Hexagram 34

大壯 Dà Zhuàng

Great Power

☳ Thunder above ☰ Heaven

Judgment 卦辭

利貞。

大dàbig, very, mighty; great, much, a lot of
壯zhuàngand strong; strength, vigor, potency, force
利lìworthwhile, rewarding, productive
貞zhēnto persist, be determined, resolved, steady

Commentary

Persistence furthers. Inner strength rises with great force and comes to power. But it has already passed the point of balance. Danger: relying entirely on your own power, forgetting to ask what's right. The truly great power doesn't degenerate into mere force—it stays united with principles of justice. Greatness and justice are inseparable.

Classical Text

大壯乾下震上 大壯，利貞。

Da Zhuang (Great Vigor): Qian below, Zhen above. Great Vigor. Benefit in Correctness.

Image 象

雷在天上，大壯。君子以非禮弗履。

Thunder in heaven above—electrical energy mounting upward in harmony with heaven's direction. The person of character doesn't walk paths that contradict established order. Great power must stay aligned with what's right.

Lines 爻辭

1

壯于趾征凶有孚

壯zhuàngstrong, vigorous, potent; force, power (ful)
于yúis in, for, of, through, to, with
趾zhǐthe toes, feet
征zhēngto assert, aggress, go (ing) (boldly)
凶xiōngbodes ill; is unlucky, inauspicious (for)
有yǒuhave, hold (onto); be, stay; keeping (-ing)
孚fútruth, sincerity; confidence; true, confident

Power in the toes—ready to advance by force from a lowly position. This leads to misfortune if continued. Warning: the impulse to push from below through raw strength ends badly.

Classical commentary

初九，壯于趾，征凶有孚。

Initial Nine: Vigor in the toes. To advance brings misfortune—this is certain.

2

貞吉

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, firmness
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely

Persistence brings good fortune. The gates open, resistance gives way. This is exactly where exuberant self-confidence becomes dangerous. Inner equilibrium, not excessive force, brings good fortune now.

Classical commentary

九二，貞吉。

Nine in the Second: Correctness brings good fortune.

3

小人用壯君子用罔貞厲羝羊觸藩羸其角

小xiǎothe common, ordinary, average; small
人rénpeople, ones, individual(s), person(s)
用yòngapply, employ, practice, rely on, try, use (s)
壯zhuàngstrength, force, power, vigor
君jūnto (the) noble
子zǐyoung one,
用yòngapplies, employs, relies on, tries, uses
罔wǎngnets, webs, snares, traps; (his) wits, subtlety
貞zhēnpersistence, determination, firmness
厲lìis difficult, harsh, stressful; trouble
羝dīa, the billy; ^
羊yánggoat; } ram
觸chù(who) butts (against), attacks, rushes
藩fāna, the hedge(row), fence
羸léiand entangles(ing); (is) caught; damages
其qí(by) his, its (own)
角jiǎohorns, [contentiousness, direction]

The inferior person works through power display. The superior person does not. A goat butting a hedge entangles its horns. Reveling in power leads to entanglement. Renounce the empty display of force in time.

Classical commentary

九三，小人用壯，君子用罔，貞厲。羝羊觸藩，羸其角。

Nine in the Third: The petty person uses vigor; the noble person uses restraint. Correctness brings danger. A ram butts against a fence and entangles its horns.

4

貞吉悔亡藩決不羸壯于大輿之輹

貞zhēnpersistence, determination, resolve, firmness
吉jíis promising, auspicious, opportune, timely
悔huǐand, as, while regret(s), remorse
亡wángpass, disappear, dissolve (s)
藩fāna, the hedge(row), fence
決juéopens (up), ruptures, (is) broken through
不bùwithout, with no; there are no
羸léientanglement(s); getting caught; damage
壯zhuàngthe power, strength
于yúto go, proceed) in, of
大dàa, the big, great, mighty
輿yúcart, wagon, vehicle
之zhīis (with)in its; refers to its
輹fùaxle strut, housing, bracket, mount (s)

Persistence brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. The hedge opens without struggle. Quiet, persevering work at removing resistances succeeds. Power that doesn't show externally can move heavy loads—like the axle of a great cart.

Classical commentary

九四，貞吉，悔亡。藩決不羸。壯于大輿之輹。

Nine in the Fourth: Correctness brings good fortune; regret vanishes. The fence breaks open and there is no entanglement. Vigor in the axle straps of a great cart.

5

喪羊于易無悔

喪sànglosing, forfeiting, forgetting, giving up
羊yánga, the goat, ram
于yúin; with, at
易yìthe exchange, changes; ease, leisure
無wúno, with no, without; nothing
悔huǐregret(s), remorse; to regret, repent (of)

Loses the goat easily. No remorse. Resistance has vanished. The belligerent, stubborn approach can now be dropped without regret. The situation no longer requires hardness.

Classical commentary

六五，喪羊于易，无悔。

Six in the Fifth: Losing the ram with ease. No regret.

6

羝羊觸藩不能退不能遂無攸利艱則吉

羝dīa, the billy; ^
羊yánggoat; } ram
觸chùbutts (against), attacks, rushes, charges
藩fāna, the hedge(row), fence
不bùnot, un-; im-; no, without, with no
能néngable; possible; power, ability, capacity
退tuìto retreat, withdraw, back up, pull back
不bùnot, un-; im-; no, without, with no
能néngable; possible; power, ability, capacity
遂suìto proceed, progress; push, follow through
無wúthis is no, not; (this) lacks, has no
攸yōua direction, purpose; an aim, orientation
利lìwith merit, of value, with rewards
艱jiānbut, yet difficulty, problem, trouble, trial (s)
則zégive(s) rise to, lead(s) to; precede; and then
吉jípromise, hope; opportunities, good fortune

The goat butts the hedge. Cannot go forward, cannot go back. Nothing furthers. Recognize the difficulty—only then does good fortune come. Pushed too far, stuck in a deadlock. Compose yourself and decide not to continue. Everything will right itself.

Classical commentary

《象》曰：不能退，不能遂，不詳也。艱則吉，咎不長也。

The Image states: Unable to retreat, unable to advance—this is not auspicious. Perseverance in difficulty brings good fortune; the blame will not last.