Q0491
“When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through; when getting through, one…” — The Book of Changes (Yijing, Xici II)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Yijing, Xici II. Theme: wisdom.
English
When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through; when getting through, one endures.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Yijing, Xici II and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About The Book of Changes
The Book of Changes appears in this archive through verified English quotations associated with the Confucianism tradition. Biographical certainty varies by figure and text; where the “author” is a scripture or school anthology, read the name as a traditional attribution rather than a modern individual biography.
How to read this passage
Unlike mere information, wisdom concerns judgment. Ancient schools linked it to virtue, moderation, and the right relation to desire. This passage enters that discussion through wisdom.
Concepts in this quote
- Wisdom
- Wisdom is practical insight under uncertainty: knowing what matters, what one does not know, and how to act without false certainty.
How to cite this quotation
APA: The Book of Changes. (n.d.). When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through; when getting through, one endures. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0491
MLA: The Book of Changes. “When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through;….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0491.
Chicago: The Book of Changes. “When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through;….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0491.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “When exhausted, change; when changing, one gets through;…”?
The passage is attributed to The Book of Changes, Yijing, Xici II. The archive attributes this English wording to Yijing, Xici II and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does The Book of Changes mean by wisdom?
Unlike mere information, wisdom concerns judgment. Ancient schools linked it to virtue, moderation, and the right relation to desire. This passage enters that discussion through wisdom.