Basic Information
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 既济 (Jì Jì) |
| English Name | After Completion / Accomplished |
| Trigrams | Water over Fire (坎上离下) |
| Number | 63 of 64 |
The Text (Yijing Classic)
Judgment (卦辞 Guàcí)
After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder.
The Image (象辞 Xiàngcí)
Water over fire: the image of the condition in After Completion. Thus the superior man takes thought of misfortune and arms himself against it in advance.
The Six Lines (爻辞 Yáocí)
| Line | Position | Text | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 初九 | Bottom | He brakes his wheels. He gets his tail in the water. No blame. | Acceptable situation; no error in this approach |
| 六二 | 2nd | The woman loses the curtain of her carriage. Do not run after it; on the seventh day you will get it. | Reflect carefully on the situation before acting |
| 九三 | 3rd | The Illustrious Ancestor disciplines the Devil's Country. After three years he conquers it. Inferior people must not be employed. | Reflect carefully on the situation before acting |
| 六四 | 4th | The finest clothes turn to rags. Be careful all day long. | Reflect carefully on the situation before acting |
| 九五 | 5th | The neighbor in the east who slaughters an ox does not attain as much real happiness as the neighbor in the west with his small offering. | Reflect carefully on the situation before acting |
| 上六 | Top | He gets his head in the water. Danger. | Awareness of risk is itself protective |
Core Meanings
Essence (本质)
- Water over fire; everything in its place, but order contains seeds of disorder
- Upper trigram Water (deep and flowing) over lower trigram Fire (bright and clinging)
- Embodies the qualities of completion, vigilance, order and decline, caution, maintenance
Keywords
CompletionVigilanceOrderDeclineCautionMaintenance
Divination & Prediction
★★★☆☆Moderate — Vigilance Needed
| Aspect | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Overall | Mixed conditions requiring discernment. Water over fire; everything in its place, but order contains seeds of disorder Success is possible through order and decline. |
| Timing | Proceed with care, attending to details and timing. |
| Challenge | Balance completion with vigilance to navigate the complexity. |
Applications in Life
Business & Career
In business, this hexagram counsels completion and vigilance. The Water trigram above suggests deep and flowing energy in your outer dealings, while the Fire trigram below points to bright and clinging foundations. Proceed carefully, focusing on essentials.
Health & Wellness
Focus on kidneys and ears and heart and eyes. Moderate, balanced approaches to health serve better than extreme measures now.
Relationships
In relationships, embody completion and vigilance. Balance giving and receiving. Listen as much as you speak.
Education & Growth
For learning, this hexagram emphasizes order and decline. Steady, methodical study brings better results than ambitious leaps.
Practical Wisdom
Do
- Cultivate completion in all your actions
- Practice vigilance consistently
- Embrace order as your guiding principle
- Develop decline through daily practice
Don’t
- Neglect the importance of caution
- Abandon maintenance under pressure
- Act impulsively without considering consequences
Comparative Hexagrams
| Hexagram | Relationship |
|---|---|
| 64. Wèi Jì (未济) | Before Completion — the complementary state |
| 11. Tài (泰) | Peace — similar state of order |
| 36. Míng Yí (明夷) | Darkening of Light — decline from completion |
Sample Reading Dialogue
Querent: “Our project just launched successfully. What should we focus on now?”
You received Hexagram 63, After Completion. The judgment says: 'After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginn...' Water over fire; everything in its place, but order contains seeds of disorder This is a nuanced sign. Success is possible but requires careful attention to vigilance and order. Proceed thoughtfully rather than boldly.