TL;DR: The Hexagram Earth over Wind (Sheng, hexagram 46) has Kun above and Xun below, the image of a tree growing from within the earth. The hexagram text says: "Sheng: yuan heng, yong jian da ren, wu xu, nan zheng ji" (Sheng: great success, it is favorable to see the great person, do not worry, going south is auspicious), meaning very smooth and successful, it is advisable to meet a great person, do not worry, going south is good. The Great Image says "earth within produces wood, Sheng; the noble one thereby complies with virtue, accumulates the small to become high and great," suggesting gathering small things to become tall and large. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: you may focus on accumulating step by step and not expect a leap forward.
What number is the Địa Phong Thăng hexagram, and how is it structured?
The Địa Phong Thăng hexagram (地風升) is number 46 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, coming after the Trạch Địa Tụy hexagram (number 45) and before the Trạch Thủy Khốn hexagram (number 47). The hexagram consists of the upper trigram Khôn (Earth) and the lower trigram Tốn (Wind), that is, four yin lines above two yang lines, giving the image of a tree growing up from within the ground. This is the central image that governs the entire reading of the hexagram.
In structure, the hexagram has two yang lines below and four yin lines above; the inner trigram Tốn ☴ symbolizes wind and also symbolizes a tree, the outer trigram Khôn ☷ symbolizes earth. According to traditional attribution of authorship, the sequence Phục Hy, Văn Vương, Chu Công, Khổng Tử is held to be those who successively created the trigrams, the judgments, the lines and the commentaries; modern scholarship does not regard this sequence as proven, but views the I Ching as a text formed through many layers of time.
What does the text of the Thăng hexagram consist of?
The text of the Thăng hexagram consists of the hexagram text and the six line texts. The section below is transcribed from the traditional Chinese version kept on Wikisource, together with the Sino-Vietnamese reading of exactly those characters and a close translation of the meaning.
The hexagram text
升：元亨，用見大人，勿恤，南征吉。
Thăng: Nguyên hanh, dụng kiến đại nhân, vật tuất, nam chinh cát.
Translation: Thăng is greatly successful, one should go to meet the great person, do not worry, advancing south is auspicious.
The Sơ lục line
初六：允升，大吉。
Sơ lục: Duẫn thăng, đại cát.
Translation: Trusted and so rising, greatly auspicious.
The Cửu nhị line
九二：孚乃利用禴，无咎。
Cửu nhị: Phu nãi lợi dụng dược, vô cữu.
Translation: When there is sincerity, even a simple sacrifice is beneficial, no harm.
The Cửu tam line
九三：升虛邑。
Cửu tam: Thăng hư ấp.
Translation: Rising into an empty city.
The Lục tứ line
六四：王用享于岐山，吉无咎。
Lục tứ: Vương dụng hưởng vu Kỳ Sơn, cát vô cữu.
Translation: The king makes sacrifice at Mount Kỳ, auspicious and no harm.
The Lục ngũ line
六五：貞吉，升階。
Lục ngũ: Trinh cát, thăng giai.
Translation: Holding firm is auspicious, rising step by step up the stairs.
The Thượng lục line
上六：冥升，利于不息之貞。
Thượng lục: Minh thăng, lợi vu bất tức chi trinh.
Translation: Rising in darkness, holding firm without rest is beneficial.
What do the Thoán truyện and the Tượng truyện of the Thăng hexagram say?
The Thoán truyện and the Tượng truyện belong to the Ten Wings, the layer of traditional commentary attributed to Khổng Tử; modern scholarship places them around the 5th to 2nd century BCE. These are not the text proper, so when quoting them one should call them by their correct name as commentary.
The Thoán truyện records: 柔以時升，巽而順，剛中而應，是以大亨。用見大人，勿恤；有慶也。南征吉，志行也。
Translation: The yielding rises according to the time, compliant and harmonious, the firm is in the center and has a response, and so there is great success. Used to meet the great person, do not worry; there is blessing. Advancing south is auspicious, meaning the will is carried out.
The Đại Tượng records: 地中生木，升；君子以順德，積小以高大。
Translation: Within the earth a tree is born, this is the image of Thăng; the noble person follows this and complies with virtue, accumulating the small to become tall and great.
The six Tiểu Tượng record in turn:
- 允升大吉，上合志也。 (Duẫn thăng đại cát, thượng hợp chí dã.) Translation: Trusted and rising, greatly auspicious, meaning those above join in purpose.
- 九二之孚，有喜也。 (Cửu nhị chi phu, hữu hỷ dã.) Translation: The sincerity of Cửu nhị, meaning there is joy.
- 升虛邑，无所疑也。 (Thăng hư ấp, vô sở nghi dã.) Translation: Rising into an empty city, meaning there is nothing to doubt.
- 王用亨于岐山，順事也。 (Vương dụng hưởng vu Kỳ Sơn, thuận sự dã.) Translation: The king makes sacrifice at Mount Kỳ, meaning the matter is compliant.
- 貞吉升階，大得志也。 (Trinh cát thăng giai, đại đắc chí dã.) Translation: Holding firm is auspicious, rising up the stairs, meaning the will is greatly achieved.
- 冥升在上，消不富也。 (Minh thăng tại thượng, tiêu bất phú dã.) Translation: Rising in darkness in the top position, meaning one dissipates and does not grow rich.
How do Vương Bật and Chu Hy comment on the Thăng hexagram?
Below are the commentaries of Vương Bật (in the Chu Dịch chính nghĩa) and of Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa), translated closely in meaning, placed directly beneath the text or commentary being commented on.
On the hexagram text: Vương Bật comments: "Taking the yielding and going south, one is then near to the great brightness." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "Thăng means advancing upward. The hexagram comes from the Giải hexagram, the yielding rises to the fourth position, inner is Tốn outer is Thuận, Cửu nhị is firm in the center and the fifth line responds to it, and so the divination text is like this. Advancing south means advancing forward."
On the Thoán truyện: Vương Bật comments: "If purely yielding, one cannot rise by oneself; if firm and high, things will not follow. Having risen according to the time, and being compliant and harmonious, firm in the center and having a response, rising by this, and so one obtains great success." Vương Bật comments further: "Compliant and rising, arriving at the place of great brightness, this is the will being carried out."
On the Sơ lục line: Vương Bật comments: "Duẫn means being proper. The three lines of the Tốn trigram are all those who rise. Though it has no response, being at the head of the Thăng hexagram, it shares purpose with Cửu nhị and Cửu tam and rises together. Meeting the time to rise, rising must then be great, and so greatly auspicious." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "The first, taking the yielding and compliant and being below, is the master of Tốn. Meeting the time to rise, it complies with the two yang lines, and one who obtains this in divination believes one can rise and be greatly auspicious."
On the Cửu nhị line: Vương Bật comments: "It forms a response with the fifth line, so advancing it will surely be employed. Its substance has the virtue of firmness, advancing without seeking favor, blocking the crooked and holding to sincerity, its will set on the great enterprise, and so it is beneficial to make a modest offering to the spirits." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "The meaning is seen in the Tụy hexagram."
On the Cửu tam line: Vương Bật comments: "It treads its own position, taking yang to rise over yin, rising by this, and no one opposes it, and so it is like rising into an empty city." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "Yang is solid and yin is empty, and Khôn has the image of a city-state. Cửu tam takes yang firmness, meets the time to rise and advances to Khôn, and so the divination image is like this."
On the Lục tứ line: Vương Bật comments: "At the place of the junction of Thăng, those below rise and advance, and one can admit them but cannot oppose them. To oppose the advance of those below, seizing what comes and taking it exclusively, then disaster arrives. If instead of opposing one admits them, complying with the nature of things, to open up the will of the multitude, then one obtains auspiciousness and no harm. Meeting at Mount Kỳ, complying with the nature of affairs, there is nothing that is not admitted." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "The meaning is seen in the Tùy hexagram."
On the Lục ngũ line: Vương Bật comments: "It rises to the honored position, its substance yielding and responsive, admitting and not opposing, employing and not monopolizing, and so it obtains firm auspiciousness, rising up the stairs and being honored." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "Taking yin in a yang position, meeting the time to rise and being in the honored position, one must hold to correctness and firmness, and then one can obtain auspiciousness and rise up the stairs. The stairs are the place where rising is easy."
On the Thượng lục line: Vương Bật comments: "At the extreme of correctness, advancing without rest. Advancing without rest, and so though dark it still rises. Therefore to apply it to correctness without rest is acceptable, but to use it to master things is to lose them. Never resting to the end, this is the way of dissipation." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "Taking yin at the extreme of Thăng, dark and unceasing. One who obtains this in divination finds nothing beneficial anywhere, and can only return the mind to not resting on the outside and apply it to correctness without rest, and that is all."
How should one understand encountering the Thăng hexagram when asking about work?
When asking about work and encountering the Thăng hexagram, one should understand this as a hexagram describing an upward journey with rhythm, with roots, not a leap. The hexagram text records "greatly successful, one should go to meet the great person, do not worry, advancing south is auspicious", that is, greatly successful, one should meet the great person, do not worry, advancing south is auspicious; the Tượng truyện writes "the noble person follows this and complies with virtue, accumulating the small to become tall and great", that is, accumulating the small to become tall and great.
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in work, focus on accumulating expertise and building the foundation step by step, rather than chasing short-term growth. This is a reference reading, not a certain prediction about anyone's career.
How should one understand encountering the Thăng hexagram when asking about love?
When asking about love and encountering the Thăng hexagram, one should understand this as a hexagram of development according to rhythm, not a hexagram of sudden explosion. The image of a tree growing from within the ground and the phrase "accumulating the small to become tall and great" in the Tượng truyện suggest that every relationship needs time to ripen.
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in love, one may see this as a reminder to let feelings develop naturally, without rushing; this is a reference reading, not a promise about a specific outcome.
How should one understand encountering the Thăng hexagram when asking about money?
When asking about money and encountering the Thăng hexagram, one should understand this as a hexagram describing gradual accumulation, not a hexagram of sudden profit. The hexagram text records "greatly successful" and the Tượng truyện writes "accumulating the small to become tall and great", both pointing toward growing from the small.
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in money, one may see this as a reminder to focus on steady accumulation and risk management, rather than expecting a leap; this is a reference reading, not a certain prediction about anyone's finances.
How should one understand encountering the Thăng hexagram when asking about health?
When asking about health and encountering the Thăng hexagram, one should understand this as a hexagram suggesting building physical strength at a steady rhythm, not a hexagram of lightning-fast recovery. The image of a tree growing in the ground and the phrase "accumulating the small to become tall and great" in the Tượng truyện point toward accumulating little by little.
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in health, one may see this as a reminder to build steady habits; this is a metaphorical reading, not medical advice, and any specific health matter should be asked of a professional.
How should one understand encountering the Thăng hexagram when asking about leadership?
When asking about leadership and encountering the Thăng hexagram, one should understand this as a hexagram describing that a person in a high position needs to comply with people's hearts and not monopolize power. Vương Bật's comment on the Lục tứ line says: "If instead of opposing one admits them, complying with the nature of things, to open up the will of the multitude, then one obtains auspiciousness and no harm"; Vương Bật's comment on the Lục ngũ line says: "Admitting and not opposing, employing and not monopolizing, and so it obtains firm auspiciousness, rising up the stairs and being honored."
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in leadership, one may see this as a reminder to focus on listening and complying with people's hearts, rather than imposing by monopoly; this is a reference reading, not a certain prediction about anyone's fate.
The Thăng hexagram in relation to other hexagrams
Placing the Thăng hexagram beside its neighboring hexagrams helps make clear its place in the cycle.
| Hexagram | Number | Structure | Main feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trạch Địa Tụy | 45 | Đoài above Khôn below | Gathering, assembling |
| Địa Phong Thăng | 46 | Khôn above Tốn below | Rising in sequence, accumulating the small to become great |
| Trạch Thủy Khốn | 47 | Đoài above Khảm below | Hardship, blockage |
| Địa Sơn Khiêm | 15 | Khôn above Cấn below | Yielding, sinking low |
| Lôi Địa Dự | 16 | Chấn above Khôn below | Joy, harmony |
According to the Tự Quái truyện, that is, the later commentary discussing the order of the hexagrams, the familiar line is "gathering and then rising is called Thăng", meaning gathering and then rising is called Thăng, and so after Tụy comes Thăng. The Tự Quái truyện is a commentary text, not the text proper; the text proper consists of the hexagram text and the line texts, while the Thoán truyện, Tượng truyện, Hệ từ, Tự Quái truyện all belong to the commentary layer. When reading a hexagram, one should keep these two layers separate rather than merging them into one block.
The structure of the Địa Phong Thăng hexagram in a table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Order in the I Ching | 46 |
| Chinese character name | 升 |
| Upper trigram | Khôn (Earth) |
| Lower trigram | Tốn (Wind) |
| Six lines, from top to bottom | yin, yin, yin, yang, yang, yin |
| Nuclear hexagram | Lôi Trạch Quy Muội (hexagram number 54) |
| Opposite hexagram | Thiên Lôi Vô Vọng (hexagram number 25) |
| Reversed hexagram | Trạch Địa Tụy (hexagram number 45) |
Where do the six lines of the Địa Phong Thăng hexagram stand, and what hexagram does each moving line change into?
The table reads from the first line (bottom) up to the top line. Line names combine position and nature: yang is called Cửu, yin is called Lục. The last column is the changed hexagram when ONLY that line moves, calculated by the same method that Nhật Nguyệt's divination tool uses.
| Line | Name | Nature | Correct position | Centered | Response | Changes into when moving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sơ Lục | yin | no | no | with line 4, no response | Địa Thiên Thái (hexagram number 11) |
| 2 | Cửu Nhị | yang | no | yes | with line 5, has response | Địa Sơn Khiêm (hexagram number 15) |
| 3 | Cửu Tam | yang | yes | no | with line 6, has response | Địa Thủy Sư (hexagram number 7) |
| 4 | Lục Tứ | yin | yes | no | with line 1, no response | Lôi Phong Hằng (hexagram number 32) |
| 5 | Lục Ngũ | yin | no | yes | with line 2, has response | Thủy Phong Tỉnh (hexagram number 48) |
| 6 | Thượng Lục | yin | yes | no | with line 3, has response | Sơn Phong Cổ (hexagram number 18) |
Points to note when interpreting the Thăng hexagram
Distinguish the text proper from the commentary
The hexagram text and the line texts are the text proper. The Thoán truyện, Tượng truyện, Hệ từ, Tự Quái truyện are later commentary. When quoting, one should state clearly which layer is being quoted, to avoid merging them.
Do not confuse it with the verse cards of other books
The Khổng Minh Thần Toán is a separate system of verse cards, divided by hexagrams and with its own discussions. The verse cards of the Khổng Minh Thần Toán are not the line texts of the I Ching and should not be mixed into the interpretation of the Thăng hexagram. These are two different systems, even though they use the same hexagram names.
Distinguish sequential rising from sudden rising
If one looks only at the word "Thăng" and ignores the essence of "accumulating the small to become great", the reader may place mistaken expectations. This is a point worth repeating when interpreting this hexagram in any context.
Where the schools disagree
The phrase "advancing south is auspicious" is where the commentators disagree. Vương Bật comments: "Taking the yielding and going south, one is then near to the great brightness." Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa) comments: "Advancing south means advancing forward." It can be understood literally as the direction belonging to the Fire element, belonging to brightness and warmth; it can also be understood symbolically as the bright side, the front, the favorable side; and it can also be understood in historical context as going toward where there is a legitimately ruling person. This article records all three directions, without choosing a single interpretation as the standard.
In addition, regarding the role of the ruling line of the hexagram, some books emphasize line 5, while other books place the focus on line 1 because line 1 has a clearly greatly auspicious line text. As for how to read line 6, some readings lean toward warning, some readings lean toward encouraging the cultivation of virtue. This article records both directions, without choosing one side.
The core lesson of the Địa Phong Thăng hexagram
The image of a tree growing from within the ground is the central lesson: the tree does not rush, the tree does not show off, the tree just grows little by little. The phrase "accumulating the small to become tall and great" in the Đại Tượng sums up that spirit. The Thăng hexagram does not promise a leap, but describes an upward journey with rhythm, with roots, and with limits that require knowing when to stop at the right time. Reading this hexagram in any circumstance, what is worth keeping is the rhythm and the accumulation, not an absolute promise of good fortune.
