Hexagram 2: Kūn (The Receptive)
坤为地 · 第 2 卦 · Earth over Earth · 中文版
The Judgment
Kun (represents) what is great and originating, penetrating, advantageous, correct and having the firmness of a mare. When the superior man (here intended) has to make any movement, if he take the initiative, he will go astray; if he follow, he will find his (proper) lord. The advantageousness will be seen in his getting friends in the south-west, and losing friends in the north-east. If he rest in correctness and firmness, there will be good fortune.
坤：元，亨，利牝马之贞。君子有攸往，先迷后得主，利西南得朋，东北丧朋。安贞，吉。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
Complete is the 'great and originating (capacity)' indicated by Kun! All things owe to it their birth; - it receives obediently the influences of Heaven. Kun, in its largeness, supports and contains all things. Its excellent capacity matches the unlimited power (of Qian). Its comprehension is wide, and its brightness great. The various things obtain (by it) their full development. The mare is a creature of earthly kind. Its (power of) moving on the earth is without limit; it is mild and docile, advantageous and firm: - such is the course of the superior man. 'If he take the initiative, he goes astray:' - he misses, that is, his proper course. 'If he follow,' he is docile, and gets into his regular (course). 'In the south-west he will get friends:' - he will be walking with those of his own class. 'In the north-east he will lose friends:' - but in the end there will be ground for congratulation. 'The good fortune arising from resting in firmness' corresponds to the unlimited capacity of the earth.
彖曰：至哉坤元，万物资生，乃顺承天。坤厚载物，德合无疆。含弘光大，品物咸亨。牝马地类，行地无疆，柔顺利贞。君子攸行，先迷失道，后顺得常。西南得朋，乃与类行；东北丧朋，乃终有庆。安贞之吉，应地无疆。
The Great Image
The (capacity and sustaining) power of the earth is what is denoted by Kun. The superior man, in accordance with this, with his large virtue supports (men and) things.
象曰：地势坤，君子以厚德载物。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): In the first SIX, divided, (we see its subject) treading on hoarfrost. The strong ice will come (by and by).
'He is treading on hoarfrost; - the strong ice will come (by and by):' - the cold (air) has begun to take form. Allow it to go on quietly according to its nature, and (the hoarfrost) will come to strong ice.
In plain words: Treading on frost, you know hard ice is coming. The first line is yin just beginning to form, like autumn frost; if the trend continues, it will end as solid ice. The Small Image says that following the trend step by step leads to hard ice. The Wenyan commentary's passage on how a house that stores up good has blessings to spare is about this line: things build up gradually.
初六：履霜，坚冰至。 象曰：履霜坚冰，阴始凝也。驯致其道，至坚冰也。
Line 2 (second): The second SIX, divided, (shows the attribute of) being straight, square, and great. (Its operation), without repeated efforts, will be in every respect advantageous.
The movement indicated by the second six, (divided),is 'from the straight (line) to the square.' '(Its operation), without repeated effort, in every way advantageous,' shows the brilliant result of the way of earth.
In plain words: Straight, square and great; without practice, nothing fails. The second line is yin at the centre of the lower trigram and in a yin place, balanced and correct. It is the ruling line of Kun and stands for the character of the earth itself: straight, bringing all things to life without bending; square, firm in form; great, carrying everything. "Without practice" means acting naturally from one's own nature. The Small Image calls this the brightness of the way of earth.
六二：直，方，大，不习无不利。 象曰：六二之动，直以方也。不习无不利，地道光也。
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, (shows its subject) keeping his excellence under restraint, but firmly maintaining it. If he should have occasion to engage in the king's service, though he will not claim the success (for himself), he will bring affairs to a good issue.
'He keeps his excellence tinder restraint, but firmly maintains it:' - at the proper time he will manifest it. 'He may have occasion to engage in the king's service: - great is the glory of his wisdom.
In plain words: Holding one's qualities within, one can remain steadfast. Perhaps one serves the king: without claiming the success, one brings things to a good end. "Qualities" means talent and virtue; holding them within means having ability without showing it off. The Small Image says they come out when the time is right, and that serving the king shows a broad wisdom.
六三：含章可贞。或从王事，无成有终。 象曰：含章可贞，以时发也。或从王事，知光大也。
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth SIX, divided, (shows the symbol of) a sack tied up. There will be no ground for blame or for praise.
'A sack tied up; - there will be no error:' - this shows how, through carefulness, no injury will be received.
In plain words: A tied-up sack: no fault, and no praise. The fourth line has left the lower trigram and sits close to the ruler's place, a sensitive position, so it calls for care in speech and action and for keeping one's edge hidden. The Small Image says that caution keeps one from harm.
六四：括囊，无咎，无誉。 象曰：括囊无咎，慎不害也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth SIX, divided, (shows) the yellow lower garment. There will be great good fortune.
S. 'The Yellow lower-garment; - there will be great good fortune:' - this follows from that ornamental (colour's) being in the right and central place.
In plain words: A yellow lower garment: great good fortune. Yellow is the colour of the centre, standing for the middle way; the lower garment stands for modesty. The fifth line holds the place of honour at the centre of the upper trigram, yet it is yielding and keeps to the middle and to modesty. The Small Image says the beauty lies within.
六五：黄裳，元吉。 象曰：黄裳元吉，文在中也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The sixth SIX, divided (shows) dragons fighting in the wild. Their blood is purple and yellow.
'The dragons fight in the wild: - the (onward) course (indicated by Kun) is pursued to extremity.
In plain words: Dragons fight in the open country; their blood is dark and yellow. Dark is the colour of heaven and yellow the colour of earth: the mingled blood means both yin and yang are wounded. At the top line yin has reached its peak and contends with yang. The Small Image says the way of Kun has come to its end here.
上六：龙战于野，其血玄黄。 象曰：龙战于野，其道穷也。
All lines six (use of six)
(The lines of this hexagram are all weak and divided, as appears from) the use of the number six. If those (who are thus represented) be perpetually correct and firm, advantage will arise.
'(The lines are all weak and divided, as appears from) the use of the number SIX: - but (those who are thus represented) becoming perpetually correct and firm, there will thereby be a great consummation.
In plain words: The use of six is read when all six lines of Kun are old yin and all of them change: it is favourable to be steadfast for the long term. When all six lines change, Kun becomes Qian and yielding turns into strength, yet one still needs to keep firm and correct. The Small Image says it ends in greatness.
用六：利永贞。
Line positions
3 of the six lines stand in their proper place (strong lines in odd places, weak lines in even places).
The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; both are weak, so they do not correspond.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 0 pairs are made of one strong and one weak line.
| Line | Proper place | Central | Corresponds with |
|---|---|---|---|
| top (weak) | yes | — | 3rd line: no |
| 5th (weak) | — | yes | 2nd line: no |
| 4th (weak) | yes | — | 1st line: no |
| 3rd (weak) | — | — | top line: no |
| 2nd (weak) | yes | yes | 5th line: no |
| 1st (weak) | — | — | 4th line: no |
Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.
These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.
Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces
Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Kun palace runs: Kūn (head), Fù (1st change), Lín (2nd change), Tài (3rd change), Dà Zhuàng (4th change), Guài (5th change), Xū (wandering soul), Bǐ (returning soul).
The twelve waxing and waning hexagrams
This is one of the twelve "waxing and waning" hexagrams, matched to the tenth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The series starts from Fu, with one strong line returning at the bottom, grows to Qian, then gives way to weak lines until Kun, tracing the rise and fall of yang through the year; it belongs to the Han-dynasty gua qi system of Meng Xi and Jing Fang.
A recorded case from Takashima
Kun to Yu: Godai Tomoatsu asks about the year's business: Godai Tomoatsu asked Takashima about the year's trade and received the fourth line of Kun, "a tied-up sack". Takashima read it as keeping the purse closed; Godai, knowing the risk, still made one deal.
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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.