I Ching · Hexagram 46 of 64
Hexagram 46: Sheng （升） — Pushing Upward
Sheng is Earth over Wind: wind belongs to wood, and wood within the earth is a seed sprouting from the soil, while the wind's force rises upward. The hexagram concerns the growth of life: after gathering, conditions ripen and one grows upward, from petty person to great, in body, mind and spirit alike.
At a glance
| Hexagram | 46 of 64 |
|---|---|
| Name | Sheng 升 · Pushing Upward |
| Upper trigram | Kun （坤）· Earth |
| Lower trigram | Xun （巽）· Wind |
| Structure | Earth over Wind |
| Lines | 6 lines |
The Judgment （卦辞）
Pushing Upward. Great success. Use it to see the great person. Do not fret. Marching south brings good fortune.
ExplainedThe origin is held and the one guarded, and one's nature restored; when the original spirit stirs, all runs smoothly and labor does not weary, as the elders of great virtue stay bright and vigorous into their eighties. To see the great person means that by growing one becomes the great person oneself, and no one need despair of ability, for all share the Buddha-nature. Marching south is toward fire and light: the brighter the heart, the higher one rises, and it is the quality of life, not its comforts, that is raised.
Tuan Zhuan — Commentary on the Judgment （彖传）
The yielding rises with the time; yielding and compliant, firm and central and responding: therefore great success. Use it to see the great person; do not fret: there is celebration. Marching south brings good fortune: the will is carried out.
ExplainedWithin, yielding obedience; without, gentle compliance: the soft seed rises in season to become the firm noble one. The time lies in following heaven's mandate and meeting others with gentleness, and holding the original nature so that response comes, and so the success is great. To take up the mission of compassion, working with a soft hand and never leaving one's own nature, is a matter for celebration; and going toward the light with the will set on benevolence will surely find a way.
Xiang Zhuan — Image Commentary （大象）
Wood grows within the earth: Pushing Upward. Thus the noble one, following virtue, accumulates the small to become high and great.
ExplainedThe tree is rooted in the field of the heart, and from that guarded center the original spirit stirs; accumulation is like a seed gathering sun and water until it becomes a great tree. Following virtue means both following heaven's mandate, setting the vow of compassion and letting the passions fall away, and meeting others with gentleness, never forcing the work.
The Six Lines （六爻）
The lines are read from the bottom upward. Each carries its own text, a Small Image commentary, and a plain-English reading.
Line 1 · YinLine 1
Assented to, he rises: great good fortune.
Small ImageAssented to, he rises, great good fortune: he accords with the will above.
ExplainedHeaven assents: if you are willing to become a sage, heaven will make you one, a promise no worldly leader can give, since none can guarantee a student a prize or another a fortune. Set the will on sagehood and it accords with heaven's will, and heaven cultivates you with all its strength. What is most lacking in cultivation is resolve, and where there is a will the way is made.
Line 2 · YangLine 2
With sincerity, even a thin offering may be used: no blame.
Small ImageThe sincerity of the second line: there is joy.
ExplainedAfter resolve, the second stage is sincerity: even a small offering is enough, and small means are no obstacle, for a little money, time or labor counts, since that bit of heart clears karma and helps not the hall but oneself. Though circumstances have not yet turned, the heart is filled with the joy of the teaching; give without dwelling on the giving, and the gate is truly passed.
Line 3 · YangLine 3
He rises into the empty city.
Small ImageRising into the empty city: there is no doubt.
ExplainedThe third stage rises as into unoccupied country, entering the formless realm where the name is recorded and one is enrolled among the immortals. Here faith no longer wavers, for one deeply believes that a single pointing by the teacher can lift a person beyond the ordinary and return him to the source. Poverty is the best condition for cultivation, and the more one cultivates the more confidence grows.
Line 4 · YinLine 4
The king presents the offering on Mount Qi: good fortune, no blame.
Small ImageThe king presents the offering on Mount Qi: he complies in the work.
ExplainedAs the ancient king moved to Mount Qi and offered sacrifice to secure his people, so with faith firmly set all work becomes an offering: sacrifice and service, never trust in one's own ability. Accomplishment lies with heaven, so take every matter to the Heavenly Mother and ask the holy to lend their spirit, as a child offers only willingness while heaven completes the work, and claim no credit.
Line 5 · YangLine 5
Steadfastness brings good fortune: he ascends the steps.
Small ImageSteadfastness brings good fortune, he ascends the steps: great attainment of the will.
ExplainedWith inner cultivation and outer work complete, joy and faith and compliance in the work, one is steadfast and upright, of pure and benevolent nature, and good fortune follows; and the rank rises, not only enrolled among the immortals but advanced in heavenly nobility and fruition. Here one truly becomes a sage and the will is greatly fulfilled.
Line 6 · YinLine 6
Dark rising: favorable for unceasing steadfastness.
Small ImageDark rising at the top: it dwindles and does not enrich.
ExplainedThe worst line of the hexagram: the yin dark rising, clouds overhead, karma too heavy for the sun to break through. The counsel is that the worse it goes, the more unbroken one's uprightness must be, for the noble one remains firm in poverty, as Confucius starved between Chen and Cai and kept his integrity still. Do not seek wealth or rank then, but work only on purity of heart, and the knot will loosen.
Key takeaway
Pushing Upward teaches the growth of life from petty to great, rooted in the heart and accumulated in small steps.
Frequently asked questions
What does Hexagram 46 (Sheng) mean in the I Ching?
Sheng is Earth over Wind: wind belongs to wood, and wood within the earth is a seed sprouting from the soil, while the wind's force rises upward. The hexagram concerns the growth of life: after gathering, conditions ripen and one grows upward, from petty person to great, in body, mind and spirit alike.
What is the judgment of Hexagram 46?
Pushing Upward. Great success. Use it to see the great person. Do not fret. Marching south brings good fortune. The origin is held and the one guarded, and one's nature restored; when the original spirit stirs, all runs smoothly and labor does not weary, as the elders of great virtue stay bright and vigorous into their eighties. To see the great person means that by growing one becomes the great person oneself, and no one need…
What do the six lines of Hexagram 46 say?
Line 1: Assented to, he rises: great good fortune. Line 2: With sincerity, even a thin offering may be used: no blame. Line 3: He rises into the empty city. Line 4: The king presents the offering on Mount Qi: good fortune, no blame. Line 5: Steadfastness brings good fortune: he ascends the steps. Line 6: Dark rising: favorable for unceasing steadfastness.
What is the main lesson of Hexagram 46 (Pushing Upward)?
Pushing Upward teaches the growth of life from petty to great, rooted in the heart and accumulated in small steps.
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