I Ching hexagram · 47 of 64
Hexagram 47: Oppression 困 Kùn · Adversity, exhaustion, inner strength
Under pressure. Keep your words few and your spirit firm. Success. Perseverance. The great person has good fortune and no blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.
- Upper: ☱ Lake
- Lower: ☵ Water
- Nuclear: 37
- Opposite: 22
Number
47 of 64
Chinese name
困 Kùn
Upper trigram
☱ Lake
Lower trigram
☵ Water
Nuclear hexagram
䷤ 37. The Family
Opposite hexagram
䷕ 22. Grace
What hexagram 47 means
Hexagram 47 shows a lake whose water has drained away below. It describes oppression, exhaustion and being hemmed in, when resources run out and words are not believed.
Adversity tests character. Stay cheerful and true to yourself, speak less and act more; the great person finds success even in hardship.
The Judgement · 卦辞
困：亨，贞，大人吉，无咎。有言不信。
Success. Perseverance. The great person has good fortune and no blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.
The Image · 象曰
泽无水，困；君子以致命遂志。
There is no water in the lake: the image of exhaustion. The noble person stakes their life on following their will.
The lines and trigrams
Oppression places ☱ Lake (兑 Duì), the trigram of joy and openness, above ☵ Water (坎 Kǎn), the trigram of danger and depth. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 47 in your life
Love and relationships
Feeling drained, misunderstood or stuck. Stay kind and true; actions will mean more than explanations now.
Personal growth
Hardship reveals what you are made of. Hold to your purpose with inner calm.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 47 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
Sitting oppressed under a bare tree, you wander into a gloomy valley. Don't give in to despair.
Line 2 九二 · Nine in the second place
Oppressed at meat and wine. Help is on its way, so prepare inwardly; pushing ahead brings misfortune.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
Oppressed by stone and leaning on thorns. Restless reactions only make things worse: misfortune.
Line 4 九四 · Nine in the fourth place
Coming slowly, held up in a golden carriage. Humiliation, but you reach the end.
Line 5 九五 · Nine in the fifth place
Oppressed by those in authority. Joy comes gradually; be patient and sincere.
Line 6 上六 · Six at the top
Entangled in creeping vines and unsteady. Once you see your mistake, moving on brings good fortune.
Hexagram 47 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 47 mean?
Hexagram 47, Oppression (困 Kùn), is about adversity, exhaustion, inner strength. Under pressure. Keep your words few and your spirit firm. Hexagram 47 shows a lake whose water has drained away below. It describes oppression, exhaustion and being hemmed in, when resources run out and words are not believed.
What does hexagram 47 mean in love?
Feeling drained, misunderstood or stuck. Stay kind and true; actions will mean more than explanations now.
What does hexagram 47 mean for work and money?
Shortages, pressure or not being heard. Conserve energy, focus on what you can control and let results speak.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 47?
Hexagram 47 has Lake (Duì) as its upper trigram and Water (Kǎn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 47?
Its nuclear hexagram is 37, The Family. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 22, Grace. Turned upside down it becomes 48, The Well.
All 64 hexagrams
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