Hexagram 47: 困
kùn —exhaustion, oppression; beset, afflicted, tired
By Augustin Chan · Last updated 2025
Upper Trigram澤
Lower Trigram水
Judgment
困kùnexhaustion, oppression; beset, afflicted, tired
亨hēngfulfillment, satisfaction, success, completion
貞zhēnand, with persistence, determination, focus
大dàto, for a the mature, complete, full, great
人rénhuman being, character, one, person
吉jípromise, hope; an opportunity
無wúno; not; without, with no
咎jiùblame; wrong; a mistake, an error
有yǒubut to have, remember; there will be
言yánthe, this, these words, talk, theory
不bùis, but not, no; still wants, needs; without
信xìnto believe; the, ir assurance, conviction
困。亨。貞。大人吉。無咎。有言不信。
Image
澤zéthe lake, pool, pond, marsh
無wúwithout, with no; has no; lacks, wants
水shuǐwater, flow
困kùnexhaustion
君jūnnoble, worthy, honored
子zǐyoung one, heir, disciple
以yǐaccordingly, therefore, thus
致zhìinvokes, involves; calls for, upon
命mìnga higher order, power, purpose; command
遂suìto follow through; succeed in, carry out
志zhìthe aim, intent(ion), objective; resolve
澤無水,困。君子以致命遂志。
歷史殉道

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。」
Lines
Line 1: 臀困于株木入于幽谷三歲不覿
臀túnthe, with rump, buttocks, bottom, rear end
困kùnbeset, distressed, afflicted, belabored
于yúby, with
株zhūcane, stick, rod, staff, branch, stem
木mùof wood; wooden
入rùentering; going
于yúinto; inside, through; entering
幽yōuthe gloomy, dismal, dark; of gloom
谷gǔvalley, depression, rut, hollow; the valley
三sānfor three
歲suìyears, harvests
不bùnot; without being; without an
覿díseen face to face; a visitor; encounter
Line 2: 困于酒食朱紱方來利用享祀征凶
困kùnbeset, oppressed, distressed, afflicted
于yúamidst, at, before; by, with
酒jiǔwine, drink, spirits, refreshment
食shíand food, sustenance, nourishment
朱zhūthe scarlet, red, vermillion
紱fúsashed nobles; sashes, leggings; gentry
方fāngsuddenly, directly; with direction(s)
來láiarrive, appear; approach, come
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
用yòngand useful, productive, practical
享xiǎngto offer up, present, consecrate, dedicate
祀sìthe sacrifice + to give up this spirit
征zhēnginitiative; to expedite, assert, go boldly
凶xiōngbut; it, this is not; avoids; less
Line 3: 困于石據于蒺藜入于其宮不見其妻凶
困kùnbeset, oppressed, distressed, afflicted
于yúby, with, among, before
石shístone, rock
據jùseize; grab, grasp, hold, take, possession
于yúupon, on; at; onto, on to; of
蒺jíthorns, thistles, caltrops
藜líbrambles; and brambles, briars
入rùentering; going
于yúinto, inside, within, through(out); entering
其qíhis
宮gōnghouse, home, chambers, dwelling
不bùbut not
見jiànseeing
其qíhis
妻qīwife
凶xiōngunfortunate, lucky, happy; disappointing
Line 4: 來徐徐困于金車吝有終
來láiapproaching, coming, arriving
徐xúslowly; haltingly, hesitantly, carefully
徐xúso slowly; and gravely
困kùnbeset, oppressed, distressed, afflicted
于yúin, inside, within
金jīnmetal, gilded, bronze, an expensive
車chēchariot, carriage
吝lìnbut the, this embarrassment, humiliation
有yǒuhas; will have, attain, find
終zhōngan end, outcome, conclusion, limit, finale
Line 5: 劓刖困于赤紱乃徐有說利用祭祀
劓yìnose cut off; noseless
刖yuèand feet cut off; footless; defeated
困kùnbeset, oppressed, distressed, afflicted
于yúby, amidst, among, with
赤chìthe blush, carnation, pink, rouge
紱fúsashed ministers; sashes, leggings
乃nǎiand only then, but then; although, however
徐xúslowly, gradually, carefully
有yǒugetting, attaining, finding, claiming, learning
說shuōrelief, release, freedom, abandon, escape
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, beneficial
用yòngand useful, productive, practical
祭jìto give, offer up; worship; sacrifice
祀sìand a, the this big, generous sacrifice
Line 6: 困于葛藟于臲卼曰動悔有悔征吉
困kùnbeset, oppressed, distressed, afflicted
于yúby, with, among, amidst
葛gécreeping, creepy; creepers, crawlers, kudzu
藟lěiand vines, lianas
于yúproceeding, going in, with
臲nièunsteadiliness; feebly, unstably, unevenly
卼wùand awkwardly(ness); uncomfortably
曰yuēand, while saying, uttering, speaking
動dòngthat action, activity, movement, excitement
悔huǐis, means, brings regret(s), remorse
有yǒuto have, take, claim, earn, assume, presume, own
悔huǐthe regret(s), remorse
征zhēngand expedite, press on, go boldly forward
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
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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