Hexagram 64 · ䷿
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.
Judgment
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.
Image
Fire above water represents Before Completion. The noble person carefully distinguishes things and places each in its proper position.
Lines
He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating. He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune. Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers to cross the great wate...
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.
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.
Before Completion means success. The yielding is in the middle. The little fox, after nearly completing the crossing, gets his tail in the water: he has not yet gotten out of the middle. Although the places are not the appropriate ones, hard and soft correspond to each other.
Before Completion means success because the yielding attains the middle. The little fox nearly crosses but still wets its tail because it has not yet left the center of danger. Nothing furthers because the end cannot be carried through. Though the lines are not in their proper places, hard and soft still respond to one another.
Fire over water: the image of Before Completion. The noble person is careful in the differentiation of things, so that each finds its place.
Fire above water represents Before Completion. The noble person carefully distinguishes things and places each in its proper position.
He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating.
He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating.
Small Image
He gets his tail in the water: he does not yet know the extreme.
Getting tail in water means he does not yet know the extreme.
He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune.
He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Small Image
Nine in the second place brings good fortune: he is central and acts in the right way.
Good fortune in second place means central and acting in right way.
Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers to cross the great water.
Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers to cross the great water.
Small Image
Before completion, attack brings misfortune: his place is not the proper one.
Attack bringing misfortune before completion means place is not proper.
Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. The menace of the shock is averted. He lays hold of the Devil's Country. After three years, great rewards are given in the king's domain.
Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. The menace of the shock is averted. He lays hold of the Devil's Country. After three years, great rewards are given in the king's domain.
Small Image
Perseverance brings good fortune, remorse disappears: his will is carried out. The menace of the shock is averted: he is central and acts in the right way.
Perseverance bringing good fortune with remorse disappearing means will is carried out. Menace averted means central and acting right.
Perseverance brings good fortune. No remorse. The light of the superior man is true. Good fortune.
Perseverance brings good fortune. No remorse. The light of the superior man is true. Good fortune.
Small Image
The light of the superior man is true: his brilliance spreads far and wide.
Light of superior man being true means brilliance spreads far and wide.
There is drinking of wine in genuine confidence. No blame. But if one gets his head in the water, he loses it in spite of his confidence.
There is drinking of wine in genuine confidence. No blame. But if one gets his head in the water, he loses it in spite of his confidence.
Small Image
If one gets his head in the water, he loses it in spite of his confidence: he does not know the end.
Getting head in water means losing it despite confidence—not knowing the end.
What does Wei Chi / Before Completion mean in the I Ching?
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.
How should I study Hexagram 64 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. He gets his tail in the water. Humiliating. He brakes his wheels. Perseverance brings good fortune. Before completion, attack brings misfortune. It furthers to cross the great wate...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
Before Completion means success because the yielding attains the middle. The little fox nearly crosses but still wets its tail because it has not yet left the center of danger. Nothing furthers because the end cannot be...
Primary text: Zhouyi / I Ching, including the Judgment, Image, line texts, and related commentaries.
Translation basis: public-domain and modern study references, with AI used only as a learning aid.