Line 1 Yin
Sincerity fills a plain earthen jar: begin the bond with honesty.
← The 64 hexagrams
HEXAGRAM 08 · Bǐ
Joining Together
Joining together needs sincerity and a trustworthy center.
☵ Above: Kan · Water☷ Below: Kun · Earth
Meaning
Water meeting earth suggests mutual support. Examine the character of an alliance before joining; willing participation matters more than compelled attachment.
FOR REFLECTION
What joins you to this group beyond a wish to be accepted?
The six lines
Read from line 1 at the bottom to line 6 at the top. These are paraphrases, not verbatim translations.
Line 2 Yin
Join from inner conviction, keeping integrity rather than losing yourself.
Line 3 Yin
An alliance with unsuitable people calls for reconsidering whom you rely on.
Line 4 Yin
Reach outward toward worthy company while remaining grounded in principle.
Line 5 Yang
The hunt leaves one side open: a gathering allows others to leave freely.
Line 6 Yin
A bond without a beginning or center cannot find a sound conclusion.
References
Classical Zhouyi · 比James Legge, The Yî King (1882), Sacred Books of the East XVI, hexagram 8
Editorial policy & bibliography →For reference and reflection. This commentary makes no certain claim about the future.