The Only Path to Perfect Luck
Hexagram 15 (Ch'ien/Modesty) holds a legendary status in the I Ching: it is the only hexagram where every single line—from the bottom to the top—is auspicious. There is no danger, no regret, only good fortune.
But do not mistake Modesty for weakness. The image of the hexagram reveals its true nature: "A Mountain buried beneath the Earth." It represents immense power and substance that chooses to remain low, not out of fear, but out of wisdom.
The hexagram takes us through the journey of the humble:
At the start, the "Superior Man" feeds his humility and can cross great rivers safely (Line 1).
By Line 3, we see the "Hardworking Humble"—one who achieves great merit but claims no credit. This is the ultimate ideal of a leader.
Surprisingly, humility also involves force. In positions of power (Line 5 & 6), Modesty means using firmness to "chastise the disobedient" or correct one's own domain. This proves that true humility is not about retreating; it is about active progress and justice.
Summary: The core philosophy of Ch'ien is to "Reduce the excess and add to the deficient" (裒多益寡). Like the earth that fills the valleys and erodes the peaks, true Modesty seeks balance. It teaches us to be gentle on the outside but principled on the inside—a hidden mountain that no one can shake.
