In love
In a relationship, Kan points to a delicate passage: speak frankly, avoid reproaches that dig deeper, and look for the way out together.
Hexagram 29
I Ching hexagram 29: The Abysmal (Kan)
Kan, the Abysmal, is the hexagram of danger crossed: keep a sincere heart to get through, like water, without losing yourself.
- ordeal
- sincerity
- perseverance
The essentials
Kan at a glance
For you, Kan describes a difficult passage: move forward with caution, stay true to yourself, and do not get used to danger.
A strength
The ability to get through an ordeal without changing your nature, like water flowing around an obstacle.
Something to watch
Settling into difficulty to the point of no longer looking for a way out.
- What it advises
- Move forward cautiously, one step after another, staying sincere; look for simple supports rather than a spectacular way out.
- Its opposite
- 30. The Clinging (Li)
The situation
Kan describes a risky situation in which the danger is doubled: one difficulty follows another, and you cannot see right away how to get out. The hexagram does not minimize it.
Yet it points to a way through. Water flows into the chasm without stopping and without losing its nature; it fills each hollow, then continues. The ancient text sees sincerity in this: an upright heart makes it possible to see clearly amid difficulties, and to act rightly.
Kan therefore invites caution, steadiness, and simple gestures rather than bold strokes.
The image: Water above Water
- AboveWater: the risky passage
- BelowWater: the risky passage
Water beneath Water: the danger is doubled, but the water flows without stopping and keeps its nature. The ancient commentaries see in it the example of a constant virtue, which one practices and teaches.
Consult the I Ching
Throw three coins six times: your hexagram, the lines that change, and the direction they point to.
Free, no account · nothing is sent · no predictions
The six lines
- 1st line (bottom) · brokenEntering a pit within the pit: the ancient text sees danger. Do not get so used to difficulty that you sink into it.
- 2nd line · solidAt the heart of peril, seeking only small gains: you obtain a little of the relief you hoped for, and that is already a step.
- 3rd line · brokenAdvancing or retreating leads to the same abyss, and danger is everywhere: better not to act and wait for the water to fall.
- 4th line · brokenA jug of wine, a bowl of rice, earthen vessels: a simple word, passed through the window, is heard, and in the end there is no fault.
- 5th line · solidThe water does not overflow, it only fills to the brim: calm returns, and there is no fault.
- 6th line (top) · brokenBound with cords amid brambles, finding no way out for three years: the ancient text sees a danger that lasts. Seek help rather than persist alone.
Kan in your life
At work
At work, the hexagram invites caution in an unstable situation: verify, consolidate, and move forward in small, sure steps.
The I Ching helps you reflect on how to act: it does not say what is coming.
How is it built?
- Character
- 坎 (kǎn)
- Number
- 29 in the King Wen sequence
- Trigrams
- Water (坎) above, Water (坎) below
- Inner hexagram
- 27. The Corners of the Mouth (Yi) (lines 2 to 4 and 3 to 5)
- Read upside down
- 29. The Abysmal (Kan)
- Symbol
- ䷜ (U+4DDC)
The English names are the usual renderings of the Chinese characters; the texts rely on the Chinese and on early public-domain translations (Legge, 1882; Philastre, 1885–1893).
Sources
- Wikipedia (English), “List of hexagrams of the I Ching,” read on October 15, 2026: numbers, characters, pinyin, lower and upper trigrams.
- Wikipedia (English), “Bagua,” read on October 15, 2026: lines of the eight trigrams, from bottom to top.
- James Legge (1815–1897), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East, vol. XVI, 1882 (Wikisource): public domain.
- Paul-Louis-Félix Philastre (1837–1902), Le Yi King ou Livre des changements de la dynastie des Tsheou, Annales du Musée Guimet, 1885–1893: public domain (the author died more than 70 years ago).
Frequently asked questions about hexagram 29
What does hexagram 29 of the I Ching mean?
Hexagram 29, Kan, means the abysmal and danger crossed: an ordeal that doubles, to be gotten through with caution and sincerity, like flowing water.
Is hexagram 29 negative?
It describes a difficulty without hiding it, but it condemns nothing: it shows a way through, by steadiness and sincerity. The I Ching speaks of conduct, not of destiny.