Hexagram 30 離 - Lí / The Clinging, Fire
䷝
Trigrams#
- Above: Lí, the Clinging, Fire
- Below: Lí, the Clinging, Fire
This hexagram is also a double sign. The primary trigram, Lí, means to cling to something, to be conditioned, to depend on something, or to manifest clarity. A dark line clings to bright lines both above and below, creating the image of an empty space between two strong lines, which makes them bright. It represents the middle daughter. The Creative has incorporated the central line of the Receptive, giving rise to Lí. As an image, it represents fire. Fire has no fixed form; it clings to burning objects to radiate light. Just as water descends from heaven, fire flames upward from the earth. While Kǎn represents the soul enclosed within the body, Lí signifies nature in its transfiguration.
The Judgment#
The Clinging. Perseverance brings success. It yields good fortune. Care of the cow brings good fortune.
The dark clings to the light, thereby completing its clarity. As the light radiates brightness, it requires something enduring within so that it does not consume itself entirely but can shine continuously. Everything luminous in the world depends on something to which it clings to sustain its radiance.
Thus, the sun and moon cling to the sky; grain, grass, and trees cling to the earth. In the same way, the double clarity of the dedicated leader clings to what is right, enabling him to shape the world. When a person, who stands in the world as a dependent and conditioned being, recognizes this limitation and aligns himself with the harmonious and constructive forces of the universe, he achieves success. The cow is the symbol of ultimate docility. By cultivating this docility and voluntary dependence within himself, a person attains clarity without sharpness and finds his true place in the world.
It is a remarkable coincidence, worthy of note, that here, just as in the Zoroastrian religion, fire and the care of the cow are closely linked.
The Image#
Brightness rises twice: The image of fire.
Thus, the great man, by perpetuating this brightness, illuminates the four quarters of the world. Each of the two component trigrams represents the sun in its daily course. This depicts the repeated activity of the sun, indicating the continuous, temporal influence of light. The great man carries forward the work of nature within the human world. Through the clarity of his being, he ensures that light spreads further and further, profoundly penetrating human nature from within.
The Moving Lines#
Nine at the beginning means:#
The footprints run in all directions. If one is serious and mindful: no blame.
It is early morning, and work begins. After the soul has been closed off from the outside world during sleep, its connections to the world resume. The tracks of impressions run in every direction, and a hurried busyness prevails. At this moment, it is vital to preserve inner composure and not be swept away by the bustle of life. If one remains serious and collected, one gains the clarity needed to handle the numerous impressions rushing in. This composed seriousness is particularly important at the very beginning, for the start contains the seeds of everything that follows.
Six in the second place means:#
Yellow light. Supreme good fortune.
The midday of the day is reached. The sun shines with a yellow light. Yellow is the color of the center and of moderation. A yellow light is therefore the image of perfect culture and art, whose highest harmony lies in moderation.
Nine in the third place means:#
In the light of the setting sun, people either beat the pot and sing, or they sigh loudly over approaching old age. Misfortune.
Here is the end of the day. The light of the setting sun reminds us of the conditioned and transient nature of life. Faced with this external lack of freedom, people often become internally unfree as well. For some, transience serves as an incentive for unrestrained revelry to enjoy life while it lasts; others allow themselves to be carried away by sorrow, spoiling their precious time by lamenting approaching old age. Both approaches are harmful. To the superior man, an early or late death makes no difference. He cultivates his character, awaits his lot, and thereby secures his destiny.
Nine in the fourth place means:#
Its coming is sudden; it flares up, dies down, is thrown away.
The clarity of the intellect relates to life as fire does to wood. Fire clings to wood, but it also consumes it. Intellectual clarity is rooted in life, but it can also destroy it. It all depends on how it operates. Here, the image of a meteor or a straw fire is drawn. An excited, restless character achieves a rapid rise, but lasting effects are missing. Under these circumstances, it is harmful to spend oneself too quickly and consume oneself like a meteor.
Six in the fifth place means:#
Weeping in streams, sighing and lamenting. Good fortune.
Here is the peak of life. Without a warning, one would consume oneself like a flame in this position. If, instead, one abandons fear and hope, recognizes the emptiness of everything, and weeps and sighs out of concern to maintain clarity, good fortune emerges from this sorrow. This represents a genuine internal conversion, unlike the passing mood found in the nine in the third place.
Nine at the top means:#
The king uses him to march forth and punish. It is best then to eliminate the leaders and capture the followers. No blame.
The purpose of punishment is to establish discipline, not to mete out blind retribution. The goal is to cure the evil at its root. In governance, this means removing the ringleaders while sparing the followers. In self-cultivation, it means eradicating bad habits while tolerating harmless ones. Excessive asceticism, like overly harsh punishments, fails to achieve success.
Reference links#
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