Hexagram 3 · Zhun (Difficulty at the Beginning)
Shui Lei Zhun (Water over Thunder)
Upper: Kan / Lower: Zhen
Water
Initial Birth
Judgment
Primordial success, beneficial and correct. Do not use it to go somewhere; it is beneficial to establish feudal lords.
Image
Clouds and thunder: Zhun; the noble person thus brings order and plans. — Clouds rise and thunder shakes, symbolizing the difficulty of all things at birth; the noble person should organize, plan, and govern the world.
Interpretation
The Zhun hexagram symbolizes the birth of all things, full of hardship yet pregnant with hope. In the initial stages of a career, difficulties are many; it is fitting to build a solid foundation and forge alliances; in the early stages of a relationship, patience is needed for cultivation; in decision-making, one should not act rashly but first secure one's roots.