There were "old" features in your gua (hexagram). It means that you have two hexagrams. The first one — is something that the Book tells you at the moment, the second is something it warns you about.

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47. Confining (kùn). Oppression

Advise

Life - is itself a reason for joy, regardless of side it turns to you.

The Judgement

Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, it is not believed.

The Image

There is no water in the lake:
The image of Exhaustion. Thus the superior man stakes his life on following his will.

1. One sits oppressed under a bare tree and strays into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing.
2. One is oppressed while at meat and drink. The man with the scarlet knee bands is just coming. It furthers one to offer sacrifice. To set forth brings misfortune. No blame.
3. A man permits himself to be oppressed by stone, and leans on thorns and thistles. He enters his house and does not see his wife. Misfortune.
4. He comes very quietly, oppressed in a golden carriage. Humiliation, but the end is reached.
5. His nose and feet are cut off. Oppression at the hands of the man with the purple knee bands. Joy comes softly. It furthers one to make offerings and libations.
6. 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.

There comes a time of decline. Your forces are exhausted, and now there is no desire to get down to business and move forward. Look for support in your soul. Beware of losing direction and spend energy on unnecessary worries and complaints, fear of losing freedom. Strive for solitude, focus on the inner life. Appreciate the time of enforced idleness - it is the best time to sort out internal problems, to find peace of mind and accumulate energy. There are rumors, idle gossip - do not worry, they are groundless. Pay attention to your health.

The lake is above, water below; the lake is empty, dried up. Exhaustion is expressed in yet another way: at the top, a dark line is holding down two light line; below, a light line is hemmed in between two dark ones. The upper trigram belongs to the principle of darkness, the lower to the principle of light. Thus everywhere superior men are oppressed and held in restraint by inferior men.

THE JUDGMENT

Times of adversity are the reverse of times of success, but they can lead to success if they; befall the right man. When a strong man meets with adversity, he remains cheerful despite all danger, and this cheerfulness is the source of later successes; it is that stability which is stronger than fate. He who lets his spirit be broken by exhaustion certainly has no success. But if adversity only bends a man, it creates in him a power to react that is bound in time to manifest itself. No inferior man is capable of this. Only the great man brings about goof fortune and remains blameless. It is true that for the time being outward influence is denied him, because his words have no effect. Therefore in times of adversity it is important to be strong within and sparing of words.

THE IMAGE

When the water has flowed out below, the lake must dry up and become exhausted. That is fate. This symbolizes an adverse fate in human life. In such times there is nothing a man can do but acquiesce in his fate and remain true to himself. This concerns the deepest stratum of his being, for this alone is superior to all external fate.

1

When adversity befalls a man, it is important above all things for him to be strong and to overcome the trouble inwardly. If he is weak, the trouble overwhelms him. Instead of proceeding on his way, he remains sitting under a bare tree and falls ever more deeply into gloom and melancholy. This makes the situation only more and more hopeless. Such an attitude comes from an inner delusion that he must by all means overcome.

2

This pictures a state of inner oppression. Externally, all is well, one has meat and drink. But one is exhausted by the commonplaces of life, and there seems to be no way of escape. Then help comes from a high place. A prince- in ancient China princes wore scarlet knee bands- is in search of able helpers. But there are still obstructions to be overcome. Therefore it is important to meet these obstructions in the visible realm by offerings and prayer. To set forth without being prepared would be disastrous, though not morally wrong. Here a disagreeable situation must be overcome by patience of spirit.

3

This shows a man who is restless and indecisive in times of adversity. At first he wants to push ahead, then he encounters obstructions that, it is true, mean oppression only when recklessly dealt with. He butts his head against a wall and in consequence feels himself oppressed by the wall. Then he leans on things that have in themselves no stability and that are merely a hazard for him who leans on them. Thereupon he turns back irresolutely and retires into his house, only to find, as a fresh disappointment, that his wife is not there. Confucius says about this line:

If a man permits himself to be oppressed by something that ought not to oppress him, his name will certainly be disgraced. If he leans on things upon which one cannot lean, his life will certainly be endangered. For him who is in disgrace and danger, the hour of death draws near; how can he then still see his wife?

4

A well-to-do man sees the need of the lower classes and would like very much to be of help. But instead of proceeding with speed and energy where their is need, he begins in a hesitant and measured way. Then he encounters obstructions. Powerful and wealthy acquaintances draw him into their circle; he has to do as they do and cannot withdraw from them. Hence he finds himself in great embarrassment. But the trouble is transitory. The original strength of his nature offsets the mistake he has made, and the goal is reached.

5

An individual who has the good of mankind at heart is oppressed from above and below (this is the meaning of the cutting off of nose an defeat). He finds no help among the people whose duty it would be to aid in the work of rescue (ministers wore purple knee bands). But little by little, things take a turn for the better. Until that time, he should turn to God, firm in his inner composure, and pray and offer sacrifice for the general well-being.

6

A man is oppressed by bonds that can easily be broken. The distress is drawing to an end. But he is still irresolute; he is still influenced by the previous condition and fears that he may have cause for regret if he makes a move. But as soon as he grasps the situation, changes this mental attitude, and makes a firm decision, he masters the oppression.

Now for you time when it is not necessary to be accepted to something has come. This hexagram - one of four worst. It is necessary to wait some time, to put in order the ideas. Very probably, that the hand of the help to you will be stretched by the person whom you well know also which occupies high enough position; do not reject his advice. In fact now to you it is very poorly trusted in own forces. But circumstances will change for the better, and this period of bad luck will end.

58. Open (duì). The Joyous

Advise

Learn to be happy with an easy mind, not fearing the time when there will be fewer reasons for joy and it will be time to be sad.

The Judgement

The Joyous. Success. Perseverance is favorable.

The Image

Lakes resting one on the other:
The image of the Joyous. Thus the superior man joins with his friends for discussion and practice.

1. Contented joyousness. Good fortune.
2. Sincere joyousness. Good fortune. Remorse disappears.
3. Coming joyousness. Misfortune.
4. Joyousness that is weighed is not at peace. After ridding himself of mistakes a man has joy.
5. Sincerity toward disintegrating influences is dangerous.
6. Seductive joyousness.

Success in many areas related to social activities is possible: a successful and rapid completion of urgent tasks, achievements in creative work, recognition of merit, pleasant meetings. Achieved goal gives a feeling of great joy. Do not miss this feeling; try to enjoy it as much as possible. But beware of euphoria, admiring yourself, loss of self-control. Do not lose your head. Be prepared for the fact that the good times will end soon.

This hexagram, like sun, is one of the eight formed by doubling of a trigram. The trigram Tui denotes the youngest daughter; it is symbolized by the smiling lake, and its attribute is joyousness. Contrary to appearances, it is not the yielding quality of the top line that accounts for joy here. The attribute of the yielding or dark principle is not joy but melancholy. However, joy is indicated by the fact that there are two strong lines within, expressing themselves through the medium of gentleness.

True joy, therefore, rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself outwardly as yielding and gentle.

THE JUDGMENT

The joyous mood is infectious and therefore brings success. But joy must be based on steadfastness if it is not to degenerate into uncontrolled mirth. Truth and strength must dwell in the heart, while gentleness reveals itself in social intercourse. In this way one assumes the right attitude toward God and man and achieves something. Under certain conditions, intimidation without gentleness may achieve something momentarily, but not for all time. When, on the other hand, the hearts of men are won by friendliness, they are led to take all hardships upon themselves willingly, and if need be will not shun death itself, so great is the power of joy over men.

THE IMAGE

A lake evaporates upward and thus gradually dries up; but when two lakes are joined they do not dry up so readily, for one replenishes the other. It is the same in the field of knowledge. Knowledge should be a refreshing and vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life. In this way learning becomes many-sided and takes on a cheerful lightness, whereas there is always something ponderous and one- sided about the learning of the self-taught.

1

A quiet, wordless, self-contained joy, desiring nothing from without and resting content with everything, remains free of all egotistic likes and dislikes. In this freedom lies good fortune, because it harbors the quiet security of a heart fortified within itself.

2

We often find ourselves associating with inferior people in whose company we are tempted by pleasures that are inappropriate for the superior man. To participate in such pleasures would certainly bring remorse, for a superior man can find no real satisfaction in low pleasures. When, recognizing this, a man does not permit his will to swerve, so that he does not find such ways agreeable, not even dubious companions will venture to proffer any base pleasures, because he would not enjoy them. Thus every cause for regret is removed.

3

True joy must spring from within. But if one is empty within and wholly given over to the world, idle pleasures come streaming in from without. This is what many people welcome as diversion. Those who lack inner stability and therefore need amusement, will always find opportunity of indulgence. They attract external pleasures by the emptiness of their natures. Thus they lose themselves more and more, which of course has bad results.

4

Often a man finds himself weighing the choice between various kinds of pleasures, and so long as he has not decided which kind he will choose, the higher or the lower, he has no inner peace. Only when he clearly recognizes that passion brings suffering, can he make up his mind to turn away from the lower pleasures and to strive for the higher. Once this decision is sealed, he finds true joy and peace, and inner conflict is overcome.

5

Dangerous elements approach even the far best of men. If a man permits himself to have anything to do with them, their disintegrating influence acts slowly but surely, and inevitable brings dangers in its train. But if he recognizes the situation and can comprehend the danger, he knows how to protect himself and remains unharmed.

6

A vain nature invites diverting pleasures and must suffer accordingly (cf. the six in the third place). If a man is unstable within, the pleasures of the world that he does not shun have so powerful an influence that he is swept along by them. Here it is no longer a question of danger, of good fortune or misfortune. He has given up direction of his own life, and what becomes of him depends upon chance and external influences.

Already success hurries to you; and your suppressed mood will disappear without a trace. This hexagram concerns everything, that is connected with bodies of speech. Be careful badly to respond about associates, and do not disregard kind advice of the friend. Now very favorable period for everything, as to singing and trade. It is not necessary to be nervous in occasion of that you not in forces to change and correct. Keep calmness; happiness, success already on the approach.