I Ching Hexagram 8 - Holding Together
Description and interpretations of I Ching (Yijing) hexagram 8 "Holding Together"
比 - Bǐ
Thủy Địa Tỷ
Holding Together
Upper Trigram: ☵ Kan, Water
Lower Trigram: ☷ Kun, Earth
Other Titles: Union, Unity, Grouping, Alliance, Co-ordination, Leadership, Merging (as with tributaries of a river), Seeking Union, Unification, Accord, Subservience, Individuation, Integration
English Translations & Interpretations
The Judgement
Wilhelm/Baynes: Holding Together brings good fortune. Inquire of the oracle once again whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance; then there is no blame. Those who are uncertain gradually join. Whoever comes too late meets with misfortune.
Legge: Holding Together indicates good fortune, but let the querent re-examine himself by divination whether his virtue is great, un-intermitting and firm. If so, there will be no error. Those who are ready will then join him, but those who delay will meet with misfortune.
Blofeld: Unity (or co-ordination). Good fortune! Further consultation of the oracle will provide an omen of great and lasting value. No error! Those whose hearts are troubled assemble. The laggards suffer disaster.
Liu: Union. Good fortune. The prediction for one attempting union should be greatness, continuation, and constancy; no blame. If one hesitates, then joins late: misfortune.
Shaughnessy: Alliance: auspicious. The original milfoil divination: prime; permanent determination is no trouble. The un-tranquil land comes; for the latter fellow inauspicious.
Cleary (1): Accord is auspicious. Investigating and ascertaining, if the basis is always right, there is no error: Then the uneasy will come; but the dilatory are unfortunate.
Cleary (2): Accord bodes well. Make sure the basis is always right, so that there will be no fault. Then the uneasy will come. Latecomers are unfortunate.
Wu: Subservience indicates auspiciousness. Seeking to confirm the intent and motivation of allegiance by divination is without fault. Those who seek peace can all come, but those who hesitate and come late will have ill fortune.
The Image
Wilhelm/Baynes: On the earth is water: the image of Holding Together. Thus the kings of antiquity bestowed the different states as fiefs and cultivated friendly relations with the feudal lords.
Legge: The image of the earth, and over it water, form Holding Together. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, established the various states and maintained an affectionate relation to their princes.
Blofeld: The hexagram symbolizes water lying upon the land -- co-ordination. The ancient rulers strengthened the realm by being on affectionate terms with the feudal lords.
Liu: Water over the earth symbolizes Union. The ancient kings established many states and were friendly with the feudal lords.
Ritsema/Karcher: Above earth possessing stream. Grouping. The Earlier Kings used installing myriad cities to connect the connoted feudatories.
Cleary (1): There is water on the earth, in accord. Thus did the kings of yore establish myriad realms and associate with their representatives.
Wu: There is water on the ground; this is Subservience. Thus the late kings founded the states and kept a personal relationship with all the princes.
Line 1
初 六 : 有 孚 比 之 , 无 咎 ． 有 孚 盈 缶 , 終 來 有 他 吉 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Hold to him in truth and loyalty; this is without blame. Truth, like a full earthen bowl: thus in the end good fortune comes from without.
Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject seeking by her sincerity to win the attachment of her object. There will be no error. Let the breast be full of sincerity as an earthenware vessel is of its contents, and it will in the end bring other advantages.
Blofeld: Where there is confidence, the work of unification is carried on faultlessly, for confidence is like a flowing bowl. There is a windfall yet to come.
Liu: Union with confidence. No blame. Full of confidence, like a bowl full of water. Good fortune in the end.
Shaughnessy: There is a return. Ally with him; there is no trouble. There is a return; fill the earthenware; when winter comes perhaps it will be harmful; auspicious.
Cleary (1): When there is truthfulness, accord is impeccable. When there is truthfulness filling a plain vessel, ultimately there will come other blessings.
Cleary (2): When there is truthfulness, accord with it is blameless. When there is truthfulness filling a plain vessel, when the end comes there is good fortune.
Wu: Having confidence in the person to whom support is given is without fault. Confidence can grow to fill one’s heart like water gradually filling empty earthenware. Eventually others may join to give their support. There will be good fortune.
Line 2
六 二 : 比 之 自 內 , 貞 吉 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Hold to him inwardly. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The second line, magnetic, shows the movement toward union and attachment proceeding from the inward mind. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Unification (or cooperation) should proceed from within our own circle. Righteous persistence will bring good fortune.
Liu: Union from within. Continuing brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Ally with him from within; determination is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Accord coming from within is correct and bodes well.
Cleary (2): Accord coming from within is auspicious if correct.
Wu: A desire to serve comes from within. With perseverance, there will be good fortune.
Line 3
六 三 : 比 之 匪 人 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: You hold together with the wrong people.
Legge: The third line, magnetic, shows its subject seeking for union with such as ought not to be associated with.
Blofeld: He joins himself with evil-doers.
Liu: Union with the wrong people. There will be sad results.
Shaughnessy: Ally with him the non-human.
Cleary (1): Accord with the wrong people.
Cleary (2): The wrong person to accord with.
If one is not balanced correctly, and one is in a position of minor authority but has no strong critical guidance, one is “the wrong person to accord with.” In Buddhist terms, this means the devil hasn’t a thought of good, and also that emotional opinions certainly do not accord with the way to enlightenment.
Wu: He associates himself with questionable characters.
Line 4
六 四 : 外 比 之 , 貞 吉 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: Hold to him outwardly also. Perseverance brings good fortune.
Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject seeking for union with the one beyond herself. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Blofeld: He co-operates with people beyond his immediate circle. Righteous persistence will bring good fortune.
Liu: Union outside. Continuing brings good fortune.
Shaughnessy: From outside ally with him; determination is auspicious.
Cleary (1): Accord with one outside is right and bodes well.
Cleary (2): According with the wise outside, correctness brings good results.
Wu: He gives his support to the exterior one. To be persevering will be auspicious.
Line 5
九 五 : 顯 比, 王 用 三 驅 .
Wilhelm/Baynes: Manifestation of Holding Together. In the hunt the king uses beaters on three sides only and foregoes game that runs off in front. The citizens need no warning. Good fortune.
Legge: The fifth line, dynamic, affords the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment. We see in it the king urging his pursuit of the game only in three directions, and allowing the escape of all the animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another to prevent it. There will be good fortune.
Blofeld: Relying on his people's co-operation, the King pursues game which is enclosed on three sides, but loses the quarry ahead. This is because the local people were not warned. (This would seem to suggest that our loss is not due to disloyalty but to having failed to take people into our confidence.) Righteous persistence brings good fortune.
Liu: Union with honor. The king hunts on three sides only, losing game through the front. The people are not afraid. Good fortune.
Shaughnessy: Lustrously ally. The king herewith thrice drives (the hunt) losing the front catch; the city men are not warned; auspicious.
Cleary (1): Manifesting accord. The king uses three chasers and loses the game ahead. The citizens are not admonished. Auspicious.
Cleary (2): Manifest accord … The local people are not warned, etc.
Wu: This line reveals the essence of allegiance. The king deploys a three-sided chase in his hunt, such that he allows the game in front of him to escape. The townspeople do not warn one another of the king’s doing. There will be auspiciousness.
Line 6
上 六 : 比 之 无 首 , 凶 ．
Wilhelm/Baynes: He finds no head for holding together. Misfortune.
Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows one seeking union and attachment without having taken the first step to such an end. There will be evil.
Blofeld: Attempts to bring about unity when there is no one at the head result in disaster. (This suggests a general lack of co-ordination due to poor leadership.)
Liu: Union without a leader. Misfortune.
Shaughnessy: The ally does not have a head: inauspicious.
Cleary: Accord without leadership bodes ill.
Wu: The association leads to nowhere. It will be foreboding.
Notes
For an in-depth glossary of I Ching, click here.
Hexagram 8 depicts a time of unity and leadership that promises success. The leadership requires wisdom, consistency, strength, and honest intentions.
Ask the I Ching again if you have the qualities necessary to be at the center of this group. If you feel you do not possess those qualities, you should seek another group to join.
The formation of a strong relationship requires absolute sincerity. This will bring unexpected good fortune.
Convene only with those who join you on their own accord. If you have missed the opportunity to unite with the right people, you will feel deep regret.
