First Nine (初九)
Returning from error of small extent; great good fortune.
Recognize your mistake early and turn back at once. Swift correction prevents deeper regret and brings genuine blessing.
Hexagram 24
Fù 復
Upper · Kūn (Earth) | Lower · Zhèn (Thunder)
return · renewal · recovery · fresh beginning · restoration · cyclical renewal
What does Hexagram 24 mean?
Hexagram 24, Fù (復), is about return, renewal, and recovery. Fù represents a turning point where what has declined begins to recover.
The Judgment
Fu indicates free course and progress; friends come, no error.
Fù represents a turning point where what has declined begins to recover. Movement and progress flow naturally; those around you offer support without hesitation, and you proceed without misstep. Within seven days, the cycle completes and renewal arrives—a moment to advance with confidence in whatever direction calls to you.
The Lines
Second Six (六二)
Admirable return; good fortune.
Return to what is right with grace and integrity. This wholehearted turning toward the good naturally brings favorable outcomes.
Third Six (六三)
Repeated returns; perilous position, yet no error.
Even if you stumble and must return again, the effort itself holds value. Persistence in returning to the path matters more than perfection.
Fourth Six (六四)
Moving in the center among others, yet returning alone to the proper path.
Stand firm in your own conviction despite surrounding pressures. True return sometimes means walking your own way, undeterred by the crowd.
Fifth Six (六五)
Noble return; no ground for repentance.
Return with sincerity and deep reflection. When your turning back springs from genuine remorse and resolve, regret dissolves.
Top Six (上六)
All astray on returning; evil, calamities, errors. Even ten years will not repair the disaster.
Refusing to acknowledge error or turn back invites ruin. Blindness to your own misstep compounds the damage and extends suffering far beyond.
Hexagram 24 FAQ
What does Hexagram 24 mean for career?
A fresh start awaits. If your path has stalled or you have stumbled, this is the moment to gather yourself and move forward anew. Draw wisdom from what went before, but do not dwell in regret—step into the next chapter with renewed purpose and energy.
What does Hexagram 24 mean for love and relationships?
Reconnection and renewal are at hand. If distance or misunderstanding has grown between you and someone dear, reach out with an open heart. Old wounds can heal, and bonds can be restored when both parties return to honesty and care.
What does Hexagram 24 mean for study and personal growth?
Return to learning you once set aside, or begin a new course of study with fresh resolve. Each attempt to master something difficult strengthens you, even if you must start again. Persistence in returning to growth is itself a form of mastery.
What does Hexagram 24 mean for business and money?
Reassess your ventures and redirect your efforts where they will bear fruit. Past setbacks hold lessons—apply them now to refine your approach. A new partnership, market, or strategy may be exactly what your enterprise needs to flourish again.
What should I be careful about with Hexagram 24?
Genuine return requires more than surface change; examine the root of what went wrong. If you repeat the same patterns without true reflection, you risk compounding the damage. Real renewal begins within—transform your understanding first, and outward change will follow.
What if Hexagram 24 has changing lines?
Read the line statement for each changing line above. With two or more changing lines, Zhu Xi’s rules decide which text leads the reading.
Original English translation by James Legge, 1882 (Public Domain). Editorial adaptation © Yijing.