Hexagram 3: Zhun

Judgment

元亨，利貞。勿用有攸往，利建侯。

Kun (indicates that in the case which it presupposes) there will be great progress and success, and the advantage will come from being correct and firm. (But) any movement in advance should not be (lightly) undertaken. There will be advantage in appointing feudal princes.

The beginning is called great and open, and it pays to stay steady and correct. The caution is to hold off on setting out and to put trusted people in place to share the work first.

Image

雲雷，屯；君子以經綸。

(The trigram representing) clouds and (that representing) thunder form Kun. The superior man, in accordance with this, (adjusts his measures of government) as in sorting the threads of the warp and woof.

Line 1 · 初九

磐桓，利居貞，利建侯。

The first line, undivided, shows the difficulty (its subject has) in advancing. It will be advantageous for him to abide correct and firm; advantageous (also) to be made a feudal ruler.

At the start, lingering and hesitating are natural. It pays to stay steady and correct where you are, and to build a circle of supporters before moving on.

Line 2 · 六二

屯如邅如，乘馬班如，匪寇婚媾，女子貞不字，十年乃字。

The second line, divided, shows (its subject) distressed and obliged to return; (even) the horses of her chariot (also) seem to be retreating. (But) not by a spoiler (is she assailed), but by one who seeks her to be his wife. The young lady maintains her firm correctness, and declines a union. After ten years she will be united, and have children.

You are stuck and circling, and the one holding you up comes with a proposal. Declining the offer at hand is the counsel, and the right match goes ahead only after ten years.

Line 3 · 六三

即鹿无虞，惟入于林中，君子幾不如舍，往吝。

The third line, divided, shows one following the deer without (the guidance of) the forester, and only finding himself in the midst of the forest. The superior man, acquainted with the secret risks, thinks it better to give up the chase. If he went forward, he would regret it.

Chasing a deer with no one who knows the woods only leads you deeper into the forest, and a capable person reads the risk and gives up the chase since pressing on brings regret.

Line 4 · 六四

乘馬班如，求婚媾，往，吉无不利。

The fourth line, divided, shows (its subject as a lady), the horses of whose chariot appear in retreat. She seeks, however, (the help of) him who seeks her to be his wife. Advance will be fortunate; all will turn out advantageously.

The horse circles and cannot move forward alone, so you look for a partner who can help. Going ahead together is the good reading here, and nothing in it works against you.

Line 5 · 九五

屯其膏；小貞吉，大貞凶。

The fifth line, undivided, shows the difficulties in the way of (its subject's) dispensing the rich favours that might be expected from him. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune in small things; (even) with them in great things there will be evil.

Your goodwill and resources cannot flow out to the people who need them. Small, steady steps are a good sign, while a large and forceful push is a bad one.

Line 6 · 上六

乘馬班如，泣血漣如。

The topmost line, divided, shows (its subject) with the horses of his chariot obliged to retreat, and weeping tears of blood in streams.

The horse circles again, with nowhere to go and no one to turn to, and the tears run like blood. This is the hardest point of the hard beginning.