Increase

Overview

Hexagram 42, Increase, is formed by Wind above Thunder. Wind spreads, Thunder stirs; together they portray growth that emerges through movement, encouragement, and the circulation of energy. “Increase” here does not merely mean gaining more possessions. It refers to a living process in which support is directed where it is needed, vitality is awakened, and the whole situation becomes more flourishing. The Judgment says, “It is beneficial to have somewhere to go; it is beneficial to cross the great river,” indicating that when the time for growth arrives, one should not remain passive or defensive. Progress, expansion, and even bold transitions become favorable. Yet this hexagram is not about greed. Its deeper teaching lies in channeling benefit wisely, sharing resources, and aligning action with sincerity and moral clarity. The Image adds that the noble person, on seeing good, changes accordingly, and on having faults, corrects them. Thus Increase is as much about inner improvement as outer gain: true increase comes when generosity, timely action, and self-renewal reinforce one another.

Judgment

Increase. It furthers one to undertake something. It furthers one to cross the great water.

Judgment Commentary

The Tuan Commentary explains: “Increase means diminishing what is above to augment what is below; the people rejoice without limit. From above descending to below, its way shines greatly. It is beneficial to have somewhere to go, for central correctness brings blessing. It is beneficial to cross the great river, for the way of wood can proceed. Increase moves and is gentle, therefore its daily advance knows no bounds.” This passage reveals the heart of the hexagram. True increase is not the powerful accumulating ever more for themselves. Rather, it is the conscious transfer of resources, responsibility, and support from higher places to where growth is needed. That is why the people rejoice and why the way becomes bright. Thunder below signifies movement; Wind above signifies penetration and gentle influence. Thus progress succeeds not through force alone but through action that enters hearts and circumstances appropriately. The line about crossing the great river suggests that even difficult undertakings can succeed when timing, means, and moral alignment are right. The key standard in this hexagram is centrality, correctness, and trustworthiness. Increase driven by selfish appetite becomes unstable; increase guided by sincerity and public-mindedness creates enduring blessing for both self and others.

Image

Wind and thunder: the image of Increase. Thus the superior man, if he sees good, imitates it; if he has faults, he rids himself of them.

Image Commentary

The Image of Hexagram 42 is “Wind and Thunder: Increase.” Thunder rises from below as a force of awakening, while Wind moves above as a power of diffusion and influence. Together they suggest life quickening, spreading, and growing. Thunder represents initiative, vitality, and decisive activation; Wind represents penetration, teaching, persuasion, and subtle reach. Their union shows that real increase is not stagnant accumulation but the circulation of good influence and living energy. Therefore the Image says, “The noble person, on seeing good, moves toward it; on having faults, corrects them.” To move toward the good means to learn without stubbornness and to adapt when a better way appears. To correct faults means facing one’s deficiencies honestly and changing course in time. This reveals the core of Increase: outward gain is secondary, while inward renewal is fundamental. When a person continually reforms, learns, and aligns with what is better, growth naturally extends into character, relationships, and work.

Interpretation

Yi symbolizes increase. Wind and thunder strengthen each other. The upper decreases to benefit the lower. A time for action, improvement, and crossing obstacles.

Line Texts

Modern Application

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Historical Story

A fitting historical illustration of Hexagram 42 is Yu the Great controlling the floods. Faced with widespread disaster, he did not protect narrow interests or seek comfort in high position. Instead, he traveled across the land, studied the terrain, opened channels, and guided the waters so that the people as a whole could survive and prosper. This reflects the spirit of “diminishing what is above to benefit what is below”: those in higher places bear more burden and direct benefit downward, thereby bringing broad stability and lasting legitimacy. The work also embodies “beneficial to cross the great river,” for it required entering danger directly and acting continuously rather than speaking in abstractions. Yu’s greatness lay not only in effort but in correction: he departed from ineffective blockage methods and adopted dredging and guidance instead. In that sense, Increase is not merely about receiving advantage; it is about responsible leadership, practical service, and the willingness to reform one’s methods for the good of all.

Related Trigrams

益与损为相对之卦：损讲减损私欲、节制有度，益讲将资源导向更有生机之处，形成增长。又可参看风雷类象中的恒卦，恒重持久，益重增进；若无恒，益难久；若无益，恒易滞。懂得先损后益、以正致益，方为长久之道。

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