Hexagram 3 · 屯

Water, also pictured as cloud, stands above thunder. Movement stirs below while uncertainty gathers overhead. Zhun names the difficulty of something first coming into being, like a shoot pressing through soil. The picture asks for organization and patient support while energy is still finding a path.

1. Line 1 · 初九

   磐桓，利居貞，利建侯。

   Lingering and turning about. It is beneficial to remain constant where one is and to establish a lord.

   Nine in the first place is grounded yang whose purpose remains upright despite delay. The Small Image praises approaching others humbly, like a founder earning colleagues' trust before directing them.

2. 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。

   Difficulty and hesitation; horses turn back and forth. These are not raiders but marriage seekers. The woman remains constant and does not pledge herself; after ten years she pledges herself.

   Six in the second place is central yin corresponding with the fifth, but riding above firm yang. The Small Image describes eventual return to order; a partnership may need patient clarification rather than pressure.

3. Line 3 · 六三

   即鹿无虞，惟入于林中，君子幾不如舍，往吝。

   Pursuing deer without a forester, one merely enters the forest. The exemplary person recognizes the moment: better to desist. Going on brings humiliation.

   Six in the third place is yin without a reliable guide or corresponding partner. The Small Image warns against following the quarry alone, like entering an unfamiliar market without understanding its workings.

4. Line 4 · 六四

   乘馬班如，求婚媾，往，吉无不利。

   Horses turn back and forth. Seeking a marriage alliance and going forward brings good fortune; nothing is unfavorable.

   Six in the fourth place is fitting yin corresponding with the first yang. Seeking cooperation is clear judgment in the Small Image, like asking a qualified colleague to join a difficult assignment.

5. Line 5 · 九五

   屯其膏；小貞吉，大貞凶。

   Holding back the rich nourishment. Constancy in small matters brings good fortune; constancy in great matters brings misfortune.

   Nine in the fifth place is central yang whose benefits do not yet spread widely. As the Small Image notes, distribution is restricted; a new manager may need small practical improvements before broader reform.

6. Line 6 · 上六

   乘馬班如，泣血漣如。

   Horses turn back and forth. Tears of blood stream down.

   Six at the top is yin at the extreme of difficulty, lacking correspondence. The Small Image asks how this can continue, inviting someone overwhelmed by a stalled project to seek a different approach.

Treat early disorder as material to organize. Choose trustworthy help, begin with manageable tasks, and stop when you lack a clear path.

• Nuclear剝23
• Inverted蒙4
• Opposite鼎50
• Previous坤2
• Next蒙4