| Name | 屯 Zhūn, “Difficulty at the Beginning” |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☵ 坎 Water: danger and depth |
| Lower trigram | ☳ 震 Thunder: sudden movement |
The Judgment
元亨利贞。勿用，有攸往，利建侯。
Sublime success through staying true. Do not rush forward. It is wise to appoint helpers.
The breakthrough is real, but not today. Don't sprint — build your circle first.
The Image
云雷，屯；君子以经纶。
Clouds and thunder — Difficulty. The wise weave order from the storm.
Pressure's building, nothing's broken open yet. Use the tension to organize, not panic.
The six lines
If a line changes in your cast, read its text below. Lines are numbered from the bottom.
Line 1 · first (bottom) · Yang
磐桓。利居贞，利建侯。
Hesitation. It is wise to hold steady and to appoint helpers.
Stalling isn't failing. Plant where you are, find your people, then move.
Line 2 · second · Yin
屯如邅如，乘马班如。匪寇婚媾，女子贞不字，十年乃字。
Held back, turned around — riders circling. Not raiders, but suitors. The woman holds firm, marries only after ten years.
What looks like a threat might be an offer. Either way, no isn't forever — sometimes timing just needs years to catch up.
Line 3 · third · Yin
即鹿无虞，惟入于林中，君子几不如舍，往吝。
Chasing deer without a guide, deep into the forest. The wise read the moment and stop. Pressing on brings shame.
Chasing it without someone who knows the terrain? You're going to get lost. Pulling back isn't quitting, it's smart.
Line 4 · fourth · Yin
乘马班如，求婚媾，往吉，无不利。
Riders circling. Seek the union. Going forward: fortune. Nothing fails.
You've been hesitating, but the offer is real. Say yes. Everything opens up from here.
Line 5 · fifth · Yang
屯其膏。小贞吉，大贞凶。
Blessings held back. In small matters, fortune. In large matters, misfortune.
Your influence isn't flowing freely yet. Small wins land — don't bet the whole house tonight.
Line 6 · top · Yin
乘马班如，泣血涟如。
Riders circling — tears falling like blood.
Stuck at the edge with nowhere to go. Sometimes the only thing to do is feel it through.
Related hexagrams
- Inverted (turned upside down): Hexagram 4, Youthful Folly
- Complement (every line reversed): Hexagram 50, The Cauldron