Xun Hexagram 95: Best Time to Make a Change? Think It Through 3 Days Before & After Acting First

The Nine in the Fifth Place (九五) of the Xun (巽) Hexagram is the core line of the entire hexagram. Sitting in the ruler’s position, it lays out a complete methodology for driving change through gentle, flexible means.

The Line Text (爻辭) is lengthy, but packed with insight:

「贞吉，悔亡，无不利。无初有终。先庚三日，后庚三日，吉。」

Let’s break it down phrase by phrase.

1. "贞吉，悔亡，无不利"

These nine words form the fundamental outlook of the Nine in the Fifth Place of Xun: perseverance in the correct path brings good fortune, remorse vanishes, and nothing is unfavorable.

The Nine in the Fifth Place is a Yang Line (陽爻) in a yang position, properly placed and holding the central position — it is the most stable line in the Xun Hexagram. The change it drives is not impulsive or forced; it is a well-considered, correct decision.

Wen Laoshi says the greatest fear in change is not making a mistake, but feeling regret after making one. The Nine in the Fifth Place feels no remorse, because it gets things right from the start. "Zhen (贞)" — the right path, the right method, the right direction. With the right direction, every subsequent step falls into place.

2. "无初有终"

These four characters are fascinating: the beginning is rocky, but the end is satisfactory.

Why is the beginning rocky? Because when change first starts, there will always be people who struggle to adapt, understand, or accept it. When you shift direction, adjust strategies, or roll out something new, the first reaction is usually resistance.

But the Nine in the Fifth Place does not rush. It knows a rough start is normal — as long as the direction is right and the pace is steady, things will turn out well in the end.

Wen Laoshi says the four characters "无初有终" are a reassurance for everyone driving change: it doesn’t matter if you face pushback at the start. What matters is whether you can make it to the finish line.

3. "先庚三日，后庚三日"

This is the most brilliant part of the Nine in the Fifth Place.

"Geng (庚)" stands for "change" among the Heavenly Stems (天干) — geng means alteration, means shift. "Three days before Geng" refers to the three days before the change takes place. "Three days after Geng" refers to the three days after the change is implemented.

What do you do in the three days before the change? Test the waters. Release signals in advance, get preparations in order, and give people time to mentally prepare. Instead of suddenly announcing "we’re making changes", you let the idea seep in early — let the people involved know the direction is shifting, give them time to process, and ease their resistance.

What do you do in the three days after the change? Consolidate. Once the change is rolled out, the work isn’t done. You have to keep following up, making adjustments, and making sure the new approach takes root. You can’t just walk away after launching the change — you have to stay and watch it grow steady.

Wen Laoshi says "先庚三日，后庚三日" is the clearest statement on change methodology in the entire *I Ching (Book of Changes)*. It tells you: change is not a single point in time — it’s a period of time. Three days before and three days after add up to seven days total: three days of preparation, one day of execution, and three days of consolidation.

This aligns perfectly with "change management" in modern business theory: the preparation phase, execution phase, and reinforcement phase — none can be skipped.

4. How the Change of the Nine in the Fifth Place Differs From That of the Ge (革) Hexagram

The change described in the Ge Hexagram (the 49th Hexagram) is "fire within the lake" — fire and water are incompatible, so change is unavoidable. It is forced by circumstances, a change that must happen.

The change of the Nine in the Fifth Place of Xun is "following the wind" — the wind blows in gusts, gradual and permeating. It is not about overturning the table and starting over, but about slowly adjusting direction.

Wen Laoshi says that in most cases, what you need is not a Ge-style revolution, but the gradual change of Xun’s Nine in the Fifth Place. Because you are not waging a war — you are running an operation. Running an operation calls for adjustments within stability, not tearing everything down to build again.

5. How to Apply the Wisdom of the Nine in the Fifth Place

First, test the waters before launching change. Don’t suddenly announce a major shift. Release signals in advance to give people time to mentally prepare. Mention today "I think we could adjust this approach a bit", bring it up again tomorrow, and formally present the plan the day after — the resistance will be much smaller.

Second, don’t let go right after the change is made. Many people think once the notice is sent and the meeting is held, the change is implemented. That’s not true. In the "three days" after the change (a metaphor for a longer period in practice), you need to keep following up, answer questions, tweak details, and consolidate the results.

Third, accept the "rocky start". A rough beginning is normal. Don’t doubt your direction the moment you hit resistance. The Nine in the Fifth Place tells you: it’s okay if the start is messy, as long as the end is good.

Final Thoughts

「贞吉，悔亡，无不利。无初有终。先庚三日，后庚三日，吉。」

This line is the essence of the Xun Hexagram — driving change through gentle, flexible means.

Wen Laoshi says the most brilliant kind of change is not the loud, earth-shaking kind that happens overnight. It is like the wind: first you feel the wind shifting direction, then it blows more and more smoothly, until the whole situation shifts along with it. And when you look back, it almost feels like nothing happened at all.

That is the true state of the Nine in the Fifth Place of the Xun Hexagram.