Hexagram 38 睽 - KUÍ / OPPOSITION
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Trigrams#
- Above Lí, the Clinging, Fire
- Below Duì, the Joyous, Lake
The hexagram consists of the upper primary trigram Lí, the flame that burns upward, and the lower primary trigram Duì, the lake that seeps downward. These movements are in direct opposition to one another. Furthermore, Lí represents the second daughter and Duì the youngest daughter. Although they reside in the same house, they belong to different husbands; therefore, their wills do not align but are directed toward opposite goals.
The Judgment#
Opposition In small matters, good fortune!
When people live in opposition and estrangement, a great common undertaking cannot be executed because minds diverge too widely. Above all, one must not act abruptly, which would only sharpen the animosity; instead, one must limit oneself to gradual effects in small matters. Here, good fortune can still be expected, as the situation allows for a degree of mutual understanding without ruling it out entirely.
Opposition, which generally appears as an obstacle, also serves important and necessary functions as a polar contrast within a comprehensive whole.
The oppositions between heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and woman, bring about the creation and reproduction of life through their reconciliation. In the visible world of things, opposition enables differentiation into species, which brings order into the world.
The Image#
Above, fire; below, the lake: The image of Opposition. Thus amid all fellowship, the superior man retains his individuality.
Just as the two elements fire and water never mix even when together but retain their own natures, so the cultured person, despite social interaction and shared interests with people of different dispositions, will never allow himself to be corrupted. Amid all fellowship, he will always preserve his unique character.
The Lines#
Nine at the beginning means:#
Remorse disappears. If you lose your horse, do not run after it. It will return of its own accord. When you see evil people, guard against mistakes.
Even in times of opposition, one can act in such a way as to remain free from errors, causing remorse to disappear. When opposition begins, one must not try to force unity; this would only achieve the opposite, just as a horse moves further away if you chase it. If it is our horse, we can let it run freely: it will return on its own. Similarly, a person who belongs with us and temporarily distances themselves due to a misunderstanding will return of their own accord if left alone. On the other hand, caution is required when evil people who do not belong with us force themselves upon us, also due to a misunderstanding. Here, the rule is to avoid mistakes: do not attempt to remove them by force, which would only provoke open hostility, but simply tolerate them. They will eventually withdraw on their own.
Nine in the second place means:#
One meets his master in a narrow alley. No blame.
Due to misunderstandings, it is impossible for people who naturally belong together to meet in a strictly formal or correct manner. Therefore, a casual meeting under informal circumstances is acceptable, provided an inner alignment and affinity exists.
Six in the third place means:#
One sees the wagon dragged back, the oxen halted, the man’s hair and nose cut off. Not a good beginning, but a good end.
Sometimes it appears as if everything has conspired against you; progress is blocked and held back, and one finds oneself insulted and disfigured (cutting off the hair and nose was a severe, degrading punishment in ancient China). Yet one must not lose heart; despite these oppositions, one must hold fast to the person with whom one knows themselves to be aligned. Thus, despite the bad beginning, the end will ultimately be good.
Nine in the fourth place means:#
Isolated by opposition, one meets a like-minded companion with whom one can associate in sincerity. Despite danger, no blame.
Finding oneself in a society from which one is separated by an inner opposition leads to isolation. But if in such a situation one meets someone who, by their very nature, belongs to the same sphere and to whom full trust can be given, all dangers of isolation are overcome. Our will succeeds, and we remain free from blame.
Six in the fifth place means:#
Remorse disappears. The companion bites his way through the wrapping. If one goes to him, how could that be a mistake?
One finds a loyal person who was initially misjudged amid the general estrangement. But he bites his way through the separating wraps. For the person to whom this companion reveals his true nature, it is a duty to go to meet him and work together.
Nine at the top means:#
Isolated by opposition, one sees his companion as a pig covered with dirt, as a wagon full of devils. First one draws the bow against him, then one lays the bow aside. He is not a robber; he comes to court at the proper time. As one goes, rain falls; then comes good fortune.
Here, the isolation is caused by misunderstandings, rooted not in external circumstances but in internal states. One misjudges his best friends, holding them to be as unclean as a dirty pig and as dangerous as a wagon full of devils. One assumes a defensive posture. But finally, the error is recognized; the bow is laid aside, realizing that the other approaches with the best intentions for a close alliance. Thus the tension dissolves. The union resolves the opposition, just as falling rain relieves the sultry atmospheric tension before a thunderstorm. All ends well, because opposition turns into its exact opposite precisely at its peak.
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