In practice
The judgment
This isn't the time to boast or show off. It's time to keep things simple and to make sure you act fairly; your qualities and talents will show on their own and be recognized.
The poetry
Humility
Success. The noble person reaches the end.
The image
Within the earth there is a mountain: humility. So the noble person takes from what is much and adds to what is little, weighs things and shares out evenly.
The lines
- Line 6上六
If situations come up that aren't right, your stance must be firm: take the actions needed to correct them.
Humility that makes itself heard. It is favorable to set the army in motion against the town and the country.
- Line 5六五
If you hold a position of power, don't abuse it, but don't be careless about other people's mistakes either. It's time to observe and to take measured action.
Not rich, alongside the neighbors. It is favorable to attack and subdue. Nothing that is not favorable.
- Line 4六四
If you carry out your tasks with dedication and without expecting recognition, you'll have great success.
Nothing that is not favorable. Humility spread wide.
- Line 3九三
If, despite your position and fame, you stay humble, you won't create rivalries and you'll succeed.
A noble person humble in toil. Reaching the end: good fortune.
- Line 2六二
If you do things from the heart and with simplicity, you'll be recognized.
Humility that makes itself heard. Constancy brings good fortune.
- Line 1初六
Doing great things without pretension or pride will let you bring what you want to a good end, because you'll have no opponents.
Humble in their humility, the noble person can cross the great river. Good fortune.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Simplicity turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 11Well-Beinglines 1 and 2
- 24Coming Backlines 1 and 3
- 7The Armylines 2 and 3
- 55Abundancelines 1 and 4
- 32What Lastslines 2 and 4
- 16Passionlines 3 and 4
- 63After the Endlines 1 and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 2 and 5
- 8Unionlines 3 and 5
- 31Attractionlines 4 and 5
- 22Good Mannerslines 1 and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2 and 6
- 23The Falllines 3 and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 4 and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 2, and 3
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1, 2, and 4
- 51Shocklines 1, 3, and 4
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 2, 3, and 4
- 5Inactionlines 1, 2, and 5
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1, 3, and 5
- 29Waterlines 2, 3, and 5
- 49Renewallines 1, 4, and 5
- 28Excesseslines 2, 4, and 5
- 45Meetinglines 3, 4, and 5
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 2, and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 1, 3, and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 2, 3, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 1, 4, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 2, 4, and 6
- 35Advancelines 3, 4, and 6
- 37The Tribelines 1, 5, and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 2, 5, and 6
- 20Observinglines 3, 5, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 60Thriftlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 47Overwhelmedlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 41Decreaselines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 21Bitinglines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 64Transitionlines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 42Increaselines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
謙：亨，君子有終。
象曰：地中有山，謙；君子以裒多益寡，稱物平施。
初六：謙謙君子，用涉大川，吉。
六二：鳴謙，貞吉。
九三：勞謙君子，有終吉。
六四：无不利，撝謙。
六五：不富，以其鄰，利用侵伐，无不利。
上六：鳴謙，利用行師，征邑國。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.