The hexagram Kun (坤), symbolizing Earth and Yin principle in the I Ching (周易), has undergone various graphical and phonetic transformations throughout Chinese script history. One of its earliest forms, the character 巛, appears in oracle bone inscriptions and bronze scripts, representing flowing streams or soil layers. Later standardization produced 坤, combining the semantic radical 土 (earth) with the phonetic-signifying 申 (originally denoting thunder or deity). This study traces the evolution and variant forms of Kun, examining ancient sources—Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字), Longkan Shoujing (龍龕手鏡), Jiyun (集韻)—and epigraphic evidence such as the Konghe stele (孔龢碑). By analyzing the paleographic, phonetic, and philosophical dimensions of 巛 and 坤, we reveal insights into early Chinese cosmology and script standardization.
Keywords: Kun, 巛, 坤, I Ching, Shuowen Jiezi, paleography, Chinese characters, Yin-Yang, variant script