Hexagram 2 · 第 2 卦

坤

Kun · Earth over Earth

純陰至柔，萬物之所以生

上卦upper 坤 ☷ · 地 / Earth下卦lower 坤 ☷ · 地 / Earth
錯卦把每一爻都翻轉（陽↔陰）後得到的另一卦。The inverse-line hexagram: every line flipped.Opposite
第 1 卦 乾
綜卦把整個卦上下顛倒後得到的另一卦。The reversed hexagram: flipped top-to-bottom.Inverse
— self
互卦由原卦二、三、四爻 + 三、四、五爻組成的中間卦。The nuclear hexagram: built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5 of the original.Nuclear
— self

卦辭與彖傳

Judgment and its commentary

先讀經文，再讀《彖傳》如何解釋卦辭。Read the received text first, then its Tuan commentary.

經
卦辭對整個卦（六條線為一組）的總體判斷。The judgment on the hexagram as a whole.
Judgment

坤：元、亨、利牝馬之貞。君子有攸往，先迷，後得主，利。西南得朋，東北喪朋。安貞吉。

坤，是最根本的承載力——它啟動（元）、通達（亨）、適合像母馬那樣穩定溫順地前行（利牝馬之貞）。君子要做事的時候，若自己搶先走，會先迷路；退後、順著真正該跟的主，才會走到正路（先迷後得主）。往西南方向有志同道合的夥伴；往東北方向則會和原來的夥伴分開。安於正道，吉。

Khwan (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.

James Legge · 1899
傳
彖傳十翼之一，直接解釋卦名、卦辭及其剛柔結構。Tuan Zhuan — commentary explaining the name, Judgment, and line structure.
Commentary on the Judgment

至哉坤元，萬物資生，乃順承天。坤厚載物，德合无疆。含弘光大，品物咸亨。牝馬地類，行地无疆，柔順利貞。君子攸行，先迷失道，後順得常。西南得朋，乃與類行；東北喪朋，乃終有慶。安貞之吉，應地无疆。

坤的承載力有多大——萬物靠它而生，它順從地承接天的運行。坤厚重地承載萬物，它的德與無邊無際相合。它包含宏大的光明，讓萬物都能通達。母馬屬於地這一類，在地上行走沒有邊際，柔順且守正道，利。君子行事，若搶先會迷路，順著走就能得到常道。往西南去會和同類同行；往東北去雖離開原本的同類，最終也會有慶。安於正道的吉，和大地的無邊相應。

Complete is the 'great and originating (capacity)' indicated by Khwan! All things owe to it their birth;—it receives obediently the influences of Heaven. Khwan, in its largeness, supports and contains all things. Its excellent capacity matches the unlimited power (of Khien). 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.

James Legge · 1899

大象傳《大象傳》從上下卦的自然圖像推演全卦之象，再提出人事取法。它不是《彖傳》的續文。The Great Image derives conduct from the two trigrams' natural images; it is not a continuation of the Tuan.

Great Image Commentary

上下卦取象 → 全卦成象 → 人事取法Trigrams → whole image → conduct

上下卦Trigrams
☷坤 · 地Upper · Earth
☷坤 · 地Lower · Earth
全卦成象Whole image

地勢坤

(The hexagram representing) the nature and influence of the earth is (what is denoted by) Khwan.

人事取法Conduct

君子以厚德載物。

The superior man, in accordance with this, with his large virtue supports (men and) things.

大地的形勢就是坤——寬廣、承載。君子效法這樣，用深厚的德行承載人與事。

James Legge · 1899
六爻意象導覽Six-line image guide
由六爻爻辭整理 · 點選可跳至原文 · Editorial guide · select a stage to read the line

本站導讀，不屬《大象傳》原文；用來預覽本卦六爻由初至上的意象變化。An editorial preview of the six line images, not part of the Great Image Commentary.

中性位neutral主爻 · 青灰ruling line過盈之爻 · 朱砂overshot
爻辭針對單獨一條線的判斷，每卦有六條。閱讀次序：初爻 → 上爻。卦象本身則由下而上排列。Line statements — one per line, six per hexagram. Reading order is 初 → 上 (top to bottom on the page). The hexagram itself is drawn bottom-up — see the rail.
Line statements · 初 → 上 · reading order
小象十翼之一。對每一條爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on each line. inline beneath each line
初六
Line 1 · 第 1 爻 · yin陰

履霜，堅冰至。

腳踩到霜——堅冰馬上就來了。最初的一點徵兆要當真看：從霜到冰，是陰氣在積累的開始。

In the first SIX, divided, (we see its subject) treading on hoarfrost. The strong ice will come (by and by).

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

履霜堅冰，陰始凝也；馴致其道，至堅冰也。

踩到霜就知道堅冰將至——陰氣開始凝結。順著這條路走下去，就會到堅冰。

'He is treading on hoar-frost; 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 it will come to strong ice.

六二
Line 2 · 第 2 爻 · yin陰

直、方、大，不習无不利。

正直、方正、寬大——這三個性格本來就在，不用勉強學習也無不利。六二是坤卦中正的位置，自然而然地展現坤的本色。

The second SIX, divided, (shows the attribute of) being straight, square, and great. (Its operation), without repeated efforts, will be in every respect advantageous.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

六二之動，直以方也；不習无不利，地道光也。

六二的運動，是直而方正的；不用刻意學就無不利——這是大地之道的光明。

The movement shown in the second SIX is 'from straightness and squareness;' '(the operation), without repeated efforts, in every way advantageous,' shows the brilliant result of the way of earth.

六三
Line 3 · 第 3 爻 · yin陰

含章可貞。或從王事，无成有終。

含藏著光彩，可以守正。如果要為王做事，不要把完成的功勞爭給自己，但結局會是好的。有本事而不張揚的位置。

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.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

含章可貞，以時發也；或從王事，知光大也。

含藏光彩而守正——是要等時機才發。若從王事，是因為知道裡面的光明廣大。

'He keeps his excellence under 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.

六四
Line 4 · 第 4 爻 · yin陰

括囊，无咎，无譽。

把袋口紮起來——不出不進。沒有錯，也不會得到稱譽。謹慎保藏的位置：此時的智慧是沉默，而非表現。

The fourth SIX, divided, (shows the symbol of) a sack tied up. There will be no ground for blame or for praise.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

括囊无咎，慎不害也。

紮緊袋口不會有錯——謹慎就不會受害。

'A sack tied up:—there will be no error:'—this shows how, through carefulness, no injury will be received.

六五
Line 5 · 第 5 爻 · yin陰

黃裳，元吉。

穿著黃色的下裳——大吉。黃是中正之色，裳是下身的衣服——中正而甘居下位、不自居於上，是坤卦完美的位置。

The fifth SIX, divided, (shows its subject with) the yellow lower-garment. There will be great good fortune.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

黃裳元吉，文在中也。

黃裳元吉——光彩文采在中央之內，不外露。

'The yellow lower-garment; there will be great good fortune:'—his elegance is in the centre (and is not displayed).

上六
Line 6 · 第 6 爻 · yin陰

龍戰于野，其血玄黃。

龍在野外作戰，流下的血是玄黃相雜的——意思是陰已經到了極點，和天的陽硬碰硬，兩敗俱傷。純陰走到盡頭，就會與純陽發生衝突。

The sixth SIX, divided, (shows) dragons fighting in the wild. Their blood is purple and yellow.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

龍戰于野，其道窮也。

龍在野外戰鬥——表示它的道走到了盡頭。

'The dragons fight in the wild:'—the (onward) course (indicated by Khwan) is pursued to extremity.

用六乾、坤二卦獨有的補充條目。Supplementary — only 乾 and 坤 have this.
Supplementary · 補充 · yin陰

利永貞。

永遠守正道就有利。六爻全陰時的用法——柔順不是一時的，而是要恆久地保持。

(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.

小象十翼之一。對爻辭的古典短註，列於該爻之下。Xiao Xiang — short commentary on this line. · Image on the line

用六永貞，以大終也。

用六永貞——是以長遠、完整的終結為念。

'Perpetually correct and firm,' as indicated by the use of the number SIX, shows a great consummation.

坤kūn

Named after the doubled 坤 trigram. Image: Earth. Quality: pure yin, receptive, bearing, yielding. Pairs with 乾 as the other parent hexagram.

牝馬pìn mǎ

Mare — the signature animal of 坤. Strength through compliance. Covers great distance without contention.

霜shuāng

Frost. The first physical sign of accumulating cold. Read as: small early indication of a much larger accumulation.

括囊kuò náng

Tie up the sack. Close the mouth of the bag — let nothing in or out. The image of stra­tegic silence and self-containment.

黃裳huáng cháng

Yellow lower-garment. Yellow = the color of the central element in 五行. Lower garment = below-the-waist robe. Reading: central excellence, worn below — refusing to be on top.

玄黃xuán huáng

Deep-dark and yellow. The colors of heaven (玄) and earth (黃) respectively; the mixture in the line-6 image shows both dragons wounded — conflict of the two pure powers.