Hexagram 24: Return
Turning point, renewal
| Chinese | 復 (Fù) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☷ Earth — The Receptive (Earth) |
| Lower trigram | ☳ Thunder — The Arousing (Wood) |
| Keywords | return, renewal, turning point, recovery |
| Opposite | Hexagram 44: Coming to Meet |
| Inverted | Hexagram 23: Splitting Apart |
What does Hexagram 24 (Return) mean?
Return 復 (Fù) is hexagram 24 of the I Ching, formed by Earth (The Receptive) over Thunder (The Arousing). Its theme is turning point, renewal, with key ideas of return, renewal, turning point, recovery. The Judgment reads: “Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error.”
The Judgment of Return
Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error.
The Image of Return
Thunder within the earth.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 24
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Nine at the beginning
“Return from a short distance. No need for remorse. Great good fortune.”
Catching a wrong turning quickly and correcting it is the easiest and most fortunate form of return. Swift self-correction is a virtue.
Six in the second place
“Quiet return. Good fortune.”
Turning back calmly and without drama, in harmony with others, is the ideal. Peaceful return renews without disruption.
Six in the third place
“Repeated return. Danger. No blame.”
Going back and forth repeatedly shows instability, yet there is no fundamental fault in continuing to seek the right path.
Six in the fourth place
“Walking in the midst of others, one returns alone.”
Following the inner call to return even when companions do not; integrity sometimes requires a solitary course.
Six in the fifth place
“Noble-hearted return. No remorse.”
Returning to what is right out of genuine conviction — not compulsion or embarrassment — is the noblest form of renewal.
Six at the top
“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.”
Failing to turn back when the moment calls for it invites catastrophe on all fronts. Stubbornness against the tide of return is the gravest error.
Will Return answer your question?
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