Hexagram 47 · Oppression

困 · Kùn

Hexagram 47, Oppression (困, Kùn), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Water below and Lake above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “亨。贞，大人吉，无咎；有言不信。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with oppression and exhaustion — character under test. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Water (坎) — depth, danger and constancy in flow
Upper trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Symbol: ䷮ · Name: 困 (Kùn) · Number: 47 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yin) (初六)
   臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三岁不觌。
   The Image says: “入于幽谷”，幽不明也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   困于酒食，朱绂方来，利用享祀；征凶，无咎。
   The Image says: “困于酒食”，中有庆也。
3. 六三 (六三)
   困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。
   The Image says: “据于蒺藜”，乘刚也；“入于其宫，不见其妻”，不祥也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   来徐徐，困于金车，吝，有终。
   The Image says: “来徐徐”，志在下也；虽不当位，有与也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   劓刖，困于赤绂，乃徐有说，利用祭祀。
   The Image says: “劓刖”，志未得也。“乃徐有说”，以中直也。“利用祭祀”，受福也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰动悔，有悔。征吉。
   The Image says: “困于葛藟”，未当也；“动悔，有悔”，吉行也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 47?

Hexagram 47 is Oppression (困, Kùn), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Water below and Lake above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Oppression?

The judgment of Oppression reads, in the Chinese original: “亨。贞，大人吉，无咎；有言不信。”. Its Great Image reads: “泽无水，困。君子以致命遂志。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Oppression symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Oppression is associated with oppression and exhaustion — character under test. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.