Hexagram 47: Oppression (Exhaustion) (困 Kùn) — I Ching Guide

Q: What is I Ching Hexagram 47 (困 Oppression (Exhaustion))?

I Ching Hexagram 47, 困 (Kùn), represents Oppression (Exhaustion). It is formed by Lake (兌 Duì) above, Water (坎 Kǎn) below. The core teaching of this hexagram is captured in its Judgment: 'Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed....'

Q: What does the Image of Hexagram 47 mean?

The Image states: 'There is no water in the lake: the image of Exhaustion. Thus the superior man stakes his life on following his will.' This teaches that the superior person responds to the hexagram's situation by cultivating the corresponding inner quality.

Q: How do the six lines of Hexagram 47 develop its meaning?

The six lines trace a progression through the hexagram's situation. Starting from the bottom (Line 1) through Line 6, each position reveals a different aspect of how Oppression (Exhaustion) manifests — from initial stirrings to the final outcome. Key lines include the ruler of the hexagram and the culminating line.

Q: What is the relationship between Hexagram 47 and other hexagrams?

Hexagram 47 (Oppression (Exhaustion)) follows Hexagram 46 in the traditional King Wen sequence, forming a meaningful progression. Its nuclear hexagram and opposite/complementary hexagram provide additional dimensions of meaning.

Oriens

困

Kùn — Hexagram 47

Oppression (Exhaustion)

Lake (兌 Duì) above, Water (坎 Kǎn) below

Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens

Summary

I Ching Hexagram 47, 困 (Kùn), represents Oppression (Exhaustion). Formed by Lake (兌 Duì) above, Water (坎 Kǎn) below, this hexagram teaches about oppression (exhaustion). The core message: Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed..

Key Takeaways

Hexagram 47 is formed by Lake (兌 Duì) above, Water (坎 Kǎn) below, combining two of the eight trigrams into a unique archetypal situation
The Judgment reveals the hexagram's core teaching through a concise, oracular statement
The six lines trace a progression from initial conditions through to the culmination and outcome
The Image connects the natural symbolism of the trigrams to the conduct of the superior person
This hexagram's wisdom applies to modern situations involving

The Judgment

Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.

— I Ching, Oppression (Exhaustion)

The Image

There is no water in the lake: the image of Exhaustion. Thus the superior man stakes his life on following his will.

— I Ching, Image

The Six Lines

Line 1: Line 1: Sitting oppressed under a bare tree and straying into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing.

Line 2: Line 2: Oppressed by food 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: Line 3: A man is oppressed by stones, and leans on thorns and thistles. He enters his house and does not see his wife. Misfortune.

Line 4: Line 4: He comes very slowly, oppressed in a golden carriage. Humiliation, but the matter ends.

Line 5: Line 5: 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.

Line 6: Line 6: He is oppressed by creeping vines. He moves uncertainly and says, 'Movement brings remorse.' And if he feels remorse over this and starts forward, good fortune comes.

Modern Application

Hexagram 47 describes the experience of being trapped — water below the lake has drained away, leaving the lake empty. This is the hexagram of exhaustion, when resources are depleted and words are not believed. Yet the judgment paradoxically says 'Success' — not because oppression is good, but because it reveals character. The great man maintains integrity when stripped of everything. The Image's 'staking life on following his will' is the hexagram's deepest teaching: when circumstances are worst, the only remaining resource is the will to persevere. In modern terms, Oppression describes burnout, financial hardship, unjust treatment, and the dark night of the soul that tests what one truly believes.

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