Philosophy
易經
I Ching
XXIX. 坎 The Khan Hexagram
Khan, here repeated, shows the possession of sincerity, through which the mind is. penetrating. Action (in accordance with this) will be of high value.
1. The first SIX, divided, shows its subject in the double defile, and (yet) entering a cavern within it. There will be evil.
2. The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject in all the peril of the defile. He will, however, get a little (of the deliverance) that he seeks.
3. The third SIX, divided, shows its subject, whether he comes or goes ( =descends or ascends), confronted by a defile. All is peril to him and unrest. (His endeavours) will lead him into the cavern of the pit. There should be no action (in such a case).
4. The fourth SIX, divided, shows its subject (at a feast), with (simply) a bottle of spirits, and a subsidiary basket of rice, while (the cups and bowls) are (only) of earthenware. He introduces his important lessons (as his ruler's) intelligence admits. There will in the end be no error.
5. The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the water of the defile not yet full, (so that it might flow away); but order will (soon) be brought about. There will be no error.
6. The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject bound with cords of three strands or two strands, and placed in the thicket of thorns. But in three years he does not learn the course for him to pursue. There will be evil.
坎 – Kan
习坎，有孚，维心亨，行有尚。
彖曰：习坎，重险也。
水流而不盈，行险而不失其信。
维心亨，乃以刚中也。
行有尚，往有功也。天险不可升也，地险山川丘陵也，王公设险以守其国，坎之时用大矣哉！
象曰：水洊1至，习坎；君子以常德行，习教事。
初六：习坎，入于坎窞2，凶。
象曰：习坎入坎，失道凶也。
九二：坎有险，求小得。
象曰：求小得，未出中也。
六三：来之坎坎，险且枕，入于坎窞2，勿用。
象曰：来之坎坎，终无功也。
六四：樽酒簋贰，用缶，纳约自牖，终无咎。
象曰：樽酒簋贰，刚柔际也。
九五：坎不盈，只既平，无咎。
象曰：坎不盈，中未大也。
上六：用徽纆3，置于丛棘，三岁不得，凶。
象曰：上六失道，凶三岁也。
1: 洊 = 氵 + 存
2: 窞 = 上 (top) 穴 + 下 (bottom) 陷 - 阝
3: 纆 = 纟 + 墨
Appendix 1
1. Khan repeated shows us one defile succeeding another.
2. This is the nature of water;—it flows on, without accumulating its volume (so as to overflow); it pursues its way through a dangerous defile, without losing its true (nature).
3. That 'the mind is penetrating' is indicated by the strong (line) in the centre. That 'action (in accordance with this) will be of high value' tells us that advance will be followed by achievement.
4. The dangerous (height) of heaven cannot be ascended; the difficult places of the earth are mountains, rivers, hills, and mounds. Kings and princes arrange by means of such strengths, to maintain their territories. Great indeed is the use of (what is here) taught about seasons of peril.
Appendix 2
(The representation of) water flowing on continuously forms the repeated Khan. The superior man, in accordance with this, maintains constantly the virtue (of his heart) and (the integrity of) his conduct, and practises the business of instruction.
1. 'In the double defile, he enters a cavern within it:'—he has missed his (proper) way, and there will be evil.
2. 'He will get a little (of the deliverance) that he seeks:'—he will not yet escape from his environed position.
3. 'Whether he comes or goes, he is confronted by a defile:'—he will never (in such circumstances) achieve any success.
4. '(Nothing but) a bottle of spirits and a subsidiary basket of rice:'—(these describe) the meeting at this point of (those who are represented by) the strong and weak lines.
5. 'The water in the defile is not full (so as to flow away):'—(the virtue indicated by) the central situation is not yet (sufficiently) great.
6. 'The sixth line, divided, shows its subject missing his (proper) course:'—'there will be evil for three years.'
Footnotes
XXIX The trigram Khan, which is doubled to form this hexagram, is the lineal symbol of water. Its meaning, as a character, is 'a pit,' 'a perilous cavity, or defile;' and here and elsewhere in the Yî it leads the reader to think of a dangerous defile, with water flowing through it. It becomes symbolic of danger, and what the authors of the Text had in mind was to show how danger should be encountered, its effect on the mind, and how to get out of it.
The trigram exhibits a strong central line, between two divided lines. The central represented to king Wăn the sincere honesty and goodness of the subject of the hexagram, whose mind was sharpened and made penetrating by contact with danger, and who acted in a manner worthy of his character. It is implied, though the Thwan does not say it, that he would get out of the danger,
Line 1 is weak, at the bottom of the figure, and has no correlate above, no helper, that is, beyond itself. All these things render the case of its subject hopeless. He will by his efforts only involve himself more deeply in danger.
Line 2 is strong, and in the centre. Its subject is unable, indeed, to escape altogether from the danger, but he does not involve himself more deeply in it like the subject of 1, and obtains some ease.
Line 3 is weak, and occupies the place of a strong line. Its subject is in an evil case.
Line 4 is weak, and will get no help from its correlate in 1. Its subject is not one who can avert the danger threatening himself and others. But his position is close to that of the ruler in 5, whose intimacy he cultivates with an unostentatious sincerity, symbolled by the appointments of the simple feast, and whose intelligence he cautiously enlightens. In consequence, there will be no error.
The subject of line 5 is on the eve of extrication and deliverance. The waters of the defile will ere long have free vent and disappear, and the ground will be levelled and made smooth. The line is strong, in a proper place, and in the place of honour.
The case of the subject of line 6 is hopeless. When danger has reached its highest point, there he is, represented by a weak line, and with no proper correlate below. The 'thicket of thorns' is taken as a metaphor for a prison; but if the expression has a history, I have been unable to find it.
App-1-1:XXIX On paragraph 2 Liang Yin says:—'Water stops at the proper time, and moves at the proper time. Is not this an emblem of the course of the superior man in dealing with danger?'
On paragraph 4 the Khang-hsî editors say that to exercise one's self in meeting difficulty and peril is the way to establish and strengthen the character, and that the use of such experience is seen in all measures for self-defence, there being no helmet and mail like leal-heartedness and good faith, and no shield and tower like propriety and righteousness.
App-2-1:XXIX The application of the Great Symbolism is here more perplexing even than usual. What is said of the superior man is good, but there is no reference in it to the subject of danger.
The subject of line 3 goes and comes, moves up and down, backwards and forwards; making no advance. This can be of no use in extricating him from the danger.
Those represented in line 4 by the strong and weak lines are the ruler and his minister.