I Ching Hexagram 32 - Constancy
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 32 "Constancy"
恆 - Héng
Lôi Phong Hằng
Constancy
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☴ Xun, Wind
Other Titles: Duration, Consistency, The Symbol of Constancy, The Long Enduring, Constant, Persevering, Standing Fast, Continuity, Constancy in the Midst of Change, Holding Firm
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Duration. Success. No blame. Perseverance furthers. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Legge: Consistency means successful progress without error through firm correctness. Movement in any direction is advantageous.
Blofeld: The Long Enduring. Success and freedom from error! Righteous persistence brings reward. It is favorable to have in view some goal or destination.
Liu: Duration. Success. No blame. It benefits to continue. Going anywhere is advantageous.
Shaughnessy: Constancy: Receipt; there is no trouble; beneficial to determine; beneficial to have someplace to go.
Cleary (1): Constancy is developmental. Impeccable. It is beneficial to be correct. It is beneficial to have a place to go.
Cleary (2): Constancy comes through without fault, beneficial insofar as it is correct. It is beneficial to have a place to go.
Wu: Constancy indicates pervasion. There will be no blame. It also indicates advantage of being persevering and having undertakings.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder and wind: the image of Duration. Thus the superior man stands firm and does not change his direction.
Legge: Thunder over wind -- the image of Consistency. The superior man stands firm and does not change his method of operation.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes thunder accompanied by wind. The Superior Man stands so firmly that he cannot be uprooted.
Liu: Thunder and wind symbolize Duration. The superior man stands firm without changing direction.
Cleary (1): Thunder and wind are perpetual. Thus does the superior person stand without changing places.
Cleary (2): Thunder and wind are constant; so do developed people stand without changing place.
Wu: A combination of thunder and wind forms Constancy. Thus the jun zi establishes himself by not changing his post.
Line 1
初六: 浚恆, 貞凶, 无攸利．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Seeking duration too hastily brings misfortune persistently. Nothing that would further.
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject deeply desirous of long continuance. Even with firm correctness there will be evil; there will be no advantage in any way.
Blofeld: To ensure his continuance, he digs a hole for himself. This sort of determination brings misfortune, for he is unable to go anywhere.
Liu: One seeks duration too insistently; to continue this brings misfortune. Nothing is of benefit.
Shaughnessy: Distant constancy; determination is inauspicious; there is no place beneficial.
Cleary (1): Deep constancy; fidelity brings misfortune. No benefit.
Cleary (2): In deep constancy, fidelity brings misfortune; there is no gain.
Wu: He seeks a lasting relationship from afar. Even though he is earnest, it will be foreboding and there is nothing to be gained.
Line 2
九二: 悔亡．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Remorse disappears.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows all occasion for repentance disappearing.
Blofeld: Regret vanishes.
Liu: Remorse vanishes. [A stable situation is now possible.]
Shaughnessy: Regret is gone.
Cleary: Regret disappears.
Wu: Regret disappears.
Line 3
九三: 不恆其德, 或承之羞, 貞吝．
Wilhelm/Baynes: He who does not give duration to his character meets with disgrace. Persistent humiliation.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows one who does not continuously maintain his virtue. There are those who will impute this to him as a disgrace. However firm he may be, there will be ground for regret.
Blofeld: He is not consistently virtuous and therefore meets with disgrace. To continue thus would be shameful.
Liu: If he does not continue to improve his character, he will be disgraced. Continuing (not to improve) brings humiliation.
Shaughnessy: Not making constant his virtue, he perhaps receives its disgrace; determination is distressful.
Cleary (1): If one is not constant in virtue, one may be shamed; even if right, one is humiliated.
Cleary (2): Not being constant in virtue may be taken as a disgrace. Even if one is right, one is humiliated.
Wu: The subject does not persevere in principle. He may feel humiliated for his support. Even though he does nothing wrong, he will be remorseful.
Line 4
九四: 田无禽．
Wilhelm/Baynes: No game in the field.
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows a field where there is no game.
Blofeld: No game in the field.
Liu: No birds in the field. For a long time one is out of place. How can one get birds. [If you receive this line, you should not expect success, even with heightened efforts. Rather, be wary of losing your present position.]
Shaughnessy: In the fields there is no game.
Cleary: Fields, no game.
Wu: He hunts, but his bag is empty.
Line 5
六五: 恆其德, 貞. 婦人吉, 夫子凶．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Giving duration to one's character through perseverance. This is good fortune for a woman, misfortune for a man.
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows its subject continuously maintaining the virtue indicated by it. In a wife this will be fortunate; in a husband, evil.
Blofeld: Making a virtue of marital constancy is a type of persistence which brings good fortune to women, but is harmful to men. [Here "constancy" is used in the limited sense of devotion to husband or wife and willingness to submit absolutely to his or her judgment.]
Liu: Firmly instilling duration in one's character is good fortune for a woman, but not for a man.
Shaughnessy: Making constant his virtue; determination is auspicious for the wife, inauspicious for the husband.
Cleary(1): Constancy in virtue; this righteousness is good for a woman, bad for a man.
Cleary (2): The fidelity of constancy in virtue bodes well for a woman, bodes ill for a man.
Wu: The subject perseveres in principle. This is auspicious for a woman, but ominous for a man.
Line 6
上六: 振恆, 凶．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Restlessness as an enduring condition brings misfortune.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject exciting herself to long continuance. There will be evil.
Blofeld: Prolonged violent exercise -- misfortune! [This implies violent activity directed to wrong ends and therefore barren of result.]
Liu: Continuous agitation means misfortune.
Shaughnessy: Distant constancy; inauspicious.
Cleary (1): Constancy of excitement is bad.
Cleary (2): Constant excitement bodes ill.
Wu: He changes his constant course. This is foreboding.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 32 indicates perseverance and consistency. Enduring success is based on keeping abreast of time and changing it without abandoning your goal. It’s based upon standing firm yet remaining flexible like a tree bending in the wind but not breaking. This applies equally to personal and professional relationships.
A blissful and enduring marriage and the active and the passive work harmoniously together leads to both progress and success.
