Hexagram 51: 震 (zhèn)
Judgment
亨。震來虩虩，笑言啞啞。震驚百里，不喪匕鬯。
A"an gives the intimation of ease Kăn development. When (the time of) movement (which it indicates) comes, (the subject of the hexagram) will be found looking out with apprehension, and yet smiling and talking cheerfully. When the movement (like a crash of thunder) terrifies all within a hundred li, he will be (like the sincere worshipper) who is not (startled into) letting go his ladle and (cup of) sacrificial spirits.
Commentary on the judgment (彖傳)
震，亨。震來虩虩，恐致福也。笑言啞啞，後有則也。震驚百里，驚遠而懼邇也。出可以守宗廟社稷，以為祭主也。
The image (大象)
洊雷，震；君子以恐懼修省。
The six lines
| Line | Chinese | Legge | Changes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 – – | 震索索，視矍矍，征凶。震不于其躬，于其鄰，无咎。婚媾有言。 | The topmost line, divided, shows its subject, amidst the startling movements (of the time), in breathless dismay and looking round him with trembling apprehension. If he take action, there will be evil. If, while the startling movements have not reached his own person and his neighbourhood, (he were to take precautions), there would be no error, though his relatives might (still) speak against him. | 21 |
| 5 – – | 震往來厲，億无喪，有事。 | The fifth line, divided, shows its subject going and coming amidst the startling movements (of the time), and always in peril; but perhaps he will not incur loss, and find business (which he can accomplish). | 17 |
| 4 — | 震遂泥。 | The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject, amid the startling movements, supinely sinking (deeper) in the mud. | 24 |
| 3 – – | 震蘇蘇，震行无眚。 | The third line, divided, shows its subject distraught amid the startling movements going on. If those movements excite him to (right) action, there will be no mistake. | 55 |
| 2 – – | 震來厲，億喪貝，躋于九陵，勿逐，七日得。 | The second line, divided, shows its subject, when the movement approaches, in a position of peril. He judges it better to let go the articles (in his possession), and to ascend a very lofty height. There is no occasion for him to pursue after (the things he has let go); in seven days he will find them. | 54 |
| 1 — | 震來虩虩，後笑言啞啞，吉。 | The first line, undivided, shows its subject, when the movement approaches, looking out and around with apprehension, and afterwards smiling and talking cheerfully. There will be good fortune. | 16 |
Lines are numbered from the bottom. Each line page shows the line text with its small image commentary; each “changes to” link opens the reading for that changing line.
Related hexagrams
- Inverse (lines in reverse order): hexagram 52
- Opposite (every line changed): hexagram 57 · reading
- Nuclear (lines 2–4 and 3–5): hexagram 39
English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 16 (1882) — public domain; OCR text of the 1882 printing, checked against the proofread hexagrams. Chinese: Zhou Yi from Chinese Wikisource.
Character glossary
- 亨hēngprospering, going smoothly
- 震zhènshake, quake, tremor; to excite
- 來láito arrive, to come, to return; in the fu
- 虩xìfright
- 笑xiàoto smile, to laugh; to giggle; to snicke
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 啞yǎdumb, mute, hoarse
- 驚jīngto frighten, to startle; surprise, alarm
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 里lǐunit of distance equal to 0.5km; village
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 喪sàngmourning; mourn; funeral
- 匕bǐspoon, ladle; knife, dirk
- 鬯chàngsacrificial wine; unhindered
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 吉jílucky, propitious, good
- 厲lìwhetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet
- 億yìhundred million; many
- 貝bèisea shell; money, currency
- 躋jīto ascend, to rise
- 于yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 九jiǔnine
- 陵línghill, mound; mausoleum
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 逐zhúto pursue; to expel; step by step
- 七qīseven
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 蘇sūto awaken, to revive, to resurrect; used
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 无wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 眚shěngcataract; fault, error, crime
- 遂suìto fail; to follow, to comply with
- 泥nímud, earth, clay; plaster, paste
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 索suǒcable, rope; rules, laws; to demand, to
- 視shìto look at, to inspect, to observe, to r
- 矍juéto look about in alarm or fright
- 征zhēngto summon, to recruit; levy, tax; journe
- 凶xiōngculprit; murder; bad, sad
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 躬gōngto bow; personally, in person; oneself
- 鄰línneighbor; neighborhood
- 咎jiùfault, defect; error, mistake
- 婚hūnto get married; marriage, wedding
- 媾gòuto marry; to be intimate with
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.