I Ching Hexagram 3 - Difficulty
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 3 "Difficulty"
屯 - Zhūn
Thủy Lôi Truân
Difficulty
Upper Trigram: ☵ Kan, Water
Lower Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Other Titles: Difficulty at the Beginning, The Symbol of Bursting, Sprouting, Hoarding, Distress, Organizational Growth Pains, Difficult Beginnings, Growing Pains, Initial Obstacles, Initial Hardship
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Difficulty at the Beginning works supreme success, furthering through perseverance. Nothing should be undertaken. It furthers one to appoint helpers.
Legge: Difficulty indicates progress and success through firm correctness. Action should not be undertaken lightly, and it is wise to seek help.
Blofeld: Difficulty followed by sublime success! Persistence in a righteous course brings reward; but do not seek some new goal (or destination); it is highly advantageous to consolidate the present position. [The fundamental idea of this hexagram is that of birth and growth amidst difficulty, as with a sprouting seed becoming a young plant and forcing its way through the earth.]
Liu: Difficulty in the Beginning : great success. It is of benefit to continue without planning to go someplace. One should find helpers.
Shaughnessy: Hoarding: Prime receipt; beneficial to determine. Do not herewith have someplace to go; beneficial to establish a lord.
Cleary (1): In difficulty, creativity and development are effective if correct. Do not use. There is a place to go. It is beneficial to set up a ruler.
Cleary (2): Creativity is successful. It is beneficial to be correct. Do not make use of going somewhere. It is beneficial to set up lords.
Wu: Distress is primordial, pervasive, prosperous, and persevering. The subject should proceed with caution. It will be advantageous to establish marquisates.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Clouds and thunder: the image of Difficulty at the Beginning. Thus the superior man brings order out of confusion.
Legge: The image of clouds and thunder forms Difficulty. The superior man, in accordance with this, adjusts his measures of government as in sorting the threads of the warp and woof.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes lightning spewed forth by the clouds -- difficulty prevails! The Superior Man busies himself setting things in order.
Liu: Clouds and thunder symbolize Difficulty at the Beginning. The superior man makes order out of disorder.
Cleary (1): Thunder in the clouds is held back; the superior person orders and arranges.
Cleary (2): Clouds and thunder – Difficulty. Thereby leaders organize.
Wu: Clouds and thunder form hexagram Distress. Thus the jun zi plans and organizes.
Line 1
初 九: 磐 桓, 利 居 貞, 利 建 侯
Wilhelm/Baynes: Hesitation and hindrance. It furthers one to remain persevering. It furthers one to appoint helpers.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows the difficulty its subject has in advancing. It will be advantageous for him to abide correct and firm. Advantageous also to be made a feudal ruler.
Blofeld: Uncertainty prevails. It is best to make no move, but to build up determination and to consolidate the position.
Liu: Considering and considering. It is of benefit to continue in the right way. One should find helpers.
Shaughnessy: To and fro; beneficial to determine about a dwelling; beneficial to establish a lord.
Cleary (1): Not going anywhere, it is beneficial to abide in correctness. It is beneficial to set up a ruler. [It is beneficial to set up the ruler and nurture the original energy.]
Cleary (2): Staying around, it is beneficial to remain correct. It is beneficial to set up lords. [In Buddhist terms, to “stay around” means to be immediately aware of any mental movement and not roll along, following thoughts. This is what is called “coming back before going far.”]
Wu: There is a formidable obstruction to advance. It will be advantageous, however, to remain persevering … etc. [If the subject can remain firm and correct, he will overcome.]
Line 2
六 二: 屯 如 邅 如, 乘 馬 班 如, 匪 寇 婚 媾 ． 女 子 貞 不 字, 十 年 乃 字
Wilhelm/Baynes: Difficulties pile up. Horse and wagon part. He is not a robber; he wants to woo when the time comes. The maiden is chaste, she does not pledge herself. Ten years -- then she pledges herself.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows its subject distressed and obliged to return. Even the horses of her chariot also seem to be retreating. But not by a spoiler is she assailed, but by one who seeks her to be his wife. The young lady maintains her firm correctness, and declines a union. After ten years she will be united, and have children.
Blofeld: He makes no more progress, covers no more distance, than a mounted man trotting to and fro. (His hesitation is due) not to an obstacle but to his wooing a girl who chastely repulses his advances and waits ten years before giving her consent.
Liu: Many difficulties. He goes back and forth on horseback, but he is not a robber. He seeks marriage but the girl does not want an engagement. After ten years she does.
Shaughnessy: Hoardingly, earth-moundlike, a team of horses vexatious-like; it is not robbers who confusedly enrich. The [female] child's determination is not to get pregnant; in ten years then she gets pregnant.
Cleary (1): Difficult to advance, hard to make progress. Mounted on a horse, not going forward. It is not a matter of enmity, but marriage. The girl is chaste, not engaged. After ten years she is engaged. [This means not seeking immediate solutions when in difficulty.]
Cleary (2): Stopped, mounted on a horse but standing still. Not enmity, marriage… etc.
Wu: There is hesitation to proceed. The horse carriage falters along. A suitor, not a transgressor, asks for marriage. The young woman chooses to remain chaste and refuses. After 10 years, however, she consents to the betrothal to another man.
Line 3
六 三: 即 鹿, 无 虞, 惟 入 于 林 中． 君 子 幾, 不 如 舍, 往 吝 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Whoever hunts deer without the forester only loses his way in the forest. The superior man understands the signs of the time and prefers to desist. To go on brings humiliation.
Legge: The third line, magnetic, shows one following the deer without the guidance of the forester, and only finding himself in the midst of the forest. The superior man, acquainted with the secret risks, thinks it better to give up the chase. If he went forward, he would regret it.
Blofeld: Pursuing a deer without a guide, the hunter finds himself lost in the forest. The Superior Man perceives that he must stay where he is, as going forward would lead to trouble.
Liu: He hunts deer with a forester. He gets lost in the forest. The superior man, knowing this, prefers to give up the hunt. To go on would bring regret.
Shaughnessy: Approaching the deer without ornamentation, it is only to enter into the forest. For the gentleman it is just about as good as dispensing with it; to go is distressful.
Cleary (1): Chasing deer without a guide, just going into the forest. The superior person, knowing the dangers, had better give up; to go would bring regret.
Cleary (2): Chasing deer without preparation only goes into the bush. Leaders see that it is better to give up, for to go would bring regret. [ If you have no accurate knowledge yourself and do not have enlightened teachers or associates, and practice blindly, then you will fall into a pit.]
Wu: Hunting in the forest without the guidance of a ranger will result in roaming aimlessly with a chance of getting lost. The jun zi senses the risk. It is better to quit than to proceed and regret.
Line 4
六 四: 乘 馬 班 如 ． 求 婚 媾, 往 吉, 无 不 利 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Horse and wagon part. Strive for union. To go brings good fortune. Everything acts to further.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject as a lady, the horses of whose chariot appear in retreat. She seeks, however, the help of him who seeks her to be his wife. Advance will be fortunate; all will turn out advantageously.
Blofeld: Hesitating like a man trotting to and fro, he waits for marriage. Thenceforth, good fortune will prevail and every action prosper. [This passage indicates that success can certainly be obtained, but only after a considerable period of waiting patiently.]
Liu: He goes back and forth on horseback. If he seeks marriage, he will have good fortune. Everything benefits.
Shaughnessy: A team of horses vexatious-like, seeking confused enrichment; to go is auspicious; there is nothing not beneficial.
Cleary (1): Mounted on a horse yet not going forward. Seeking marriage, it is good to go, beneficial all around.
Cleary (2): Mounted on a horse but standing still. Go to seek alliance, and the good results will benefit all.
Wu: The horse carriage falters along. The lady is being asked for marriage. It will be auspicious to accept. Everything will be advantageous.
Line 5
九 五: 屯 其 膏; 小 貞 吉, 大 貞 凶 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Difficulties in blessing. A little perseverance brings good fortune. Great perseverance brings misfortune.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, shows the difficulties in the way of its subject's dispensing the rich favors that might be expected from him. With firmness and correctness there will be good fortune in small things. In great things there will be evil.
Blofeld: Fertility cannot easily be brought about. Persistence in small things will bring good fortune; in greater matters, it will bring disaster.
Liu: Difficulties in prosperity. Good fortune for small things. Misfortune for great things.
Shaughnessy: Hoarding its fat; little determination is auspicious, great determination is inauspicious.
Cleary (1): Stalling the benefits. Rectitude in small matters is good. Self-righteousness in great matters brings misfortune. [This is being great but conscious of the small, waiting for the time to be able to get out of difficulty.]
Cleary (2): Stalling the benefits. There is good outlook for the correctness of the small, bad outlook for the correctness of the great.
Wu: Hoarding wealth suggests conditions suitable for limited progress but detrimental for great undertakings.
Line 6
上六: 乘 馬 班 如, 泣 血 漣 如 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Horse and wagon part. Bloody tears flow.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject with the horses of her chariot obliged to retreat, and weeping tears of blood in streams.
Blofeld: He hesitates like a man trotting to and fro or like one shedding blood and tears.
Liu: He goes back and forth on horseback. He sheds tears with blood! [Arrogance leads to misfortune, perhaps extreme misfortune.]
Shaughnessy: A team of horses vexatious-like, dipping blood streamingly.
Cleary: Mounted on a horse, not going forward, weeping tears of blood.
Wu: The horse carriage falters along. Tears roll down from the rider’s eyes.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 3 suggests a period of difficulty and challenges at the outset of a new venture or situation. It signifies that the initial steps may be tough, but perseverance and a strategic approach will lead to success in the long run. It encourages one to view obstacles as opportunities for growth.
A new situation is arising, and the unknown lies ahead. The initial confusion and discomfort you face can be overcome by persistent efforts. With the advice of someone more experienced in the field, you can walk through the difficult moment with ease. Do not hold back from asking for help due to your pride. Be patient when seeking mentorship.
Advance with caution initially. Do not press the matter and avoid moving forward recklessly. This will bring you success.
