2 Kun1
坤
The lower:
Kun1
(submissiveness, earth). The upper: Kun1
(submissiveness, earth).
Kun1:
submissiveness and receptiveness, earth; the qualities of a follower
and assistant.
Hexagram
Preface:
Hexagram Kun1 is composed of two Kun1
trigrams. It is pure feminine Yin, which is the opposite of the
masculine hexagram Qian2,
yet they are symbiotic. Qian2
(perseverance, heaven) originates the world while Kun1 receives the
world as earth sustains the heavens and accommodates the whole of
Creation. Kun1 follows Qian2
in the sequence of 64 hexagrams stepping onto the stage of the I
Ching, symbolising the primacy of Qian2
and the secondary nature of Kun1.
The image of trigram Kun1
is earth and its instinct is submissiveness
and receptiveness.
坤,
the Chinese character for Kun1, means
土tu3
(earth) at the position of
申shen,
the ninth branch of the twelve Earthly Branches which is 15:00 to
17:00 on a 24-hour clock, i.e. the southwest where trigram Kun1 is
positioned in the Wen Wang diagram.
Kun1 is the changing hexagram of Qian2.
According to Za Gua Zhuan (i.e. the commentary on the paired
hexagrams), Qian2
is rigid,
while Kun1 is soft. In addition to
these features, Qian2
as the first hexagram leads, shows perseverance (i.e. strength and
firmness), exhibits largeness (like the heavens) and roundness (like
the heavens endlessly circling). Hexagram Kun1
acts in a supporting role, tenderly and submissively, and is
signified as wideness (like the earth accommodating all creatures).
It also exhibits a square shape, which is motionless like the earth
we inhabit.
Hexagram Qian2
is characterised as a dragon which flies in the heavens of Qian2.
Hexagram Kun1
is a mare, which gallops on earth and follows the stallion.
Text
(of Zhou Yi):
坤：元
(origination)，亨
(smooth progress)，利(be
advantageous or appropriate)牝馬(mare)之(a
preposition to mark preceding phrase as the possessive of)貞(fidelity)。君子(gentleman)有(have)攸(place)往(go)，先(at
first)迷(go
astray)後(later)得(attain)主(master)。利西南(southeast)得(attain)朋(friend)，東北(northeast)喪(lose)朋。安(feel
satisfied and remain steady with the situation)貞(persist)吉(be
auspicious)。
Kun1
(submissiveness and receptiveness,
earth): Origination (i.e. a
great and new start full of executive power), smooth
progress, it is
advantageous (or
appropriate)
to possess
the fidelity (i.e. the
persistence) of a mare. A
gentleman goes somewhere; he
loses his way at first but
later will
attain
(the recognition of)
the master. It is
advantageous (or
appropriate)
to go
southwest in attaining
friendship,
while going
northeast leads
to losing friends. To contentedly persist
in the norm of hexagram Kun1
is
auspicious.
Commentary on the text
(Tuan Zhuan): Kun1
(submissiveness and receptiveness, earth): The utmost of Kun1’s
origination! The whole of Creation relies on it for
nurturance and growth, in this way it sustains the heavens.
Kun1’s sturdiness bears the load of all creatures, and
its combined virtue (with Qian2)
is
unlimited. It
possesses all resources and brings them into
full play, whereby all classes of substance attain smooth
progress. The mare acts as Kun1, galloping on earth without
limit; tenderness and submissiveness are advantageous
in its fidelity. A gentleman goes somewhere. He gets lost
at first when he loses the norm of hexagram Kun1 (or,
the course); but later after he becomes
submissive
like hexagram Kun1 following Qian2,
he attains normality. Friends will be made on a trip
to the southwest, as it goes with those who are similar.
Friends will be lost in the northeast, but
this will end in celebration when Qian2
appears as the desired goal. The auspiciousness of contented
persistence, which is due to its conforming without end to
the norm of earth.
Text explanation:
Hexagram
Kun1
is the start of femininity, a great and new start full of
executive power. Like hexagram Qian2
(perseverance, heaven), its
feminine lines appear one after another, advancing in a
straightforward way to the top; therefore Kun1
is the smooth progress
(of
feminine). However the advantage or the appropriateness of
Kun1
differs from the unconditional advantage of Qian2. The advantage
or appropriateness of Kun1
comes from its submission to Qian2.
Hence, Kun1
must submit to Qian2, like the mare tamely following the
stallion; like the adherent loyally supporting the leader; and like
the earth submissively sustaining the heavens.
Trigram Kun1 locates
in the southwest; Kun1 will find friends, i.e. increased
submissiveness, in going southwest. Trigram Gen (keeping still, the
mountain) in the northeast is a masculine trigram (i.e. a trigram
consisting of an odd number of line strokes). Although feminine Kun1
is designated to mate with the masculine in order to give birth to
life, Kun1 will lose its submission
to Qian2 if it goes
northeast to Gen.
Celebration
is a joyous occasion for all concerned. A masculine line denotes
brightness which is symbolic of happiness as there is no somber
shade. Once the happiness of an individual extends to all others, it
becomes a celebration. Qian2
is a convergence of
masculine
and here
represents a celebration. This signifies that if Kun1
remains
submissive to Qian2, there will be a celebration at the end of
hexagram Kun1
with all lines starting to change to
masculine
(i.e.
the desired goal of feminine). Qian2
and Kun1
mate; all creatures
are given life. Hence, contentedly persisting in the norm of
hexagram Kun1, i.e. submitting to Qian2, is auspicious.
Commentary on the image (Da Xiang Zhuan):
Earth is shaped according to
Kun1. A gentleman, in accordance with this, accommodates all
things with a breadth of virtue
(which signifies receptiveness).
Overview:
Hexagram
Kun1 emphasizes submissiveness. It will become more submissive (but
nothing else) if it joins with Kun1 in the southwest. And it will
lose its submission to Qian2 if it goes northeast to Gen. To persist
in following and submitting to Qian2 is auspicious as it will result
in a joyous occasion celebrating (the birth of all creatures). Kun1
also highlights receptiveness, i.e. following the trend of the times
with tenderness and accommodating everything with a breadth of
virtue.
Hexagram
Kun1 has the same virtues of origination and smooth progress as
hexagram Qian2, but its appropriateness or advantage must come from
its persistence in remaining submissive to Qian2.
Qian2
denotes a founder and leader. Kun1
follows it as the next step in the
I Ching, designating its role as an adherent and assistant which
must loyally support the founder and leader. When all the feminine
lines of Kun1
start changing to
masculine
at the end of the
hexagram, it signifies that Qian2
is the desired goal of Kun1.
Does hexagram Kun1
really conform to its norm and submit to Qian2 rather than
Gen (which is a
masculine trigram but consists of only one masculine line)? Yes or
no? Along the sequence the feminine will be seeking masculine
(momentum) in order to give birth in the next hexagram Zhun (3).
Lines
Deduction:
(The earth
of) Kun1
is designated to sustain (the heavens of) Qian2
and submit to
Qian2, as adherents and assistants must submissively follow founders
and leaders. The lines of hexagram Kun1
follow this rule and present
their different characteristics in three domains: earth, humanity
and heaven, in sequence, until Kun1
reaches its final goal. Lines 1
and 2 in the earthly domain exhibit the feature and norm of Kun1.
Lines 3 and 4 in the human domain perform their roles according to
the norm of Kun1. Lines 5 and 6 reach the heavenly domain and their
full development revealing different self-cultivation in relation to Qian2. When all the lines of Kun1
start changing to
masculine, the
changing Kun1
reaffirms that masculine is the desired goal of
feminine.
The 1st line
Text:
履(tread
or walk on)霜(frost)，堅(solid,
hard)冰(ice)至(reach)。
Once stepping onto the frosted
ground, the hard ice
is coming
next.
Text explanation:
When a
person first steps onto frosted ground, he is aware that according
to the order of Nature cold weather is ahead.
順shun4
(submissiveness in Chinese) also signifies to move along a designated route.
The text uses the natural law to illustrate that the submissiveness (順)
of
Kun1 is possible if it abides by its designated role until the end.
The arrogant dragon
(of hexagram Qian2) seeks more after having achieved success and won
dominant position. This leads to regret. However it becomes
auspicious when Qian2 is changing to Kun1. All the dragons possess the
quality of submissiveness and live together in peace. Submissiveness
is the course paved in front of hexagram Kun1.
Commentary on the image
(Xiao Xiang Zhuan):
Line 1 is in a state
of stepping onto the frosted
ground and the hard ice
is coming next,
which
signifies Yin (feminine,
coldness) starting to freeze.
In moving submissively
along its route, it will
reach the hard ice.
Line 1
is the first of the
six feminine lines in hexagram Kun1. If the first line yields to the
submissiveness assigned to it,
and
deepens (like coldness), heartfelt submission (hard ice)
will form at the end.
Enlightenment
through six one
(i.e. line 1 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
1) there is definitely a cause for what has happened, and the
outcome unfolds gradually from it, or 2) one should
abide by what is
assigned and be submissive in following the course; in the end one
will achieve what is assigned.
Line 1 must learn what submissiveness means and be submissive in
following the course assigned to it; then it will be led to the end
right for it. Should line 1 not abide by the advice and change to masculine, the hexagram
would become Fu (24), return of masculine.
The 2nd line
Text:
直，方，大。不習无(nothing)不(not)利(advantage)。
The subject is in a position to become straight, square,
and large.
Not to review (i.e. not to focus on)
what has been learned (不習)
in hexagram Kun1 but follow Qian2
is
nothing unfavourable.
Text explanation:
Hexagram Qian2
consists of six masculine lines which are straight and tend to move.
Qian2 moves and Kun1 follows. Movement in two dimensions
forms the square of
earth, or Kun1. When Qian2 continues moving to the third dimension,
the square expands and becomes large. The masculine is large and
Qian2 signifies the largeness (of the heavens); this is what Kun1
needs to learn to enhance itself.
Kun1 is earth
which
stays below.
Therefore line 2, the representative line of the lower trigram Kun1,
is the representative line of the hexagram and exhibits Kun1's norm
and what it means to be submissive in following. As line 2 already
possesses the principle of moderation and righteousness, and all the
other lines of Kun1 are feminine as well, it has no need to learn
from them. What it needs to do is simply follow Qian2 in receiving
what it creates; then it can become straight (i.e. to be righteous
internally), square (i.e. to rectify behaviour externally) and large
(in order to accommodate the whole of Creation).
Commentary on the image:
The movement of line 2,
which is to go
straight with the square
(i.e. earth, Kun1).
Not to review (i.e. not to focus on)
what has been learned (不習)
in hexagram
Kun1 but follow Qian2
is
nothing unfavourable,
as
the norm of earth radiates.
習xi2
of
不習
signifies to review
what has been learned.
不bu4
(not)
習,
not to review what has been learned, is paraphrased as “not to focus
on
what has been learned before but follow Qian2 in accordance with the
submissiveness of Kun1”.
Enlightenment
through six two
(i.e. line 2 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
1)
to learn everything from whom one is designated to follow, or 2) be
submissively receptive in order to properly perform one's job. When
this line is
triggered to move, this signifies that in following and
learning from someone to whom one is designated to submit, one can
become capable of performing one's job. Nothing is unfavourable as
one's natural endowments can be fully brought into play.
After this
line gets through with its assignment, the hexagram changes to Shi
(7), troops, wherein it becomes a marshal who royally correlates with the king. This brings him no calamity but good
fortune.
The 3rd line
Text:
含章可(permit)貞(persistence)。或(as
if)從(engage
in)王(king)事(affair)，无(no)成(achievement)有(there
be)終(ending)。
The subject in a state
that
possessing brilliance internally
(含章) can properly persist
with the norm of hexagram Kun1.
As if serving a king, it ought to
seek no achievement for
itself but perform its job with a
good ending.
Text explanation:
Line 3 should act
like a duke serving
the king. This signifies that it has the talent but doesn't boast.
It fulfills its duty, completes the job but does not seek merit.
This is because all achievement belongs to the king, Qian2. This
is the code of
conduct for hexagram Kun1.
Kun1 (i.e. earth)
sustains and submits to Qian2 (i.e. the heavens) as if serving the
king. Line 3 is at the position of a duke
who has his own
dukedom and functions like the king; this brings merit.
Position 3 is a place of masculine, i.e. brightness. Therefore,
feminine line 3 should conceal masculinity, i.e. be brilliant
internally and maintain feminine Yin (i.e. darkness)
externally.
What would
occur if masculine appeared at position 3? The inner lower
trigram would become Kan (the abyss, water) signifying peril, and
line 3 would remain in the middle.
章zhang1
of
含han2
(to hold in the month)
章 originally
meant a movement in a musical composition. To contain a movement
instead of performing it implies that a person possesses talent but
does not show it off.
Commentary on the image:
Line 3 in a state that possessing
brilliance internally can properly persist
with the norm of hexagram Kun1,
which
signifies
to carry out
its talent in an opportune manner.
As if serving the king it is
in a position of knowing
how to bring its actions
into full play.
Line 3 is
at the position for marching upward from the lower trigram to the
upper, as if entering a higher society; the text advises how to act
in order to move forward and upward.
Enlightenment
through six three
(i.e. line 3 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
to conceal one's brilliance, act in an opportune manner and
achieve what has been assigned, all without seeking merit.
Possessing talent to
achieve without self-aggrandizement must be done properly and
persistently. This signifies that one must act in an opportune
manner to accomplish one's task without seeking merit, as in serving
the king. The hexagram that appears
when this line acts accordingly
is Qian1
(15), humility.
The 4th line
Text:
括(enclose,
embrace)囊(bag)，无咎(fault
or calamity)无譽(praise)。
The subject is in a state of hiding in a tied bag,
which is of neither fault
(nor
calamity)
nor praise.
Text explanation:
One must be
discreet in word and deed, like hiding in a tied bag. This won’t
bring praise but neither will it result in fault or calamity.
Line 4
arrives at the courtier’s position, a position full of fear as it is
next to the king. Here Kun1 sustains and submits to Qian2
like a courtier serving the king, line 5. Position 4 is a place for
resting after its line has expended all effort and reaches the
upper trigram (i.e. a higher society). Line 4 is feminine and
feminine tends to remain still; therefore it should prudently remain
still at its post.
The inner upper
trigram Kun1 can be taken for a bag as Kun1 is receptive. Once line 5
changes to masculine, i.e.
the master of feminine, the bag is fastened by the inner upper
trigram Gen, to stop (keeping still, the mountain). Then line 4
sustains line 5, like a courtier concealing his intent and acting
submissively, according to the will of the king.
The upper
trigram would become Kan (the abyss, water) if line 5 changed to
masculine. Kan, represented by line 5, signifies peril which will
cause calamity. Line 4 doesn’t in fact sustain line 5, signifying no
praise. Neither does trigram Kan exist, i.e. no calamity or fault.
Even so, it must always behave prudently, like hiding in a bag and
preparing itself to serve the masculine.
Commentary on the image:
Line 3 is in a state of hiding in
a tied bag,
which is of no fault
(or
calamity).
Prudence can prevent harm.
After having sought
no merit at position 3, here one should pursue freedom from
calamity.
Freedom from calamity, or fault, is the basic and most important
concern in the I Ching.
Enlightenment
through six four
(i.e. line 4 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
to conceal one's intent and act submissively in accordance with what
is assigned.
When what is done might easily get blamed, to behave prudently
like tying a bag and hiding inside causes no praise and no
fault (or calamity) either. Should this line change to masculine, the hexagram
would appear as Yu (16), taking precaution against
calamity, as it becomes a person staying next to the king and wining
all people's support.
The 5th line
Text:
黃(yellow)裳(the lower garments,
skirt)，元(great)吉。
The subject is in a state of
wearing a yellow skirt,
which is of great
auspiciousness.
Text explanation:
Yellow is the colour of the centre
(or the middle) where the principle of moderation is available. A
skirt is for dressing the lower part of the body suggesting that it
keeps a low profile. Kun1 reaches the domain of the heavens, i.e.
the realm of Qian2, and the king’s position. However line 5 still
behaves moderately and with a low profile, like a person occupying a
high-ranking position but acting moderately and humbly according to
the norm of hexagram Kun1. This is greatly auspicious.
Commentary on the image:
A
yellow skirt is greatly auspicious,
which is due to those of
culture in the middle
(中)
of the upper trigram (or
within it).
Culture is
a quality attained
through self-cultivation and self-restraint and demonstrated through
noble and decent behaviour. Line 5 possesses not only the norm of
Kun1, but also the principle of moderation, which allows it to behave
properly at its position.
中zhong (the
middle) also means within, inside, etc and refers to the principle
of moderation (i.e. the Doctrine of the Mean) available at the
middle position of a trigram.
Enlightenment
through six five
(i.e. line 5 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
to be humble at the core position in order to receive support from
others.
To occupy a
high-ranking position with a low profile, i.e. in submission to Qian2
(heaven), the dominator, through the principle of moderation is
greatly auspicious. The hexagram that forms when this line
acts accordingly and changes to masculine
is Bi3 (8), intimate interdepen-dence, where a competent king gathers
all people around him.
The 6th line
Text:
戰(battle)龍(dragon)於(in)野(the
wild)，其(a
word acts as the pronoun of a third person or its possessive case)血(blood)玄(dark
blue)黃。
The
subject is
battling
dragons in the wild; their blood is a
blend of dark blue and
yellow.
Text explanation:
Qian2 is
heaven and the leader. The heavens are where the dragon of hexagram Qian2 soars to demonstrate its prestige and claim its sovereignty.
Dark blue is the colour of the heavens, and yellow is the colour of
earth.
Line 6 is
approaching to the end of hexagram Kun1 and is losing the norm of
hexagram Kun1, submissiveness. It reaches the top of the hexagram and
proclaims itself the leader. It is in the heavenly domain and
encounters Qian2. These two are in battle and bleeding; their blood
blends together.
Commentary on the image:
Line 6 is
battling dragons in the wild, as
it is
destitute of the norm.
Enlightenment
through six six
(i.e. line 6 when it is cast as the old feminine (6) and
starts changing to masculine):
forsaking arrogance to avoid calamity.
When this line starts changing to masculine, it signifies that
the feminine is losing its norm and starts to fight the masculine.
Should it change to masculine, the hexagram would become Bo
(23), to peel off, where line 6 is the only masculine line
remaining after all others have been overpowered, one
after another, by the feminine lines. This is a potential outcome and
must be prevented.
The changing Kun1
(as named
in the Zhou
Yi: using
all lines in 6):
Like hexagram Qian2, Kun1
also
has this extra text.
If all six lines are cast as the old
feminine,
it is known as the changing Kun1. All six lines now start changing to
masculine and hexagram Qian2
emerges.
Text:
利永(forever)貞。
It is
advantageous (or
appropriate)
to
everlastingly persist in
the norm of hexagram Kun1.
Text explanation:
The
appropriateness or advantage of hexagram Kun1 is seen in the
persistence and steadfastness in its norm. Though all the lines
start changing to masculine, the norm of hexagram Kun1 must
remain unchanged.
Commentary on the image:
The everlasting persistence of using six,
which means
to end in largeness
(i.e. the masculine).
The
masculine Qian2 is the desired goal of the feminine Kun1. This
reaffirms that Kun1 is destined to submissively follow Qian2.
There are
two different roles in the world: one is that of a leader and
founder like Qian2, the other is the role of an adherent and
assistant like Kun1. In this case, it is inevitable that people
designated to be adherents or assistants must perform their role to
the end.
Enlightenment:
to
always behave with the norm of hexagram Kun1.
It is
advantageous or appropriate to maintain the norm of hexagram Kun1
(i.e. submitting to Qian2) constantly to the end as Qian2 is the
desired goal of Kun1.
The commentary on
hexagram Kun1
(Wen Yan Zhuan)
Kun1 is extremely tender
but it is able to act with rigidity
like submissive earth persisting
in sustaining the heavens. It is extremely still but
its virtue spreads worldwide like
motionless earth nourishing all life. It attains normality
after it acts submissively
behind the master (Qian2);
it accommodates the whole of Creation
and makes
it brilliant. The norm of
Kun1 is submissiveness, to sustain the heavens
(Qian2)
and
perform in an opportune manner.
A household that constantly
practices charity will definitely experience many joyous occasions;
a household that doesn't constantly practice charity will definitely
face many calamities. A courtier kills the king,
or a son kills his father.
This is not an event that
happens in a single day and night,
but definitely accrues from causes over a long period of
time. This is because it
was not prevented timely in the early stages. Yi says:
"Once stepping onto the frosted
ground, the hard ice comes next." This signifies
submissiveness in following the
course of Nature.
Kun1 cultivates
itself to straighten in accordance with
what is righteous and to
square itself in accordance with what is appropriate. A gentleman
sincerely rights himself internally
and rectifies his behaviour
externally according to appropriateness.
With sincerity
and appropriateness, his
virtue won’t be his alone. Straight, square, large; not to
review what
one has learned and nothing
is unfavourable. There
won’t be any doubt about what must be done.
Although the feminine
possesses good
talent, it keeps it
internally; thereby it serves the king
and dares not seek
achievement for itself.
This is the norm of earth,
the norm of a wife, and the
norm of a courtier. The norm of earth is not to seek achievements
for itself but to
accomplish the mission assigned
by heaven.
When
heaven and earth vary
with the seasons, grasses
and trees flourish.
When variations between
heaven and earth are
blocked, the virtuous person becomes a recluse. Yi says: 'A tied
bag: neither fault (or
calamity)
nor praise.' This signifies to be discreet
in word and deed.
A gentleman possesses
the principle of moderation and
behaves reasonably, as well as
righteously occupies a position at the core
(i.e. the power centre). This way
the good
talent
is conceived internally, carried out through his
body, and exhibited in his
undertakings; this is the utmost
virtue.
Once the feminine
is suspected
by the masculine,
the masculine will definitely battle with it in order
to quell it. Because of its discontent with
the state of having no
masculinity (i.e. no longer satisfied with being an assistant
and intending to be the leader), it proclaims
itself a dragon. It is
still feminine; therefore the
engagement of
the feminine and masculine is called
blood. Dark blue with yellow is the blend of the heavens and
earth; the heavens are dark blue and the earth is
yellow.
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