Historically, there was a custom of tattooing the chests of adults. This is why this kanji came to mean ‘pattern’ and, by extension, ‘character’.
pattern(文)
capital(京)
lead-er(率)
This kanji depicts wet threads being wrung out to dry. This action of squeezing and transforming things is why the kanji came to mean ‘to lead’ as a verb and ‘leader’ as a noun—someone with the great power to change a difficult situation.
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black(玄)
In this character, you can see a rope coiled up underneath a table. This figure directly depicts that hidden situation. Therefore, this kanji carries the meaning of ‘HIDDEN,’ ‘CAN’T SEE CLEARLY,’ or ‘BLACK’ in Japanese.