I Ching Hexagram 34 - Great Power
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 34 "Great Power"
大壯 - Dà Zhuàng
Lôi Thiên Đại Tráng
Great Power
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☰ Qian, Heaven
Other Titles: The Power of the Great, The Symbol of Great Vigor, Persons of Great Authority, Great Strength, Great Invigorating, Great Maturity, Accumulated Force, The Strength of the Mighty, Righteous Power, Excessive Force.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: The Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers.
Legge: Great Power necessitates firm correctness.
Blofeld: The Power of the Great. Persistence in a righteous course brings reward. [This hexagram with a solid group of firm lines topped by a small number of yielding lines obviously signifies strength -- in this case the power to succeed in spite of difficulties. Much of what follows concerns goats -- a symbol presumably suggested by the form of the hexagram, namely a solid body distinguished by a pair of horns -- the yielding lines at the top.]
Liu: Great Power. It is of benefit to continue.
Shaughnessy: Great Maturity: Beneficial to determine.
Cleary: Great power is beneficial when correct.
Wu: Great Strength indicates that it is advantageous to be persevering.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder in heaven above: The image of The Power of the Great. Thus the superior man does not tread upon paths that do not accord with established order.
Legge: The image of thunder over heaven forms the hexagram of Great Power. The superior man, in accordance with this, does not take one step that is not in accordance with propriety.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes thunder in the sky. The Superior Man never takes a step involving impropriety. [Note: The combination of trigrams meaning thunder and sky suggests something of the awe-inspiring quality of the truly great.]
Liu: Thunder in the sky above symbolizes Great Power. The superior man's conduct does not oppose the rules.
Cleary (1): Thunder is up in the sky, with great power. Thus do superior people refrain from what is improper.
Cleary (2): … Developed people do not do what is improper.
Wu: There is thunder above heaven; this is Great Strength. Thus the jun zi does not practice what is not proper.
Line 1
初九: 壯于趾, 征凶, 有孚．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Power in the toes. Continuing brings misfortune. This is certainly true.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject manifesting his strength in his toes. But advance will lead to evil -- most certainly.
Blofeld: Power in the toes. [I.e. power of a rather low or limited kind.] To advance now would bring misfortune.
Liu: Power in the toes. Actions lead to misfortune. This is true.
Shaughnessy: Mature in the foot; to be upright is inauspicious; there is a return.
Cleary (1): With power in the feet, it is inauspicious to go forth on an expedition – there is truth in this.
Cleary (2): With power in the feet, an expedition bodes ill, having certainty.
Wu: Having strength in the toes indicates foreboding to proceed, confidence notwithstanding.
Line 2
九二: 貞吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows that with firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Persistence in a righteous course brings good fortune.
Liu: Persistence brings good fortune. It (the second line) is in the center (the middle way).
Shaughnessy: Determination is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Rectitude is auspicious.
Cleary (2): Correctness is auspicious.
Wu: Perseverance will bring auspiciousness.
Line 3
九三: 小人用壯, 君子用罔．貞厲, 羝羊觸藩, 羸其角．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The inferior man works through power. The superior man does not act thus. To continue is dangerous. A goat butts against a hedge and gets its horns entangled.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows, in the case of an inferior man, one using all his strength; and in the case of a superior man, one whose rule is not to do so. Even with firm correctness the position would be perilous. The exercise of strength in it might be compared to the case of a ram butting against a fence, and getting his horns entangled.
Blofeld: Inferior men use their power where (under the circumstances prevailing) the Superior Man refrains from using his. Persistence now would bring serious consequences, as when a goat butts against a hedge and gets its horns entangled.
Liu: The inferior man uses his power, while the superior man does not. The goat butts against a hedge, entangling his horns. To continue is dangerous.
Shaughnessy: The little man uses maturity, the gentleman uses loss; determination is dangerous. A ram butts a fence, and weakens its horns.
Cleary (1): For inferior people the use is powerful, but for superior people the use is nil. It is dangerous to persist in this, goat, etc.
Cleary (2): Petty people use power; superior people use nothingness, chaste in danger, goat, etc.
Wu: A little man deploys strength indiscreetly; a jun zi doe not do so. There is peril ahead, goat, etc.
Line 4
九四: 貞吉, 悔亡, 藩決不羸．壯于大輿之輹．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. The hedge opens; there is no entanglement. Power depends upon the axle of a big cart.
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows a case in which firm correctness leads to good fortune, and occasion for repentance disappears. We see the fence opened without the horns being entangled. The strength is like the wheel spokes of a large wagon.
Blofeld: Righteous persistence brings good fortune and regret vanishes. The hedge falls apart and he is no longer entangled. There is great power in the cart axle. [A powerful axle indicates that the time is favorable for an advance towards our goal.]
Liu: Persistence brings good fortune and remorse vanishes. The hedge opens and entanglements vanish. Powerful is the axle of the big cart. [Note: Activity will follow a long quiet period, bringing good fortune for the individual.]
Shaughnessy: Determination is auspicious; regret is gone. The fence block is not weakened, but is matured by the great cart's axle-strut.
Cleary (1): Correctness is good; regret vanishes. The fence opened up, one does not get stuck; power is in the axle of a large vehicle.
Cleary (2): Being correct leads to good results; regret vanishes. Fences opened up, one does not get exhausted, etc.
Wu: With perseverance, there is good fortune and no regret. The fence has been removed and the horns unharmed. The wooden pieces holding the axle underneath the carriage are strong.
Line 5
六五: 喪羊于易, 无悔．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Loses the goat with ease. No remorse. [The place is strong, it is in fact the place of the prince, but the nature of the line is yielding, hence the outer place does not correspond with the inner nature. Therefore the line easily rids itself of its obstinate disposition.]
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows one who loses her ram-like strength in the ease of her position. There will be no occasion for repentance.
Blofeld: He sacrifices a goat too lightly -- no regret! [I.e. he resorts too easily to force, which is not advisable.]
Liu: He carelessly loses the goat. No remorse. [One is not able to achieve one's plans; no benefit.]
Shaughnessy: Losing sheep at Yi; there is no regret.
Cleary (1): Losing the goat in ease, let there be no regret. [Even if people can’t be vigorous, it would be fortunate if they opened their minds with flexible receptivity and borrowed knowledge from others to break through their own obstructions.]
Cleary (2): Losing the ram in ease, etc. [When one is flexible and balanced, there is no attitude of rambunctious strength, so there is no regret.]
Wu: A sheep is lost in the field, etc.
Line 6
上六: 羝羊觸 藩, 不能退, 不能遂, 无攸利, 艱則吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: A goat butts against a hedge. It cannot go backward, it cannot go forward. Nothing serves to further. If one notes the difficulty, this brings good fortune.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows one who may be compared to the ram butting against the fence, and unable either to retreat, or to advance as he would fain do. There will be no advantage in any respect, but if he realizes the difficulty of his position, there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: A goat butts against a hedge and can move neither backward nor forward; it can get nowhere. Yet at this time, difficulty presages good fortune. ["It can get nowhere" is a rendering of a phrase which, taken symbolically, means that this is not a time to advance towards our goal or destination. The implication of the last two sentences is that the shame we feel at finding ourselves prisoners of circumstances will drive us to make an effort powerful enough to release us.]
Liu: A goat butts against the hedge. It cannot advance or retreat; nothing furthers. If one continues to work through the difficulty, there is good fortune. [If you get this line, cease all arrogant behavior, otherwise it will cause you trouble.]
Shaughnessy: A ram butts a fence, is not able to retreat and is not able to follow; there is no place beneficial; difficult but then auspicious.
Cleary (1): The ram running into a fence cannot retreat, cannot go ahead; there is no benefit. Struggle will produce good results.
Cleary (2): … Work hard and there will be good results.
Wu: A ram butts into a fence. He cannot go forward or back away. There is nothing to gain. Endurance will bring good fortune.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 34 indicates strength and power. You have reached a position of power and are in an excellent position to get things done. Ensure that you channel this power in the right way and you exercise it both impartially and unselfishly.
Excessive force and over-confidence may be offensive to others. Stay open to advice and insist on doing what is right.
