Hexagram 32
DurationHéng 恆
Also translated as Constancy, Perseverance, Enduring.
Thunder above Wind / Wood below
Thunder and wind always accompany each other: a lasting partnership of movement and gentle penetration. Heng is about what endures, such as long relationships, sustained commitments and consistent character. Lasting is not the same as standing still. It means renewing yourself continually while keeping the same direction, like the seasons that change but endure.
Judgment
恆：亨，无咎，利貞，利有攸往。
Constancy: success, no blame. Steadfastness is favorable. Favorable to have somewhere to go.
Image
雷風，恆；君子以立不易方。
Thunder with wind: constancy. Taking this as a model, the noble one takes a stand and does not alter course.
- Endurance
- Consistency of character
- Lasting commitment
- Steady direction
- Renewal within continuity
- constancy
- endurance
- commitment
- consistency
- stability
- direction
- Lasting things renew themselves while keeping their direction.
- Consistency of character builds trust.
- Don't rush; endurance is built over time.
The six lines
Lines are numbered from the bottom. In a reading, only the lines that are changing apply to your cast.
Line 1Six at the beginning 初六
Line text
浚恆，貞凶，无攸利。
Pressing too hard, too soon, for constancy. Steadfastness: misfortune. Nothing is favorable.
Wanting something to be permanent right away, demanding too much too early, undermines it. Lasting things grow gradually.
- Rushing permanence
- Unrealistic demands
- Expecting depth before trust is built
- Letting commitment develop at its own pace
Line 2Nine in the second place 九二
Line text
悔亡。
Regret passes.
You may be tempted to overreach, but by keeping to the middle and doing no more than is appropriate, you avoid regret.
- Moderation
- Avoiding regret
- Forcing beyond your means
- Steady progress without regret
Line 3Nine in the third place 九三
Line text
不恆其德，或承之羞，貞吝。
Not keeping one's virtue constant, one may meet with disgrace. Steadfastness: regret.
Being swayed by every mood or outside pressure, changing your principles with circumstances, leads to embarrassment. Inconsistency undermines trust.
- Inconsistency
- Loss of trust
- Letting moods decide your conduct
- Building a reputation for reliability
Line 4Nine in the fourth place 九四
Line text
田无禽。
No game in the field.
Persistence in the wrong place produces nothing, like hunting where there is no game. Make sure your steady effort is aimed in the right direction.
- Persistence misdirected
- Wrong field
- Persevering at the wrong thing
- Redirecting effort where it can bear fruit
Line 5Six in the fifth place 六五
Line text
恆其德，貞，婦人吉，夫子凶。
Keeping one's virtue constant: steadfastness. For a wife, good fortune; for a husband, misfortune.
Consistency can mean loyally following, or it can mean leading with judgment. Know which is your role. Mere conformity is not enough where leadership is needed.
- Kinds of constancy
- Following versus leading
- Conforming when you should be deciding
- Constancy that fits your role
Line 6Six at the top 上六
Line text
振恆，凶。
Constant agitation: misfortune.
Constant agitation, always busy and never settled, exhausts you and undermines everything. Calm is a precondition for anything lasting.
- Chronic restlessness
- Lack of calm
- Mistaking busyness for progress
- Finding a calmer pace that lasts
Related hexagrams
Have a question on your mind?
Cast a readingChinese text: Zhouyi 周易 (received classical text). English rendering and notes: Site rendering. About our sources
Commentary
Xian (31) is courtship; Heng is the marriage that follows: the eldest son (thunder) above and the eldest daughter (wind) below, a settled, mature union. The hexagram applies to anything meant to last: a relationship, a practice, a career, a principle. The reading may suggest that steadiness and follow-through matter more now than novelty.
The image is "standing firm without changing direction", but the commentaries stress that duration is not rigidity. The sun and moon endure because they keep moving along their course. The lines warn against both extremes: demanding too much too soon, and restless inconsistency. In relation to a question, Heng may emphasize commitment, patience and a steady direction.