Return (The Turning Point)
Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below
Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens
I Ching Hexagram 24, 復 (Fù), represents Return (The Turning Point).
SourceZhouyi (周易, The Book of Changes) — hexagram 24 (復 Fù). Chinese source: Chinese Text Project, based on 《武英殿十三經注疏》本《周易正義》 (ctp:book-of-changes/fu). Judgment: received Zhouyi hexagram statement (卦辭). English: Translation by Oriens Editorial Translation. Image: Xiang / Image commentary layer (象傳), distinct from the Judgment and line texts. Image and line English: named translation by James Legge, The Yî King (1899), public-domain translation; online reproduction. The named translation is used for the Image and line statements only.
1. Judgment (卦辭 Guàcí)
復：亨。出入无疾，朋來无咎。反復其道，七日來復，利有攸往。
Oriens Editorial Translation: Success. Going out and coming in without harm; companions arrive without blame. Turning back and returning along its course, return comes in seven days. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.
2. Image (象 Xiàng / Xiang commentary)
雷在地中,复。先王以至日闭关,商旅不行,后不省方。
James Legge: (The trigram representing) the earth and that for thunder in the midst of it form Fu. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, on the day of the (winter) solstice, shut the gates of the passes (from one state to another), so that the travelling merchants could not (then) pursue their journeys, nor the princes go on with the inspection of their states.
3. Line Statements (爻辭 Yáocí)
Line 1 of 6 (from the bottom):
初九：不遠復，无祗悔，元吉。
James Legge: The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject returning (from an error) of no great extent, which would not proceed to anything requiring repentance. There will be great good fortune.
Line 2 of 6 (from the bottom):
六二：休復，吉。
James Legge: The second SIX, divided, shows the admirable return (of its subject). There will be good fortune.
Line 3 of 6 (from the bottom):
六三：頻復，厲无咎。
James Legge: The third SIX, divided, shows one who has made repeated returns. The position is perilous, but there will be no error.
Line 4 of 6 (from the bottom):
六四：中行獨復。
James Legge: The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject moving right in the centre (among those represented by the other divided lines), and yet returning alone (to his proper path).
Line 5 of 6 (from the bottom):
六五：敦復，无悔。
James Legge: The fifth SIX, divided, shows the noble return of its subject. There will be no ground for repentance.
Line 6 of 6 (from the bottom):
上六：迷復，凶，有災眚。用行師，終有大敗，以其國君，凶；至于十年，不克征。
James Legge: The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject all astray on the subject of returning. There will be evil. There will be calamities and errors. If with his views he put the hosts in motion, the end will be a great defeat, whose issues will extend to the ruler of the state. Even in ten years he will not be able to repair the disaster.
For the general method for changing lines and relating hexagrams, see How to Read the I Ching.
4. Modern Interpretation (Oriens commentary)
This is an Oriens interpretation, not part of the Zhouyi text.
Return can prompt a careful question about turning points: what has moved away from its proper course, and what would coming back actually involve? The figure places the turning at midwinter — movement born again inside stillness — read here as the text's own image of renewal after departure.
The Chinese source and translation provenance are identified above. The Judgment is an Oriens Editorial Translation; the Image and line statements are labeled with James Legge. This keeps the modern reflection separate from both the received text and the named translation.
This reflection predicts neither return nor its timing. Health, financial, legal, employment, and relationship decisions belong within their appropriate professional and personal contexts.
Continue with the Hexagram 24 card and the I Ching guide; these are reading paths, not additional predictions.