Hexagram 47: Oppression → Hexagram 55: Abundance

Oppression
Lake / Water
Abundance
Thunder / Fire
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 4 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 5).

Line 1

初六 臀困于株木。入于幽谷。三歲不覿。

túnwith rump
kùnbeset
by
zhūcane
of wood
entering
into
yōuthe gloomy
valley
sānfor three
suìyears
not
覿seen face to face

Six at the beginning means: One sits oppressed under a bare tree And strays into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing.

Line 2

九二 困于酒食。朱紱方來。利用享祀。征凶无咎。

kùnbeset
amidst
jiǔwine
shíand food
zhūthe scarlet
sashed nobles
fāngsuddenly
láiarrive
worthwhile
yòngand useful
xiǎngto offer up
the sacrifice + to give up this spirit
zhēnginitiative
xiōngbut

Nine in the second place means: One is oppressed while at meat and drink. The man with the scarlet knee bands is just coming. It furthers one to offer sacrifice. To set forth brings misfortune. No blame.

Line 3

六三 困于石。據于蒺蔾。入于其宮。不見其妻。凶。

kùnbeset
by
shístone
seize
upon
thorns
brambles
entering
into
his
gōnghouse
but not
jiànseeing
his
wife
xiōngunfortunate

Six in the third place means: A man permits himself to be oppressed by stone, And leans on thorns and thistles. He enters the house and does not see his wife. Misfortune.

Line 5

九五 劓刖。困于赤紱。乃徐有說。利用祭祀。

nose cut off
yuèand feet cut off
kùnbeset
by
chìthe blush
sashed ministers
nǎiand only then
slowly
yǒugetting
shuōrelief
worthwhile
yòngand useful
to give
and a

Nine in the fifth place means: His nose and feet are cut off. Oppression at the hands of the man with the purple knee bands. Joy comes softly. It furthers one to make offerings and libations.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake ThunderThe Joyous → The Arousing
Lower TrigramWater FireThe Deep → The Clinging

Yilin Verse

東行賊家,鄭伯失辭。國无貞良,居受其殃。

Traveling east to the house of trouble, the Lord of Zheng loses his speech. The state has no one loyal and true; those who stay suffer the calamity.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

A lake without water: journeying east to an enemy's domain, the Earl of Zheng loses his words. The state has no upright and loyal ministers, and those who remain suffer calamity. The phrase 'Zheng Bo shi ci' recalls several episodes in the Zuo Zhuan where Zheng's rulers were humiliated in diplomatic exchanges, unable to speak effectively before more powerful states. A ruler without eloquence in the feudal courts was a ruler without defense. From Oppression to Abundance, thunder and lightning arrive together in overwhelming force. The gentleman uses this to decide legal cases and carry out punishments. Abundance demands decisive judgment, but the verse shows a state that has lost the capacity for articulate self-defense. Without loyal counselors to supply the right words, even abundance of force cannot compensate for poverty of speech.

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