K'unThe Receptive

Perfect indeed is the receptive power of Kun. All things receive life from it, and it obediently follows heaven. Kun, with its rich earth, carries all things; its virtue joins with the boundless. Broad, generous, and luminous, it brings all beings to fulfillment. The mare belongs to the kind of earth: it roams the earth without limit, gentle and compliant, yet steadfast. If the noble person sets out and goes first, they lose the way; following behind, they find constancy. Gaining friends in the southwest means walking with one's own kind; losing friends in the northeast means there will be good fortune in the end. The good fortune of peaceful perseverance answers the earth's boundlessness.

Kun is the receptive power of earth. It carries, nourishes, and completes what heaven begins. Its strength lies in yielding, following what is right, and supporting all things with breadth and endurance.

The earth's condition is receptive devotion. Thus the superior man who has breadth of character Carries the outer world.

Just as there is only one heaven, so too there is only one earth. In the hexagram of heaven the doubling of the trigram implies duration in time, but in the hexagram of earth the doubling connotes the solidity and extension in space by virtue of which the earth is able to carry and preserve all things that live and move upon it. The earth in its devotion carries all things, good and evil, without exception. In the same way the superior man gives to his character breadth, purity, and sustaining power, so that he is able both to support and to bear with people and things.

Kun is utmost yielding, yet in movement it is firm; utmost stillness, yet in virtue it is square. It obtains the master by following after and thus has constancy; it contains all things and transforms them with radiance. Is not the way of Kun obedience? It bears heaven and moves with the seasons. A household that accumulates goodness is sure to have abundant blessing; a household that accumulates what is not good is sure to have abundant calamity. If a minister murders his ruler, or a son murders his father, it is not the work of one morning or one evening. The causes of it come gradually, because the signs were not discerned early. The Changes says, "When treading on frost, solid ice arrives." It speaks of this obedience to gradual development. "Straight" means correctness; "square" means righteousness. The noble person, through reverence, makes the inside straight; through righteousness, makes the outside square. When reverence and righteousness are established, virtue does not stand alone. "Straight, square, and great: without cultivation, nothing is unfavorable." Thus one has no doubts in what one does. Though yin may possess beauty, it contains it and follows the king's affairs, not daring to complete things in its own name. This is the way of earth, the way of wife, the way of minister. The way of earth "does not accomplish," yet in place of that it "brings things to completion." When heaven and earth change, the grasses and trees flourish. When heaven and earth close, the worthy withdraw into concealment. The Changes says, "A tied-up sack. No blame, no praise." It speaks of caution. The noble person is "yellow" within and understands principle thoroughly, keeps the correct position and abides in the body. Beauty is within, yet extends through the four limbs and manifests in one's work. This is beauty at its height. When yin is in doubt before yang, they must battle, because it seems as if there were no yang. Therefore the text calls it a "dragon." Yet it has not left its own kind, and therefore it also speaks of "blood." As for "black and yellow," these are the mixed colors of heaven and earth: heaven is black, earth is yellow.

Kun is the softest and most yielding, yet when it moves it is immensely strong. It is supremely still, yet its character is upright and square. It willingly comes after rather than before, and by doing so finds its proper place and lasting constancy. It contains all things within itself, allowing them to grow and shine forth. The way of Kun is obedience: it follows heaven and moves in step with the proper times. A family that accumulates good deeds will surely enjoy blessings that continue; a family that accumulates evil will surely suffer lingering disaster. When a minister kills his ruler or a son kills his father, such events are not caused in a single day. They emerge little by little because the problem was not recognized and stopped early enough. That is why the Book of Changes says, "When your foot steps on frost, hard ice is near." It points to the principle that small signs, if followed along their course, grow into major outcomes. "Straight" means inner correctness. "Square" means outward conduct that is fitting and righteous. The noble person uses reverence to make the inner life upright and righteousness to make outward behavior proper. When reverence and righteousness are established, virtue does not stand alone. Thus, "Straight, square, and great; without practice, nothing is unfavorable" means that when one acts in this way, there is no hesitation or doubt. Although yin has its own beauty, it keeps that beauty contained and uses it in service of the ruler's work, not daring to claim completion for itself. This is the way of earth, the way of a wife, and the way of a minister. Earth does not claim achievement, yet it enables things to be carried through to completion. When heaven and earth interact normally, grasses and trees flourish. When heaven and earth close off communication, worthy people withdraw into hidden retirement. So when the Changes says, "Tie the sack shut: no blame and no praise," it is teaching caution. The noble person possesses a central, balanced virtue like the color yellow. Inwardly they understand principle, keep their proper place, and remain within their rightful role. Beauty is stored within, shows itself in the limbs and bearing, and expresses itself through one's work. This is beauty in its fullest form. When yin force presses up against yang and the two become evenly matched, conflict must arise. To show that this is not a case of pure yin with no yang present, the text uses the image of the "dragon." Yet because it still belongs to the yin kind, it also speaks of "blood." The "black and yellow" blood symbolizes the mingled colors of heaven and earth: heaven is dark, and earth is yellow.