Hexagram 8

比 Bǐ

Holding Together

☵ Water above ☷ Earth

Judgment 卦辭

吉。原筮元永貞。无咎。不寧方來。後夫凶。

比bǐbelonging, affiliation, association; join, unite
吉jípromising, fortunate, hopeful, auspicious
原yuánif, for a, an, the early, first, original, natural
筮shìdivining, consultation, oracle, inquiry
元yuánfirst-rate, supreme, fundamental, essential
永yǒnglasting, enduring, sustained, continued
貞zhēnpersistence, resolve, loyalty, commitment
無wúno; not; nothing; without, with no
咎jiùblame; wrong; a mistake, an error
不bùlacking, wanting; without, with no; if less
寧níngpeace, tranquility, serenity, rest, settledness
方fāngdirectly, promptly, honestly, squarely
來láiapproach, come forward
後hòuit is the tardy, late; to come, in coming
夫fūwho; ones who; are the ones
凶xiōngis, are unhappy, unfortunate, unlucky

Commentary

Good fortune through union. But ask yourself honestly: do you have the constancy this requires? Those unsure will gradually join. Those who arrive too late meet misfortune—the group has already formed without them.

Classical Text

䷇比卦坤下坎上 比，吉，原筮，元永貞，无咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。

Hexagram 8, Bi (Alliance). Kun below, Kan above. Alliance. Auspicious. Investigate through divination: a Sublime Beginning, perpetual Correctness, and there will be no blame. Those who are not at peace come from all quarters. The one who arrives late meets misfortune.

Image 象

地上有水，比。先王以建萬國，親諸侯。

Water on earth—it fills every hollow and clings fast. Ancient kings understood this: they established states and cultivated relationships because power requires alliance. Isolation is weakness.

Lines 爻辭

1

有孚比之無咎有孚盈缶終來有他吉

有yǒuhave, find; remember to
孚fútrue, sincere; confidence; trust
比bǐin belonging, joining, uniting with, to
之zhīthis, them, these
無wúno, not a; nothing
咎jiùerror, mistakes; wrong; make mistake
有yǒubeing, holding, staying; having, finding
孚fútrue, sincere, confident, assured; truth
盈yíngreplenishes, fills up, overflows, more than fills
缶fǒuthe, this earthen, plain clay vessel, bowl
終zhōngthe, this end, outcome, completion, whole
來láiwill come, arrive, appear, approach
有yǒuholding, having, with; to hold, have
他tāadditional, added, extra, even more, other
吉jípromise, hope, good luck, happiness

Hold to the center with truth and loyalty—no blame in this. Sincerity like a full earthen bowl, nothing held back. From this foundation, good fortune comes from unexpected directions.

Classical commentary

初六，有孚比之，无咎。有孚盈缶，終來，有它吉。

Initial Six. When there is sincerity in the alliance, there is no blame. When sincerity fills the earthen vessel, in the end others come—there is good fortune from elsewhere.

2

比之自內貞吉

比bǐbelong, affiliate, associate, join with
之zhīthis, them, these, such
自zìcomes from; begins, starts, originates from
內nèiwithin, inside
貞zhēnpersistence, resolve, loyalty, commitment
吉jípromising, auspicious, hopeful

Hold to the center from within. This means responding correctly to what's asked of you, not seeking to be noticed. Inner connection persevered brings good fortune.

Classical commentary

六二，比之自內，貞吉。

Six in the Second. The alliance comes from within. Correctness brings good fortune.

3

比之匪人

比bǐbelong, affiliate, associate, join with, to
之zhīthis, them, these, such
匪fěian inferior, bad, negative, wrong
人rénpeople, group; person, individual, crowd

You're holding together with the wrong people. They don't belong to your sphere. Beware of false intimacy—proximity doesn't create genuine alliance.

Classical commentary

六三，比之匪人。

Six in the Third. One allies with the wrong people.

4

外比之貞吉

外wàioutward, external, openly, on the outside
比bǐbelong, affiliate, associate, joining with
之zhīthis, them, these
貞zhēnpersistence, resolve, loyalty, commitment
吉jípromising, auspicious, hopeful

Now hold outwardly as well—make the connection visible and public. The relationship with the center is established; loyalty can be openly shown. Perseverance brings good fortune.

Classical commentary

六四，外比之，貞吉。

Six in the Fourth. The alliance is formed externally. Correctness brings good fortune.

5

顯比王用三驅失前禽邑人不誡吉

顯xiǎnevident, exemplified, illustrated, manifest
比bǐbelonging, affiliation, association
王wángthe sovereign, ruler, king
用yòngemploys, uses, makes use of, works with
三sānonly three
驅qūmounted game flushers, chasers, drivers
失shīforgoing, giving up, letting go of
前qiánthe leading, advance, foremost, forward/first
禽qínof the quarry, game, prey; birds, animals
邑yìthe, his town's, community's, district's
人rénpeople, population, inhabitants, citizens
不bùare not, will not be; free of, from; -ion
誡jiècoerced, enjoined, conscripted, compelled
吉jípromising, auspicious, hopeful

The king hunts using beaters on three sides only—game that escapes in front is allowed to go. This is holding together through freedom, not force. Those who come, come willingly. No warnings needed.

Classical commentary

九五，顯比。王用三驅，失前禽。邑人不誡，吉。

Nine in the Fifth. Alliance made manifest. The king employs the three-beaters hunt and lets the forward-fleeing game escape. The people of the domain need no warning. Auspicious.

6

比之無首凶

比bǐjoining with
之zhīthis, them, these
無wúwithout, with no, regardless of
首shǒupriorities, leadership, first principles, head
凶xiōngunfortunate, ill-omened; trouble, pitfalls

No head for holding together. If the beginning was wrong, no right ending is possible. The moment to join has passed. Misfortune.

Classical commentary

上六，比之无首，凶。

Top Six. Alliance without a head. Misfortune.