益 → 歸妹

Commentary

Wind and thunder bestow increase, and the transformation leads to thunder above the lake — the irreversible commitment of the Marrying Maiden. At first there is worry and unease, but afterward comes laughter and joy. Though there is fear, ultimately there is no disaster. The emotional arc traces a complete journey from anxiety through terror to relief — the pattern of a bride entering an unfamiliar household, where initial dread gives way to acceptance and happiness. The fear is real but does not materialize into actual harm. From Increase to the Marrying Maiden, the transformation embodies the irreversible threshold: once crossed, there is no return, and the maiden must accept both the joy and the vulnerability of her new position. The thunder over the lake signals a commitment that reverberates beyond the moment, and the verse assures that enduring through the initial fear leads to genuine gladness.