Hexagram 13: Fellowship with Men

Trigrams

Upper trigram: Qian (Heaven) · Lower trigram: Li (Fire)

Judgment

Fellowship in the open country brings success. Favorable to cross the great river; favorable for the noble one to persevere.

Image

Heaven together with fire: fellowship. The noble one organizes people by their kind and distinguishes things clearly.

Meaning of Hexagram Fellowship with Men

Fellowship with Men (同人) is hexagram #13 of the 64 I-Ching hexagrams, formed by the upper trigram Qian (Heaven) and lower trigram Li (Fire). It represents open-hearted cooperation and community built on shared purpose. When this hexagram is cast, the querent should meditate on the judgment and image to grasp what the Yi is saying about the current situation.

The Six Lines Explained

First Line (Nine at the Beginning)

"Tong ren yu men, wu jiu — Fellowship with men at the gate; no blame"

Going out of the gate to join with others brings no blame. The opening line of fellowship: open, undiscriminating association from the very first step.

Second Line (Six in the Second Place)

"Tong ren yu zong, lin — Fellowship with men in the clan; humiliation"

Fellowship confined to one's own clan is shameful. A warning against narrow association limited to the familiar — contrary to the broad universality the hexagram upholds.

Third Line (Nine in the Third Place)

"Fu rong yu mang... — He hides weapons in the thicket and climbs the high hill in front of it; for three years he does not rise up"

Hiding troops in the thicket and climbing the hill to watch, he cannot rise for three years. A warning about jealousy and covert scheming against unity — too weak to act openly, it only lurks.

Fourth Line (Nine in the Fourth Place)

"Cheng qi yong, fu ke gong, ji — He climbs up on his wall; he cannot attack; good fortune"

He has scaled the wall yet does not attack — this is fortunate. The line knows when to stop, refusing to overpower others unjustly even when able: self-restraint and a return to principle.

Fifth Line (Nine in the Fifth Place)

"Tong ren, xian hao tao er hou xiao, da shi ke xiang yu — Men bound in fellowship first weep and lament, but afterwards they laugh; after great struggles they succeed in meeting"

Those in fellowship first cry out and later laugh; only great effort brings them together. As the ruling line, though united in heart with line 2, it must pass through many obstacles before true union.

Top Line (Nine at the Top)

"Tong ren yu jiao, wu hui — Fellowship with men in the meadow; no remorse"

Fellowship out in the meadow brings no remorse. The final line: the ideal of universal fellowship is not fully reached, yet at least no mistake is made.

The Transformed Hexagram

The inner trigram is Li (Fire), the outer is Qian (Heaven) — the inverse of hexagram 14, Great Possession. If the second line (the only yin line and ruler) moves, the inner trigram becomes Qian and the hexagram turns into 1, The Creative. Identify the exact moving line for the correct transformation.

Applications by Area of Life

Work & Career

Excellent for cooperation and broad teamwork. Avoid factional narrowness (the warning in line 2) and stay open to a wide range of partners for the best results.

Love & Relationships

Build the relationship on openness and sincerity rather than closing into a narrow circle. External obstacles may appear (line 3), but persistence still brings harmony.

Health

The image of fire rising with heaven suggests that optimism and positive social connection benefit mental health.

Wealth

Favourable for partnerships and pooled capital with diverse partners. Do not confine collaboration to a small familiar circle (line 2), or you will miss the larger opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fellowship with Men

What does hexagram Tong Ren (Fellowship with Men) mean?

Tong Ren means fellowship, being of one mind with others. It is an auspicious hexagram encouraging wide, undiscriminating unity free of factionalism.

Why does the hexagram advise fellowship “in the open field” rather than only with intimates?

Because its core spirit is broad unity beyond the narrow borders of clan and faction — only a wide circle of fellowship achieves great and lasting results.

Is drawing Tong Ren favourable?

Yes, it is an auspicious hexagram, especially for work requiring cooperation. The road to harmony is not always easy, though — jealousy can obstruct it (line 3).