49 · 泽火革

革卦原文

革。己日乃孚。元亨利贞。悔亡。

象曰：泽中有火，革。君子以治历明时。

白话文解释

革卦：祭祀之日用俘虏作人牲，亨通，吉利的卜问。没有悔恨。

《象辞》说：本卦外卦为兑，兑为泽；内卦为离，离为火。内蒸外煏，水涸草枯，如同水泽之中，大火燃烧，这是革卦的卦象。君子观此卦象，了解到泽水涨落，草木枯荣的周期变化，从而修治历法，明确时令。

《断易天机》解

革卦兑上离下，为坎宫四世卦。革就是需要变革，提醒占筮者需要变革才会更进一步。

北宋易学家邵雍解

事多变动，坚守正道；顺天应人，实施变革。

得此卦者，凡事均在变动之中，宜去旧立新，以应革新之象，则会吉祥。

台湾国学大儒傅佩荣解

时运：改变之时，顺时而动。

财运：消耗过多，迁地贸易。

家宅：小心防火；改娶之象。

身体：肾水干枯，肝火上升。

传统解卦

这个卦是异卦（下离上兑）相叠。离为火、兑为泽，泽内有水。水在上而下浇，火在下而上升。火旺水干，水大火熄。二者相生亦相克，必然出现变革。变革是宇宙的基本规律。

大象：兑为金，被离火所烧，变革之象。

运势：凡事均在变动之中，宜去旧立新，以应革新之象。

事业：正处在转折的关键时刻，必须密切注意各种信息，认真思考。首先巩固自己的地位，完善个人的行为。时机成熟后，立即行动，积极进行变革。但应注意动机纯正，手段正当，不保守也不妄进，事业必定发达。

经商：市场竞争十分激烈。为了立于不败之地，一定要敢于大胆求新，适时改变自己的经营方向，受到挫败，马上总结经验，重新奋起，拓展商业活动，但要注意竞争方式。

求名：首先要努力提高自己，完善个人的学识和品德。同时，服从上级指挥搞好工作，二者的关系一定要得到妥善处理。

婚恋：可能会出现一些节外生枝的麻烦事，应冷静处理，感情专注。

决策：十分吉利、顺利。以自己的聪明才智，顺应形势，根据时代特点，依理而动，变革渐合时宜的事物，壮大自己的事业。但应谨慎，时机不成熟不可妄动，尤忌急功近利。行动之前应三思而行。

第四十九卦的哲学含义

革卦卦象，泽火革卦的象征意义

革卦，这个卦是异卦相叠，下卦为离，上卦为兑。离为火，兑为泽，泽内有水。水在上，火在下，表明火在下可以把泽水烤干，失去水的泽就变成了其他性质的东西。从另一个角度来说，如果泽水四溢，就会把下面的火浇灭。火灭之后，也就不再是火了，而变成其他性质的东西。火旺水干；水大火熄。二者相生亦相克，必然出现变革，所以本卦命名为“革”。

同时，离具有光明之意，兑又指喜悦。这又告诉人们，革的目的是消灭旧的，产生新的光明，给人们带来喜悦。

革卦位于井卦之后，《序卦》中这样解释道：“井道不可不革，故受之以革。”一口井使用久了，必须定期清理，所以井卦之后要求变革。《杂卦》中说道：“革，去故也。”，因此，革卦指变革，指除旧布新。

《象》中这样解释革卦：泽中有火，革；君子以治历明时。这里指出：革卦的卦象是离（火）下兑（泽）上，为泽中有火之表象。大水可以使火熄灭；大火也可以使水蒸发，如此，水火相克相生，从而产生变革。君子根据变革的规律制定历法以明辨春、夏、秋、冬四季的变化。

革卦象征变革，所要表达的道理就是顺天应人，属于上上卦。《象》曰：苗逢旱天渐渐衰，幸得天恩降雨来，忧去喜来能变化，求谋干事遂心怀。

49　泽火革(䷰)-高岛易断

卦体泽渗下，火炎上，泽动则上者欲下，火动则下者欲上，上下相争，则不相得，不相得则不能不革。《革》之卦自《井》来，《井》《彖》首言改，改，犹革也。《革》反为《鼎》，《鼎》三曰“鼎耳革”，是《鼎》亦取《革》之象。《革》 易位为《睽》，《睽》五曰“噬肤”，革为皮，肤亦皮也，是《睽》亦有《革》之义。卦象《兑》泽《离》火，上互《乾》，谓之金生水，下互《巽》，谓之木生火，合之谓金克木，水克火，上下相克，相克必相革。《洪范》曰，“金曰从革”，《兑》西方之卦，属金，故名其卦曰《革》。

革：己日乃孚。元亨利贞，悔亡。

▲　金文革

《革》，改革也。日者《离》象，纳甲，《离》纳己，己为土，位居中。《易》道贵乎得中，过中则变，古人以已有变更之义。《仪礼》，“少牢馈食礼，日用丁己”，郑注，“必丁己者，取其自丁宁、自变己（更）”，（本书认为应读为己，为一家之见更），是已有革义也。五常以土为信，土即己也。将有改革，先示以信，“己日”者，为信孚于人之日也，故曰“己日乃孚”。《离》火生于《乾》二，《兑》金生于《乾》四，是卦从《乾》来，故“元亨利贞”四德皆具。有孚“悔亡”，己日之功也。王弼曰，“即日不孚，已日乃孚，已读作‘已事遄往’之已”，《疏》与《正义》，皆从其说。然《易》中用甲，用庚，用日，用月，各有精义，王说恐未然。

《 彖传》曰：革，水火相息，二女同居，其志不相得，曰革。己日乃孚，革而信之，文明以说，大亨以正，革而当，其悔乃亡。天地革而四时成，汤武革命，顺乎天而应乎人，革之时大矣哉！

《传》曰“水火相息”，火在泽下，火不得上炎，则水息其湿，泽在火上，水不能下流，则火息其燥。息者，止而生也。相制则止，相成则生，息与孟子“日夜之所息”同义。“二女同居”，二索三索，皆从《坤》生，故为“同居”。《离》中女，《兑》少女，《兑》上《离》下，位既不当，《兑》水《离》火，性又不同，故“其志不相得”。志不相得，必生其变，所以为《革》。然水火相克不相得，必得土以调剂其中，则《革》乃成，而民乃信。“文明”者，《离》象也；信悦者，《兑》象也；“大亨以正”者，体夫《乾》之德也，如是而《革》得其当，如是而悔乃可亡。改过迁善，《革》在吾身也；去旧从新，《革》在人事也；寒往暑来，《革》在天时也；吊民伐罪，《革》在天位也。《革》之为道，不取义，不取用，惟在得时，故曰“革之时大矣哉”。

以此卦拟人事，为泽，为火，是人事所必用也；中女少女，是人事所恒有也。水火者，燥湿殊性，故用虽相济，而适以相害。二女而出自《兑》《离》，亦各秉水火之性。故初虽“同居”，而终“不相得”，是水火之穷，亦即为人事之穷也。穷则不能不变，变则革矣。夫生物者乾，成物者坤，坤为土，惟土居中，能剂合夫水火之宜，惟土为信，能贯彻夫上下之交。《彖》所云“己日乃孚”者，道在斯耳。盖《革》以信而行，以明而著，以悦而从。《兑》曰“亨，利贞”，《离》曰“利贞，亨”，合之谓《革》，曰“大亨以正”。此其四德，亦即从《坤》土而来，由是而革安，由是而悔亡，皆己自之功也。凡人事之最要者，在先求其孚也，有孚，则有革而若不见其革。仰观天地，而岁时之变革著焉；远观殷周，而国社之鼎革昭焉。事有大小，道无异致，人道也，天道也，君道也，皆可于革之时见之矣，故曰“大矣哉”，“革之时”也！

以此卦拟国家，天下之变，势为之也。夫国家苟得久治久安，圣人岂不乐相安于无事？何得好为其变哉！惟法久则弛，俗久则渝，因循日积，酿成大乱，是以因其变，用其权，不得不与天下相更始者，势也。然国家而至变革，大事也，危事也。急遽妄动，则后先无序；权制独任，则谤渎 易兴；虑不顾后，则难以图终；计不便民，即无以服众。圣人盖必为之策其全，明以审之，悦以顺之，亨贞以成之。初则时犹未至，“巩用黄牛”，而不嫌其固；二则时适其中，己日革之，而自得其吉；三则时当其革，必“三就”以求其孚；四则时处方革，虽“改命”而自无悔；五六时在革后，大人则文明以治，小人即顺从以应，如是而《革》道成矣。观夫殷周之兴，乃知革命之自有真焉：曰“顺天”，孚在天也，曰“应人”，孚在人也。故殷周之革夏商，天下信其革，悦其革，若有不知其革者也。按：汤以乙卯兴，武以甲子兴，乙卯为木，合成金土，甲子木水，合皆为土，据此知殷周革命，时日而兼用土爻，“己日乃孚”，此明证也。至于四时变革，木金水火，各主一时，而土实分旺于中，亦可见土之力也。

《象》曰：“君子以治历明时”，唯君子为能得其时之大者矣。

通观此卦，卦自《困》来，时穷世困，天下之乱久矣，幸而出《困》入《井》。《井》者，养也，《井》《彖》曰“改邑不改井”，是知邑可改，而养不可改也。不可改，故必先养其元气，待养之既成，而后可从事于改矣，故《井》先于《革》。《杂卦传》曰，“革去故也，鼎取新也”，取新必先去故，故《鼎》后于《革》。古来处革之世，而善用其革者，莫如汤武，汤武之革，非汤武为之，时为之也，顺夫天，应夫人，天人交孚而革乃成矣。下卦三爻，文明以革，初爻未至己日，未可用革；二爻正中己日，乃可用革；三爻革事已成，无容前往矣。上卦三爻，革而成悦，四受天命，五正天位，六天下化成，无不悦服矣。是水得土而受革于人也，故《彖》辞首曰：“己日乃孚”。以卦言之，则《离》革《兑》，以爻言之，则阳革阴。《革》之道，首重夫信，《革》之事，惟求其当。而所以革者，贵得夫时，是以天地不能未春而革夏，未秋而革冬。四时之革，皆应夫时，可革而革，此革之时，所以为大也。

《大象》曰：泽中有火，革。君子以治历，明时。

泽本有水之所，变而有火，是亦天地之变象也，故曰《革》。君子法之，“治历”者，推日月星辰之迁 易，“明时”者，察分至寒暑之往来，故曰“君子以治历明时”。历者，天事也，时者，人事也，是顺天道而治人事也。昼夜为一日之革，晦望为十月之革，分至为一岁之革，即《彖》所云“天地革而四时成”之义也。

【占】　问时运：譬如有水之处，忽而出火，是气运之反常也，宜顺时改变，乃吉。

○　问战征：屯兵之地，防溪谷林木间着火，最宜谨慎。

○　问营商：《兑》为金，金入火则金熔矣，消耗之象。宜迁地贸易，乃可无咎。

○　问功名：龙门变化，烧尾之象，吉。

○　问婚姻：卦体上泽下火，泽有火，是水被火所制，夫为妻所制也。革者有出妻改娶之象。

○　问家宅：此宅防有火灾，急宜改迁。

○　问疾病：是肾水枯涸，肝火上炎之症，宜改延良医，顺时调养。

○　问讼事：此事本无中生有，灾自外来。宜改易讼词，揆度时日，其辩自明，其讼得直。

○　问六甲：生女。凡占此卦，皆女象，惟出月过时，变则成男。

Judgment

Legge: Metamorphosis is believed in only after it has been accomplished. Firm correctness abolishes regret and brings successful progress.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Revolution. On your own day you are believed. Supreme success, furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears.

Blofeld: Revolution. Not before the day of its completion will men have faith

in it -- sublime success! Determination in a righteous course brings reward; regret vanishes! [Very often, this means renovation, as of character, etc. But it may also mean exactly what it says; Confucius, though he regarded loyalty to the ruler as one of the highest virtues, recognized that evil men forfeit their right to rule by their excesses, and it is probable that this notion antedates him by many centuries.]

Liu: Revolution. When the appropriate day comes, the people will believe in it. Great success. It is beneficial to continue. Remorse vanishes.

Ritsema/Karcher: Skinning; before-zenith sun, thereupon conforming. Spring Growing Harvesting Trial. Repenting extinguished. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of stripping away a protective cover. It emphasizes that radically changing and renewing the way you present yourself is the adequate way to handle it...]

Shaughnessy: The Bridle: on the si day then return; prime receipt; beneficial to determine; regret is gone.

Cleary (1): In revolution, the sun of the self is truth: This is creative, developmental, fruitful, and perfect. Regret vanishes. [In old texts when it says that the alchemical elixir is in people, but first they have to refine the self and wait for the proper time, this means to make a radical purge of all the pollution of past influences and not let any flaws remain in the heart.]

Cleary (2): Change is believed in on the day it is completed. It is very successful, beneficial if correct. Regret vanishes.

Wu: Reform indicates that revolution will become credible when the time is ripe. In this way, it is great and pervasive and advantageous to be persevering. Regret will disappear.

The Image

Legge: A fire in the marsh -- the image of Metamorphosis. The superior man synchronizes his astronomical calculations to clarify the times and seasons.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Fire in the lake: the image of Revolution. Thus the superior man sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes fire rising from a marshy lake. The Superior Man regulates the calendar and thus ensures that men are clear about times and seasons.

Liu: Within the lake, fire -- this symbolizes Revolution. The superior man makes a calendar, clearly arranging the seasons.

Ritsema/Karcher: Marsh center possessing fire. Skinning. A chun tzu uses regulating time-reckoning to brighten the seasons.

Cleary (1): There is fire in a lake, changing. Thus do superior people make a calendar and clarify the seasons.

Cleary (2): Fire in a lake – changing. Leaders make calendars to define the seasons.

Wu: There is fire below the marsh; this is Reform. Thus, the jun zi is inspired to develop a calendrical system for keeping time.

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: In Metamorphosis, Water and Fire extinguish each other. When two daughters with opposing viewpoints live together, change is inevitable; but after the change is accomplished, faith is accorded to it: Clarity brings good cheer and progress through what is correct. When a transformation is properly accomplished, all occasion for regret disappears. Heaven and earth undergo their changes, and the four seasons complete their functions. The rulers of old transformed the state in accordance with the will of heaven and in response to the wishes of men. Great indeed is what takes place in a time of change.

Legge: The written character translated as Metamorphosis is used here in the sense of changing. Originally used for the skin of an animal or bird, it received

the significance of changing at a very early time. The figure deals with the subject of changes which are called for in the state of the country. The necessity for change is recognized, and hints are given as to the spirit and manner in which they should be brought about. The Judgment assumes that change is viewed by people generally with suspicion and dislike, and therefore should not be made hastily. [This can refer to inner complexes, habits, etc. – Ed.] When the necessity for change has been proven beforehand and subsequently carried out with firm correctness, then the issue will turn out satisfactorily. The lower trigram is the symbol for Fire and the upper for Water. Water extinguishes fire, and fire dries up water. Each "changes" the other. The lower trigram is also the second daughter and the upper is the youngest daughter. In the scheme of the trigrams these two are seen to be mutually incompatible.

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Hidden within its cocoon the caterpillar becomes a butterfly -- who would believe it until the Metamorphosis was complete? The Superior Man recognizes that celestial sequences create changes only when they are due; he therefore acts in accordance with the requirements of the times. The forty-ninth hexagram makes an analogy between the natural Metamorphosis of animal pelts and the proper way to regard radical changes in government. Lines one, five and six all refer to skin, and two, three and four refer to politics. The general idea is that radical transformations occur at their

own natural pace -- they cannot be successfully forced any more than eggs can be made to hatch before their time. The Image makes this point in its reference to the celestial correlation of the seasons.

There is a time for everything, A time for every occupation under heaven:

A time for giving birth, A time for dying;

A time for planting, A time for uprooting what has been planted (etc)...

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 Once one assumes conscious responsibility for the Work, there comes a long and indefinite period in which one labors unceasingly without any visible results at all. Dream images and I Ching meditations will indicate that progress is being made, but the ego's life in spacetime consists of seemingly fruitless labor

in the service of a transcendental ideal. This is a universal experience -- it happens to everyone who undertakes the Work. In the Western Mystery

Tradition it is known as the Dark Night of the Soul. (See Hexagram Number-36 for further insights into this unavoidable phenomenon.) The Personality undergoes a willful "death,” surrendering everything that it believes itself to be. Most difficult is that this total surrender of life, this initiatory sacrifice, must precede the experience of cosmic awareness. One is required to give up the totality of one's being, one's very life, in relative darkness, yet in the faith that there will be a resurrection into the Light.

R. Wang -- The Qabalistic Tarot

Psychologically interpreted, Metamorphosis means that changes are taking place in the unconscious psyche, but don't expect them to manifest until their growth is complete. The ego must recognize this and persevere with the Work, even when "common sense" counsels otherwise. It is a period of probation and trial, and many there are who fail the test. There is no short cut without impeding growth or setting the flow pattern of the Soul back, until each physical or psychological function has been correctly connected or developed ... Many aspirants do not perceive this law and become impatient and even lose faith when Providence seems to be holding back. Nothing occurs outside its time as it is part of a sequence in the great cosmic cycle that unfolds the Grand Design of Existence.

Z.B.S. Halevi -- Kabbalah and Exodus If there is any consolation in this terrible ordeal, it is that others have made the journey before you, and survived. Keep the faith that, in the imagery of this hexagram, the lower trigram of Clear Perception following the upper trigram of Cheerfulness will lead you through the most challenging of all transformations. Where the issue of ultimate meaning is constellated, transformation will eventually occur, even though only by way of a great deal of suffering.

E. C. Whitmont -- The Symbolic Quest