Qian :: Modesty

Offering: auspicious :: Humility has result

謙

䷎

6 :: first

Modest and humble. Crossing the great river. Auspicious.

Sincere modesty and humility bring success. Going forward slowly is success-ful, despite difficulty. Modesty succeeds despite the enormity of the project (great river).

9 :: second

With known accomplishments -- remain modest. Auspicious.

Modesty should not be abandoned when previous success has given you a good reputation. Remaining humble brings good fortune. Humility invites new opportunity.

6 :: third

Modest no matter the heights. Most auspicious.

Modesty is not only a means, but also an end. Modesty is the natural expression of a great person. Such a person has consistent good fortune. Opportunity and assistance abound.

9 :: fourth

The truly modest cannot be surpassed.

When you sincerely cultivate modesty you are unstoppable. The action of a truly modest person is naturally graceful, unassuming, and adaptable. Modesty inspires others.

9 :: fifth

Immodesty. Invade and dethrone the immodest. Auspicious.

If one has modesty, sincerity, and constancy there is no harm in going forward. It is time to revolt. The truly modest must step forward and unseat the immodest (unjust).

6 :: top

Modesty is widely known. Deploy troops. Subjugate the City and the State.

Your modesty is trusted and people support your cause. You succeed in routing out corruption and expanding your influence. Revolution and reform are easy when corruption has already weakened the "powers that be."

Image

Qian is the power of true modesty. Modesty applied to time is patience. Together, modesty and patience are unsurpassable. Qian is like mountain at the center of the Earth. It is modest but confident. The Chinese character is a homophone for a kind of rat familiar to north Asian farmers. The rat symbolizes the resourcefulness and the inevitable success of the lowly.

Auspices

With true modesty anything can be accomplished. In modest steps a great journey can be accomplished.¹ Even when strong action needs to be taken, do not abandon modesty.

Good for marriage, moving house, taking exams, starting school, and starting a new job.

Bad for distant travel and extravagance.

Comment

The modesty and humility of Qian does not imply passivity. This brand of authentic humility is certainly not a path to victimization or martyrdom. Qian tells us that the persevering application of modesty is an antidote to pride and the key to success in all things. Qian is a natural selfless force arising from a pure heart. It is the opposite of aggression, which is the selfish struggle that rises from a corrupt heart.

In its political application, it is the grace of a modest leader that benefits all citizens. Therefore, when the modesty of a leader is lost, the truly modest must "unseat" the despotic and arrogant ruler.²

In an inner application, it suggests that the force of discipline may be needed to maintain the pure heart that expresses true modesty. The greater one's fame and accomplishments the greater is the need for the disciplined cultivation of modesty through self-reflection.

Other Correspondences

Business: Well-planned company start-up and high volume sales with small profit.

Disharmonies: Fatigue, low blood pressure, qi deficiency, and melancholy.

Prognosis: Fair. The patient's constitution is not strong. If the patient avoids strong treatments, there will be a slow but steady recovery.