Hexagram 47:

kùn exhaustion, oppression; beset, afflicted, tired

By Augustin Chan · Last updated 2025

Upper Trigram
Lower Trigram

Judgment

kùnexhaustion, oppression; beset, afflicted, tired
hēngfulfillment, satisfaction, success, completion
zhēnand, with persistence, determination, focus
to, for a the mature, complete, full, great
rénhuman being, character, one, person
promise, hope; an opportunity
no; not; without, with no
jiùblame; wrong; a mistake, an error
yǒubut to have, remember; there will be
yánthe, this, these words, talk, theory
is, but not, no; still wants, needs; without
xìnto believe; the, ir assurance, conviction

困。亨。貞。大人吉。無咎。有言不信。

Image

the lake, pool, pond, marsh
without, with no; has no; lacks, wants
shuǐwater, flow
kùnexhaustion
jūnnoble, worthy, honored
young one, heir, disciple
accordingly, therefore, thus
zhìinvokes, involves; calls for, upon
mìnga higher order, power, purpose; command
suìto follow through; succeed in, carry out
zhìthe aim, intent(ion), objective; resolve

澤無水,困。君子以致命遂志。

歷史殉道

Hexagram 47 digital artifact

司馬遷《報任安書》

司馬遷 (公元前91年)

公元前99年。漢廷之上。太史令司馬遷為李陵將軍辯護——李陵喺箭盡糧絕之後向匈奴投降。漢武帝本來就多疑,將呢件事睇成對自己決定嘅批評。判決:死刑,或者宮刑。 司馬遷揀咗宮刑。唔係因為佢驚死——自殺先係體面嘅路,佢自己最清楚。正如佢後來寫嘅:「人固有一死,或重於泰山,或輕於鴻毛。」佢判斷,如果喺《史記》未完成嗰陣死咗,佢嘅死就輕過鴻毛——毫無意義。佢揀咗「腐刑」,因為佢老豆臨終嘅遺願係完成部史書。《史記》——130篇,跨越2500年中國歷史——當時得草稿。司馬遷死咗,呢部著作都會跟住消失。 喺多年之後寫畀任安嘅信入面,佢形容自己嘅生活好似「腸一日而九回」。澤上水下(☱☵):喜悅壓喺險難之下。表面睇落去好似好平靜——個史官繼續做嘢——但係深處流淌住永遠唔會乾嘅羞辱暗流。「有言不信」——佢講嘅係真話,朝廷聽到嘅係叛逆。大人之吉唔係安逸——而係意義喺尊嚴守唔住嗰陣仲可以守得住。

Historical Context

Period
周朝
Oracle Bone Etymology
兌(☱)喺上,坎(☵)喺下——喜悅枯竭,深處搵唔到。澤冇出路;水升唔上去。
Traditional Use
困(困窮/困頓)形容一切行動都冇用嘅處境。澤喺水上面但係攞唔到水——資源存在但係俾人堵住。衛禮賢譯:「君子以致命遂志。」
Character Analysis
困(kùn)字形係木(木)俾牆(囗)圍住——生長受阻,潛能被困。個字本身就畫緊壓迫:生命力喺度但係伸展唔到。同窮困、貧乏,同埋才能俾人壓住嘅特殊痛苦有關。
Energy State
下面嘅水本來可以滋養,但係上面嘅澤已經俾人封咗。喜悅(澤)坐喺險難(水)上面,兩者之間冇通道。能量存在但係流通唔到——有資源但係俾人堵住嘅狀態。
Trigram Symbolism
☱ 澤(上卦)——喜悅、開放、少女 ☵ 水(下卦)——險難、深淵、中男 喜悅坐喺險難上面:深淵之上維持嘅微笑。本來應該向上補充澤水嘅嘢,反而喺暗處流失咗。

Sources

Lines

Line 1: 臀困于株木入于幽谷三歲不覿

túnwith rump
kùnbeset
by
zhūcane
of wood
entering
into
yōuthe gloomy
valley
sānfor three
suìyears
not
覿seen face to face

Line 2: 困于酒食朱紱方來利用享祀征凶

kùnbeset
amidst
jiǔwine
shíand food
zhūthe scarlet
sashed nobles
fāngsuddenly
láiarrive
worthwhile
yòngand useful
xiǎngto offer up
the sacrifice + to give up this spirit
zhēnginitiative
xiōngbut

Line 3: 困于石據于蒺藜入于其宮不見其妻凶

kùnbeset
by
shístone
seize
upon
thorns
brambles
entering
into
his
gōnghouse
but not
jiànseeing
his
wife
xiōngunfortunate

Line 4: 來徐徐困于金車吝有終

láiapproaching
slowly
so slowly
kùnbeset
in
jīnmetal
chēchariot
lìnbut the
yǒuhas
zhōngan end

Line 5: 劓刖困于赤紱乃徐有說利用祭祀

nose cut off
yuèand feet cut off
kùnbeset
by
chìthe blush
sashed ministers
nǎiand only then
slowly
yǒugetting
shuōrelief
worthwhile
yòngand useful
to give
and a

Line 6: 困于葛藟于臲卼曰動悔有悔征吉

kùnbeset
by
creeping
lěiand vines
proceeding
nièunsteadiliness
and awkwardly(ness)
yuēand
dòngthat action
huǐis
yǒuto have
huǐthe regret(s)
zhēngand expedite
is promising

Practical Guidance

你困住咗,行動解決唔到問題。 可能係嗰份工,你嘅貢獻俾人算喺第二個人頭上。可能係嗰段關係,你用一百種方式解釋同一件事,仲係冇人聽。可能係個系統,用你證明得到但冇人認嘅方式針對你。你有資源——才華、證據、正當嘅不滿——但係冇渠道令佢哋發揮作用。澤喺水上面但係仲係乾涸。 司馬遷面對嘅係呢種抉擇嘅極端形式。佢向權力講真話——為一個力戰到最後一支箭先投降嘅將軍辯護——朝廷聽到嘅只係不忠。判決係死刑或者宮刑。死亡係體面嘅選擇。佢嗰個時代嘅每一個士人都知。佢自己嘅文字都證實佢知。 佢揀咗宮刑。唔係因為佢驚死,而係因為佢死咗,《史記》都會跟住消失。老豆畢生嘅心血。兩千五百年嘅中國歷史,只係存在喺冇其他人寫得完嘅草稿竹簡上面。「腐刑」為佢換到完成真正緊要嘅嘢嘅時間。 呢個就係卦象嘅模式:困唔係關於搵到出口。冇出口。而係關於喺圍牆企得穩嗰陣,你保護啲咩。司馬遷洗唔甩自己嘅名聲,攞唔返佢嘅尊嚴,令唔到皇帝聽到真相。但係佢寫得完部書。制約係絕對嘅;制約入面嘅選擇係佢嘅。 「大人吉」喺呢一卦入面讀落去好似係嘲諷——直到你明白「吉」喺呢度係咩意思。唔係安逸。唔係平反。唔係世界終於認可你嘅價值。佢嘅意思係:最緊要嘅嘢活得落去。司馬遷喺恥辱中又活多十年。《史記》活咗二十二個世紀。 人哋miss咗嘅係:佢哋不斷試圖解決壓迫本身,而唔係喺壓迫入面做嘢。佢哋將精力花喺證明自己啱、要求被承認、撞唔會郁嘅牆上面。澤不斷試圖用蠻力掂到水,而蠻力唔係個機制。與此同時,真正嘅工作——嗰件可以超越牢籠存活落去嘅事——擱置未完。 「有言不信。」呢個係困嘅特殊殘酷。你冇錯。你只係冇人聽。再多嘅正確都令唔到佢哋聽。司馬遷為李陵嘅辯護係準確嘅;現代歷史學家都認同。冇用。朝廷已經做咗決定。 問題唔係你逃唔逃得甩制約。你可能逃唔到——唔係而家,唔係通過直接行動。問題係:你嘅《史記》係咩?如果你唔再撞牆,開始喺牆入面做嘢,咩可以活得落去?君子「以致命遂志」——唔係贏個爭論,唔係得到平反,而係完成只有佢先完成得到嘅事。 司馬遷個名喺漢廷嘅記錄入面唔值一提。喺我哋嘅記錄入面,佢代表一切。

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