地山谦Qiān · Humbleness
坤上 · 艮下Earth over Mountain
卦辞The Judgement
谦：亨，君子有终。Qiān. Prosperous and smooth. The superior person carries it through to the end.
谦逊是最大的智慧。艮山居东北，本应高耸入云，却藏在坤土之下——山把自己埋进大地里，不露峰峦。坤土为西南，艮山为东北，两方位对冲，但谦卦以土包山，化解了对立。不张扬、不抢先、不居功，反而能聚拢人心、获得长远的好结果。在所有处境中，谦虚都是吉祥的——这是少数从头到尾都吉的卦。
Humility is the greatest wisdom. Gèn's Mountain sits in the northeast, which should tower into the clouds, yet hides beneath Kūn's Earth — the mountain buries itself in the land, showing no peaks. Kūn's Earth is the southwest, Gèn's Mountain the northeast, two directions in opposition; but the Humility hexagram wraps the mountain in earth and dissolves the conflict. Not showing off, not rushing to the front, not claiming credit — and yet you gather hearts and earn lasting good results. In every position, humility brings fortune. This is one of the rare hexagrams whose every line is auspicious.
大象The Image
《象》曰：地中有山，谦；君子以裒多益寡，称物平施。A mountain set within the earth: the image of Modesty. The noble one, accordingly, reduces what is excessive and adds to what is scant, weighing things to make giving even.
六爻The Six Lines
初六，谦谦君子，用涉大川，吉。The superior person who is humble and humble. Useful for crossing great rivers. Good fortune.
保持谦虚的姿态去做大事，没有任何阻碍。艮山初爻，山脚埋得最深——低到不能再低，反而最稳。越是要做大事，越要从最低的姿态开始——这种“低”反而是力量。
Take on a great task while staying in a humble posture, and nothing blocks you. Gèn's Mountain, first line, the foot of the mountain buried deepest — as low as it can go, and therefore the most stable. The more weight you intend to lift, the lower the stance you should start from — that low position is itself the source of strength.
六二，鸣谦，贞吉。Resonating humility. Steadfast and upright: good fortune.
因为谦虚而获得名声——六二阴爻居艮中，山腰最厚实——不张扬但名声自己飞出去，不是刻意求名，而是真诚谦下让人自然认可。这种声誉是最稳固的。
Your humility becomes known and earns you a reputation — the second line, yin, in the middle of Gèn, the mountain's thickest waist — no display, yet the name flies out on its own — — not because you chased fame, but because the sincerity of your low posture made it natural. This kind of standing is the most solid.
九三，劳谦，君子有终，吉。The diligent and humble superior person. Carrying it through to the end: good fortune.
做了很多努力却保持谦虚，九三阳爻，是艮卦唯一阳刚——山最硬的那块石头，却甘愿被土埋着，是真正的功臣本色。这种人最终会得到所有人的支持和最好的结果。
Working hard while remaining humble — the third line, yang, the one firm line of Gèn — the hardest rock of the mountain, yet willing to stay buried in the earth — the mark of a truly meritorious person. Such a person will, in the end, receive the support of everyone and the best result.
六四，无不利，谦。Nothing is unfavorable. Give full play to humility.
在任何情况下保持谦虚都没坏处——六四阴爻进入坤土——山已入地，土开始接手，柔顺包容，但谦虚要发自内心，不能装。表里一致地低调，才有真正的力量。
In any situation, staying humble has no downside — the fourth line, yin, enters Kūn's Earth — the mountain has sunk into the ground, the earth taking over, yielding and all-embracing — but the humility has to come from the heart, not as a performance. Quiet on the outside and quiet on the inside together — that's where the real strength lies.
六五，不富，以其邻利用侵伐，无不利。Not affluent. Together with one's neighbors, favorable to subdue the unsubmissive. Nothing is unfavorable.
有时候光谦虚不够——坤土居中，厚德载物，但土也有边疆，面对真正不讲理的人，需要果断采取行动。谦虚不是软弱，而是有底气、有边界的从容。
Sometimes humility alone isn't enough — Kūn's Earth centered, the bearing virtue carrying all, yet even earth has its borders — facing someone who genuinely refuses to listen to reason, decisive action is needed. Humility isn't weakness — it's the composure of someone who has ground to stand on and is willing to draw a boundary.
上六，鸣谦，利用行师、征邑国。Resonating humility. Favorable to mobilize the army, to bring one's own town and state to order.
谦虚到了人尽皆知的程度，坤土到极处，厚德的影响力已覆盖大地，可以用来号召和团结身边的人。即使要用强硬手段，也是为了正道——这种谦虚后的果决，最有力。
Humility that is known by all Kūn's Earth at its extreme, the influence of its bearing virtue now spread across the whole land becomes a force you can use to rally and unify those near you. Even when stern measures are needed, they are taken in the name of the right course — this kind of decisiveness, born from humility, carries the greatest force.