I Ching hexagram · 8 of 64
Hexagram 8: Holding Together 比 Bǐ · Union, alliance, belonging
Union. Join with the right people and build mutual trust. Holding together brings good fortune. Consult the oracle again to see whether you have greatness, constancy and perseverance; then there is no blame. The uncertain gradually join. Those who come too late meet misfortune.
- Upper: ☵ Water
- Lower: ☷ Earth
- Nuclear: 23
- Opposite: 14
Number
8 of 64
Chinese name
比 Bǐ
Upper trigram
☵ Water
Lower trigram
☷ Earth
Nuclear hexagram
䷖ 23. Splitting Apart
Opposite hexagram
䷍ 14. Great Possession
What hexagram 8 means
Hexagram 8 shows water on the surface of the earth, flowing together into one. It is about union, alliance and belonging, and about the person at the centre who holds a group together.
Now is the time to join with others or to bring people together. Check that your motives are sound and act in good time: those who hesitate too long miss the chance to belong.
The Judgement · 卦辞
比：吉。原筮元永贞，无咎。不宁方来，后夫凶。
Holding together brings good fortune. Consult the oracle again to see whether you have greatness, constancy and perseverance; then there is no blame. The uncertain gradually join. Those who come too late meet misfortune.
The Image · 象曰
地上有水，比；先王以建万国，亲诸侯。
Water on the earth: the image of holding together. The ancient kings founded many states and kept close ties with their princes.
The lines and trigrams
Holding Together places ☵ Water (坎 Kǎn), the trigram of danger and depth, above ☷ Earth (坤 Kūn), the trigram of receptivity and devotion. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 8 in your life
Love and relationships
A time for commitment and closeness. Join with someone who shares your values, and don't wait too long to show where you stand.
Personal growth
Belonging starts with being reliable. Look at who you are joined to, and whether those bonds bring out the best in you.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 8 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
Hold to others sincerely; no blame. Sincerity, like a full jug, attracts good fortune from unexpected places.
Line 2 六二 · Six in the second place
Holding together from within. Stay true to yourself while you join with others: good fortune.
Line 3 六三 · Six in the third place
Holding together with the wrong people. Be friendly, but don't commit yourself to those who don't share your values.
Line 4 六四 · Six in the fourth place
Holding together openly with a worthy leader. Loyalty to the right person brings good fortune.
Line 5 九五 · Nine in the fifth place
Open, generous union. Like a king who lets the game escape on one side, attract people freely and never force them.
Line 6 上六 · Six at the top
Holding together without a head. Missing the moment to commit leaves you isolated: misfortune.
Hexagram 8 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 8 mean?
Hexagram 8, Holding Together (比 Bǐ), is about union, alliance, belonging. Union. Join with the right people and build mutual trust. Hexagram 8 shows water on the surface of the earth, flowing together into one. It is about union, alliance and belonging, and about the person at the centre who holds a group together.
What does hexagram 8 mean in love?
A time for commitment and closeness. Join with someone who shares your values, and don't wait too long to show where you stand.
What does hexagram 8 mean for work and money?
Build alliances, join a team or community, or become the person others gather around. Partnerships formed now can last.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 8?
Hexagram 8 has Water (Kǎn) as its upper trigram and Earth (Kūn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 8?
Its nuclear hexagram is 23, Splitting Apart. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 14, Great Possession. Turned upside down it becomes 7, The Army.
All 64 hexagrams
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