同人

Hexagram 29: The Abysmal Water → Hexagram 13: Fellowship

The Abysmal Water
Water / Water
同人
Fellowship
Heaven / Fire
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6).

Line 1

初六 習坎。入于坎窞。凶。

twice
kǎnexposed
entering
into
kǎnthe pit's
dànhidden
xiōngominous

Six at the beginning means: Repetition of the Abysmal. In the abyss one falls into a pit. Misfortune.

Line 2

九二 坎有險。求小得。

kǎnthe pit
yǒuhas
xiǎnrisk
qiúseek
xiǎosmall
gains

Nine in the second place means: The abyss is dangerous. One should strive to attain small things only.

Line 3

六三 來之坎坎。險且枕。入于坎窞。勿用。

láicoming
zhīand going
kǎnpit
kǎnafter pit
xiǎnthe narrow ledge
qiěis
zhěna resting place to rest
to enter
into
kǎnthe canyon's
dànhidden
is
yònguseful

Six in the third place means: Forward and backward, abyss on abyss. In danger like this, pause at first and wait, Otherwise you will fall into a pit in the abyss. Do not act this way.

Line 4

六四 樽酒簋貳。用缶。納約自牖。終无咎。

zūna jug
jiǔof wine
guǐa simple bamboo basket
èror two
yòngand utensils
fǒuof clay
handed
yuēsimply
through
yǒuthe window
zhōngin the end
no
jiùblame

Six in the fourth place means: A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it; Earthen vessels Simply handed in through the Window. There is certainly no blame in this.

Line 6

上六 係用徽纆。寘于叢棘。三歲不得。凶。

bound
yòngwith
huībraided
and stranded
zhìand put aside
in
cónga thicket
thorny brambles
sānfor three
suìyears
of no
gain
xiōngis unfortunate

Six at the top means: Bound with cords and ropes, Shut in between thorn-hedged prison walls: For three years one does not find the way. Misfortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramWater HeavenThe Deep → The Creative
Lower TrigramWater FireThe Deep → The Clinging

Yilin Verse

束帛玄圭,君以布德。伊呂百里,應聘輔國。

Bundled silk and dark jade tablets; the lord spreads his virtue thereby. Yi Yin, Lu Shang, Baili Xi -- answering the summons, they aided the state.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Water upon water, peril opens the way for worthy ministers. Bundles of silk and dark jade tablets are sent forth — the ceremonial gifts by which a ruler spreads virtue and summons talent. Yi Yin, Lu Shang, and Baili Xi all answered such calls, rising from obscurity to serve as pillars of state. The verse names the three archetypes of the recruited sage-minister: the cook, the fisherman, and the slave bought for five ram skins. From The Abysmal to Fellowship, water's danger transforms into fire under heaven, illuminating shared purpose. A ruler who sends gifts of sincerity attracts worthy companions, and Fellowship's image — classifying by kind — finds its human expression in recognizing talent across barriers of class.

The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store

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