坤
2. The Receptive · Earth
kūn; Receptive capacity
Judgment
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。
Origination and success, furthered by the steadfastness of a mare. Leading, one goes astray; following, one finds a master. Friends in the southwest, lost in the northeast. Quiet steadfastness: good fortune.
Image
地势坤，君子以厚德载物。
The earth's condition is receptive devotion; the noble person carries all things with broad virtue.
Lines
- Line 1, yin (six)
初六：履霜，坚冰至。
Treading on frost: solid ice is coming. Read weak signals early—small warnings precede big crises.
- Line 2, yin (six)
六二：直，方，大，不习无不利。
Straight, square, great; without practice nothing fails. Integrity that is natural needs no artifice.
- Line 3, yin (six)
六三：含章可贞。或从王事，无成有终。
Hidden excellence, able to persevere. Serving a larger cause, claim no credit—but carry it to completion.
- Line 4, yin (six)
六四：括囊，无咎无誉。
A tied-up sack: no blame, no praise. In sensitive moments, discretion protects.
- Line 5, yin (six)
六五：黄裳，元吉。
A yellow lower garment: supreme good fortune. Authority exercised with modesty and service.
- Line 6, yin (six)
上六：龙战于野，其血玄黄。
Dragons fight in the meadow; their blood is dark and yellow. When support overreaches into rivalry, both sides bleed.
用六：利永贞。
Lasting steadfastness furthers. Receptivity is a long game.
In the enterprise
The hexagram of execution, platforms and support systems: operations, service, organisational capacity, the number-two role and good followership. Direction (Qian) needs soil to grow in—processes, culture, trust.
Psychological lens
Resonates with psychological safety (Edmondson) and servant leadership; 'treading on frost' trains sensitivity to weak signals, a core skill in the psychology of risk.
Related hexagrams
2. 坤 The Receptive · Earth
Lines 2–4 and 3–5: the hidden dynamics inside the situation.Opposite
1. 乾 The Creative · Heaven
Every line reversed: the shadow side and blind spots.Inverse
2. 坤 The Receptive · Earth
The figure turned upside down: the counterpart's or stakeholder's view.King Wen pair
1. 乾 The Creative · Heaven
Situations in the library that use this hexagram
- The role of the number two Enterprise, Line 3, yin (six)
- Protecting core know-how Enterprise, Line 4, yin (six)
- Recurring minor quality issues Enterprise, Line 1, yin (six)
- Restraint in a luxury brand Enterprise, Line 5, yin (six)
- Chair–CEO relationship Enterprise, Line 6, yin (six)
- Diversity and inclusion Enterprise, Judgment
- Using an introvert's strengths Individuals, Line 3, yin (six)
- Facing hostile comments online Individuals, Line 4, yin (six)
- Power struggles in marriage Individuals, Line 6, yin (six)
- The weight of caring for parents Individuals, Judgment
- A restful bedroom Individuals, Line 2, yin (six)
- Online privacy Individuals, Line 4, yin (six)
Situation readings are a reflective framework for discussion—not predictions and not a substitute for professional advice.