比
“Grouping” — King Wen #8
Holding together. People unite around a trusted center; choose your alliances early and clearly.
The Judgment 卦辞
吉。原筮，元永貞，無咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。
Bi indicates that (under the conditions which it supposes) there is good fortune. But let (the principal party intended in it) re-examine himself, (as if) by divination, whether his virtue be great, unintermitting, and firm. If it be so, there will be no error. Those who have not rest will then come to him; and with those who are (too) late in coming it will be ill.— The I Ching, trans. James Legge, 1899 (public domain)1
The Six Lines 爻辞
有孚比之，無咎；有孚盈缶，終來有它，吉。
The first SIX, divided, shows its subject seeking by his sincerity to win the attachment of his object. There will be no error. Let (the breast) be full of sincerity as an earthenware vessel is of its contents, and it will in the end bring other advantages.
比之自內，貞吉。
In the second SIX, divided, we see the movement towards union and attachment proceeding from the inward (mind). With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
比之匪人。
In the third SIX, divided, we see its subject seeking for union with such as ought not to be associated with.
外比之，貞吉。
In the fourth SIX, divided, we see its subject seeking for union with the one beyond himself. With firm correctness there will be good fortune.
顯比；王用三驅，失前禽。邑人不誡，吉。
The fifth NINE, undivided, affords the most illustrious instance of seeking union and attachment. (We seem to see in it) the king urging his pursuit of the game (only) in three directions, and allowing the escape of all the animals before him, while the people of his towns do not warn one another (to prevent it). There will be good fortune.
比之無首，凶。
In the topmost SIX, divided, we see one seeking union and attachment without having taken the first step (to such an end). There will be evil.
Reading the Picture
Hexagram 8 places earth (坤) beneath water (坎) —receptive ground holding all things below, water finding its way through hard gaps above. This is why the tradition reads it as “Grouping”:holding together. People unite around a trusted center; choose your alliances early and clearly Whenever you cast this figure, the classical reading points back to that turning of forces.
Questions About Hexagram 8
What does 比 (bǐ) mean?
Hexagram 8 of the I Ching is named 比 (bǐ), usually rendered "Grouping" in English editions. Its figure pairs earth (坤) below with water (坎) above.
Which trigrams form hexagram 8?
坎 (Water) sits above and 坤 (Earth) sits below — the classical picture is receptive ground holding all things beneath water finding its way through hard gaps.
How is hexagram 8 related to the other hexagrams?
Changing every line of hexagram 8 gives hexagram 14 — 大有 (Great Possessing). Turned upside down it becomes hexagram 7 — 師 (Leading). Its nuclear hexagram — the inner pattern of lines 2 through 5 — is hexagram 23 — 剝 (Stripping).
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1 Legge, James. The Yi King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (1899), public domain. Classical Chinese from the received Zhouyi text. · For reflection and entertainment — not financial, medical, or life advice.