The Receptive (Earth)
Earth (坤 Kūn) above, Earth (坤 Kūn) below
Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens
I Ching Hexagram 2, 坤 (Kūn), represents The Receptive (Earth).
SourceZhouyi (周易, The Book of Changes) — hexagram 2 (坤 Kūn). Chinese source: Chinese Text Project, based on 《武英殿十三經注疏》本《周易正義》 (ctp:book-of-changes/kun). Judgment: received Zhouyi hexagram statement (卦辭). English: Translation by Oriens Editorial Translation. Image: Xiang / Image commentary layer (象傳), distinct from the Judgment and line texts. Image and line English: named translation by James Legge, The Yî King (1899), public-domain translation; online reproduction. The named translation is used for the Image and line statements only.
1. Judgment (卦辭 Guàcí)
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。
Oriens Editorial Translation: Great success. The steadfastness of a mare is favorable. The noble person has somewhere to go: going first, one loses the way; going after, one finds a guiding center. Gaining companions in the southwest is favorable; in the northeast, companions are lost [punctuation around 主 and 利 is disputed]. Peaceful steadfastness brings good fortune.
2. Image (象 Xiàng / Xiang commentary)
地势坤,君子以厚德载物。
James Legge: The (capacity and sustaining) power of the earth is what is denoted by Khwan. The superior man, in accordance with this, with his large virtue supports (men and) things.
3. Line Statements (爻辭 Yáocí)
Line 1 of 6 (from the bottom):
初六：履霜，堅冰至。
James Legge: In the first SIX, divided, (we see its subject) treading on hoarfrost. The strong ice will come (by and by).
Line 2 of 6 (from the bottom):
六二：直，方，大，不習无不利。
James Legge: The second SIX, divided, (shows the attribute of) being straight, square, and great. (Its operation), without repeated efforts, will be in every respect advantageous.
Line 3 of 6 (from the bottom):
六三：含章可貞。或從王事，无成有終。
James Legge: 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.
Line 4 of 6 (from the bottom):
六四：括囊；无咎，无譽。
James Legge: The fourth SIX, divided, (shows the symbol of) a sack tied up. There will be no ground for blame or for praise.
Line 5 of 6 (from the bottom):
六五：黃裳，元吉。
James Legge: The fifth SIX, divided, (shows) the yellow lower garment. There will be great good fortune.
Line 6 of 6 (from the bottom):
上六：龍戰于野，其血玄黃。
James Legge: The sixth SIX, divided (shows) dragons fighting in the wild. Their blood is purple and yellow.
For the general method for changing lines and relating hexagrams, see How to Read the I Ching.
4. Modern Interpretation (Oriens commentary)
This is an Oriens interpretation, not part of the Zhouyi text.
The Receptive can prompt a careful question about support: what a situation requires receiving, holding, or sustaining before anything can move. Read at the figure level, receptivity is a capacity rather than an instruction to be passive; nothing on this page tells anyone how submissive to be.
The Chinese source and translation provenance are identified above. The Judgment is an Oriens Editorial Translation; the Image and line statements are labeled with James Legge. This keeps the modern reflection separate from both the received text and the named translation.
This reflection predicts no outcomes and offers no relationship counsel. Health, financial, legal, employment, and relationship decisions belong within their appropriate professional and personal contexts.
Continue with the Hexagram 2 card and the I Ching guide; these are reading paths, not additional predictions.