Hexagram 40 of 64 · Thunder ☳ over Water ☵
Deliverance
Xiè
Deliverance — the tension breaks like a spring storm, and the right response is to return quickly to ordinary life.
The Judgment
Deliverance: the southwest furthers. If there is no longer anything where one has to go, return brings good fortune. If there is still something where one has to go, hastening brings good fortune.
The Image
Thunder and rain set in: the tension of the storm resolves and the air clears. The wise person pardons mistakes and forgives misdeeds — deliverance is completed by letting go of what the difficulty did to you.
Hexagram 40 Meaning
The obstruction of hexagram 39 has broken. Thunder moving out of the water: the storm has come and gone, the pressure is released, and everything that was strained relaxes. The hexagram has two practical instructions. If there is nothing left to do, return to normal — do not linger in crisis mode. If there is something still to do, do it fast, before the momentum of release is lost. And the image adds the moral instruction: forgive. Deliverance is not complete while you are still holding the grudge.
Deliverance in Love
Relief — a conflict resolved, a fear lifted, a separation ended, the moment after the storm when you can breathe. The counsel is to return to ordinary life quickly and not to keep re-litigating what happened. Forgive: yours and theirs. If something still needs doing to complete the release (an apology, a clear decision), do it now while the air is clear. Do not rebuild the tension by picking at the scar.
Deliverance in Career & Money
A crisis has passed; a deadlock is broken; the difficult person has left; the verdict came in your favour. Return to normal operations promptly. If there are loose ends, tie them fast. Forgive the mistakes that were made under pressure — including yours. The lines warn against carrying the crisis mentality forward (line 3, the man with a burden in a carriage) and favour quickly removing what caused the trouble (line 4, the big toe).
What to Do
Breathe out. If nothing more is required, go back to ordinary life. If something is, do it quickly. Forgive what happened — that is the last part of the deliverance.
Deliverance as a Yes or No
yes
Yes — the tension is released and the way is clear; act promptly and then return to normal.
The Trigrams
Above: Thunder (震 Zhèn) — the arousing — movement, shock, the eldest son.
Below: Water (坎 Kǎn) — the abysmal — danger, depth, the middle son.
The Six Lines of Deliverance
Read when the line is moving (a 6 or 9 in the cast). Bottom line first.
- 1
Line 1 · yin
Without blame: the difficulty has just passed — say little, do little, rest.
- 2
Line 2 · yang
One kills three foxes in the field and receives a yellow arrow, perseverance brings good fortune: remove the flatterers and stay straight.
- 3
Line 3 · yin
If a man carries a burden on his back and nonetheless rides in a carriage, he thereby encourages robbers to draw near: acting above your station after deliverance invites attack — humiliation.
- 4
Line 4 · yang
Deliver yourself from your great toe, then the companion comes and him you can trust: cut off the low attachment that clings to you.
- 5
Line 5 · yin
If only the superior person can deliver himself, it brings good fortune — thus he proves to the inferior that he is in earnest: break with the inferior openly and they withdraw.
- 6
Line 6 · yin
The prince shoots at a hawk on a high wall and kills it, everything serves to further: the last obstruction removed decisively — success.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does hexagram 40, Deliverance, mean?
The obstruction of hexagram 39 has broken. Thunder moving out of the water: the storm has come and gone, the pressure is released, and everything that was strained relaxes. The hexagram has two practical instructions. If there is nothing left to do, return to normal — do not linger in crisis mode. If there is something still to do, do it fast, before the momentum of release is lost. And the image adds the moral instruction: forgive. Deliverance is not complete while you are still holding the grudge.
What does Deliverance mean in love?
Relief — a conflict resolved, a fear lifted, a separation ended, the moment after the storm when you can breathe. The counsel is to return to ordinary life quickly and not to keep re-litigating what happened. Forgive: yours and theirs. If something still needs doing to complete the release (an apology, a clear decision), do it now while the air is clear. Do not rebuild the tension by picking at the scar.
What does Deliverance mean for career and money?
A crisis has passed; a deadlock is broken; the difficult person has left; the verdict came in your favour. Return to normal operations promptly. If there are loose ends, tie them fast. Forgive the mistakes that were made under pressure — including yours. The lines warn against carrying the crisis mentality forward (line 3, the man with a burden in a carriage) and favour quickly removing what caused the trouble (line 4, the big toe).
Is hexagram 40 a yes or a no?
Deliverance answers "yes". Yes — the tension is released and the way is clear; act promptly and then return to normal.
Previous hexagram
39. Obstruction
obstacle
Next hexagram
41. Decrease
simplification
Last updated: August 30, 2026
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