Hexagram 63: After Completion (既濟 Jì Jì) — I Ching Guide

Q: What is I Ching Hexagram 63 (既濟 After Completion)?

I Ching Hexagram 63, 既濟 (Jì Jì), represents After Completion. It is formed by Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Fire (離 Lí) below. The core teaching of this hexagram is captured in its Judgment: 'After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder....'

Q: What does the Image of Hexagram 63 mean?

The Image states: 'Water over fire: the image of the condition in After Completion. Thus the superior man takes thoughts of misfortune and arms himself against it in advance.' 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 63 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 After Completion 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 63 and other hexagrams?

Hexagram 63 (After Completion) follows Hexagram 62 in the traditional King Wen sequence, forming a meaningful progression. Its nuclear hexagram and opposite/complementary hexagram provide additional dimensions of meaning.

Oriens

既濟

Jì Jì — Hexagram 63

After Completion

Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Fire (離 Lí) below

Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens

Summary

I Ching Hexagram 63, 既濟 (Jì Jì), represents After Completion. Formed by Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Fire (離 Lí) below, this hexagram teaches about after completion. The core message: After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder..

Key Takeaways

Hexagram 63 is formed by Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Fire (離 Lí) 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

After Completion. Success in small matters. Perseverance furthers. At the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder.

— I Ching, After Completion

The Image

Water over fire: the image of the condition in After Completion. Thus the superior man takes thoughts of misfortune and arms himself against it in advance.

— I Ching, Image

The Six Lines

Line 1: Line 1: He brakes his wheels. He gets his tail in the water. No blame.\nLine 2: The woman loses the curtain of her carriage. Do not run after it; on the seventh day you will get it.\nLine 3: The Illustrious Ancestor chastises the Devil's Country. After three years he conquers it. Inferior people must not be employed.\nLine 4: The finest clothes turn to rags. Be careful all day long.\nLine 5: 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.\nLine 6: He gets his head in the water. Danger.

Modern Application

Hexagram 63 is the penultimate hexagram — After Completion, the moment when everything is in perfect order. Water above Fire means the cooking pot functions correctly: water contained, fire controlled. But the judgment immediately warns: 'at the beginning good fortune, at the end disorder.' This is the hexagram of success's fragility — the moment of achievement is precisely when decay begins. The superior person 'takes thought of misfortune and arms against it in advance' — the wisdom of preventive maintenance. The image of braking wheels at the start (line 1) teaches restraint at the moment of success. In modern life, this hexagram applies to completed projects that need maintenance, relationships that seem perfect, and the constant vigilance required to sustain what has been achieved.

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