All hexagrams · ← 7 · 9 →
比 8 · Bǐ · Holding Together
Water over Earth — upper Kǎn 坎 (deep, dangerous, flowing); lower Kūn 坤 (receptive, yielding, nourishing)
Hexagram 8, Holding Together (Bǐ, 比), is Water over Earth. Water over earth. Alliance around a centre. Ask whether you are ready to hold the centre, or ready to join one.
The situation
Water over earth. Alliance around a centre. Ask whether you are ready to hold the centre, or ready to join one.
The counsel
Join early and sincerely. Latecomers to a true union find the door closed.
The six lines
Line 1 — Sincere bonding. Unexpected good comes.
Line 2 — Union from within. Right.
Line 3 — Bonding with the wrong people. Look again.
Line 4 — Loyalty shown outwardly to the worthy. Right.
Line 5 — Visible union. Hunt from three sides and let some go; do not coerce.
Line 6 — A union with no head. Misfortune.