Hexagram 47: Exhaustion (泽水困)
Exhaustion (泽水困, Ze Shui Kun), the forty-seventh hexagram of the sixty-four, with the Lake (兑, Dui) trigram above and Water (坎, Kan) below, is a za gua (杂卦, mixed hexagram). It symbolizes adversity, hardship, being in distress, and entrapment—the image of a lake without water, a lake resting upon water, where water leaks away and the lake dries up. Its core principle, "A lake without water signifies Exhaustion; the superior man (gentleman) thereby offers his life to fulfill his purpose (君子以致命遂志)", centers on holding fast to the correct way amidst difficulty, finding contentment in integrity while poor, not losing one's position even in exhaustion, and relying on virtue to overcome hardship. Classified as a middling or neutral (zhong ping, 中平) hexagram, it reveals the pattern of maintaining virtue and using one's purpose to break free when surrounded by difficulty and poverty.
Hexagram Imagery and Judgment
Hexagram Imagery
Exhaustion (泽水困)
Hexagram 47 · Lake Above, Water Below · A Lake Without Water
Upper Trigram: Lake ☱ (兑)Lower Trigram: Water ☵ (坎)Five Phases (Wuxing): Metal-Water (Lake is Metal, Water is Water)
Symbolic of the path revealed by Exhaustion.
Hexagram Judgment
Exhaustion (Kun, 困): Success (亨). Through perseverance, great fortune (贞，大人吉). No blame (无咎). If you speak, you will not be believed (有言不信).
Explanation: The Exhaustion hexagram symbolizes adversity, yet success is still possible. By holding fast to the correct way, one achieves great fortune and avoids blame. In such times, one's words find no belief. The meaning is that when caught in difficulty, only by holding firm and cultivating virtue can a great person find success amidst exhaustion; empty words are of no benefit.
The Line Texts
Six at the First (初六): The buttocks suffer exhaustion on a withered tree stump; one enters a dark valley; for three years one does not see (the light).
臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三岁不觌。 Explanation: Sitting exhaustedly on a withered stump, fallen into a deep valley, one does not see the sky for three years. At the initial stage of exhaustion, the trap is deepest; one withdraws and hides to avoid harm, only emerging after a long period of hardship.
Nine at the Second (九二): Exhausted by wine and food. Then the red knee-coverings arrive (朱绂方来), and it is beneficial to engage in sacrificial offerings. If one moves forward (against the difficulty), there is misfortune. No blame.
困于酒食，朱绂方来，利用享祀。征凶，无咎。 Explanation: One is wearied by the burdens of office (literally, wine and food). Regalia (a red official robe signifying favor) is about to arrive. It is favorable to conduct sacrificial rites. To advance forcefully (i.e., to try and force one's way out) brings misfortune; remaining still incurs no blame. Within exhaustion comes blessing, and reward comes from heaven; one must not act recklessly.
Six at the Third (六三): Exhausted by a boulder, leaning on thornbushes and thistles. Entering his dwelling, he does not see his wife. Misfortune.
困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。 Explanation: Exhausted beneath a massive rock, situated among thorns and thistles, returning home to find his wife missing—all signs of danger. One's position is incorrect; acting recklessly while in difficulty leads to inner and outer hardship, resulting in the breakup of the home and separation from loved ones.
Nine at the Fourth (九四): He comes very slowly. Exhausted by a bronze chariot (金车). There is regret and humiliation. Yet there is an end (success) in sight.
来徐徐，困于金车，吝，有终。 Explanation: Coming along very slowly, blocked by a bronze chariot. There is humiliation and regret, but the outcome is ultimately good. One progresses cautiously while trapped, encountering hindrances, yet in the end succeeds in overcoming the difficulty.
Nine at the Fifth (九五): Nose-cutting and foot-chopping (symbols of severe punishment). Exhausted by the red official regalia. Yet finally, there is an escape. It is beneficial to hold sacrificial rites.
劓刖，困于赤绂，乃徐有说，利用祭祀。 Explanation: Burdened with fears akin to suffering mutilating punishments, entangled by the responsibilities of a high position. Gradually, however, there is release; it is favorable to pray with sacrificial offerings. Occupying a revered position yet in hardship, one cultivates virtue and venerates the spirits to slowly break free from the snare.
Six at the Top (上六): Exhausted by creepers and vines. Troubled and apprehensive. (He says): 'If I move, I will have regret. Better to repent now and regret beforehand.' If he moves (in that mindset), there is good fortune.
困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰动悔有悔，征吉。 Explanation: Trapped by entwining creepers, fearful and uneasy. One understands that to act is to risk regret and, therefore, regrets (repents) in advance. To advance (with this understanding) brings good fortune. At the extreme point of exhaustion, there is an opening; through remorse, correction, and enlightened action, one moves and breaks free.
Core Symbolism and Meaning
The Exhaustion hexagram consists of the upper trigram, Lake (兑, Dui), symbolizing joyousness and exchange, and the lower trigram, Water (坎, Kan), symbolizing danger and the abyss. Water within a lake leaks downward and drains away; the lake, deprived of water, becomes exhausted. This symbolizes the noble person (junzi, 君子) in a difficult situation, hemmed in and unable to proceed. However, even in exhaustion, one can hold fast to the correct way, finding joy even in facing danger and not losing virtue in difficulty. This corresponds to situations of career obstruction, desperate straits, being trapped or entrapped, and waiting while preserving purpose. It signifies holding onto virtue while distressed, accepting difficulty and waiting on fate, and finding a way through even while exhausted. It warns against complaining about heaven and others or trying to force one's way out recklessly, actions which will only lead deeper into trouble.
The six lines of the Exhaustion hexagram unfold around the art of handling difficulty: the first line is trapped, hidden in a valley, unseen for a long time; the second finds fortune within material exhaustion; the third is trapped in peril, leading to the breaking of the home and misfortune; the fourth advances slowly, hindered, but reaches a good end; the fifth, trapped by high position, gradually escapes; the top line, at the peak of exhaustion, repents and finds fortune through action. The overall core theme is: the lake and water are exhausted; hold fast to the right and accomplish your purpose; remain trapped but do not lose your virtue.
Correspondences (万物类象)
- Nature of the Hexagram: Mixed (za gua 杂卦), joyousness above, danger below; a lake without water; exhaustion, poverty, and obstruction.
- Five Phases (Wuxing): Metal-Water (Lake pertains to Metal, Water to Water).
- Directions: West and North.
- Seasonal Timing: Late Autumn/Early Winter, when lakes dry up and all things become closed in.
- People: The noble but impoverished (kun qiong junzi, 困穷君子); recluses who preserve their purpose; those who maintain virtue even in distress.
- Body: Lungs, Kidneys, Buttocks; pertains to stagnant Qi and Blood, stagnation of emotions and mind (qingzhi yuse, 情志郁塞).
- Animals: Goat, Pig, hidden or lurking creatures.
- Objects: Punishment instruments, vehicles, sacrificial ritual vessels.
- Locations: Deep valleys, prisons, dry lakebeds, dangerous or entrapping places.
- Human Affairs: Finding oneself in severe hardship, holding to purpose without wavering, facing a hopeless road and waiting for the time, offering one's life to fulfill purpose (zhi ming sui zhi, 致命遂志).
- Colors: White, Black, Scarlet (赤色).
- Five Tastes: Pungent/Acrid (辛), Salty (咸).
- Numbers: 2, 4, 1.
Classical Source Texts
Hexagram Judgment and Line Texts
Exhaustion (泽水困): 困：亨。贞，大人吉，无咎。有言不信。First Six (初六): 臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三岁不觌。 Nine at the Second (九二): 困于酒食，朱绂方来，利用享祀。征凶，无咎。 Six at the Third (六三): 困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。 Nine at the Fourth (九四): 来徐徐，困于金车，吝，有终。 Nine at the Fifth (九五): 劓刖，困于赤绂，乃徐有说，利用祭祀。 Six at the Top (上六): 困于葛藟，于臲卼，曰动悔有悔，征吉。
Tuan Zhuan (Commentary on the Judgment)
《彖》曰：困，刚掩也。险以说，困而不失其所亨，其唯君子乎。贞大人吉，以刚中也。有言不信，尚口乃穷也。
Explanation: The Exhaustion hexagram represents yang strength (刚) being hidden or covered (掩) by yin. It is in the face of danger (险) that there is joy (悦), and to be distressed but not lose the source of one's eventual success (亨)—only a noble person (君子) can achieve this. The "perseverance, great fortune" arises from strong, centered yang energy (刚中). "If you speak, you will not be believed" shows that relying on mere talk (口舌) leads to exhaustion.
Xiang Zhuan (Commentary on the Images)
《象》曰：泽无水，困。君子以致命遂志。
Explanation: Water not in the lake: this is the image of Exhaustion. The superior man (gentleman), in accordance with this, offers up his very life to fulfill his purpose (遂志).
《象》曰：
- 入于幽谷，幽不明也。
- 困于酒食，中有庆也。
- 据于蒺藜，乘刚也。入于其宫，不见其妻，不祥也。
- 来徐徐，志在下也。虽不当位，有与也。
- 劓刖，志未得也。乃徐有说，以中直也。利用祭祀，受福也。
- 困于葛藟，未当也。动悔有悔，吉行也。
Explanation: To 'enter a dark valley' means to enter darkness without illumination. 'Exhausted by wine and food' indicates there is festivity within. To 'lean on thorns and thistles' means one is riding on yang strength (乘刚); 'not seeing his wife' is an ill omen. 'Coming very slowly' indicates one's will is set below; even though the position is not fitting, there is assistance. 'Nose-cutting and foot-chopping' signifies the aim is not yet realized. The gradual escape comes because of central uprightness (中直). Using sacrificial rites brings receptiveness to blessings. 'Exhausted by creepers' means one's place is not correct. 'If you move, regret it; beforehand, have regret' indicates auspicious movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Exhaustion hexagram primarily auspicious or inauspicious?
Answer: The Exhaustion hexagram is classified as middling or neutral (zhong ping, 中平). If one holds fast to the right and cultivates virtue to fulfill one's purpose, the outcome is favorable. However, acting recklessly, grumbling about fate, or trying to escape hardship without virtue leads to misfortune.
What does "offer one's life to fulfill his purpose" (致命遂志) mean in the Exhaustion hexagram?
Answer: It means being willing to sacrifice even one's life to realize one's true purpose or ideal. This represents the highest integrity of the noble person when facing extreme adversity.
In what scenarios is the Exhaustion hexagram apt?
Answer: It is apt for scenarios of being caught in severe difficulty, standing firm on one's purpose despite hopelessness, withdrawing into seclusion awaiting the right time, and cultivating virtue to overcome hardship. It is not suitable for recklessly forcing action, strong contention, or seeking empty talk as a solution.
What insight does the Exhaustion hexagram offer when asked about career difficulties?
Answer: It advises holding firm to what is right and biding one's time, cultivating virtue to fulfill one's purpose. The second line (九二) and the fifth line (九五) gradually find ways to overcome obstacles. The third line (六三) warns against rash action, which leads to danger. The top line (上六) shows that repentance and corrected action lead to good fortune.
What is the relationship between the Exhaustion hexagram (困, Kun) and the Well hexagram (井, Jing)?
Answer: The Exhaustion hexagram centers on a dried-up lake and personal entrapment. The Well hexagram centers on water that nurtures people and the need to maintain and cultivate a well for the community. The two hexagrams are reverse images of each other (zong gua, 综卦): one represents exhaustion and entrapment; the other, nourishment and sustenance—opposites that are interconnected.
FAQ
What does the Exhaustion (Kun) hexagram generally signify?
The Exhaustion (泽水困, Kun) hexagram signifies adversity, hardship, and a state of feeling trapped or in distress. It symbolizes a situation like a lake that has dried up, representing resource depletion or extreme constraint. The core teaching is that true success is achieved not by forcing one's way out of difficulty, but by "holding fast to the correct way" and cultivating inner virtue even in the most trying times.
How can "success" (亨) be possible in a state of Exhaustion?
The Judgment states "Success" to indicate that the path through hardship is available if one responds correctly. This "success" is not immediate worldly gain, but the ultimate positive outcome of maintaining integrity and purpose (zhi, 志). By persevering in what is right and upright (贞), a "great person" can find fortune and emerge without blame, even when trapped. The success lies in spiritual or moral victory over circumstances.
What does "If you speak, you will not be believed" mean?
This part of the Judgment highlights that when you are visibly in a position of weakness or exhaustion, your explanations, excuses, or pleas are often met with skepticism or are simply ineffective. In such a state, "words have no belief." Therefore, the hexagram advises against relying on rhetoric or persuasion to solve the problem. Action is less effective than steadfast, virtuous waiting and inner cultivation.
What is the central lesson for the "superior man" (gentleman) in this hexagram?
The core principle for the superior man is "to offer his life to fulfill his purpose" (以致命遂志). This means to dedicate oneself entirely to one's righteous purpose or principles, even at the expense of personal comfort or safety. The lesson is to find contentment and dignity in one's integrity despite poverty or constraint, and to trust that virtue itself is the means to overcome hardship, preserving one's moral "position."
Why is this hexagram considered middling or neutral (中平)?
Exhaustion is not a purely "bad" or "fortunate" hexagram. Its neutrality means the outcome is highly dependent on the individual's response. If one panics, acts rashly, or compromises virtue, the outcome is misfortune. If one remains steadfast, patient, and relies on spiritual strength (symbolized by "sacrificial rites" in the lines), there is a path through to a positive resolution. The hexagram presents a challenging test of character.
What common mistake do the line texts warn against?
Several lines warn against hasty or forceful action to escape the constraint. The Second line advises that to "move forward" (征) brings misfortune when reward comes from higher principles. The Third line shows disaster from acting recklessly from an incorrect position. The overall message is that struggling directly against the bonds of exhaustion often tightens them; the solution lies in inner stillness, acceptance, and correct timing.
How do the imagery and trigrams explain the situation?
The imagery is "a lake without water" or "a lake above water." The upper trigram Lake (兑) is normally joyous and connected, but here it is empty and dry. The lower trigram Water (坎) is dangerous and sinking. This paints a picture of resources (the lake's water) leaking away into danger, leaving one stranded and depleted. The structure suggests an external appearance (Lake) that is hollow, covering an inner reality (Water) of peril and uncertainty.
Is there a way out of the state of Exhaustion?
Yes, the hexagram clearly points to a way out through patience, remorse, and virtuous devotion. While the early lines depict deep entrapment, the later lines (Fourth, Fifth, and Top) show gradual release. The key is to proceed "slowly" or "cautiously" (徐). The Top line explicitly states that moving forward brings good fortune once one has reached a point of self-reflection and repentance (悔), turning apprehension into enlightened action.
What is the significance of "sacrificial rites" or "offerings" in the lines?
References to sacrificial rites (享祀, 祭祀) appear in the Second and Fifth lines as favorable actions. In this context, they symbolize turning to spiritual principles, sincerity, and a connection to something greater than one's immediate worldly predicament. It represents cultivating inner virtue, humility, and trust in the larger order, which in turn provides the strength and clarity to endure and ultimately find release from exhaustion.