15. Modesty
Qiān — Modesty / Humility
Trigrams
The Judgment
Modesty creates success. The superior person carries things through.
The Image
Earth above mountain — a great mountain hidden beneath the earth. The highest becomes the lowest. True merit does not advertise itself.
Interpretation
The mountain is great, but it places itself beneath the earth. This is true modesty — having real substance and choosing not to display it. Hexagram 15 is the only hexagram where all six lines are favorable, because modesty works in every situation. The full are emptied and the empty are filled; the proud are brought low and the humble are raised up. This is the natural balancing force of the universe.
Advice
Be genuinely humble. Don't diminish yourself falsely, but don't advertise your merits either. Let your work speak for itself. Modesty is the one virtue that works in every situation without exception.