隨 → 大壯
Hexagram 17: Following → Hexagram 34: Great Power
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 2, 3, 5).
Line 2
六二 係小子。失丈夫。
Six in the second place means: If one clings to the little boy, One loses the strong man.
Line 3
六三 係丈夫。失小子。隨有求得。利居貞。
Six in the third place means: If one clings to the strong man, One loses the little boy. Through following one finds what one seeks. It furthers one to remain persevering.
Line 5
九五 孚于嘉。吉。
Nine in the fifth place means: Sincere in the good. Good fortune.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
被服文德，升入大麓；四門雍肅，登受大福。
Clad in patterned virtue, ascending into the great mountain; the four gates solemn and reverent, he ascends to receive great blessings.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Thunder rests within the lake, and the verse recounts Shun's ascent to power. Clothed in civil virtue (文德), he enters the Great Forest — the test described in the Shiji where Yao sent Shun into the wilderness of wind and storm to prove his worthiness. The four gates of the court stand solemn and orderly, and Shun ascends to receive the supreme mandate. From Following to Great Power, thunder above heaven embodies irresistible force channeled through propriety. Shun did not seize power; he followed the path of virtue until power followed him. Da Zhuang's thunder does not rampage — the gentleman 'does not tread where propriety forbids.' Shun's greatness was earned by submission to tests, not by conquest.
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