坤 · Kūn — The Receptive Earth

Q: What is the meaning of I Ching Hexagram 2 (坤 Kūn)?

Hexagram 2 is 坤 (Kūn — The Receptive Earth), formed by 坤 Kun (Earth) above and 坤 Kun (Earth) below. King Wen Sequence #2 (坤 Kūn — The Receptive Earth) embodies fertile alluvial plain receiving seasonal rain. Assigned to the Dui Lake Palace (兑宫八卦 · Metal Joy) and resonant with Minor Cold (小寒 · Chou Month), its six-line binary vector (000000) pairs 坤 Kun (Receptive Devotion) at the root with 坤 Kun (Receptive Devotion) at the crown.

Upper Trigram: 坤 Kun (Earth) · Lower Trigram: 坤 Kun (Earth)

Cast 3-Coin Oracle

Classical Judgment (卦辞) — 坤卦（第2卦）：上坤下坤，属Dui。错卦为乾，综卦为坤，互卦见坤。

King Wen Sequence #2 (坤 Kūn — The Receptive Earth) embodies fertile alluvial plain receiving seasonal rain. Assigned to the Dui Lake Palace (兑宫八卦 · Metal Joy) and resonant with Minor Cold (小寒 · Chou Month), its six-line binary vector (000000) pairs 坤 Kun (Receptive Devotion) at the root with 坤 Kun (Receptive Devotion) at the crown.

Great Image (象传)

《大象传》：坤下坤交感成坤（䷁），君子观此象以明进退之枢。

Visual Archetype: granary vault and terracotta courtyard. When Earth (Earth) interacts with Earth (Earth), the primary strategic mandate centers on stewarding long-horizon operational logistics. Its Polarity Opposite (Cuo Gua · 错卦) is #1 乾 (The Creative Heaven), its Overturned Inverse (Zong Gua · 综卦) is #2 坤 (The Receptive Earth), and its Nuclear Core (Hu Gua · 互卦) reveals #2 坤 (The Receptive Earth).

Career, Strategy & Timing

Executive Decision Counsel

For decision-makers consulting 坤 (Kūn) regarding stewarding long-horizon operational logistics, the hexagram highlights the interplay between Earth foundation and Earth manifestation. Rather than generic haste, align execution with Minor Cold (小寒 · Chou Month) rhythms and inspect whether your natal BaZi chart favors Earth or Earth 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：坤之始，审势立基。

坤 (Kūn) Step 1 [Yin 6 · 坤 Kun]: Germination of fertile alluvial plain receiving seasonal rain near granary vault and terracotta courtyard; validate root premises before accelerating stewarding long-horizon operational logistics.

Line 2 (二六 · Inner Official)六二：中正居内，与五相应。

坤 (Kūn) Step 2 [Yin 6 · Earth]: Central lower-trigram seat anchored in granary vault and terracotta courtyard; cultivate Earth craftsmanship in harmony with #2 坤.

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

坤 (Kūn) Step 3 [Yin 6 · Nuclear #2 The Receptive Earth]: Threshold between 坤 Kun and 坤 Kun during Minor Cold (小寒 · Chou Month); pace stewarding long-horizon operational logistics carefully.

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

坤 (Kūn) Step 4 [Yin 6 · 坤 Kun]: Ministerial counsel within the Dui Lake Palace (兑宫八卦 · Metal Joy); align fertile alluvial plain receiving seasonal rain with institutional mentors.

Line 5 (五六 · Sovereign Axis)六五：尊位得中，大展宏图。

坤 (Kūn) Step 5 [Yin 6 · Sovereign]: Fulcrum of The Receptive Earth (䷁); command stewarding long-horizon operational logistics through balanced Earth and Earth synthesis.

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

坤 (Kūn) Step 6 [Yin 6 · Apex]: Culmination of fertile alluvial plain receiving seasonal rain, pivoting toward Inverse #2 坤 (The Receptive Earth) and Opposite #1 乾.

BaZi & Plum Blossom Numerology (梅花易数) Connection

Spatial & Elemental Calibration for #2 坤: Place a granary vault and terracotta courtyard motif or Earth-element accent in your workspace; cross-reference Hexagram #1 (乾) when balancing Yin/Yang extremes.

Plot Natal BaZi Chart Check Tong Shu Almanac

#1 乾 The Creative Heaven #3 屯 Difficulty at the Beginning

INSTANT BILINGUAL ARCHIVAL DOSSIER (PRINTABLE HTML/PDF FOLIO)

Download Hexagram #2 (坤 Kūn) 6 Changing Lines Commentary

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