Line 1 Yin
Begin with deep modesty; carry that attitude into a major crossing.
← The 64 hexagrams
HEXAGRAM 15 · Qiān
Modesty and Balance
Modesty makes room to reduce excess and supply what is lacking.
☷ Above: Kun · Earth☶ Below: Gen · Mountain
Meaning
A mountain within earth suggests strength without prominence. Modesty takes shape through work, fair distribution, and necessary correction; self-effacing words alone are insufficient.
FOR REFLECTION
Where could reducing your own advantage bring better balance to the whole?
The six lines
Read from line 1 at the bottom to line 6 at the top. These are paraphrases, not verbatim translations.
Line 2 Yin
Modesty becomes known because it comes from within, without manufactured display.
Line 3 Yang
Work hard and remain modest; finish without turning achievement into superiority.
Line 4 Yin
Let modesty guide practical conduct within appropriate bounds.
Line 5 Yin
Join neighbors without relying on wealth; firmness may still be needed against defiance.
Line 6 Yin
With a reputation for modesty, direct corrective strength toward your own domain.
References
Classical Zhouyi · 謙James Legge, The Yî King (1882), Sacred Books of the East XVI, hexagram 15
Editorial policy & bibliography →For reference and reflection. This commentary makes no certain claim about the future.