47. 困 Oppression

Primary hexagram

47. 困

Oppression kùn

Lake over Water

2 lines are changing: line 4, line 6.

59. 渙

Transformed

59. 渙 huàn

Dispersion

Wind over Water

A derived fact, not a prediction. It is what the same six lines spell once the changing lines have flipped.

What to read

Show every changing lineZhu Xi (Yixue Qimeng)Huang (governing line)

2 lines are changing. Read them bottom to top as one sequence; none is ranked above another.

Hexagram 47 · line 4

九四：來徐徐，困于金車，吝，有終。

The fourth NINE, undivided shows its subject proceeding very slowly (to help the subject of the first line), who is straitened by the carriage adorned with metal in front of him. There will be occasion for regret, but the end will be good.

「金車」，謂二也。二剛以載者也，故謂之金車。「徐徐」者，疑懼之辭也。志在於初而隔於二，履不當位，威令不行。棄之則不能，欲往則畏二，故曰「來徐徐，困于金車」也。有應而不能濟之，故曰「吝」也。然以陽居陰，履謙之道，量力而處，不與二爭，雖不當位，物終與之，故曰「有終」也。

「九四來徐徐」至「有終」。○正義曰：何氏云：「九二以剛德勝，故曰'金車'也。」「徐徐」者，疑懼之辭。九四有應於初而礙於九二，故曰「困于金車」。欲棄之，惜其配偶疑懼，而行不敢疾速，故「來徐徐」也。有應而不敢往，可恥可恨，故曰「吝」也。以陽居陰，不失謙道，為物之所與，故曰「有終」也。

Hexagram 47 · line 6

上六：困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰動悔。有悔，征吉。

The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject straitened, as if bound with creepers; or n a high and dangerous position, and saying (to himself), 'If I move, I shall repent it.' If he do repent of former errors, there will be good fortune in his going forward.

居困之極，而乘於剛，下無其應，行則愈繞者也。行則纏繞，居不獲安，故曰「困于葛藟於臲卼」也。下句無困，因於上也。處困之極，行無通路，居無所安，困之至也。凡物窮則思變，困則謀通，處至困之地，用謀之時也。「曰」者，思謀之辭也。謀之所行，有隙則獲，言將何以通至困乎？「曰動悔」，令生有悔，以征則濟矣，故曰「動悔有悔，征吉」也。

「上六困于葛藟」至「征吉」。○正義曰：葛藟，引蔓纏繞之草，臲卼，動搖不安之辭。上六處困之極，極困者也。而乘於剛，下又無應，行則纏繞，居不得安，故院「困於葛藟於臲卼」也。應亦言「困於臲卼」，「困」因於上，省文也。「凡物窮則思變，困則謀通，處至困之地」，是用謀策之時也。「曰」者，思謀之辭也。謀之所行，有隙則獲，言將何以通至困乎？為之謀曰：必須發動其可悔之事，令其有悔可知，然後處困求通，可以行而獲吉，故曰「動悔，有悔，征吉」。

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In (the condition denoted by) Khwăn there may (yet be) progress and success. For the firm and correct, the (really) great man, there will be good fortune. He will fall into no error. If he make speeches, his words cannot be made good.

The text

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These slots are chosen mechanically: the judgement and image for hexagram 47, plus the line text for each changing line. Passages are fetched by exact identifier, never by similarity, so a passage either is the one for this hexagram or is absent. Where a slot says the text has not been imported, that is literal. See where the text comes from.

Judgement

Source text周易 (Zhouyi)

困：亨，貞大人吉，无咎，有言不信。

TranslationLegge, 1899

In (the condition denoted by) Khwăn there may (yet be) progress and success. For the firm and correct, the (really) great man, there will be good fortune. He will fall into no error. If he make speeches, his words cannot be made good.

CommentaryWang Bi

困必通也。處窮而不能自通者，小人也。處困而得「無咎」，吉乃免也。

CommentaryKong Yingda

正義曰：「困」者，窮厄委頓之名，道窮力竭，不能自濟，故名為「困」。亨者，卦德也。小人遭困，則「窮斯濫矣」。君子遇之，則不改其操。君子處困而不失，其自通之道，故曰「困，亨」也。正義曰：處困而能自通，必是履正體大之人，能濟於困，然後得吉而「無咎」，故曰：「貞，大人吉，無咎」也。正義曰：處困求濟，在於正身脩德。若巧言能辭，人所不信，則其道彌窮，故誡之以「有言不信」也。

彖傳 on the Judgement

Commentary易傳 (Ten Wings)

困，剛掩也。險以說，困而不失其所，亨；其唯君子乎？貞大人吉，以剛中也。有言不信，尚口乃窮也。

TranslationLegge, 1899

In Khwăn (we see) the strong (lines) covered and obscured (by the weak). We have in it (the attribute of) perilousness going on to that of satisfaction. Who is it but the superior man that, though straitened, still does not fail in making progress to his proper end? 'For the firm and correct, the (really) great man, there will be good fortune:'--this is shown by the central positions of the strong (lines). 'If he make speeches, his words cannot be made good:'--to be fond of arguing or pleading is the way to be reduced to extremity.

CommentaryWang Bi

剛則揜於柔也。處險而不改其說，「困而不失其所亨」也。處困而用剛，不失其中，履正而能體大者也。能正而不能大博，未能說困者也，故曰「貞，大人吉」也。處困而言，不見信之時也。非行言之時，而欲用言以免，必窮宅也。其吉在於「貞、大人」，口何為乎？

CommentaryKong Yingda

正義曰：此就二體以釋卦名，兌陰卦為柔，坎陽卦為剛，坎在兌下，是「剛見揜於柔也」。剛應升進，今被柔揜，施之於人，其猶君子為小人所蔽以為困窮矣。正義曰：此又就二體名訓以釋亨德也。坎險而兌說，所以困而能亨者，良由君子遇困，安其所遇，雖居險困之世，不失暢說之心，故曰「險以說，困而不失其所亨」也。正義曰：「其唯君子乎」者，結歎處困能通，非小人之事，唯君子能然也。「貞，大人吉，以剛中」者，此就二五之爻，釋「貞，大人」之義。剛則正直，所以為貞，中而不偏，所以能大。若正而不大，未能濟困，處困能濟，濟乃得吉而無咎也，故曰「貞，大人吉，以剛中」也。正義曰：處困求通，在於修德非用言以免困。徒尚口說，更致困窮，故曰「尚口乃窮」也。

Image

Source text周易 (Zhouyi)

澤无水，困；君子以致命遂志。

TranslationLegge, 1899

(The trigram representing) a marsh, and (below it that for a defile, which has drained the other dry so that there is) no water in it, form Khwăn. The superior man, in accordance with this, will sacrifice his life in order to carry out his purpose.

CommentaryWang Bi

澤無水，則水在澤下，水在澤下，困之象也。處困而屈其志者，小人也。「君子固窮」，道可忘乎？

CommentaryKong Yingda

正義曰：「澤無水，困」者，謂水在澤下，則澤上枯槁，萬物皆困，故曰「澤無水困」也。「君子以致命遂志」者，君子之人，守道而死，雖遭困厄之世，期於致命喪身，必當遂其高志，不屈撓而移改也，故曰「致命遂志」也。

Line 4

Source text周易 (Zhouyi)

九四：來徐徐，困于金車，吝，有終。

TranslationLegge, 1899

The fourth NINE, undivided shows its subject proceeding very slowly (to help the subject of the first line), who is straitened by the carriage adorned with metal in front of him. There will be occasion for regret, but the end will be good.

CommentaryWang Bi

「金車」，謂二也。二剛以載者也，故謂之金車。「徐徐」者，疑懼之辭也。志在於初而隔於二，履不當位，威令不行。棄之則不能，欲往則畏二，故曰「來徐徐，困于金車」也。有應而不能濟之，故曰「吝」也。然以陽居陰，履謙之道，量力而處，不與二爭，雖不當位，物終與之，故曰「有終」也。

CommentaryKong Yingda

「九四來徐徐」至「有終」。○正義曰：何氏云：「九二以剛德勝，故曰'金車'也。」「徐徐」者，疑懼之辭。九四有應於初而礙於九二，故曰「困于金車」。欲棄之，惜其配偶疑懼，而行不敢疾速，故「來徐徐」也。有應而不敢往，可恥可恨，故曰「吝」也。以陽居陰，不失謙道，為物之所與，故曰「有終」也。

小象 on this line

Commentary易傳 (Ten Wings)

來徐徐，志在下也。雖不當位，有與也。

TranslationLegge, 1899

'He proceeds very slowly (to help the subject of the first line):'--his aim is directed to (help) that lower (line). Although he is not in his appropriate place, he and that other will (in the end) be together.

CommentaryWang Bi

下謂初也。

CommentaryKong Yingda

正義曰「有與」者，位雖不當，執謙之故，物所與也。

Line 6

Source text周易 (Zhouyi)

上六：困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰動悔。有悔，征吉。

TranslationLegge, 1899

The sixth SIX, divided, shows its subject straitened, as if bound with creepers; or n a high and dangerous position, and saying (to himself), 'If I move, I shall repent it.' If he do repent of former errors, there will be good fortune in his going forward.

CommentaryWang Bi

居困之極，而乘於剛，下無其應，行則愈繞者也。行則纏繞，居不獲安，故曰「困于葛藟於臲卼」也。下句無困，因於上也。處困之極，行無通路，居無所安，困之至也。凡物窮則思變，困則謀通，處至困之地，用謀之時也。「曰」者，思謀之辭也。謀之所行，有隙則獲，言將何以通至困乎？「曰動悔」，令生有悔，以征則濟矣，故曰「動悔有悔，征吉」也。

CommentaryKong Yingda

「上六困于葛藟」至「征吉」。○正義曰：葛藟，引蔓纏繞之草，臲卼，動搖不安之辭。上六處困之極，極困者也。而乘於剛，下又無應，行則纏繞，居不得安，故院「困於葛藟於臲卼」也。應亦言「困於臲卼」，「困」因於上，省文也。「凡物窮則思變，困則謀通，處至困之地」，是用謀策之時也。「曰」者，思謀之辭也。謀之所行，有隙則獲，言將何以通至困乎？為之謀曰：必須發動其可悔之事，令其有悔可知，然後處困求通，可以行而獲吉，故曰「動悔，有悔，征吉」。

小象 on this line

Commentary易傳 (Ten Wings)

困于葛藟，未當也。動悔，有悔，吉行也。

TranslationLegge, 1899

'He is straitened as if bound with creepers: (his spirit and action) are unsuitable. '(He says), "If I move, I shall repent of it." And he does repent (of former errors), which leads to good fortune:'--so he (now) goes on.

CommentaryWang Bi

所處未當，故致此困也。

CommentaryKong Yingda

正義曰：「未當也」者，處於困極，而又乘剛，所處不當，故致此困也。正義曰：「吉行」者，知悔而征，行必獲吉也。

How this reading was built

Each line is the sum of three coins worth 2 or 3, so it is always 6, 7, 8, or 9. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper one, using polarity only. That pair of trigrams has a fixed number in the King Wen sequence, and looking it up in that table is where 47 came from. Nothing here is chosen or generated.

Lower trigram (lines 1–3)

坎 kǎn

Water

Deep · Middle son · bits 010 (bottom to top)

Upper trigram (lines 4–6)

兌 duì

Lake

Open · Youngest daughter · bits 110 (bottom to top)

What changes

Primary. Line 1 is at the bottom.

Transformed. Line 1 is at the bottom.

A 6 is yin becoming yang; a 9 is yang becoming yin. Every other line stays as it is.

Inspect each line

6 6 yin, changing to yang

Position: Line 6 of 6, counting from the bottom. This is the top line, cast last.
Coins: 2 + 2 + 2 = 6. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 6.
Polarity: 6 is yin, and it is changing, so in the transformed hexagram this position is yang.
Trigram: It is position 3 of the upper trigram, 兌 duì (Lake), which is built from lines 4 to 6.

5 7 yang, stable

Position: Line 5 of 6, counting from the bottom.
Coins: 2 + 2 + 3 = 7. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 7.
Polarity: 7 is yang, and it is stable, so it is unchanged in the transformed hexagram.
Trigram: It is position 2 of the upper trigram, 兌 duì (Lake), which is built from lines 4 to 6.

4 9 yang, changing to yin

Position: Line 4 of 6, counting from the bottom.
Coins: 3 + 3 + 3 = 9. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 9.
Polarity: 9 is yang, and it is changing, so in the transformed hexagram this position is yin.
Trigram: It is position 1 of the upper trigram, 兌 duì (Lake), which is built from lines 4 to 6.

3 8 yin, stable

Position: Line 3 of 6, counting from the bottom.
Coins: 2 + 3 + 3 = 8. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 8.
Polarity: 8 is yin, and it is stable, so it is unchanged in the transformed hexagram.
Trigram: It is position 3 of the lower trigram, 坎 kǎn (Water), which is built from lines 1 to 3.

2 7 yang, stable

Position: Line 2 of 6, counting from the bottom.
Coins: 2 + 2 + 3 = 7. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 7.
Polarity: 7 is yang, and it is stable, so it is unchanged in the transformed hexagram.
Trigram: It is position 2 of the lower trigram, 坎 kǎn (Water), which is built from lines 1 to 3.

1 8 yin, stable

Position: Line 1 of 6, counting from the bottom. This is the bottom line, cast first.
Coins: 2 + 3 + 3 = 8. Each coin is worth 2 or 3, so this is the only sum that gives 8.
Polarity: 8 is yin, and it is stable, so it is unchanged in the transformed hexagram.
Trigram: It is position 1 of the lower trigram, 坎 kǎn (Water), which is built from lines 1 to 3.

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Reading 47. Oppression

47. 困

59. 渙 huàn

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