Hexagram 8: Holding Together

Trigrams

Upper trigram: Kan (Water) · Lower trigram: Kun (Earth)

Judgment

Good fortune. Renewed divination shows enduring perseverance; no blame. Those uneasy will come; whoever arrives last meets misfortune.

Image

Water upon the earth: holding together. The ancient kings founded states and drew close to the feudal lords.

Meaning of Hexagram Holding Together

Holding Together (比) is hexagram #8 of the 64 I-Ching hexagrams, formed by the upper trigram Kan (Water) and lower trigram Kun (Earth). It represents unity and mutual support; alliance built on sincerity. 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 (Six at the Beginning)

"You fu bi zhi, wu jiu — Hold to him in truth and loyalty; this is without blame; truth like a full earthen bowl brings good fortune from without"

Closeness founded on sincerity is without fault; when that sincerity is full and genuine, further good fortune follows. Sincerity is the foundation of every bond.

Second Line (Six in the Second Place)

"Bi zhi zi nei, zhen ji — Hold to him inwardly; perseverance brings good fortune"

Closeness arising from an honest heart, held to correctly, is fortunate. Central and correct, corresponding to the equally central and correct fifth line: a bond formed by shared purpose, not by advantage.

Third Line (Six in the Third Place)

"Bi zhi fei ren — You hold together with the wrong people"

Keeping company with the unworthy. A warning about attaching yourself to the wrong circle, surrounded by poor influences that easily lead to harm.

Fourth Line (Six in the Fourth Place)

"Wai bi zhi, zhen ji — Hold to him outwardly also; perseverance brings good fortune"

Drawing close, in a proper way, to someone in a higher position (the fifth line) is favourable. Learn from those more capable and virtuous than you, while keeping your own integrity in the relationship.

Fifth Line (Nine in the Fifth Place)

"Xian bi, wang yong san qu — Manifestation of holding together; in the hunt the king uses beaters on three sides only"

Union sought openly and honourably: the king hunts by enclosing only three sides, leaving one open so the game may escape — nobody is coerced. The ruling line: a leader who wins hearts by tolerance rather than force.

Top Line (Six at the Top)

"Bi zhi wu shou, xiong — He finds no head for holding together; misfortune"

No starting point for union — misfortune. At the final position, with no connection to anyone, this line depicts isolation and the absence of the bonds a person needs.

The Transformed Hexagram

Bi has Kun (Earth) below and Kan (Water) above — the inverse of Shi, The Army (#7). With a moving line it changes accordingly: a moving fifth line (the only yang, and the ruler) turns the upper Kan into Kun, giving Kun, The Receptive (#2). Identify the specific moving line to read the correct transformed hexagram.

Applications by Area of Life

Work & Career

Bi is about cohesion and cooperation within a group. A good time to build alliances and find dependable partners — but choose carefully and avoid binding yourself to the wrong people (the third line's warning).

Love & Relationships

A rather favourable hexagram for love, describing sincere closeness (the second line). A bond built on honesty and shared direction lasts longer than one built on advantage.

Health

The image of water soaking into the earth suggests health care that is regular and persistent — like water seeping in gradually, it cannot be rushed.

Wealth

Favourable for business partnership and pooled capital, provided you pick the right partner (the second and fourth lines). Avoid the untrustworthy (the third line) and avoid ending up isolated with no support (the top line).

Frequently Asked Questions about Holding Together

What does the hexagram Bi (Holding Together) mean?

Bi means closeness, intimacy, union. It concerns solidarity and cooperation founded on trust and sincerity between people.

Is casting Bi favourable?

It is a rather good hexagram, especially for someone who builds relationships on sincerity and integrity (the second and fifth lines). It turns bad only through isolation or attaching yourself to the wrong people.

Why are Bi and Shi seen as a complementary pair?

Because Shi concerns gathering and organising a multitude, often in a context of confrontation, while Bi concerns the closeness that binds them once gathered — two stages of building a collective.