Hexagram 45: Cuì (Gathering Together)
泽地萃 · 第 45 卦 · Lake over Earth · 中文版
The Judgment
In (the state denoted by) Cui, the king will repair to his ancestral temple. It will be advantageous (also) to meet with the great man; and then there will be progress and success, though the advantage must come through firm correctness. The use of great victims will conduce to good fortune; and in whatever direction movement is made, it will be advantageous.
萃：王假有庙，利见大人，亨，利贞。用大牲吉，利有攸往。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
Cui indicates (the condition of union, or) being collected. We have in it (the symbol of) docile obedience going on to (what is expressed by that of) satisfaction. There is the strong line in the central place, and rightly responded to. Hence comes the (idea of) union. 'The king will repair to his ancestral temple:' - with the utmost filial piety he presents his offerings (to the spirits of his ancestors). 'It will be advantageous to meet the great man, and there will then be prosperity and success:' - the union effected by him will be on and through what is correct. 'The, use of great victims will conduce to good fortune; and in whatsoever direction movement is made, it will be advantageous:' - all is done in accordance with the ordinances of Heaven. When we look at the way in which the gatherings (here shown) take place, the natural tendencies (in the outward action) of heaven and earth and of all things can be seen..
彖曰：萃，聚也；顺以说，刚中而应，故聚也。王假有庙，致孝享也。利见大人亨，聚以正也。用大牲吉，利有攸往，顺天命也。观其所聚，而天地万物之情可见矣！
The Great Image
(The trigram representing the) earth and that for the waters of a marsh raised above it form Cui. The superior man, in accordance with this, has his weapons of war put in good repair, to be prepared against unforeseen contingencies.
象曰：泽上于地，萃；君子以除戎器，戒不虞。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first SIX, divided, shows its subject with a sincere desire (for union), but unable to carry it out, so that disorder is brought into the sphere of his union. If he cry out (for help to his proper correlate), all at once (his tears) will give place to smiles. He need not mind (the temporary difficulty); as he goes forward, there will be no error.
'In consequence disorder is brought into the sphere of his union:' - his mind and aim are thrown into confusion.
In plain words: There is sincerity, but not to the end, so there is confusion and gathering; if one calls out, a single clasp of hands turns tears to laughter; do not worry; going on, there is no fault. The first line corresponds to the fourth but is distracted by the two yin lines between and grows confused; if it reaches out, they can come together. The Small Image says its mind is confused.
初六：有孚不终，乃乱乃萃，若号一握为笑，勿恤，往无咎。 象曰：乃乱乃萃，其志乱也。
Line 2 (second): The second SIX, divided, shows its subject led forward (by his correlate). There will be good fortune, and freedom from error. There is entire sincerity, and in that case (even the small offerings of) the vernal sacrifice are acceptable.
'He is led forward; there will be good fortune, and freedom from error:' - (the virtue proper to) his central place has not undergone any change.
In plain words: Drawn in: good fortune, no fault; with sincerity, even a simple offering is favourable. The second line is central and correct and corresponds to the fifth, which draws it in; sincerity matters more than rich offerings. The Small Image says its central heart has not changed.
六二：引吉，无咎，孚乃利用禴。 象曰：引吉无咎，中未变也。
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, shows its subject striving after union and seeming to sigh, yet nowhere finding any advantage. If he go forward, he will not err, though there may be some small cause for regret.
'If he go forward, he will not err:' - in the subject of the topmost line there is humility and condescension.
In plain words: Wanting to gather but sighing for want of company: nothing is gained; going on is no fault, only slight regret. The third line is neither central nor correct and has no partner above, so it can only attach itself to the top line. The Small Image says going on is without fault because the top line is willing to receive it.
六三：萃如，嗟如，无攸利，往无咎，小吝。 象曰：往无咎，上巽也。
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject in such a state that, if he be greatly fortunate, he will receive no blame.
'If he be grandly fortunate, he will receive no blame:' - (this condition is necessary, because) his position is not the one proper to him.
In plain words: Great good fortune is needed for there to be no fault. The fourth line is yang in a yin place, close to the ruler, yet the yin lines gather around it, a delicate position; only by achieving great good fortune does it stay free of fault. The Small Image says its position is not proper.
九四：大吉，无咎。 象曰：大吉无咎，位不当也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth NINE, undivided, shows the union (of all) under its subject in the place of dignity. There will be no error. If any do not have confidence in him, let him see to it that (his virtue) be great, long-continued, and firmly correct, and all occasion for repentance will disappear.
'There is the union (of all) under him in the place of dignity:' - (but) his mind and aim have not yet been brilliantly displayed.
In plain words: Gathering around the one in the place of honour: no fault. If some are not yet convinced, great goodness and lasting steadfastness make regret vanish. The fifth line is central and correct in the place of honour, the ruler of the hexagram, but the fourth line draws some hearts away. The Small Image says its aims are not yet shining.
九五：萃有位，无咎。匪孚，元永贞，悔亡。 象曰：萃有位，志未光也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject sighing and weeping; but there will be no error.
'He sighs and weeps:' - he does not yet rest in his topmost position.
In plain words: Sighing and weeping, tears and snot flowing: no fault. The top line is at the end of gathering, alone and without support, wanting to gather but unable; but it grieves and reflects, so there is no fault. The Small Image says it is not yet at peace at the top.
上六：赍咨涕洟，无咎。 象曰：赍咨涕洟，未安上也。
Line positions
3 of the six lines stand in their proper place (strong lines in odd places, weak lines in even places).
The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; being one strong and one weak, they correspond, and both are also in their proper places.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 2 pairs are made of one strong and one weak line.
| Line | Proper place | Central | Corresponds with |
|---|---|---|---|
| top (weak) | yes | — | 3rd line: no |
| 5th (strong) | yes | yes | 2nd line: yes |
| 4th (strong) | — | — | 1st line: yes |
| 3rd (weak) | — | — | top line: no |
| 2nd (weak) | yes | yes | 5th line: yes |
| 1st (weak) | — | — | 4th line: yes |
Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.
These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.
Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces
Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Dui palace runs: Duì (head), Kùn (1st change), Cuì (2nd change), Xián (3rd change), Jiǎn (4th change), Qiān (5th change), Xiǎo Guò (wandering soul), Guī Mèi (returning soul).
A recorded case from Takashima
Cui to Kun: needing someone to open the door: A friend asked about his fortunes and received the second line of Cui, "being drawn forward brings good fortune; with sincerity even a small offering serves". Takashima said his plans needed someone to draw him forward; that person was the fifth line, which answers the second, but the third and fourth lines stood in between, so he should make offerings and pray for help.
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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.