Judgment
— I Ching · classical
亨，贞，大人吉，无咎。有言不信。
Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great person brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.
Image
— Great Image
泽无水，困，君子以致命遂志。
There is no water in the lake: the image of oppression. Thus the superior person stakes their life on following their will.
Six Lines
— Bottom to top
Initial Six · 初六
⚋ yin
臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三岁不觌。
One sits oppressed under a bare tree, and strays into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing.
Sits under a barren tree, wanders into a dark valley — three years invisible, self-imprisoned in shadow.
Nine in the second · 九二
⚊ yang
困于酒食，朱绂方来，利用享祀。征凶，无咎。
One is oppressed while at meat and drink. The man with the scarlet kneebands is just coming. It furthers one to offer sacrifice. To set forth brings misfortune. No blame.
Trapped in material comfort yet spiritually starving; reward is on the way. Offer sacrifice; do not act yet.
Six in the third · 六三
⚋ yin
困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。
A person allows themselves to be oppressed by stone, and leans on thorns and thistles. They enter their house and do not see their wife. Misfortune.
Crushed between rocks and thorns; enters home, finds the wife (the inner anchor) gone. Total isolation.
Nine in the fourth · 九四
⚊ yang
来徐徐，困于金车，吝，有终。
He comes very quietly, oppressed in a golden carriage. Humiliation, but the end is reached.
Help comes slowly, oppressed by attachment to wealth (the golden carriage). Some shame, but the destination is met.
Nine in the fifth · 九五
⚊ yang
劓刖，困于赤绂，乃徐有说。利用祭祀。
His nose and feet are cut off. Oppression at the hands of the man with the purple kneebands. Joy comes softly. It furthers one to make offerings and libations.
Body and status maimed; oppression by official power; relief arrives gradually. Sustain through ritual sincerity.
Six at the top · 上六
⚋ yin
困于葛藟，于臲卼。曰动悔，有悔，征吉。
He is oppressed by creeping vines. He moves uncertainly and says, 'Movement brings remorse.' If one feels remorse over this and makes a start, good fortune comes.
Tangled in vines, every motion produces regret; the moment of true regret begins the escape.
Modern Readings
— Interdisciplinary
Career & Management
Severe PR backlash, brink of bankruptcy, personal credit collapse. The stupidest move is the explanatory blog post — no one will believe it. The only path: stop all noise, endure, rebuild credibility through outcomes.
Psychology & Cognition
'Adversity tests the soul.' Treat hardship as the highest form of training; shut down sensory input, look inward, build extreme tolerance.
Decision Guidance
Few words, many deeds (you yan bu xin). Sincere ceremony beats argument. Stake your life on following your will — but quietly, through results.
Western Parallels
— Cross-cultural
Viktor Frankl's logotherapy from the camps; the Stockdale Paradox; the dark night of the soul (St. John of the Cross); Nelson Mandela's two decades of silent endurance; the principle that, in disgrace, silence + integrity + time is the only repair.
· All texts here come from public-domain editions of the I Ching and supporting commentary.
· Anygua does not predict, score, schedule, ward, or recommend rituals.
· The same input via the same method will always reproduce the same hexagram — verifiable below.