坎 · Kǎn — Navigating the Deep Gorge

Q: What is the meaning of I Ching Hexagram 29 (坎 Kǎn)?

Hexagram 29 is 坎 (Kǎn — Navigating the Deep Gorge), formed by 坎 Kan (Water) above and 坎 Kan (Water) below. King Wen Sequence #29 (坎 Kǎn — Navigating the Deep Gorge) embodies cascading rapids flowing through twin mountain chasms. Assigned to the Xun Wind Palace (巽宫八卦 · Subtle Penetration) and resonant with Rain Water (雨水 · Yin Month), its six-line binary vector (010010) pairs 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the root with 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the crown.

Upper Trigram: 坎 Kan (Water) · Lower Trigram: 坎 Kan (Water)

Cast 3-Coin Oracle

Classical Judgment (卦辞) — 坎卦（第29卦）：上坎下坎，属Xun。错卦为离，综卦为坎，互卦见颐。

King Wen Sequence #29 (坎 Kǎn — Navigating the Deep Gorge) embodies cascading rapids flowing through twin mountain chasms. Assigned to the Xun Wind Palace (巽宫八卦 · Subtle Penetration) and resonant with Rain Water (雨水 · Yin Month), its six-line binary vector (010010) pairs 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the root with 坎 Kan (Abysmal Depth) at the crown.

Great Image (象传)

《大象传》：坎下坎交感成坎（䷜），君子观此象以明进退之枢。

Visual Archetype: deep canyon river carving bedrock. When Water (Water) interacts with Water (Water), the primary strategic mandate centers on maintaining calm inner poise across consecutive challenges. Its Polarity Opposite (Cuo Gua · 错卦) is #30 离 (Illustrious Radiance), its Overturned Inverse (Zong Gua · 综卦) is #29 坎 (Navigating the Deep Gorge), and its Nuclear Core (Hu Gua · 互卦) reveals #27 颐 (Nourishing Body & Speech).

Career, Strategy & Timing

Executive Decision Counsel

For decision-makers consulting 坎 (Kǎn) regarding maintaining calm inner poise across consecutive challenges, the hexagram highlights the interplay between Water foundation and Water manifestation. Rather than generic haste, align execution with Rain Water (雨水 · Yin Month) rhythms and inspect whether your natal BaZi chart favors Water or Water as its Favorable Element (喜用神).

Six Lines Progression (六爻爻辞 · Bottom Line 1 to Top Line 6)

Line 1 (初六 · Root Threshold)初六：坎之始，审势立基。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 1 [Yin 6 · 坎 Kan]: Germination of cascading rapids flowing through twin mountain chasms near deep canyon river carving bedrock; validate root premises before accelerating maintaining calm inner poise across consecutive challenges.

Line 2 (二九 · Inner Official)九二：中正居内，与五相应。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 2 [Yang 9 · Water]: Central lower-trigram seat anchored in deep canyon river carving bedrock; cultivate Water craftsmanship in harmony with #27 颐.

Line 3 (三六 · Trigram Pivot)六三：内卦之极，慎防过刚。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 3 [Yin 6 · Nuclear #27 Nourishing Body & Speech]: Threshold between 坎 Kan and 坎 Kan during Rain Water (雨水 · Yin Month); pace maintaining calm inner poise across consecutive challenges carefully.

Line 4 (四六 · Ministerial Gate)六四：跃入外卦，审时顺势。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 4 [Yin 6 · 坎 Kan]: Ministerial counsel within the Xun Wind Palace (巽宫八卦 · Subtle Penetration); align cascading rapids flowing through twin mountain chasms with institutional mentors.

Line 5 (五九 · Sovereign Axis)九五：尊位得中，大展宏图。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 5 [Yang 9 · Sovereign]: Fulcrum of Navigating the Deep Gorge (䷜); command maintaining calm inner poise across consecutive challenges through balanced Water and Water synthesis.

Line 6 (上六 · Horizon Apex)上六：物极必反，归藏待时。

坎 (Kǎn) Step 6 [Yin 6 · Apex]: Culmination of cascading rapids flowing through twin mountain chasms, pivoting toward Inverse #29 坎 (Navigating the Deep Gorge) and Opposite #30 离.

BaZi & Plum Blossom Numerology (梅花易数) Connection

Spatial & Elemental Calibration for #29 坎: Place a deep canyon river carving bedrock motif or Water-element accent in your workspace; cross-reference Hexagram #30 (离) when balancing Yin/Yang extremes.

Plot Natal BaZi Chart Check Tong Shu Almanac

#28 大过 Extraordinary Burden #30 离 Illustrious Radiance

INSTANT BILINGUAL ARCHIVAL DOSSIER (PRINTABLE HTML/PDF FOLIO)

Download Hexagram #29 (坎 Kǎn) 6 Changing Lines Commentary

Get line-by-line classical Yao Ci (爻辞) interpretations from bottom Line 1 (Initial) to top Line 6 (Culmination).