Hexagram 30: The Clinging Fire → Hexagram 31: Influence

The Clinging Fire
Fire / Fire
Influence
Lake / Mountain
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

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

Line 1

初九 履錯然。敬之。无咎。

taking steps
cuòmixed up
ránbut so
jìngto respect
zhīfor
and no
jiùblame

Nine at the beginning means: The footprints run crisscross. If one is seriously intent, no blame.

Line 5

六五 出涕沱若。戚嗟若。吉。

chūissuing
tears
tuórunning water
ruòlike
grief
jiēand lament
ruòsuch
promising

Six in the fifth place means: Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting. Good fortune.

Line 6

上九 王用出征。有嘉。折首。獲匪其醜。无咎。

wángthe sovereign
yònguses
chūissues
zhēngto expedite
yǒuthere are
jiācommendations
zhéand severed
shǒuheads
huòthe captives
fěiare not
of
chǒucategory
no
jiùblame

Nine at the top means: The king uses him to march forth and chastise. Then it is best to kill the leaders And take captive the followers. No blame.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramFire LakeThe Clinging → The Joyous
Lower TrigramFire MountainThe Clinging → Keeping Still

Yilin Verse

昧暮乘車,東至伯家,踰梁越河,濟脫無他。

At dusk and nightfall, mounting the carriage; traveling east to the elder's house. Crossing beams, fording the river; safely delivered without mishap.

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

Commentary

Doubled fire meets the lake upon the mountain: brilliance discovers mutual resonance. In the dim twilight, one boards a carriage and travels east to the elder's house. Crossing bridges and fording rivers, one arrives safely without mishap. The verse describes a journey undertaken at dusk — a moment of vulnerability — yet completed successfully through trust and momentum. Traveling to the 'elder's house' (bo jia) suggests seeking counsel or alliance with a respected figure. From The Clinging to Influence, fire's active clarity meets the lake resting upon the mountain in the image of mutual attraction. The journey through darkness succeeds because both parties are drawn toward connection, the traveler and the host resonating like the mountain and lake that share their moisture.

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