love & Relationships
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In love, this hexagram appears when a major love goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific love danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine love achievement require.
★ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Career & Work
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In career, this hexagram appears when a major career goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific career danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine career achievement require.
◆ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Money & Finances
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In finance, this hexagram appears when a major finance goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific finance danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine finance achievement require.
☤ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Health & Wellbeing
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In health, this hexagram appears when a major health goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific health danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine health achievement require.
☯ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Spiritual Growth
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In spiritual, this hexagram appears when a major spiritual goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific spiritual danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine spiritual achievement require.
△ Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled — Business & Strategy
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi — Before Completion, Not Yet Fulfilled — is the final hexagram of the I Ching, and it ends not with completion but with the pregnant moment just before completion: the threshold condition in which everything is in motion toward fulfillment but nothing is yet finally settled. This is simultaneously one of the most promising and one of the most dangerous positions in the entire I Ching — full of genuine potential, requiring extraordinary care at exactly the moment when the temptation to relax is greatest.
In business, this hexagram appears when a major business goal is nearly achieved — when the crossing is almost complete — and when the specific danger of the little fox who "after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail wet" is most real and most consequent. The I Ching is clear: the very nearness of completion is itself a source of specific business danger, because it tempts the relaxation of the careful attention that the final, most critical steps of genuine business achievement require.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 64 Not Yet Fulfilled mean?
The conditions are difficult. The task is great and full of responsibility. It is nothing less than that of leading the world out of confusion back to order. But it is a task that promises success, because there is a goal that can unite the forces now tending in different directions. At first, however, one must move warily, like an old fox walking over ice. The caution of a fox walking over ice is proverbial in China. His ears are constantly alert to the cracking of the ice, as he carefully and
Is Hexagram 64 a yes or no?
The I Ching does not provide simple yes or no answers. Hexagram 64, Not Yet Fulfilled, offers guidance about the quality and direction of the current moment. Consult the judgment and image texts above for specific direction relevant to your question.
What are the changing lines in Hexagram 64?
Changing lines indicate points of transformation within your reading. Each of the six lines in Hexagram 64 carries its own meaning — see the complete line commentary above for detailed guidance on each position.
Have a question about this hexagram?
Get a Personalized Not Yet Fulfilled ReadingSources
- Wilhelm, Richard & Baynes, Cary F. The I Ching or Book of Changes. Princeton University Press, 1950.
- Legge, James. The I Ching: Book of Changes. Dover Publications, 1963.
- Huang, Alfred. The Complete I Ching. Inner Traditions, 1998.
Commentary
The conditions are difficult. The task is great and full of responsibility. It is nothing less than that of leading the world out of confusion back to order. But it is a task that promises success, because there is a goal that can unite the forces now tending in different directions. At first, however, one must move warily, like an old fox walking over ice. The caution of a fox walking over ice is proverbial in China. His ears are constantly alert to the cracking of the ice, as he carefully and circumspectly searches out the safest spots. A young fox who as yet has not acquired this caution goes ahead boldly, and it may happen that he falls in and gets his tail wet when he is almost across the water. Then of course his effort has been all in vain. Accordingly, in times "before completion," deliberation and caution are the prerequisites of success.