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Chapter 15 of 64
东坡易传
The Qian Hexagram (Fifteenth)
Hexagram Statement: "Qian" translates to success and通达. The noble person attains a good ending.
The Tuan Zhuan says: "Qian brings success." The Way of Heaven descends to aid all things and thereby shines ever more brightly; the Way of Earth stays lowly yet rises upward. 🌱 This is the reason "Qian leads to success."
The Way of Heaven diminishes the full and augments the humble; the Way of Earth alters the full and lets it flow toward the humble; spirits and ghosts bring disaster to the full and bestow blessing upon the humble; the human Way detests the full and delights in the humble. One who is humble, when dwelling in a noble position, shines all the more; when dwelling in a lowly position, cannot be surpassed. This is why the noble person attains a good ending. If one does not observe the final outcome, then instances of gaining through contention and losing through concession may well exist. Only by tracing matters to their utmost end can one then know that humility invariably prevails. 💡
The Xiang Zhuan says: Within the earth there is a mountain—this is the image of "Qian." The noble person, upon perceiving this, takes from the abundant to supplement the deficient, weighs things fairly, and distributes with equity.
Su Shi's Commentary: "Pou" (裒) means to take. The name "Qian" arises from excess. Only after things become excessive does one become aware of "Qian." If things were never excessive, then "Qian" would simply be the Mean itself. It is when excess is contrasted with the Mean that the name "Qian" comes into being. The sage names it according to the term used in the world, but its substance is merely a return to the Mean. The earth is excessively low; the mountain is excessively high; thus "within the earth there is a mountain" is Qian. ⛰️ The noble person in this situation: when there is excess, he takes it away—this is Qian; when there is deficiency, he supplements it—this too is Qian.
Initial Six: A noble person who is humble yet again humble—he may cross the great river. Auspicious.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "The humble-yet-humble noble person" cultivates himself through meekness and deference.
Su Shi's Commentary: This line dwells at the very bottom—it is the excess of humility. This Way has no other use; it serves only for "crossing the great river." When facing great difficulty, without deeply humbling and bending oneself, one cannot sufficiently bring one's power into play. "Mu" (牧) means to cultivate in preparation for use.
Six in the Second Place: Proclaiming humility—through steadfast correctness comes auspiciousness.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "Proclaiming humility and steadfast correctness bring auspiciousness"—the center has attained something within.
Su Shi's Commentary: When the male sings, the female responds; thus the I Ching lodges the principle of yin-yang resonance in "proclaiming" (鳴). The reason Qian becomes Qian lies with Nine in the Third Place: he is humble because of his merit, and so those who hear of his conduct and receive his beneficence all follow him in humility. Six in the Second Place is his neighbor; the Top Nine is his counterpart; thus they both harmoniously respond to him and "proclaim" within humility. Moreover, Six in the Second Place, being a yin line dwelling in the central position of the inner trigram, even without Nine in the Third Place—would it be anything but humble? Hence it says "proclaiming humility," and again "steadfast correctness brings auspiciousness." "Proclaiming" indicates harmonious correspondence with Nine in the Third Place; "steadfast" shows that it issues from its own nature rather than from compulsion.
Nine in the Third Place: Meritorious yet humble—the noble person attains a good ending. Auspicious.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "The meritorious yet humble noble person"—the myriad people all submit to him.
Su Shi's Commentary: "Lao" (勞) means merit. In the Qian hexagram there are five yin lines and one yang line—it awaits this one yang and then becomes Qian; its merit is abundant. The controlling power of "Gen" (艮) resides in the third line, and the third line personally subordinates "Gen" to "Kun" (坤)—his humility reaches the utmost, hence it is called "meritorious humility." Having merit yet not boasting, having achievement yet not regarding it as personal virtue—this is not merely self-preservation from catastrophe but will also extend benefit to others. This is one who has attained the complete substance of Qian. Therefore the Tuan Zhuan says: "The noble person attains a good ending." And the third line says the same.
Six in the Fourth Place: Nothing in which it is not beneficial—displaying and directing humility.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "Nothing不利, directing humility"—it does not violate the standard.
Su Shi's Commentary: This too is brought about by Nine in the Third Place. Six in the Second Place is near the inner trigram and bears the image of a spouse, hence "proclaiming"; Six in the Fourth Place is near the outer trigram and is the direction toward which Nine in the Third Place faces, hence it is called "directing" (撝, commanding and displaying). Dwelling as soft upon soft, and occupying the position toward which Nine in the Third Place faces—what Nine in the Third Place directs, Six in the Fourth Place inclines toward. Directing humility by means of humility—what could be unfavorable to this? Hence it says "nothing unfavorable."
Six in the Fifth Place: Not wealthy—relying upon its neighbors; beneficial for using it to launch punitive campaigns—in nothing is it unfavorable.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "Beneficial for punitive campaigns"—it is punishing those who do not submit.
Su Shi's Commentary: Straightness is the correction of the crooked; humility is the reverse of arrogance. Neither is the ultimate of virtue. Hence two straight things cannot accommodate each other, and two humble things cannot command each other. Nine in the Third Place possesses "meritorious humility," and those above and below all respond to him with humility—within, there is "proclaiming humility"; without, there is "directing humility." To an even greater degree, humble ones pursue one another in humility without end, mutually augmenting without cease. Then what is called "taking from the abundant to supplement the deficient, weighing things fairly and distributing with equity"—who will enact it? As for Six in the Fifth Place, it is not so: call it humble? It occupies a firm position. Call it arrogant? It dwells in the central position. One can only say it may not be called humble, and it may not be called arrogant. Hence the Fifth line—no aspect of "Qian" is not driven by it. Seek how it can drive these five "humble ones" while itself possessing nothing—hence it says "not wealthy, relying upon its neighbors"; as for punitive campaigns, they do not impair its humility—hence it says "beneficial for punitive campaigns." Nothing does not serve its use—hence "in nothing unfavorable."
Top Six: Proclaiming humility—beneficial for deploying troops, undertaking military expeditions against towns and states.
The Xiang Zhuan says: "Proclaiming humility"—the aspiration has not yet been fulfilled; one may "deploy troops," undertaking expeditions against towns and states.
Su Shi's Commentary: These are both "proclaiming humility"—in this they are the same. Six in the Second Place is self-possessed within the mind, whereas the Top Six's "aspiration has not been attained"—because where it dwells is not a position secure in humility; it merely responds with compulsion through its counterpart's "meritorious humility." With humility on the surface while the substance has not arrived, those who submit will be few. Hence even in its own towns and states there are still those who rebel. Though the substance is insufficient, the name lies in humility—thus for the rebels, it is unfavorable. When rebellion is unfavorable, then for the one who punishes, it is favorable. Wang Bi said: "Auspiciousness, inauspiciousness, regret, and remorse arise from movement. The cause of movement arises from gain. Hence where there is drinking and eating there must be 'litigation,' and where there is 'litigation' masses arise. Never is it the case that one dwelling in what the multitude detests is harmed by the passive, nor that one dwelling in territory uncontested is seized by the contentious. Hence although the six lines may be in lost positions, without correspondence, or riding upon the firm, none of them has inauspiciousness, calamity, regret, or remorse—because they take humility as their master."
The core of this chapter lies in revealing that the essence of "Qian" (humility) is "the Mean" (中), not "lowliness" (卑). Su Shi's interpretation of the Qian hexagram makes a key breakthrough: the name "Qian" arises from "excess"—when things deviate from the Mean and become excessive, a corrective name called "Qian" is generated. If things were never excessive, then "Qian" would simply be the Mean itself. Hence humility is not a moral posture of self-deprecation but rather a dynamic equilibrium between excess and deficiency.
Specifically:
In the contemporary context, Su Shi's exposition of the Qian hexagram offers exceptionally rare wisdom: humility is not weakness, but a profound sense of reality and systems thinking.
Scenario One: "Meritorious humility" in the workplace
When you have completed a key task in a team and face the choice of how to allocate fame and benefit, the "meritorious humility" of Nine in the Third Place provides a model of action: do not boast, do not contend for credit—yet this is not mere retreat, but the transformation of achievement into trust capital and team cohesion. Concretely:
Scenario Two: "Humility with resoluteness" when facing injustice
The "utilizing punitive campaigns" of the Fifth Line shows that a humble person may fully take firm action when necessary. In the workplace, when someone exploits your "humility" to oppress you, clearly expressing boundaries and resolutely taking action is precisely the safeguarding of the Way of Qian, not its betrayal. The key to "nothing unfavorable" lies in this: the action does not arise from pride or revenge, but from the maintenance of an equitable order (weighing things and distributing fairly).
Scenario Three: "The humble-yet-humble noble person" in self-cultivation
The Initial Six provides a state of "double humility"—extreme humbleness and profound self-reflection—a state suited for the preparatory phase before facing great challenges ("thereby crossing the great river"). In modern life, when facing career transitions, major examinations, or the initial stages of entrepreneurship—moments of "crossing the great river"—a mindset of "cultivating oneself through meekness," acknowledging one's deficiencies, learning with an open mind, and accumulating quietly, is the optimal psychological strategy for overcoming difficulties.
The ontological paradox of humility
Su Shi's observation that "humility arises from excess" reveals a profound philosophical paradox: the moment one becomes aware that one "is humble," one has already placed oneself in a special position—because the true "Mean" does not advertise itself as "humility." This is akin to the pragmatic paradox of the statement "I am very humble": the very utterance already contains an implicit posture of self-affirmation.
This leads to a deeper question: Is there an irreconcilable tension between the self-awareness of virtue and the authenticity of virtue? The reason the Fifth Line represents the highest realm of humility is precisely that it "may not be called humble, may not be called arrogant"—it transcends the binary opposition of naming. This recalls the Daoist thought of "the great Way has no name" and the Zen principle of "not establishing words." The ultimate completion of humility is the self-dissolution of humility. 🌊
The cosmological dimension of "taking from the abundant, supplementing the deficient"
Su Shi understands "taking from the abundant, supplementing the deficient" as a cosmic-scale dynamic equilibrium. The Way of Heaven "diminishes the full and augments the humble"; the Way of Earth "alters the full and lets it flow toward the humble"—this means humility is not merely a human moral choice but a fundamental law of cosmic operation. In this sense, humility is not self-negation but compliance with the laws of the universe. This forms a cross-cultural resonance with the Stoic ethical principle of "living according to nature."
The tension between "name" and "substance"
The Top Six's "proclaiming humility" while the "aspiration has not been fulfilled" reveals a state of "seeming humble in appearance while the substance does not arrive." Su Shi keenly points out that those who outwardly follow the Way of Qian without inwardly being truly settled in humility ultimately cannot truly command the submission of others ("those who submit will be few"). This touches upon a universal problem: the relationship between the outward expression of virtue (name) and its inner substance (reality). In contemporary society, "performative humility"—lavishing self-deprecating words in public while privately contending for fame and profit—is precisely the state the Top Six warns against. Su Shi's insight is that humility which is incongruent in name and substance may gain moral reputation in the short term ("the name lies in humility"), but ultimately loses genuine power to inspire.
| Concept | Related Explanation |
|---|---|
| The special position of the Qian hexagram in the Zhou Yi | Qian is the only hexagram among the sixty-four in which all six lines are auspicious (or at least free of inauspiciousness, calamity, regret, and remorse). Wang Bi notes in his commentary that this is because "humility is taken as master"—the Way of Qian is itself the optimal strategy for approaching good fortune and avoiding misfortune. |
| "Taking from the abundant, supplementing the deficient" and the Laozi's view of the Way of Heaven | Laozi, Chapter 77: "The Way of Heaven reduces the surplus and supplements the deficiency." Su Shi's commentary directly responds to this tradition of thought, connecting the pronouncement of the Qian hexagram with the Daoist conception of the Way of Heaven. |
| "Meritorious humility" and the Confucian "non-assertion" | Analects, Yongye: "Meng Zhifan did not boast. He was in the rear when retreating, and when about to enter the gate, he whipped up his horse and said: 'It was not that I dared to be last; my horse would not go forward.'" Having merit without asserting it is an important item of Confucian cultivation, sharing the same spirit as the line of Nine in the Third Place. |
| The yin-yang resonance of "proclaiming humility" | The Yi takes the resonance of yin and yang as "proclaiming" (鳴), as in the Zhongfu hexagram: "A crane cries in the shade; its young respond." In the Qian hexagram, Six in the Second Place is adjacent to Nine in the Third Place and "proclaims," while the Top Six resonates with Nine in the Third Place and "proclaims," manifesting the structure of yin-yang mutual stimulation. |
| "Utilizing punitive expeditions" and the boundary of "Qian" | Qian does not mean unconditional retreat. Both the Fifth and Top line statements involve "punitive expeditions" and "deploying troops," indicating that when the Way of Qian encounters forces that disrupt order, decisive action is part of humility itself. |