Hexagram 32: Duration

Written by Orbitarot · Sources: James Legge, The Yi King (The I Ching), 1882 (judgment and lines); plain readings our own · Updated October 7, 2026

Hexagram 32 in plain words

Thunder sits above wind. Thunder and wind always appear together and move together, two forces in partnership. The upper trigram is the eldest son and the lower the eldest daughter, so tradition reads this hexagram as the lasting union, the bond of marriage, following the courtship of the previous hexagram. Its theme is constancy: the sun and moon keep shining because they follow their course, and the seasons endure because they keep changing.

In your situation, the call is for persistence with a clear direction. Lasting things are built through steady, renewed effort, not through one burst. That means staying with a commitment when the novelty fades, and keeping your principles firm while adapting your methods to new conditions. The lines warn against two mistakes: demanding permanence too quickly, before trust has grown, and being so changeable that nothing can take root. They also warn against staying in the wrong place out of habit. Duration is a living thing. Hold to what is essential, let the rest adjust, and give yourself and others the time it takes for something real to settle.

The judgment

Hăng indicates successful progress and no error (in what it denotes). But the advantage will come from being firm and correct; and movement in any direction whatever will be advantageous.

Translation: James Legge, 1882 (public domain).

The image

(The trigram representing) thunder and that for wind form Hăng. The superior man, in accordance with this, stands firm, and does not change his method (of operation).

From Legge's Appendix II (the Great Symbolism), The Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882 (public domain).

In plain words: Thunder and wind always come together and keep each other going. Stand firm and stay with your chosen direction instead of changing course at every gust.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your reading. Lines are counted from the bottom.

Line 1 (bottom)

The first SIX, divided, shows its subject deeply (desirous) of long continuance. Even with firm correctness there will be evil; there will be no advantage in any way.

You want lasting results too quickly. Demanding permanence at the start brings nothing good: give it time.

Line 2

The second NINE, undivided, shows all occasion for repentance disappearing.

Regret fades. You hold the middle path and keep your effort within what you can sustain.

Line 3

The third NINE, undivided, shows one who does not continuously maintain his virtue. There are those who will impute this to him as a disgrace. However firm he may be, there will be ground for regret.

Your character does not hold steady, and you change with every mood. That inconstancy brings disgrace and keeps causing regret.

Line 4

The fourth NINE, undivided, shows a field where there is no game.

There is no game in the field. Persisting in the wrong place yields nothing, no matter how long you stay.

Line 5

The fifth SIX, divided, shows its subject continuously maintaining the virtue indicated by it. In a wife this will be fortunate; in a husband, evil.

You keep your character steady over time. Faithful constancy is right when your role is to support, but when you must lead, you need to adapt as well.

Line 6 (top)

The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject exciting himself to long continuance. There will be evil.

Restlessness has become a lasting state. Constant agitation wears everything down and leads to misfortune: settle yourself.

Related hexagrams

All three relations have traditional Chinese names (cuo gua for the opposite, zong gua for the inverse, hu gua for the nuclear). Many modern readers use the opposite as the shadow side of a situation, the inverse as the same moment seen from the other side, and the nuclear hexagram as its inner core.

If one line changes

With a single changing line, hexagram 32 turns into:

Learn more: what the I Ching is, how to read changing lines, the eight trigrams, how to cast with coins or yarrow.

Hexagram 32 in love and relationships

In love, this hexagram favors commitment and long-term partnership. Keep the bond steady by renewing it, through daily care and willingness to grow together.

Hexagram 32 for work and decisions

At work, consistency matters more than sudden effort now. Commit to a clear long-term goal, build sustainable routines, and adjust your methods without losing your direction.

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