Jian, Kan, and Kui are three of the "The Twelve Hexagrams of Admiration (所嘆者十二卦). " The Tuanzhuan (彖傳) praises them for having the efficacy of "timely application (時用)," hence they are classified together.³"Timely application" translates colloquially as conforming to the times and applying and practicing the principles of the hexagram meanings. It is noteworthy that all three hexagrams—Jian, Kan, and Kui—represent images of adversity, difficulty, and hardship. The Jian hexagram has Kan (坎) above and Gen (艮) below (坎上艮下); Kan represents water and danger ahead (坎為水為險在前), while Gen represents mountain and stopping behind (艮為山為止在後). Therefore, the Tuanzhuan interprets it as: "Jian means difficulty; danger lies ahead, and (the superior person) seeing danger can stop in time (蹇，難也。險在前也，見險而能止)." The Kan hexagram has Kan (坎) both above and below (上下皆坎), so the Tuanzhuan states directly "Xi Kan means layer upon layer of danger and difficulty (習坎，重險也)." "Xi (習)" is interpreted as "familiarization (嫻熟)," meaning to become skilled and accustomed to dealing with repeated dangers. The Kui hexagram has Li (離) above and Dui (兌) below (離上兌下)—Huo (火, fire) above and Ze (澤, water) below (火上澤下), mutually separated (相互睽离). Dui (兌) also means Yue (悅, joy), and Li represents fire and brightness, signifying brilliance and luminosity that brings joy. Furthermore, it indicates the middle female (中女) above (the middle line of the Li hexagram is yin陰 [離卦中爻為陰]) and the youngest female (幼女) below (the third line of the Dui hexagram is Yin [兌卦第三爻為陰]); two females cannot dwell together harmoniously. Therefore, the Tuanzhuan interprets the hexagram with three meanings: "The flame burns, leaping upward; the marsh water flows, seeping downward; two female dwell together in one place, yet their aspirations and conduct differ from each other; (the lower water) harbors joy in its heart, while attaching itself to the brightness above (火動而上，澤動而下；二女同居其志不同行；說而麗乎明。)." Since Jian, Kan, and Kui are hexagrams of adversity and difficulty, why do they emphasize "timely application"? This seemingly contradictory statement reflects two levels of meaning: First, a dynamic and developmental worldview breaks through the binary opposition of static or black-and-white predicament thinking. Therefore, any difficulty or setback is merely a circumstance of a certain stage that will transform, flow, and change continuously. Individual practice (maintaining virtue and diligence [守德勤勉], accumulating momentum [蓄勢待發], acting at the right time [待時而動]) will reverse the developmental situation. Thus, the Jian hexagram speaks of "Reflects inwardly and cultivates virtue (反身修德)," the Kan hexagram speaks of "Uphold constant moral conduct and practice educational affairs. (常德行，習教事)," and the Kui hexagram speaks of "unity through difference (以同而異, seeking common ground amid differences)" , dissolving difficulties and transforming setbacks into motivating forces, eliminating the binary opposition framework. Second, "timely application" emphasizes practicality. Ti(體, Essence) and Yong (用, Function) are inseparable as one. The hexagram meanings of Jian, Kan, and Kui constitute the Ti, and their practice constitutes the Yong. The significance of "Yong" lies in advocating the maximization of subjective agency, overcoming and transcending spiritual and objective obstacles in life, and extolling human autonomy and the spiritual wisdom and will manifested in the pursuit of freedom.

The “Shuowen Jiezi” states: "Jian means lame." The hexagram text says "Acting toward the southwest is favorable, while acting toward the northeast is unfavorable (利西南，不利東北)," vividly using geographical conditions as a metaphor that echoes the hexagram's theme of difficulty in movement and the meaning of "Jian". This is because the southwest represents Kun (坤), symbolizing plain, while the northeast represents Gen (艮), symbolizing mountain. Plain versus mountain suggests danger ahead and inadvisability to advance rashly. The key to Hexagram Jian lies in the upper Kan (上坎, symbolizing water and danger) and lower Gen (下艮, symbolizing mountain and stopping), meaning one should halt steadily when facing peril. Translated into a learning context, when learning encounters bottlenecks or failures, we must avoid the spread of negative emotions to prevent paralysis of rational thinking and disruption of calm mindset, which would trigger anxiety and depression. Enhancing young people's awareness of emotional monitoring and ability to identify crises aligns with the concept of "seeing danger and being able to stop (見險而能止)." Learning pressure and self-denial easily trap people in binary oppositions of success versus failure, excellence versus stupidity, right versus wrong. Various situations in life are only phases—commas or pauses in life's growth, never full stops. Whether adversity or setback, these stopping points that make us pause are merely signposts revealing our weaknesses, reminding us of directions for self-improvement. This practical significance and cognitive reconstruction of "danger and stopping" breaks binary thinking and defends against the collapse of self-worth. Therefore, the Xiangzhuan (象傳, ) says: "Junzi (君子, Person of integrity) reflects inwardly and cultivates virtue (君子以反身修德)," strengthening oneself in moral cultivation, knowledge, and skills to embark on an abundant life journey. Both the hexagram text and the explanation of the last line (上六爻辭) mention "Favorable for meeting with virtuous and dignified persons of merit (利見大人)," meaning when young people encounter confusion, they should seek advice from parents, teachers, or professionals, and communicate and confide in peers to reduce falling into the mire of emotional distress.⁴

Both the hexagram statement and the explanation of first line (初六爻辭) mention "Xi Kan (習坎)."Becoming skilled and accustomed to dealing with repeated dangers through practice is the core message of the Kan hexagram. While the Jian hexagram advocates knowing danger and stopping, the Kan hexagram further promotes viewing hardship and peril as normal states of human existence. The Jian and Kan hexagrams together form a progressive structure of cognitive growth in life. The visual imagery of the Kan hexagram is striking: among its six lines, the second and fifth lines are Yang (陽), forming a structure where one Yang line is sandwiched between two Yin (陰) lines in both the upper and lower trigrams. The hexagram statement philosophizes this visual imagery as "Wei Xin Heng" (維心亨, if the heart be magnanimous, there will be free course), meaning that the Yang line (symbolizing righteousness and strength) positioned between two Yin lines is concretized as the human heart, signifying broad-mindedness and magnanimous (亨) amid difficulties. Shifting the scenario: young people under academic pressure must cultivate resilience and stress tolerance, transforming difficulties into momentum for overcoming challenges, and maintaining vigilance and prudence in life. The Tuanzhuan (彖傳) contains three refreshingly candid statements: "Peril is an obstacle that cannot be surmounted easily. The natural hazards of the earth are mountains, rivers, hills and knolls. Rulers make use of these natural barriers to protect their realms (險不可升也，地險山川丘陵也，王公設險以守其國). " The charm of this statement lies in humanity's confident utilization of heaven's and earth's natural peril as protective barriers for defending home and country when facing nearly insurmountable nature. This represents a fearless spirit of practice. Practice breaks free from learned helplessness and prevents the psychological inertia of rigidified behaviors and emotions. Therefore, the Xiangzhuan (象傳) emphasizes: "Junzi (君子, Person of integrity) abides by consistent moral principles and devotes himself to studying and conducting educational undertakings, (君子以常德行，習教事)" advocating that in adversity, one must not only uphold morality but also actively learn and improve oneself to prepare for life's future uncertainties.

Seeking common ground while preserving differences is the core principle of the Kui (睽) hexagram. If the Jian and Kan hexagrams guide students in reconstructing their understanding of life's growth, then the Kui hexagram advocates that parents and family members should shoulder the responsibility of being students' spiritual pillars and guardians of their physical and mental health. The Kui hexagram seeks diversification of values, opposes families' pursuit of monistic values, attempts to mediate the balance between students' individualized development and social expectations, and stops the spiritual internal friction within families. Both the explanation of the fourth line which is Yang (九四爻) and the first line with Yang (初九爻) mention "Kui Gu (睽孤, Estranged and lonely, isolated and helpless)", switching to the student's mentality of isolation and helplessness. Parents must be tolerant, understanding, and respectful, maintain good communication with young people, and serve as mediators for easing family relationships. The line " If your horse goes missing, there is no need to pursue it—it will find its way back naturally (喪馬勿逐，自復)" in the hexagram that the first line is Yang (初九爻) has profound meaning. Parents must avoid violent communication and verbal bombardment with their children and manage both their own and their children's emotions well. The strategy is to criticize less, encourage more, show trust, and care constantly, striving to find space for communication with children. In the words of the Tuanzhuan: " Heaven and earth stand in opposition, yet they collaborate to sustain the world; men and women are born different, yet their hearts and minds can resonate with each other; all creatures and things are diverse, yet they follow similar principles of operation (天地睽，而其事同也；男女睽，而其志通也；萬物睽，而其事類也)." Heaven and earth, men and women, the myriad things are each different; even if their forms and appearances differ, there are always common and shared aspirations among them. The so-called "return of itself (自復)" refers to children recovering their confidence and trust after a cooling-off period of reflection and returning to the right track.

The traditional wisdom contained in the three hexagrams of Jian, Kan, and Kui in the Book of Changes provides unique intellectual resources and practical pathways for resolving the current mental health crisis among Hong Kong students. Survey data from Hong Kong shows that over half of respondents believe that the mental health status of adolescents is not in good health, with academic pressure, family expectations, and family relationships being core influencing factors, while social support resources remain insufficient. Against this background, the "recognizing danger—familiarizing with adversity—seeking common ground while preserving differences" intervention system constructed by these three hexagrams forms a closed loop of individual cognitive reconstruction, psychological resilience cultivation, and family support restoration.

The wisdom of "seeing danger and stopping (見險而止)" and "reflects inwardly and cultivates virtue (反身修德)" in the Jian hexagram guides students to break away from binary oppositional thinking, viewing difficulties as developmental nodes in growth, and alleviating anxiety through self-improvement and seeking diverse help. The concept of "Xi Kan (習坎, Repeated Perils)" and "uphold unchanging virtue (常德行)" in the Kan hexagram encourages students to normalize difficulties, cultivating resilience through a practical spirit and transforming pressure into momentum for growth. The principle of "seeking common ground while preserving differences" in the Kui hexagram provides guidance for adjusting family relationships, advocating that parents replace unilateral demands with tolerant communication, reduce spiritual internal friction, and become students' spiritual pillars. The three hexagrams complement each other, emphasizing both individual subjective initiative and the supportive role of family, aligning with a dynamic and developmental view of life.

This adjustment strategy rooted in traditional culture not only provides students with cognitive tools to cope with mental distress but also points the way toward optimizing family interaction patterns. Against the backdrop of the SAR government's active promotion of community mental health work, exploring the wisdom of survival in the Book of Changes and combining traditional philosophy with modern mental health education can help construct a more culturally adaptive mental support system for young people, enabling them to achieve harmonious physical and mental development under the dual expectations of academics and family.

Book

王弼、韓康伯注、孔穎達等正義、黃侃經文句讀：《十三經注疏》（上海：上海古籍出版社，1990年）。

Web

Hong Kong Family Welfare Society. "2023-24 Academic Year Exploration Studies on Key Factors Affecting Adolescent Mental Health in Hong Kong Research Report." Accessed January 1, 2026. https://www.hkfws.org.hk/en/news/event-highlights/adolescent_mental_health_2023-24

The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. "The HKFYG publishes results of “Youth Mental Health Conditions” survey." Accessed January 1, 2026. https://hkfyg.org.hk/en/2024/10/24/youth-mental-health-conditions-survey/

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. “The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address.” Accessed January 1, 2026. https://www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2025/en/policy.html

1."The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address", The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, accessed January 1, 2026, https://www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2025/en/policy.html.

2."2023-24 Academic Year Exploration Studies on Key Factors Affecting Adolescent Mental Health in Hong Kong Research Report", Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, accessed January 1, 2026, HKFWS released of the research report on "Exploration Studies on Key Factors Affecting Adolescent Mental Health in Hong Kong" | Hong Kong Family Welfare Society.

3. 王弼、韓康伯注、孔穎達等正義、黃侃經文句讀：《十三經注疏》（上海：上海古籍出版社，1990年），頁50-51。

4.The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups released a survey report titled "Youth Mental Health Conditions" on October 24, 2024. The findings revealed that "The survey thus found a negative relation between connectedness and depression". "The HKFYG publishes results of “Youth Mental Health Conditions” survey", The Hong Kong federation of Youth Groups, accessed January 1, 2026, https://hkfyg.org.hk/en/2024/10/24/youth-mental-health-conditions-survey/.