Hexagram 20
KuanContemplation
Wind (Xun) · Earth (Kun)
The image
The wind blows over the earth: The image of CONTEMPLATION. Thus the kings of old visited the regions of the world, Contemplated the people, And gave them instruction.
This hexagram in one line
A slight variation of tonal stress gives the Chinese name for this hexagram a double meaning. It means both contemplating and being seen, in the sense of being an example. These ideas are suggested by the fact that the hexagram can be understood as picturing a type of tower characteristic of ancient China. A tower of this kind commanded a wide view of the country; at the same time, when situated on a mountain, it became a landmark that could be seen for miles around. Thus the hexagram shows a ruler who contemplates the law of heaven above him and the ways of the people below, and who, by means of good government, sets a lofty example to the masses. This hexagram is linked with the eighth month (September–October). The light-giving power retreats and the dark power is again on the increase. However, this aspect is not material in the interpretation of the hexagram as a whole.
Core Meaning
The core judgment of this hexagram.
Wind passes through heaven
Hexagram Judgment
CONTEMPLATION. The ablution has been made, But not yet the offering. Full of trust they look up to him.
The sacrificial ritual in China began with an ablution and a libation by which the Deity was invoked, after which the sacrifice was offered. The moment of time between these two ceremonies is the most sacred of all, the moment of deepest inner concentration. If piety is sincere and expressive of real faith, the contemplation of it has a transforming and awe-inspiring effect on those who witness it. Thus also in nature a holy seriousness is to be seen in the fact that natural occurrences are uniformly subject to law. Contemplation of the divine meaning underlying the workings of the universe gives to the man who is called upon to influence others the means of producing like effects. This requires that power of inner concentration which religious contemplation develops in great men strong in faith. It enables them to apprehend the mysterious and divine laws of life, and by means of profoundest inner concentration they give expression to these laws in their own persons. Thus a hidden spiritual power emanates from them, influencing and dominating others without their being aware of how it happens.
Upper and Lower Trigrams
- Wind (Xun)
- Wind · Penetrating
- Earth (Kun)
- Earth · Receptive
Lines
What each of the six positions expresses.
Classics
Tuan CommentaryThe reasoning behind the judgment.
A great vision is above: compliant and gentle, centered and correct, one contemplates the world. In Contemplation, the washing has been performed but the offering not yet presented; there is sincerity and solemn reverence, and those below look on and are transformed. By contemplating the divine way of heaven, one sees that the four seasons do not go astray. The sage uses the divine way to establish teaching, and all under heaven submits.
Contemplation means looking over the world from a high and centered place. Reverent sincerity, shown before the offering is made, transforms those below. By contemplating the divine way, one sees how the seasons do not go astray. The sage uses this same spirit of contemplation to establish teaching, and all under heaven submits.
Great ImageThe image itself, read as a picture of the situation.
The wind blows over the earth: The image of CONTEMPLATION. Thus the kings of old visited the regions of the world, Contemplated the people, And gave them instruction.
When the wind blows over the earth it goes far and wide, and the grass must bend to its power. These two occurrences find confirmation in the hexagram. The two images are used to symbolize a practice of the kings of old; in making regular journeys the ruler could, in the first place, survey his realm and make certain that none of the existing usages of the people escaped notice; in the second, he could exert influence through which such customs as were unsuitable could be changed. All of this points to the power possessed by a superior personality. On the one hand, such a man will have a view of the real sentiments of the great mass of humanity and therefore cannot be deceived; on the other, he will impress the people so profoundly, by his mere existence and by the impact of his personality, that they will be swayed by him as the grass by the wind.
Further
Related hexagrams
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Frequently asked questions
What does Kuan / Contemplation mean in the I Ching?
The sacrificial ritual in China began with an ablution and a libation by which the Deity was invoked, after which the sacrifice was offered. The moment of time...
How should I study Hexagram 20 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. This means contemplation from a distance, without comprehension. A man of influence is at hand, but his influence is not understood by the common people. This matters little in the...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
Contemplation means looking over the world from a high and centered place. Reverent sincerity, shown before the offering is made, transforms those below. By contemplating the divine way, one sees how the seasons do not g...
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Original text from the I Ching; translation based on Richard Wilhelm's German version.