泽水困
Hexagram 47 describes a time of oppression, exhaustion, and confinement — when resources are depleted, words go unheard, and external circumstances press in from all sides. Yet the hexagram teaches that true character is revealed precisely in such moments, and that the person of integrity can endure what seems unbearable.
困：亨，贞，大人吉，无咎，有言不信。
泽水漏下、受困之象：困中仍可守正而亨通；大人处困能得其吉、保无咎；此时言语难以取信于人，宜少说多做。
Interpretive translationOppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.
彖曰：困，刚掩也。险以说，困而不失其所，亨；其唯君子乎？贞大人吉，以刚中也。有言不信，尚口乃穷也。
象曰：泽无水，困；君子以致命遂志。
泽中无水，干涸受困；君子效法它，在困厄中不惜献出生命以遂其志。
臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三岁不觌。
象曰：入于幽谷，幽不明也。
One sits oppressed under a bare tree and strays into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing.
困于酒食，朱绂方来，利用亨祀，征凶，无咎。
象曰：困于酒食，中有庆也。
One is oppressed while at meat 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.
困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。
象曰：据于蒺藜，乘刚也。入于其宫，不见其妻，不祥也。
A man permits himself to be oppressed by stone, and leans on thorns and thistles. He enters his house and does not see his wife. Misfortune.
来徐徐，困于金车，吝，有终。
象曰：来徐徐，志在下也。虽不当位，有与也。
He comes very quietly, oppressed in a golden carriage. Humiliation, but the end is reached.
劓刖，困于赤绂，乃徐有说，利用祭祀。
象曰：劓刖，志未得也。乃徐有说，以中直也。利用祭祀，受福也。
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.
困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰动悔。有悔，征吉。
象曰：困于葛藟，未当也。动悔有悔，吉行也。
He is oppressed by creeping vines. He moves uncertainly and says, 'Movement brings remorse.' If one feels remorse over this and makes a start, good fortune comes.
Structure
Kùn is formed by Lake (Dui ☱) above Water (Kan ☵). The lake sits above the water, but the water drains away below — the lake is emptied, exhausted. Dui represents joy and expression, while Kan represents danger and the abyss. Together they depict a situation where one's capacity for joy and expression is undermined by deep, hidden dangers and the steady draining of resources.
Judgment and Image
The Judgment states: Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed. The Image shows the lake with no water — the superior person stakes their life on following their will. The paradox of Kùn is that success is possible even in oppression, but only through unwavering inner conviction. Words fail in this time; only actions and endurance speak.
Core meaning
The central teaching of Kùn is that oppression tests and reveals character. When external resources are depleted and circumstances are hostile, what remains is the inner core — the values, convictions, and resilience that define who a person truly is. The hexagram does not promise that oppression will end quickly, but it affirms that the person who maintains their integrity through it will emerge stronger.
The image of the empty lake is powerful: the water has drained away, leaving the lakebed exposed. This is a time of exposure and vulnerability, when pretenses fall away and only what is genuine remains. The counsel to stake one's life on following one's will is not reckless — it is the recognition that in times of extreme pressure, half-measures and compromises are worse than useless.
In Liuyao readings, Kùn often appears when the querent is experiencing genuine hardship — financial pressure, social isolation, professional setbacks, or emotional exhaustion. The hexagram validates the difficulty while counseling against despair. It asks whether the querent can find the inner resources to endure, and whether they are willing to let go of what is inessential in order to preserve what truly matters.
The note that words are not believed is significant: this is not a time for persuasion or explanation. Others may not understand or support you. The hexagram counsels action over words, endurance over complaint, and inner conviction over external validation.
In divination
When Kùn appears in a reading, it signals a period of genuine difficulty that requires inner strength and perseverance. For career questions, it may indicate a period of professional setback or resource scarcity that must be endured. For relationships, it may point to a time when communication fails and only patient endurance can preserve the bond.
Kùn is favorable for inner cultivation, letting go of the inessential, and maintaining integrity under pressure. It is unfavorable for new ventures, persuasion, or expecting external support.
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