Hexagram 32 of 64
恆
Duration
Héng
Upper Trigram
震
Thunder
Arousing, Movement
Thunder · Eldest Son
Lower Trigram
巽
Wind
Gentle, Penetrating
Wind/Wood · Eldest Daughter
The Judgment
Duration. Success. No blame. Perseverance furthers. It furthers to have somewhere to go.
Enduring, continuous movement — thunder above and wind below, each strengthening the other in mutual constancy. True duration is not rigidity but ongoing commitment that adapts without losing its essential direction.
The Image
Thunder and wind — the image of Duration. Thus the superior person stands firm and does not change direction.
Thunder and wind are forever in motion, yet they follow consistent natural laws. The person of wisdom maintains their direction and values through all circumstances, moving and adapting without losing their center.
The Six Lines
Line 1
Seeking duration too hastily brings misfortune persistently. Nothing that would further.
Trying to establish permanence immediately, before foundations are laid, produces the opposite of lasting stability.
Line 2
Remorse disappears.
Finding the mean — neither too hasty nor too slow — and holding it steadily dissolves all cause for regret.
Line 3
Whoever does not give duration to their character meets with disgrace. Persistent humiliation.
The person who shifts their character based on external circumstances earns neither trust nor respect.
Line 4
No game in the field.
Pursuing something in the wrong place, no matter how patiently, yields nothing. Examine whether you are persisting in the right direction.
Line 5
Giving duration to one's character through perseverance. This is good fortune for a woman, misfortune for a man.
Enduring devotion to duty in one's assigned role is a virtue — but for those who must lead, rigid adherence to role without judgment becomes limiting.
Line 6
Restlessness as an enduring condition brings misfortune.
Perpetual agitation is the antithesis of duration. The person who cannot find stillness cannot sustain anything worthwhile.
For contemplation and self-reflection only. Not a substitute for professional advice.