坎 – Chinese philosophy and culture

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kǎn 坎

Kan (The Water Symbol)

“八卦”之一,画为“”。“坎”又为“六十四卦”之一,由两个三画的“坎”卦组成,画为“”。在“八卦”系统中,“坎”卦的基本象征意义是水,有润泽万物之义。又因水流存于洼陷之处,而有陷泥、凶险之义。“坎”卦由一个阳爻和两个阴爻组成,属于阳卦,在人伦领域象征男性。“坎”卦中的阳爻居于中位,故象征家中诸子中居长幼之间者。

Kan (坎) is one of the eight trigrams, represented by the diagram . It is also one of the 64 hexagrams and composed of two trigrams like this . Kan symbolizes water, which moistens all things on earth. Since water always flows toward or deposits in a lower place, it also implies mire or danger. The symbol is composed of one unbroken line and two broken lines. It is considered a yang trigram and symbolizes the male. With the unbroken line in the middle, it also represents the middle son of a family.

引例 Citations:

◎坎,陷也。(《周易·说卦》)

(坎,意为陷泥。)

Kan means mire. (The Book of Changes)

◎水洊(jiàn)至,习坎。君子以常德行,习教事。(《周易·象上》)

(水相继而至,是重重坎陷。君子处此而始终保持德行,熟习教化之事。)

When water flows down continuously and stops, mires appear. In an environment like this, a man of virtue should always maintain ethical integrity and cultivate moral standards. (The Book of Changes)

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