Zhūn (屯) — Difficulty at the Beginning

Thunder beneath Water — energy pressing upward against resistance, the struggle before emergence. The character 屯 depicts a plant pushing through frozen ground; difficulty is the condition of growth, not its absence. "Do not rush forward; establish a foundation first." The hexagram counsels finding support — build your base before you break through. The friction here is generative, not final.

Cross-Tradition Resonances