I Ching Hexagram 46 - Pushing Upward
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 46 "Pushing Upward"
升 - Shēng
Địa Phong Thăng
Pushing Upward
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☷ Kun, Earth
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☴ Xun, Wind
Other Titles: Pushing Forward, The Symbol of Rising and Advancing, Ascending, Ascension, Rising, Promotion, Advancement, Sprouting from the Earth, Organic Growth.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Pushing Upward has supreme success. One must see the great man. Fear not. Departure toward the south brings good fortune.
Legge: Pushing Upward means successful progress. Have no anxiety about meeting with the great man. An advance to the south is fortunate.
Blofeld: Ascending. Supreme success! It is essential to see a great man, so as to banish anxiety. Progressing towards the south brings good fortune.
Liu: Ascending. Great Success. One should see a great man. Without fear. An expedition to the south leads to good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Ascending: Prime receipt; beneficial to see the great man. Do not pity. For the southern campaign, auspicious.
Cleary (1): Rising is greatly developmental; it calls for seeing a great person, so there will be no grief. An expedition south brings good fortune.
Cleary (2): Rising is very successful, etc.
Wu: Ascension indicates great pervasion. It will be useful to see the great man. No anxiety. It will be auspicious to go south.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Within the earth, wood grows: the image of Pushing Upward. Thus the superior man of devoted character heaps up small things in order to achieve something high and great.
Legge: Wood growing in the earth -- the image of Pushing Upward. The superior man accumulates small increments of virtue until it becomes high and great.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes tress growing upwards from the earth. The Superior Man most willingly accords with virtuous ways; starting from small things, he accumulates a great heap of merit.
Liu: The wood grows in the earth, symbolizing Ascending. The superior man devotes his virtue to building things up from the small to the high and great.
Cleary: Trees grow on the earth, rising. Thus do superior people follow virtue, accumulating the small to lofty greatness.
Wu: Trees grow from earth; this is Ascension. Thus the Jun zi diligently cultivates his virtues little by little to become tall and large like trees growing.
Line 1
初六: 允升, 大吉
Wilhelm/Baynes: Pushing upward that meets with confidence brings great good fortune.
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject advancing upwards with the welcome of those above her. There will be great good fortune.
Blofeld: Certainty of promotion -- great good fortune!
Liu: Confident ascending. Great good fortune. [Indications are that you will be able to achieve the goal of your undertaking.]
Shaughnessy: Really ascending; greatly auspicious.
Cleary (1): Truly rising is very auspicious.
Cleary (2): Truthful rising is very auspicious.
Wu: The ascension is promising and with great fortune.
Line 2
九二: 孚, 乃利用禴, 无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: If one is sincere, it furthers one to bring even a small offering.
Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows its subject with that sincerity which will make even the small offerings of the vernal sacrifice acceptable. There will be no error.
Blofeld: Full of faith, he performed the summer sacrifice. [This suggests that faith in spiritual matters or ancient traditions will serve us well.]
Liu: If you are sincere, a summer offering is beneficial. No blame. [This line indicates good luck.]
Shaughnessy: Returning then beneficial to use the spring sacrifice; there is no trouble.
Cleary (1): When sincere it is beneficial to perform the spring ceremony. No blame.
Cleary (2): If there is sincerity, it is beneficial to perform a ceremony… etc.
Wu: With sincerity, he will have the benefit of making offerings in the summer. No error.
Line 3
九三: 升, 虛邑．
Wilhelm/Baynes: One pushes upward into an empty city.
Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject ascending upwards as into an empty city.
Blofeld: He was promoted to office in a larger city.
Liu: Ascending to a deserted city.
Shaughnessy: Ascending the empty city.
Cleary: Rising in an empty domain.
Wu: He ascends to the vacant city.
Line 4
六四: 王用亨于岐山, 吉, 无咎．
Wilhelm/Baynes: The king offers him Mount Chi. Good fortune. No blame.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject employed by the king to present his offerings on mount Ch'i. There will be good fortune; there will be no mistake.
Blofeld: The King sacrificed on Mount Chi -- good fortune and no error! [This suggests that faith in spiritual matters or ancient traditions will serve us well.]
Liu: The king makes an offering on Mount Ch'i. Good fortune. No regret.
Shaughnessy: The king herewith makes offering on Mount Qi; auspicious; there is no trouble.
Cleary: The king makes offerings on the mountain. This is auspicious and blameless.
Wu: If the king would make offerings to mount Qi, it would have been auspicious and free from blame.
Line 5
六五, 貞吉, 升階．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Perseverance brings good fortune. One pushes upward by steps.
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows its subject firmly correct, and therefore enjoying good fortune. She ascends the stairs with all due ceremony.
Blofeld: Righteous persistence brings good fortune, but the ascent must be made step by step. [This is no time for rushing forward, but for patient plodding.]
Liu: Continuing brings good fortune. Ascend step by step.
Shaughnessy: Determination is auspicious. Ascending the stairs.
Cleary (1): Rectitude brings good fortune. Climbing stairs.
Cleary (2): Correctness is good in raising one up the steps.
Wu: Perseverance leads to good fortune. There is ascending by the steps.
Line 6
上六: 冥升, 利于不息之貞．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Pushing upward in darkness. It furthers one to be unremittingly persevering.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject advancing upwards blindly. Advantage will be found in a ceaseless maintenance of firm correctness.
Blofeld: A night ascent -- advantage lies in unremitting persistence.
Liu: Ascending in ignorance, it is still beneficial to continue unceasingly.
Shaughnessy: Dark ascent; beneficial for unceasing determination.
Cleary (1): Rising in the dark. Benefit lies in unceasing rectitude.
Cleary (2): Rising into the unknown, it is beneficial to be unceasingly correct.
Wu: This is a blind ascension. It will be good to be ever persevering.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 46 indicates advancement and moving upward. When you plant your seeds, the tree will start to push to break out from the earth, gradually growing into a beautiful tall tree.
This indicates that you need to be patient, even if things seem slow, this will lead to fulfillment. Progress any further and it will be fruitless. When attempting to ascend further, it is beneficial to guard against over-confidence. You will eventually push upward from below to supreme success. Your relationships are beneficial and those who are above you will assist you.
