Hexagram 58: Duì (The Joyous Lake)
兑为泽 · 第 58 卦 · Lake over Lake · 中文版
The Judgment
Dui intimates that (under its conditions) there will be progress and attainment. (But) it will be advantageous to be firm and correct.
兑：亨，利贞。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
Dui has the meaning of pleased satisfaction. (We have) the strong (lines) in the centre, and the weak (lines) on the outer edge (of the two trigrams), (indicating that) in pleasure what is most advantageous is the maintenance of firm correctness. Through this there will be found an accordance with (the will of) heaven, and a correspondence with (the feelings of) men. When (such) pleasure goes before the people, (and leads them on), they forget their toils; when it animates them in encountering difficulties, they forget (the risk of) death. How great is (the power of) this pleased satisfaction, stimulating in such a way the people!
彖曰：兑，说也。刚中而柔外，说以利贞，是以顺乎天而应乎人。说以先民，民忘其劳；说以犯难，民忘其死；说之大，民劝矣哉！
The Great Image
(Two symbols representing) the waters of a marsh, one over the other, form Dui. The superior man, in accordance with this, (encourages) the conversation of friends and (the stimulus of) their (common) practice.
象曰：丽泽，兑；君子以朋友讲习。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure of (inward) harmony. There will be good fortune.
'The good fortune attached to the pleasure of (inward) harmony' arises from there being nothing in the conduct (of the subject of the line) to awaken doubt.
In plain words: Joy in harmony: good fortune. The hexagram stands for joy and pleasantness. The first line is strong at the bottom with no partner above; free of self-interest, it is friendly without flattering. The Small Image says its conduct gives no cause for doubt.
初九：和兑，吉。 象曰：和兑之吉，行未疑也。
Line 2 (second): The second NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure arising from (inward) sincerity. There will be good fortune. Occasion for repentance will disappear.
'The good fortune attached to the pleasure arising from (inward sincerity)' is due to the confidence felt in the object (of the subject of the line).
In plain words: Joy in good faith: good fortune, regret vanishes. The second line is strong and central; though right next to the people-pleasing third line, it holds to good faith and is not led astray. The Small Image says its aims are trustworthy.
九二：孚兑，吉，悔亡。 象曰：孚兑之吉，信志也。
Line 3 (third): The third SIX, divided, shows its subject bringing round himself whatever can give pleasure. There will be evil.
'The evil predicated of one's bringing around himself whatever can give pleasure' is shown by the inappropriateness of the place (of the line).
In plain words: Coming to seek joy: misfortune. The third line is weak, neither central nor correct, at the top of the lower trigram of joy, going out of its way to please. The Small Image says its position is improper.
六三：来兑，凶。 象曰：来兑之凶，位不当也。
Line 4 (fourth): The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject deliberating about what to seek his pleasure in, and not at rest. He borders on what would be injurious, but there will be cause for joy.
'The joy in connexion with (the subject of) the fourth NINE, (undivided): is due to the happiness (which he will produce).
In plain words: Weighing one joy against another, not at peace; if one shuts out the harm of petty people, there is joy. "The harm" stands for petty people like the third line. The fourth line serves the fifth above and is next to the third below, and wavers between them; if it stays upright and keeps away from the petty, there is joy. The Small Image says its joy is cause for celebration.
九四：商兑，未宁，介疾有喜。 象曰：九四之喜，有庆也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject trusting in one who would injure him. The situation is perilous.
'He trusts in one who would injure him:' - his place is that which is correct and appropriate.
In plain words: Trusting what wears one away: danger. What wears away is the top line, a petty person who flatters and erodes strength. The fifth line is central and correct in the place of honour but next to the top line, and can be dazzled by flattery. The Small Image says this is because its position is right: high rank calls for more caution.
九五：孚于剥，有厉。 象曰：孚于剥，位正当也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost SIX, divided, shows the pleasure of its subject in leading and attracting others.
'The topmost SIX, (divided), shows the pleasure (of its subject) in leading and attracting others:' - his (virtue) is not yet brilliant.
In plain words: Luring others into joy. The top line is at the far end of joy, a petty person who pleases by softness and lures the fifth line. The Small Image says it is not yet bright.
上六：引兑。 象曰：上六引兑，未光也。
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; both are strong, so they do not correspond.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 0 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: no |
| 4th (strong) | — | — | 1st line: no |
| 3rd (weak) | — | — | top line: no |
| 2nd (strong) | — | yes | 5th line: no |
| 1st (strong) | yes | — | 4th line: no |
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
Dui to Kun (Oppression): working it out together: A friend asked whether a plan would succeed and received the first line of Dui, "harmonious joy; good fortune". Takashima said the matter was just beginning; "harmony" meant being of one mind and pulling together; the first line answers the fourth, whose text speaks of "deliberating", which fits planning exactly. It would succeed, with more good things after.
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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.