Hexagram 8 as yes or no
Hexagram 8 Alliance as a yes-or-no answer
As an answer to a yes-or-no question Bi says yes twice: 'good fortune' at the start of the judgment, and 'no blame' for the one who checks that the matter is well founded, lasting and correct. What you are asking about is a joining — a person, a group, a direction — and the hexagram approves, provided you join sincerely and do not wait. Its one strong no is for the latecomer: the answer turns to no if you hesitate until the moment is gone.
A changing line in the lower trigram, the earth, concerns your own footing: line one says yes, go in plainly and early; line two says you are already in and should stay steady; line three says no, the people involved are the wrong ones. A changing line in the upper trigram, the water, concerns the centre you are joining: line four says yes, go toward the worthy one; line five says yes if the arrangement is open and nobody is forced; line six says the time has passed and the answer is now no.
The hexagram in brief
Water on the earth, flowing together: alliance and mutual support. Favourable to unite around a worthy centre; latecomers who hesitate lose their chance.
Choose alliances by character and sincerity, join early, and let those who want to leave go freely.
The judgment
比：吉。原筮元永貞，无咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。Pî 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.
Which line changed?
A changing line sharpens the answer. Each line of 比 Alliance has its own page:
- 初六Six at the beginningsincerity · a full jar · unexpected good
- 六二Six in the second placefrom within · steadfast · not losing oneself
- 六三Six in the third placethe wrong people · misplaced loyalty · harm
- 六四Six in the fourth placefrom without · following the worthy · upward
- 九五Nine in the fifth placeopen alliance · three-sided hunt · letting the game go
- 上六Six at the topno head · too late · nowhere to end
The same hexagram for
Questions
- Does hexagram 8, Alliance, mean yes or no?
- As an answer to a yes-or-no question Bi says yes twice: 'good fortune' at the start of the judgment, and 'no blame' for the one who checks that the matter is well founded, lasting and correct. What you are asking about is a joining — a person, a group, a direction — and the hexagram approves, provided you join sincerely and do not wait. Its one strong no is for the latecomer: the answer turns to no if you hesitate until the moment is gone.
- What does Hexagram 8, 比 Alliance, mean?
- Water on the earth, flowing together: alliance and mutual support. Favourable to unite around a worthy centre; latecomers who hesitate lose their chance.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).