困 · Kùn — Fortitude in the Crucible

Q: What is the meaning of I Ching Hexagram 47 (困 Kùn)?

Hexagram 47 is 困 (Kùn — Fortitude in the Crucible), formed by 兑 Dui (Lake) above and 坎 Kan (Water) below. King Wen Sequence #47 (困 Kùn — Fortitude in the Crucible) embodies water draining beneath a dry lakebed basin. Assigned to the Gen Mountain Palace (艮宫八卦 · Stillness Gate) and resonant with Minor Snow (小雪 · Hai Month), its six-line binary vector (010110) pairs 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the root with 兑 Dui (Joyous Expression) at the crown.

Upper Trigram: 兑 Dui (Lake) · Lower Trigram: 坎 Kan (Water)

Cast 3-Coin Oracle

Classical Judgment (卦辞) — 困卦（第47卦）：上兑下坎，属Gen。错卦为贲，综卦为井，互卦见家人。

King Wen Sequence #47 (困 Kùn — Fortitude in the Crucible) embodies water draining beneath a dry lakebed basin. Assigned to the Gen Mountain Palace (艮宫八卦 · Stillness Gate) and resonant with Minor Snow (小雪 · Hai Month), its six-line binary vector (010110) pairs 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the root with 兑 Dui (Joyous Expression) at the crown.

Great Image (象传)

《大象传》：兑下坎交感成困（䷮），君子观此象以明进退之枢。

Visual Archetype: deep well shaft reaching bedrock aquifer. When Lake (Metal) interacts with Water (Water), the primary strategic mandate centers on turning resource scarcity into unbreakable inner resolve. Its Polarity Opposite (Cuo Gua · 错卦) is #22 贲 (Aesthetic Adornment), its Overturned Inverse (Zong Gua · 综卦) is #48 井 (The Inexhaustible Wellspring), and its Nuclear Core (Hu Gua · 互卦) reveals #37 家人 (Harmonious Household Order).

Career, Strategy & Timing

Executive Decision Counsel

For decision-makers consulting 困 (Kùn) regarding turning resource scarcity into unbreakable inner resolve, the hexagram highlights the interplay between Water foundation and Metal manifestation. Rather than generic haste, align execution with Minor Snow (小雪 · Hai Month) rhythms and inspect whether your natal BaZi chart favors Metal or Water as its Favorable Element (喜用神).

Six Lines Progression (六爻爻辞 · Bottom Line 1 to Top Line 6)

Line 1 (初六 · Root Threshold)初六：困之始，审势立基。

困 (Kùn) Step 1 [Yin 6 · 坎 Kan]: Germination of water draining beneath a dry lakebed basin near deep well shaft reaching bedrock aquifer; validate root premises before accelerating turning resource scarcity into unbreakable inner resolve.

Line 2 (二九 · Inner Official)九二：中正居内，与五相应。

困 (Kùn) Step 2 [Yang 9 · Water]: Central lower-trigram seat anchored in deep well shaft reaching bedrock aquifer; cultivate Water craftsmanship in harmony with #37 家人.

Line 3 (三六 · Trigram Pivot)六三：内卦之极，慎防过刚。

困 (Kùn) Step 3 [Yin 6 · Nuclear #37 Harmonious Household Order]: Threshold between 坎 Kan and 兑 Dui during Minor Snow (小雪 · Hai Month); pace turning resource scarcity into unbreakable inner resolve carefully.

Line 4 (四九 · Ministerial Gate)九四：跃入外卦，审时顺势。

困 (Kùn) Step 4 [Yang 9 · 兑 Dui]: Ministerial counsel within the Gen Mountain Palace (艮宫八卦 · Stillness Gate); align water draining beneath a dry lakebed basin with institutional mentors.

Line 5 (五九 · Sovereign Axis)九五：尊位得中，大展宏图。

困 (Kùn) Step 5 [Yang 9 · Sovereign]: Fulcrum of Fortitude in the Crucible (䷮); command turning resource scarcity into unbreakable inner resolve through balanced Metal and Water synthesis.

Line 6 (上六 · Horizon Apex)上六：物极必反，归藏待时。

困 (Kùn) Step 6 [Yin 6 · Apex]: Culmination of water draining beneath a dry lakebed basin, pivoting toward Inverse #48 井 (The Inexhaustible Wellspring) and Opposite #22 贲.

BaZi & Plum Blossom Numerology (梅花易数) Connection

Spatial & Elemental Calibration for #47 困: Place a deep well shaft reaching bedrock aquifer motif or Metal-element accent in your workspace; cross-reference Hexagram #22 (贲) when balancing Yin/Yang extremes.

Plot Natal BaZi Chart Check Tong Shu Almanac

#46 升 Steady Ascent #48 井 The Inexhaustible Wellspring

INSTANT BILINGUAL ARCHIVAL DOSSIER (PRINTABLE HTML/PDF FOLIO)

Download Hexagram #47 (困 Kùn) 6 Changing Lines Commentary

Get line-by-line classical Yao Ci (爻辞) interpretations from bottom Line 1 (Initial) to top Line 6 (Culmination).