Hexagram 45 萃 - CUÌ / GATHERING TOGETHER
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Trigrams#
- Above: Dui, the Joyous, the Lake
- Below: Kun, the Receptive, the Earth
This hexagram is closely related in both form and meaning to Bi, Holding Together (No. 8). While Bi features water over the earth, here we find a lake over the earth. Because a lake is a natural gathering point for water, the concept of gathering is expressed even more powerfully here. This core idea is also evident structurally: here, two strong lines in the fourth and fifth positions bring about the gathering, whereas in the eighth hexagram, only a single strong line stands in the fifth position among the weak ones.
The Judgment#
Gathering Together. Success. The king approaches his temple. It is furtherance to see the great man. This brings success. Perseverance furthers. To bring great offerings creates good fortune. It is furtherance to undertake something.
The gathering of people into larger communities is either natural, as seen within the family, or artificial, as seen within the state. The family gathers around the father as its head. This gathering is extended and sustained through ancestral sacrifices, where the entire clan comes together. Through the collective devotion of the living, the spirit of the ancestors becomes concentrated, preventing it from scattering and dissolving.
To gather humanity together, powerful religious forces are essential. However, a human leader must also serve as the central axis of this gathering. To unite others, this central figure must first be innerly centered and collected. Only through gathered moral strength can the world be brought into harmony. Such grand eras of unification inevitably leave great works behind, which is the deeper meaning of offering great sacrifices. Even in the secular realm, times of gathering demand the undertaking of great achievements.
The Image#
The lake is above the earth: The image of Gathering Together. Thus the superior man renews his weapons To meet the unforeseen.
When water accumulates in a lake until it rises high above the earth, there is a constant threat of a breach. Precautions must be taken. Similarly, when people gather in large numbers, conflict easily arises; where wealth accumulates, theft easily occurs. Therefore, during times of gathering, one must prepare and arm oneself early to ward off unexpected dangers. Most human suffering comes from unexpected events for which one is unprepared. If one is ready, misfortune can be prevented.
The Lines#
Six at the beginning means:#
If you are sincere, but not to the end, There will be now confusion, now gathering. If you call out, After one grasp of the hand you can laugh again. Regret nothing. Going forward is without blame.
The situation here involves someone who wishes to gather around a leader they look up to. However, they find themselves surrounded by a large crowd whose influence causes them to waver in their resolve. As a result, they lack a firm center for their allegiance. If they express this distress and call for help, a single gesture or grasp from the leader is enough to dispel all trouble. One must not allow themselves to be led astray. Aligning with that leader is entirely the right course of action.
Six in the second place means:#
Allowing oneself to be drawn brings good fortune and remains without blame. If one is sincere, It is also furtherance to bring a small offering.
During times of gathering, one should not choose their path arbitrarily. Secret, subtle forces are at work, bringing together people who naturally belong together. One must yield to this natural attraction, and no mistake will be made. Where genuine inner connections exist, grand preparations and formal rules are unnecessary. People understand each other immediately, just as the divine forces graciously accept even a small offering when it comes directly from the heart.
Six in the third place means:#
Gathering together amid sighs. Nothing that furthers. Going forward is without blame. Slight humiliation.
One often feels a strong need to join a group, but everyone else in the vicinity has already formed close bonds, leaving one isolated. The entire situation proves to be untenable. In such a case, one must choose progress and resolutely align with a person who stands closer to the center of the gathering, someone who can introduce them into the closed circle. This is not a mistake, even if it initially places one in the somewhat humiliating position of an outsider.
Nine in the fourth place means:#
Great good fortune! No blame.
This line describes a person who gathers people together on behalf of their ruler. Because they do not seek personal advantage but instead work selflessly for the common unity, their efforts are crowned with success, and everything turns out right.
Nine in the fifth place means:#
If one has the position that gathers, That brings no blame. If some are not yet sincerely joined, Sublime and enduring perseverance is needed, Then remorse disappears.
When people naturally gather around someone without that person seeking it out, it is an excellent thing. It grants a certain influence that can be thoroughly useful. However, this also introduces the possibility that some will gather around not out of genuine inner trust, but simply because of the influential position. This is certainly regrettable. The only remedy against such opportunistic people is to win their trust through increased, unswerving devotion to duty and constancy. Through this, secret mistrust is gradually overcome, and any cause for regret disappears.
Six at the top means:#
Lamenting and sighing, floods of tears. No blame.
It can happen that one genuinely wishes to join the community but their good intentions are misunderstood. This brings sadness and lamentation. Yet, this is the right path. For through this expression of grief, the other party may come to a point of self-reflection, allowing the seeker to finally achieve the connection they so painfully missed.
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