Hexagram 47: Oppression (Exhaustion)
䷮ 困 Kùn – The Book of Changes
The Judgment
In Oppression there may yet be progress and success. For the firm and correct, the really great man, there will be good fortune. He will fall into no error. If he makes speeches, his words cannot be made good.
The Image
A marsh whose waters have drained away below: the image of Oppression. Thus the superior man will sacrifice his life in order to carry out his purpose.
Description
Oppression (Kun) shows a lake that has drained away, leaving it dry: exhaustion, confinement and the sense that words carry no weight. Hardship tests character. Yet a person of true quality can still prevail, by staying cheerful inside and acting rather than talking.
The six lines
A line's place shapes its role: 1 the beginning, 2 the center of the inner world, 3 the threshold to the outside, 4 close to power, 5 the ruler's place, 6 the end and the excess. Keep this grid in mind and the line texts become much easier to read. More in the guide →
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Line 1: Old Yin (bottom)
Oppression tightens. Danger — pressure builds; the soul strains.
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Line 2: Old Yang
Oppression with endurance. Favorable — strength grows in silence; hold firm.
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Line 3: Old Yin
Oppression with despair. Danger — hopelessness blinds the way; seek light.
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Line 4: Old Yang
Oppression with insight. Favorable — wisdom emerges from trial; listen within.
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Line 5: Old Yang
Oppression with support. Favorable — connection eases the weight; reach out.
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Line 6: Old Yin (top)
Oppression ends. Favorable — the tension breaks; renewal begins.
Reading by area of life
❤️ What does hexagram 47 mean for relationships and private life?
You feel worn out, unheard, perhaps trapped. Explaining yourself again and again changes nothing right now. Instead, show through actions what matters to you. Keep your inner dignity and a bit of humor. Lean on the people who stand by you quietly. Exhaustion distorts perception, so avoid drastic decisions until your strength returns. Rest is a priority, not a luxury.
💼 What does hexagram 47 mean for work and money?
Resources run dry: money, energy, support. Words don't convince anyone at the moment, and proposals fall on deaf ears. Let results speak instead. Conserve what you have, stay solvent, focus on the essentials, and hold your course. Adversity separates people who merely talk from those who deliver. Your persistence now will be remembered when the situation improves.
🌌 What does hexagram 47 mean for your personal path and spirituality?
Dryness of spirit is a test of purpose. When everything feels empty, ask what you would hold to even at great cost. Commitment proven in hardship becomes real. Don't waste energy complaining or seeking sympathy. Stay quietly cheerful at the core, keep doing what matters, and trust that the well will fill again. Many traditions treat such dryness as a threshold rather than a dead end.
Nuclear hexagram
Lines 2, 3 and 4 form the lower trigram, lines 3, 4 and 5 the upper one. Leaving out the beginning and the end reveals the core of the situation, what is at work out of sight. It is a secondary aspect, not a second verdict. If it seems to contradict the main hexagram, that happens and is not an error. More in the guide →
Lines 2, 3, 4 and 3, 4, 5 form nuclear hexagram 37, The Family. It shows what is at work beneath the surface – an inner tendency, not a verdict on the situation itself.
Hexagram 37 – The Family
For the realization of what is taught in the Family, what is most advantageous is that the wife be firm and correct.
The two trigrams
- Upper, outer: Dui – Lake
- The Joyous (Youngest Daughter). Within, it shows as joy, self-reflection and openness; without, as inspiration that finds expression through conversation and creativity.
- Lower, inner: Kan – Water
- The Abysmal (Middle Son). Within, it stands for trial, depth and commitment; without, for a passage through the dark that brings hidden resources to light.