謙 → 困

Commentary

Earth holds the mountain in modesty, and the four barbarian peoples come admiring its virtue, arriving to invigorate the state. The cultured lord ascends and descends — a phrase evoking King Wen's ongoing spiritual presence — and all share in blessings. The verse describes the magnetic power of virtue: even distant peoples are drawn to a state governed by moral example. From Modesty to Oppression, the lake sits above water, drained and empty — yet the noble one 'stakes his life to pursue his purpose.' The paradox deepens: a verse of attraction and blessing leads to a hexagram of exhaustion. Perhaps the message is that the virtuous state endures even Oppression because its moral capital draws allies from afar. The mountain concealed within earth persists even when the surface waters drain away.