䷿ Not Yet Completed wèi jì
Core Meaning
The core idea of the Weiji hexagram is 'the end is the beginning, hope is brewed in chaos.' It describes a situation that seems chaotic, full of challenges, and where nothing is yet accomplished. However, this is precisely the profound wisdom of the I Ching ending with 'Weiji': the world will never remain in a perfect 'Ji Ji' state; development and change are eternal. The 'misplaced' structure of Weiji, on the contrary, instigates the most powerful drive for change. It tells us that when in adversity and facing numerous difficulties, we should not be disheartened, for this is the eve of transformation. As long as one can 'carefully discern things and place them correctly,' discerning things cautiously and putting them in their respective places, new order can be established from chaos. The Weiji hexagram is full of positive transformative spirit, encouraging people to maintain hope, proceed cautiously, and create the future in an unfinished state.
The Judgment
Success; the little fox is almost across, but wets its tail, no advantage.
Interpretation:
Success. But just as a little fox is about to cross a river, it wets its tail, ultimately gaining no advantage.
The Image
Fire on water: Not Yet Completed. The superior person carefully discerns things and places them correctly.
Structure
The Weiji hexagram is composed of the upper trigram Li (Fire) and the lower trigram Kan (Water), forming the image of fire on water. Fire tends upward, water tends downward; they move in opposite directions and cannot mingle, thus symbolizing 'things not yet completed.' This hexagram is the last in the I Ching, and all six of its lines are 'out of place' (yang lines in yin positions, yin lines in yang positions), in stark contrast to the 'Ji Ji' hexagram where all lines are in their proper places. This complete misalignment signifies chaos, disorder, and difficulty. However, precisely because it is in this state of extreme disharmony, it contains immense potential for change. Every line is in an uncomfortable position, possessing an inherent drive to seek change and return to its proper place. Therefore, the Weiji hexagram is not a dead end but represents infinite hope and future possibilities, symbolizing that the end of a cycle is also a new beginning.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Six: Wets its tail, regret.
Nine in the second place: Drags its wheels, firm and auspicious.
Six in the third place: Not yet completed, expedition inauspicious, beneficial to cross the great river.
Nine in the fourth place: Firm and auspicious, regret vanishes; roused to punish the Ghostlands, after three years a reward from the great state.
Six in the fifth place: Firm and auspicious, no regret; the light of the superior person, with sincerity, auspicious.
Top Nine: With sincerity in drinking wine, no blame; wets its head, with sincerity loses its way.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In terms of career, the Weiji hexagram suggests you might be in a chaotic and challenging phase. Projects are not going smoothly, plans are disrupted, and there might be disharmony within the team. This is a period of 'things not yet accomplished.' However, this is not failure, but the darkness before dawn. At this time, you need to remain calm and patient, carefully analyze the problems, which is to 'carefully discern things and place them correctly,' finding the root causes of the chaos. Re-examine personnel arrangements, resource allocation, and strategic directions, adjusting misplaced people and matters to their correct positions. Although the process will be difficult (expedition inauspicious), it is a necessary path to overcome difficulties (beneficial to cross the great river) and move towards success. Do not be discouraged; the opportunity for change is at hand.
❤️ Relationships
In terms of relationships, the Weiji hexagram may indicate serious misalignment and misunderstandings between partners. You might feel that the other person doesn't understand you, that you are out of sync, and conflicts are frequent. This is a state of fire on water, unable to mingle. At this point, rash actions will only exacerbate conflicts. You need to step back and cautiously view the relationship, identifying the crux of the problem. Is it incompatibility of personalities, or ineffective communication? Allowing both parties to return to a more comfortable, correct position is key to resolving the issues. Although challenging, the Weiji hexagram also suggests that if both parties have the willingness to change and work for it, the relationship has the potential to move from chaos to harmony and find rebirth.
🎯 Decision Making
When making decisions, the Weiji hexagram reminds you that the current timing is very unfavorable, and conditions are not yet ripe. Rushing to implement plans will encounter huge resistance, like a little fox wetting its tail, failing at the last moment. Therefore, the primary task is not action, but 'careful discernment.' You need to spend a lot of time studying the situation, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of personnel, the suitability of resources, and the appropriateness of the timing. Do not be misled by superficial 'success'; that is only a future possibility, not reality. The key to decision-making is 'waiting' and 'adjustment.' First, through careful discernment and arrangement, create favorable conditions, adjusting 'misplaced' factors to 'proper places,' and only then can you act.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The Weiji hexagram warns that in the state of 'things not yet completed,' the gravest mistake is impatience and rashness. As the judgment states, 'the little fox is almost across, but wets its tail,' especially when nearing victory, caution is paramount, otherwise all previous efforts will be in vain. Initial Six 'wets its tail, regret' is due to being overly hasty, leading to failure. Furthermore, Top Nine 'with sincerity in drinking wine, no blame; wets its head, with sincerity loses its way' warns that even in seemingly comfortable times, excessive indulgence, forgetting moderation and prudence, can similarly lead to disaster. In the time of Weiji, one must always maintain a clear mind and a prudent attitude, discern the direction, and seize the opportune moment, otherwise chaos will continue indefinitely.
Applicable Scenarios
The Not Yet Completed hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned in Youli, which was the darkest 'Weiji' period of his life. As a feudal lord, he was incarcerated, deprived of freedom and power, the future of his state was uncertain, and his personal fate was precarious—a true depiction of fire on water, with yin and yang out of place. However, King Wen did not succumb to adversity. He chose to 'carefully discern things and place them correctly,' calmly observing and contemplating the laws of the world, deriving the sixty-four hexagrams into three hundred and eighty-four lines, and writing the judgments and line statements of the I Ching. He integrated his suffering and his hopes for the future into a profound insight into the cosmic order. This is precisely the spirit of change embodied in the Weiji hexagram: in the most unbearable circumstances, through deep introspection and the application of wisdom, he laid the ideological and theoretical foundation for the future 'Ji Ji'—the establishment of the Zhou dynasty and its eight-hundred-year foundation. His experience tells us that Weiji is not an end, but the beginning that nurtures great success.
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the Not Yet Completed hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: