萃 → 兌

Commentary

Lake upon earth gives way to doubled lake, the shared joy of the Joyous. Ji, wearing her ceremonial cap, stands at the gate arguing with Bo. The neighbor's dog is lost, and they suspect the household of hiding it. Quarrels flare up and forget their cause, severing what once brought joy. The verse dramatizes how trivial disputes destroy communal bonds: a marital argument at the doorway, a neighbor's lost dog sparking mutual suspicion, escalation that obliterates the original source of happiness. From Gathering to the Joyous, the irony is that doubled lakes should mean friends teaching and learning together, yet here the doubled reflection only mirrors each party's grievance. Joy requires trust, and when the gathered community turns accusatory, the lakes poison each other instead of refreshing.