Hexagram 46 of 64
升 Shēng · Pushing Upward
上 坤 Earth (Kūn) over 下 巽 Wind (Xùn)
Grow by inches.
Judgment
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, judgment. English translation in preparation.
Image
In short: wood grows within the earth.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, Great Image. Short gloss by Koyonari; full translation in preparation.
Commentary
Shēng is wood growing within the earth: a tree rising inch by inch from the soil. Shēng speaks of gradual growth: that you see no change today is only because the scale is so small; it continues upward nonetheless. This hexagram offers no shortcuts, only direction—so long as it reaches upward, slow pace matters not.
Koyonari commentary.
The Six Lines
“Advancing with sincere trust. Great good fortune.” As ascent begins, the yielding first line lies lowest. It trusts and follows the firm, centrally placed second line above, rising together with it; hence ‘great good fortune,’ a highly favorable outcome. Yǔn means trusting and following. Another reading takes yǔn as ‘fitting’: the first line shares the aims of the second and third yang lines and rises with them.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 1. Koyonari translation.
“Truly ascending brings great good fortune: joining aspirations with those above.” The line statement saying that truly ascending brings great good fortune is because initial six stands at the beginning of ascent and unites its aspirations with the lines above.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 2. Koyonari translation.
“With sincerity, favorable to offer the modest Yue sacrifice. No blame.” Fú means inward sincerity. With sincerity, even a yuè rite, with its modest offerings, is fitting. ‘No blame’ means no fault. When rising upward and corresponding with someone in a higher position, sincere intent matters more than the lavishness of the gifts presented outwardly.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 3. Koyonari translation.
“The sincerity of nine in the second place brings joy.” That the sincerity of nine in the second place brings celebration is because this firm line occupies the center of the lower trigram and resonates upward with six in the fifth place in mutual trust.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 4. Koyonari translation.
“Ascending into an empty city.” Rising is likened to entering an empty town, with no one blocking the way. Xū yì means an uninhabited town, an image of smooth advancement with few obstacles ahead. This line focuses on describing the upward momentum of ascent.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 5. Koyonari translation.
“Ascending into an empty town: there is nothing to doubt.” Ascending as if entering an empty, unresisted settlement occurs because nine in the third place complies with the general momentum of ascent; the way ahead is smooth and unobstructed, leaving no doubt or hesitation in heart.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 6. Koyonari translation.
“The king presents offerings at Mount Qi: good fortune, no blame.” The king conducts a sacrificial rite at Mount Qí. Here hēng is used for xiǎng, meaning to present sacrificial offerings. ‘Good fortune’ indicates a favorable outcome; ‘no blame’ means no fault and no grounds for reproach. The image of the king's sacrifice depicts fitting advancement.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 7. Koyonari translation.
“The king presents offerings at Mount Qí: this accords with affairs.” The king conducting sacrifices at Mount Qí (the base text reads hēng, interchangeable with xiǎng for making sacrificial offerings; another view takes it as smooth success) speaks of acting in accord with affairs: six in the fourth place, being a yielding line in the upper trigram Kūn, follows the natural order of affairs.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 8. Koyonari translation.
“Perseverance brings good fortune: ascending the stairs.” Steadfastness means upholding the right way; doing so brings good fortune, a favorable outcome. Rising is like climbing stairs, proceeding step by step. Shēng jiē depicts ascent as climbing steps: there is upward momentum, but upholding the right way remains a condition.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 9. Koyonari translation.
“Steadfastness brings good fortune, ascending the stairs: fully attaining one's aspiration.” Holding steadfast to the upright path brings good fortune like mounting the steps because six in the fifth place holds the honored place and responds below to nine in the second place, enabling its aspirations to be fully realized.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 10. Koyonari translation.
“Ascending in darkness: favorable in ceaseless perseverance.” Ascent has reached its limit, yet there is a blind urge to keep rising, with no awareness of stopping. This is míng shēng. Only when that tireless energy serves steadfastness—upholding the right way—is it favorable. What is affirmed is the persistence of continually upholding what is right.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 11. Koyonari translation.
“Dark ascent at the top: diminishing and not abundant.” Blindly grasping to ascend in darkness while occupying the highest seat is because ascent reaching its limit inevitably declines and diminishes, making it impossible to remain full and prosperous forever.
Zhouyi, hexagram 46, line 12. Koyonari translation.