I Ching Hexagram 51 - Thunder
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 51 "Thunder"
震 - Zhèn
Thuần Chấn
Thunder
Upper (Outer) Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Lower (Inner) Trigram: ☳ Zhen, Thunder
Other Titles: The Arousing, Shock, The Symbol of Startling Movement, Shake, The Beginning of Movement, Shocking, The Thunderclap, Action, Motion, Sudden Change, Surprise.
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock brings success. Shock comes --oh, oh! Laughing words -- ha, ha! The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, and he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.
Legge: Shock intimates ease and development. When the time of movement which it indicates comes, the subject of the hexagram will be found looking out with apprehension, and yet smiling and talking cheerfully. When the movement like a crash of thunder terrifies all within a hundred miles, he will be like the sincere worshipper who is not startled into dropping his ladle and cup of sacrificial spirits.
Blofeld: Thunder -- success! Thunder comes with a terrible noise, laughing and shouting in awesome glee and frightening people for a hundred miles around. The sacrificial wine is not spilt. [This suggests that the holder of the sacrificial vessel is not easily alarmed or else that he is very wise and able to distinguish between the apparently dangerous and the truly dangerous.]
Liu: Thunder. Success. Thunder comes -- ho ho! Speaking and laughing -- ha ha! It shocks and terrifies for a hundred miles. But one does not drop the spoon or chalice.
Shaughnessy: Thunder: Receipt; thunder comes so renewingly; laughter and talk yaya; thunder alarms one hundred miles; not losing the ladle or goblet.
Cleary (1): Thunder is developmental. When thunder comes, there is alarm, then laughter. Thunder startles for a hundred miles, but one does not lose the spoon and wine.
Cleary (2): Thunder comes through. Etc.
Wu: Motion indicates pervasiveness. When motion comes, it frightens people. Later, it makes people talk and laugh. Its majesty reaches one hundred li in all directions. There is no misplacement of the ladle or sacrificial wine.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder repeated: the image of Shock. Thus in fear and trembling the superior man sets his life in order and examines himself.
Legge: The image of Thunder, being repeated, forms Shock. The superior man, in accordance with this, is fearful and apprehensive, cultivates his virtue, and examines his faults.
Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes continuous thunder. The Superior Man in fear and trembling seeks to improve himself.
Liu: Thunder doubled symbolizes shock. The superior man contemplates himself with fear and caution.
Cleary (1): Traveling thunder reverberates. Thus superior people cautiously practice introspection.
Cleary (2): Repeated thunder reverberates. Developed people practice introspection with caution.
Wu: One thunderclap after another constitutes hexagram Motion. Thus the jun zi reflects and rectifies for fear of being wrong.
Line 1
初九: 震來虩虩, 後笑言啞啞, 吉．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock comes -- Oh, Oh! Then follow laughing words -- Ha, Ha! Good fortune.
Legge: The first line, dynamic, shows its subject, when the movement approaches, looking out and around with apprehension, and afterwards smiling and talking cheerfully. There will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Thunder comes with a mighty roar which changes to noisy glee -- good fortune!
Liu: Thunder comes -- ho ho! Later there are smiles and happy words -- ha ha! Good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Thunder comes so renewingly; afterwards laughter and talk yaya; auspicious.
Cleary: When thunder comes, alarm; afterward, laughter. Auspicious.
Wu: When motion comes, it frightens people. Later, it makes people talk and laugh. This is auspicious.
Line 2
六二: 震來, 厲．億喪貝, 躋于九陵, 勿逐七日得．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock comes bringing danger. A hundred thousand times you lose your treasures and must climb the nine hills. Do not go in pursuit of them. After seven days you will get them back again.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows its subject, when the movement approaches in a position of peril. She judges it better to let go the articles in her possession, and to ascend to a very lofty height. There is no occasion for her to pursue after the things she has let go; in seven days she will find them.
Blofeld: Thunder approaches -- trouble is at hand! Sadly he lets go of his valuables and fleeing sets foot among the nine hills. He should not search for them; in seven days he will regain them.
Liu: Thunder comes, causing danger. You will lose a great deal of your wealth, then climb nine hills without searching for it. After seven days you will regain it.
Shaughnessy: Thunder comes so dangerously; one loses cowries; sacrificing to the nine peaks; do not follow, in seven days you will get it.
Cleary (1): Thunder comes: dangerous thoughts. Losing valuables, you climb nine hills: Don’t chase it – you’ll get it in seven days. [Mounting strength with weakness, arbitrary imagination gets too high, and one tries to do what one cannot do. This is losing basic sense and acting on dangerous thoughts … It is fortunate if you maintain rectitude when you are weak, not daring to act arbitrarily…]
Cleary (2): Thunder comes – dangerous. Remembering that you have lost your treasure, you climb nine hills. But do not pursue it; in seven days you will get it.
Wu: He encounters severe movements and presumes to have lost his precious possessions. He climbs up a hill that has nine winding passes, There is no need to search for his possessions. He will recover them after seven days. [He climbs up to high ground to distance himself from the movement below.]
Line 3
六三: 震蘇蘇, 震行无眚．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock comes and makes one distraught. If Shock spurs to action one remains free of misfortune.
Legge: The third line, magnetic, shows its subject distraught amid the startling movements going on. If those movements excite her to right action, there will be no mistake.
Blofeld: Thunderous impetuosity -- to emulate it at this time will not give rise to harm. [The Superior Man usually acts calmly and carefully, but there are times when impetuosity serves a good purpose or, at the very least, does no particular harm.]
Liu: Thunder comes causing a terrified manner. But if one is cautious, one remains free of disaster.
Shaughnessy: Thunder is so slow; thunder moves without inspection.
Cleary (1): Frightened by thunder; wary action is free from trouble.
Cleary (2): The thunder is faint. Act vigorously, and there will be no trouble.
Wu: He is frightened and uneasy because of the movement, but will not incur misfortune for his undertakings.
Line 4
九四: 震, 遂泥．
Wilhelm/Baynes:Shock is mired.
Legge: The fourth line, dynamic, shows its subject, amid the startling movements, supinely sinking deeper in the mud.
Blofeld: After the thunderstorm, the paths are muddy.
Liu:Thunder causes mire. [Even with a humble manner, a person can achieve nothing during this time. If birth time and zodiac symbols are not favorable, one will be involved in trouble.]
Shaughnessy: Thunder is followed by mud.
Cleary (1):Thunder gets bogged down.
Wu: He has gotten himself into muddy ground.
Line 5
六五: 震往來, 厲．意无喪, 有事．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock goes hither and thither. Danger. However, nothing at all is lost. Yet there are things to be done.
Legge: The fifth line, magnetic, shows its subject going and coming amidst the startling movements of the time, and always in peril; but perhaps she will not incur loss, and find business which she can accomplish.
Blofeld: Thunder comes and goes alternately -- trouble is at hand! Careful thought will avert loss, but there are affairs needing attention.
Liu: Thunder going back and forth brings danger. No great loss. Something remains to be achieved.
Shaughnessy: Thunder goes and comes so dangerously; there is no loss, there is service.
Cleary (1): Actively mulling over dangerous plans. No loss; there is concern.
Cleary (2): Thunder goes and comes – dangerous. On reflection there is no loss; there is something to do.
Wu: Either advance or retreat is precarious. There will be no big loss, only small problems.
Line 6
上六: 震索索, 視矍矍, 征凶．震不于其躬, 于其鄰, 无咎, 婚媾有言．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Shock brings ruin and terrified gazing around. Going ahead brings misfortune. If it has not yet touched one's own body but has reached one's neighbor first, there is no blame. One's comrades have something to talk about.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject, amidst the startling movements of the time, in breathless dismay and looking around her with trembling apprehension. If she takes action, there will be evil. If, while the startling movements have not reached her own person and her neighborhood, she were to take precautions, there would be no error, though her relatives might still speak against her.
Blofeld: Thunder brings disorder and people stare about them in terror. Advancing at this time brings misfortune. The thunder affects not ourselves but our neighbors -- no error. [We are not to blame for the trouble afflicting them; but, as the commentary on this line indicates, they may think we are to blame and plan reprisals.] A marriage causes gossip.
Liu: Thunder causes trembling and frightened looks. Undertaking -- misfortune. It will not threaten your own body, but it might your neighbor. No blame. There will be gossip about marriage.
Shaughnessy: Thunder is so clapping; looking so scared; to be upright is inauspicious. Thunder is not in his body, but in his neighbor; in going there is no trouble. In confused slander there is talk.
Cleary (1): Movement uneasy, gaze unsteady – an expedition will bring misfortune. The action is not in oneself but in the neighbors; there is no blame. Association involves criticism.
Cleary (2): Thunder is faint; the look is shifty. An expedition leads to misfortune. The thunder does not reach you, but is in the vicinity. There is no blame. Association involves criticism.
Wu: He is wavering in mind and looking anxiously right and left. It will be foreboding to have undertakings. If he can prepare himself well, he will not be affected by the thunderclap that impinges on his neighbor. However, he will be criticized for initiating marriage.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
In hexagram 51 the upper and lower trigram both represent thunder. the image is of thunder creating a shock. On the negative, this hexagram can imply natural disasters, loss of wealth, conflicts, and violent acts. On the positive, it can be a sudden new opportunity or other blessing coming your way. In short, A sudden unexpected shock may come into your life.
Do not panic and use this moment to revitalize your situation. This sudden change can be an opportunity to discard what is no longer sustainable in your life. Do a deep self-cleansing and clear the way for a better future.
