Hexagram 24: Return (The Turning Point) (復 Fù) — I Ching Guide

Q: What is I Ching Hexagram 24 (復 Return (The Turning Point))?

I Ching Hexagram 24, 復 (Fù), represents Return (The Turning Point). It is formed by Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below. The core teaching of this hexagram is captured in its Judgment: 'Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error. Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the way. On the seventh day comes return. It furthers one to have somewhere to go....'

Q: What does the Image of Hexagram 24 mean?

The Image states: 'Thunder within the earth: the image of the Turning Point. Thus the kings of antiquity closed the passes at the time of solstice. Merchants and strangers did not go about, and the ruler did not travel through the provinces.' This teaches that the superior person responds to the hexagram's situation by cultivating the corresponding inner quality.

Q: How do the six lines of Hexagram 24 develop its meaning?

The six lines trace a progression through the hexagram's situation. Starting from the bottom (Line 1) through Line 6, each position reveals a different aspect of how Return (The Turning Point) manifests — from initial stirrings to the final outcome. Key lines include the ruler of the hexagram and the culminating line.

Q: What is the relationship between Hexagram 24 and other hexagrams?

Hexagram 24 (Return (The Turning Point)) follows Hexagram 23 in the traditional King Wen sequence, forming a meaningful progression. Its nuclear hexagram and opposite/complementary hexagram provide additional dimensions of meaning.

Oriens

復

Fù — Hexagram 24

Return (The Turning Point)

Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below

Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens

Summary

I Ching Hexagram 24, 復 (Fù), represents Return (The Turning Point). Formed by Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below, this hexagram teaches about return (the turning point). The core message: Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error. Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the way. On the seventh day comes return. It furthers one to have somewhere to go..

Key Takeaways

Hexagram 24 is formed by Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Thunder (震 Zhèn) below, combining two of the eight trigrams into a unique archetypal situation
The Judgment reveals the hexagram's core teaching through a concise, oracular statement
The six lines trace a progression from initial conditions through to the culmination and outcome
The Image connects the natural symbolism of the trigrams to the conduct of the superior person
This hexagram's wisdom applies to modern situations involving

The Judgment

Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error. Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the way. On the seventh day comes return. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

— I Ching, Return (The Turning Point)

The Image

Thunder within the earth: the image of the Turning Point. Thus the kings of antiquity closed the passes at the time of solstice. Merchants and strangers did not go about, and the ruler did not travel through the provinces.

— I Ching, Image

The Six Lines

Line 1: Line 1: Return from a short distance. No need for remorse. Great good fortune.

Line 2: Line 2: Quiet return. Good fortune.

Line 3: Line 3: Repeated return. Danger. No blame.

Line 4: Line 4: Walking in the midst of others, one returns alone.

Line 5: Line 5: Noblehearted return. No remorse.

Line 6: Line 6: Missing the return. Misfortune. Misfortune from within and without. If armies are set marching in this way, one will in the end suffer a great defeat, disastrous for the ruler of the country. For ten years it will not be possible to attack again.

Modern Application

Hexagram 24 is one of the most hopeful hexagrams in the I Ching. After the collapse of Splitting Apart (Hexagram 23), the yang energy returns at the bottom — the turning point has arrived. Thunder within the earth is the first stirring of spring beneath frozen ground. The hexagram teaches that after exhaustion comes renewal, after darkness comes dawn. The winter solstice image (closing the passes, resting) emphasizes that return requires stillness and receptivity. In modern terms, Return applies to recovery from burnout, returning to one's path after distraction, or the natural renewal that follows completion of a difficult cycle.

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