Hexagram 2 · Kūn ䷁

Kun (Earth): Supreme success. The steadfastness of a mare is favorable. The noble person has somewhere to go: first he loses his way, then finds a guide. In the southwest it is favorable to find companions; in the northeast, to lose them. Peaceful steadfastness brings good fortune.

Six at the beginning: Treading on frost, one knows hard ice is coming.

Six in the second place: Straight, square, great. Without practice, nothing is unfavorable.

Six in the third place: Concealing brilliance, one may be steadfast. Perhaps following the king's affairs, without claiming achievement but bringing them to completion.

Six in the fourth place: A tied-up sack. No blame and no praise.

Six in the fifth place: A yellow lower robe. Supreme good fortune.

Six at the top: Dragons battle in the wild; their blood is dark and yellow.

All lines six: Lasting steadfastness is favorable.

The Judgment Commentary says: Perfect indeed is Kun's supreme principle! All beings draw life from it; obediently it receives heaven. Kun bears things in its depth, its virtue joined with the boundless. Enfolding, vast, bright and great, it brings every kind of being to success. The mare belongs to the earth, traveling without bounds across it; yielding and obedient, she favors steadfastness. When the noble person goes forth, first he loses his way, then follows and finds the constant. In the southwest he finds companions, walking with his kind; in the northeast he loses companions, but in the end there is cause to rejoice. Peaceful steadfastness brings good fortune, answering the boundlessness of earth.

The Image Commentary says: The earth's condition is Kun. Thus the noble person bears all things with deep virtue.

Treading on frost, then hard ice: yin has begun to congeal. As its course develops, hard ice arrives.

The movement of the second six is straight and square. Without practice, nothing is unfavorable: the earth's way shines.

Concealing brilliance, one may be steadfast, releasing it at the proper time. Perhaps following the king's affairs: wisdom shines far and wide.

A tied-up sack without blame: caution keeps harm away.

The yellow lower robe brings supreme good fortune because its pattern is within.

The dragons battle in the wild: their way is exhausted.

All lines six, lasting steadfastness: this brings greatness to its end.

The Commentary on the Words of the Text says: Kun is utterly yielding, but its movement is firm; utterly still, yet its virtue is square. Following behind, it finds a leader and constancy; enfolding all beings, its transforming power shines. How obedient is Kun's way! It receives heaven and moves in due time.

A household that accumulates good deeds will have blessings to spare; a household that accumulates bad deeds will have calamities to spare. A minister's murder of his ruler or a son's murder of his father does not spring from a single morning or evening: its origins grow gradually, because signs were not discerned early. The Classic says, “Treading on frost, one knows hard ice is coming.” This speaks of the gradual course.

Straightness is its rectitude; squareness is its justice. The noble person makes his inner life straight through reverence and his outward conduct square through justice. With reverence and justice established, his virtue does not stand alone. “Straight, square, great. Without practice, nothing is unfavorable”: he has no doubt about his course.

Though yin possesses beauty, it conceals it. Following the king's affairs, it does not dare claim achievement. This is the way of earth, of the wife, and of the minister. Earth claims no accomplishment, but brings the work of another to completion.

When heaven and earth change together, grasses and trees flourish. When heaven and earth close against each other, worthy people go into hiding. The Classic says, “A tied-up sack. No blame and no praise.” This speaks of caution.

The noble person has yellow at the center and understands principle; he takes his rightful place and dwells in substance. Beauty lies within him, flows through his four limbs, and comes forth in his undertakings. This is beauty at its highest.

When yin rivals yang, they must battle; lest anyone suppose yang is absent, they are called dragons. Since they have not yet left their kind, blood is spoken of. Dark and yellow are the mingling of heaven and earth: heaven is dark, earth yellow.

Kun (Earth): Supreme success. A mare's staying steady is favorable. When the noble person has somewhere to go, he is lost at first but later finds a guide. It is favorable to gain friends in the southwest and lose friends in the northeast. Staying calm and steady brings good fortune.

Six at the beginning: When you walk on frost, solid ice is coming.

Six in the second place: Straight, square, and great. Even without practice, nothing is unfavorable.

Six in the third place: Keep your gifts hidden and stay steady. If you follow the king's business, do not claim success, but bring it to completion.

Six in the fourth place: Tie up the bag. No blame and no praise.

Six in the fifth place: A yellow lower garment. Supreme good fortune.

Six at the top: Dragons fight in the open country. Their blood is dark and yellow.

All lines six: Staying steady forever is favorable.

The Judgment Commentary says: Kun's supreme beginning is complete! Everything depends on it for birth; it accepts and follows heaven. Kun is thick and bears all things. Its virtue reaches without limit. It holds everything within itself, is wide and bright, and all kinds of things prosper. The mare is of the earth's kind and crosses the earth without limit. Yielding and obedient, it benefits from staying steady. When the noble person travels, he first gets lost and strays from the path; later he follows and finds what is constant. In the southwest he gains friends and travels with his own kind; in the northeast he loses friends but ultimately gains a blessing. The good fortune of staying calm and steady accords with the boundless earth.

The Image Commentary says: Earth has Kun's form. The noble person supports all things through the depth of his character.

Walking on frost and finding solid ice means that yin has begun to freeze. By following this gradual course, it becomes solid ice.

When the six in the second place moves, it is straight and square. Without practice, nothing is unfavorable: earth's way is bright.

Keeping one's gifts hidden and staying steady means bringing them out at the right time. Following the king's business shows a wide and bright understanding.

Tying up the bag brings no blame because being careful prevents harm.

The yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune because its beauty is within.

Dragons fight in the open country because their way has reached its limit.

All lines six call for staying steady forever, so that greatness reaches its end.

The Commentary on the Words of the Text says: Kun is completely yielding, yet strong when it moves. It is completely still, yet its virtue has clear boundaries. By following behind, it finds a guide and a lasting order. It holds all things, and its transformation is bright. How obedient Kun's way is! It accepts heaven and acts when the time is right.

A family that builds up good actions will certainly have blessings left over. A family that builds up bad actions will certainly have troubles left over. When a minister kills his ruler or a son kills his father, this does not come about in a single morning or evening. It develops gradually because people fail to recognize it early enough. The Classic says, “When you walk on frost, solid ice is coming.” This speaks of a gradual sequence.

Straightness means being upright; squareness means acting rightly. The noble person uses respect to keep his inner life straight and what is right to set the boundaries of his outward conduct. Once respect and right conduct are established, his virtue is not alone. “Straight, square, and great. Even without practice, nothing is unfavorable” means he has no doubts about what he does.

Even when yin has something fine, it keeps it hidden. It follows the king's business and does not dare claim success. This is the way of earth, of a wife, and of a minister. Earth's way does not claim achievement for itself, but brings things to completion on another's behalf.

When heaven and earth change, plants grow thickly. When heaven and earth close up, capable people go into hiding. The Classic says, “Tie up the bag. No blame and no praise.” This speaks of caution.

The noble person is yellow and balanced within, understands the patterns of things, occupies the right position, and conducts himself properly. What is good inside him spreads through his four limbs and comes out in his work. This is goodness at its fullest.

When yin rivals yang, they must fight. Because it might seem that there is no yang, the text calls them dragons. Because yin has not yet left its own kind, the text speaks of blood. Dark and yellow are the mingled colors of heaven and earth: heaven is dark and earth is yellow.