47
困
Kùn

Hexagram 47: Oppression

彖 · Tuan

Judgment

Success. Perseverance. A person of stature brings Good fortune. No blame. Words are not believed.
Judgment Commentary · 彖傳
Constraint means that the firm is covered over. Amid danger yet still joyful, constrained yet not losing one's ground: this is success, and perhaps only the Noble One can do it. Perseverance by a person of stature brings Good fortune because of firm centeredness. Words are not believed because reliance on speech alone runs to exhaustion.
象 · Xiang

Image

Marsh without water: Constraint. The Noble One stakes life to fulfill the purpose.
六爻 · Six Lines

Lines

Line 06

Top Six
Constrained by creeping vines and precarious unease, one says, 'If I move, I will regret it.' Yet there is regret. Going on brings Good fortune.
Corresponds to line 3
Commentary
Constrained by creeping vines means being out of place. Moving with regret brings Good fortune. Going on is fortunate.

Line 05

Nine in the Fifth
Nose cut off, feet cut off. Constrained by the crimson knee-bands. Then slowly there is release. Favorable to make sacrifices.
Central Corresponds to line 2
Commentary
Nose cut off and feet cut off mean the will is not yet attained. Then slowly there is release because of centered uprightness. Favorable to make sacrifices means receiving blessing.

Line 04

Nine in the Fourth
Coming very slowly, constrained by the metal carriage. Distress, but there is an end.
Corresponds to line 1
Commentary
Coming very slowly means the will is directed below. Though not in the proper place, there is still association.

Line 03

Six in the Third
Constrained by stone and resting on brambles, one enters the chambers and does not see the wife. Misfortune.
Corresponds to line 6
Commentary
Resting on brambles means riding on the firm. Entering the chambers and not seeing the wife is not auspicious.

Line 02

Nine in the Second
Distressed over wine and food. The vermilion knee-bands are just arriving. Favorable to make offerings and sacrifices. Setting out brings Misfortune. No blame.
Central Corresponds to line 5
Commentary
Being distressed over wine and food means that inwardly there is rejoicing.

Line 01

Initial Six
Buttocks trapped against tree stumps. Entering a dark valley, one is unseen for three years.
Corresponds to line 4
Commentary
Entering the dark valley means darkness, not clarity.
卦象 · Guà Xiàng

Trigrams

Upper Trigram

Tui

Joyous

Element
Metal
Direction
West
Family
Youngest Daughter
Season
Autumn
Lower Trigram

K'an

Dangerous

Element
Water
Direction
North
Family
Middle Son
Season
Winter
Palace
Dui Palace
Role: First Generation
Shi line 1 · Ying line 4
Ruling trigram
Tui

Related hexagrams

Nuclear
Hexagram 37: The Family
Opposite
Hexagram 22: Grace
Inverse
Hexagram 48: The Well
Same palace
Hexagram 58: The Joyous Lake
Same palace
Hexagram 45: Gathering Together
Same palace
Hexagram 31: Influence

Correspondences

Upper Trigram
兌 Tui
Joyous
Lower Trigram
坎 K'an
Dangerous
Palace
Dui Palace
Palace 8
Element
金 Metal
See the full correspondence table →
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