Decoding the Hexagram Heaven and Fire, Tong Ren (Union of Men) in the I Ching: Structure and Lessons

What is the Thiên Hỏa Đồng Nhân hexagram?

The Thiên Hỏa Đồng Nhân (同人) hexagram is the 13th of the 64 hexagrams in the Chu Dịch (Zhouyi) sequence, with the upper trigram being Càn (Heaven) and the lower trigram being Ly (Fire). The character 同 means "together," 人 means "people," and Đồng Nhân speaks of gathering, harmony and cooperation among those who share the same aspiration. Tradition attributes the drawing of the hexagrams to Phục Hy, the naming and the hexagram statement to Văn Vương, the line statements to Chu Công, and the Thập Dực to Khổng Tử; modern scholarship does not regard this chain of authorship as proven, and generally places the commentary layers between roughly the 5th and 2nd centuries BCE.

What is the structure and symbolic meaning of the Thiên Hỏa Đồng Nhân hexagram?

Hexagram structure: Inner trigram and Outer trigram

The Đồng Nhân hexagram is formed from two trigrams stacked on each other:

• Lower trigram (Inner trigram): Ly (☲), that is Fire, symbolising clarity, wisdom, civilisation and brilliance.
• Upper trigram (Outer trigram): Càn (☰), that is Heaven, symbolising strength, resilience, loftiness and creativity.

The combination of Fire and Heaven evokes the image of a fire shining in the sky. Fire in the sky does not light up one particular patch of land, but shines everywhere, erasing the boundaries between regions. This suggests harmony, openness and non-discrimination, like sunlight shining fairly on all.

The original text of the hexagram: the hexagram statement and the line statements

This is the classic text portion of the Chu Dịch, transcribed from the currently circulating traditional Chinese edition.

• Hexagram statement: 同人于野，亨。利涉大川，利君子貞。 (Đồng nhân vu dã, hanh. Lợi thiệp đại xuyên, lợi quân tử trinh. Meaning: Gathering with people in the open fields, success. Favourable for crossing the great river. Favourable for the junzi to hold to what is upright.)
• Line Sơ cửu: 初九：同人于門，無咎。 (Đồng nhân vu môn, vô cữu. Meaning: Gathering with people at the gate, no fault.)
• Line Lục nhị: 六二：同人于宗，吝。 (Đồng nhân vu tông, lận. Meaning: Gathering with people within one's own clan, regret.)
• Line Cửu tam: 九三：伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三歲不興。 (Phục nhung vu mãng, thăng kỳ cao lăng, tam tuế bất hưng. Meaning: Hiding troops in the thick grass, climbing the high mound, for three years unable to rise.)
• Line Cửu tứ: 九四：乘其庸，弗克攻，吉。 (Thừa kỳ dung, phất khắc công, cát. Meaning: Climbing onto the wall, unable to attack, auspicious.)
• Line Cửu ngũ: 九五：同人，先號啕而後笑。大師克相遇。 (Đồng nhân, tiên hiệu đào nhi hậu tiếu. Đại sư khắc tương ngộ. Meaning: Those who gather together, first wail and later laugh. The great army prevails and they meet.)
• Line Thượng cửu: 上九：同人于郊，無悔。 (Đồng nhân vu giao, vô hối. Meaning: Gathering with people in the outskirts, no regret.)

Commentary: The Thoán truyện and Tượng truyện

The Thoán truyện and Tượng truyện belong to the Thập Dực, and are not part of the classic text portion. Tradition attributes them to Khổng Tử; modern scholarship places them between roughly the 5th and 2nd centuries BCE.

• Thoán truyện: 同人，柔得位得中，而應乎乾，曰同人。同人曰，同人于野，亨。利涉大川，乾行也。文明以健，中正而應，君子正也。唯君子為能通天下之志。 (Đồng nhân, nhu đắc vị đắc trung, nhi ứng hồ càn, viết đồng nhân. Đồng nhân viết, đồng nhân vu dã, hanh. Lợi thiệp đại xuyên, càn hành dã. Văn minh dĩ kiện, trung chính nhi ứng, quân tử chính dã. Duy quân tử vi năng thông thiên hạ chi chí. Meaning: Đồng nhân: the yielding line gains its position and gains the centre, and responds to Càn, hence it is called Đồng nhân. Đồng nhân says: gathering with people in the open fields, success. Favourable for crossing the great river, this is Càn in action. Civilised and yet strong, central and upright and responding, this is the uprightness of the junzi. Only the junzi can connect with the aspirations of all under heaven.)
• Đại Tượng (Tượng truyện): 天與火，同人；君子以類族辨物。 (Thiên dữ hỏa, đồng nhân; quân tử dĩ loại tộc biện vật. Meaning: Heaven together with fire, this is Đồng nhân; the junzi accordingly classifies clans and distinguishes things.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Sơ cửu: 出門同人，又誰咎也。 (Xuất môn đồng nhân, hựu thùy cữu dã. Meaning: Going out the gate to gather with people, who then would be at fault.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Lục nhị: 同人于宗，吝道也。 (Đồng nhân vu tông, lận đạo dã. Meaning: Gathering with people within one's own clan, this is a path that leads to regret.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Cửu tam: 伏戎于莽，敵剛也。三歲不興，安行也。 (Phục nhung vu mãng, địch cương dã. Tam tuế bất hưng, an hành dã. Meaning: Hiding troops in the thick grass, because the enemy is strong. For three years unable to rise, where then can one go.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Cửu tứ: 乘其庸，義弗克也，其吉，則困而反則也。 (Thừa kỳ dung, nghĩa phất khắc dã, kỳ cát, tắc khốn nhi phản tắc dã. Meaning: Climbing onto the wall, because by what is right one cannot prevail; the reason it is auspicious is that, meeting difficulty, one returns to the rule.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Cửu ngũ: 同人之先，以中直也。大師相遇，言相克也。 (Đồng nhân chi tiên, dĩ trung trực dã. Đại sư tương ngộ, ngôn tương khắc dã. Meaning: What comes first for Đồng nhân is due to being central and straight. The great armies meet, meaning they prevail over each other.)
• Tiểu Tượng for line Thượng cửu: 同人于郊，志未得也。 (Đồng nhân vu giao, chí vị đắc dã. Meaning: Gathering with people in the outskirts, the aspiration is not yet attained.)

A named commentary: The Vương Bật commentary

The Vương Bật commentary in the Chu Dịch chính nghĩa explains the above passages as follows:

• Commentary on the hexagram statement and the Thoán truyện: 所以乃能「同人於野，亨，利涉大川」，非二之所能也，是乾之所行，故特曰「同人曰」。 (The reason it can be "gathering with people in the open fields, success, favourable for crossing the great river" is not something the second line can accomplish; it is what Càn carries out, and so it specifically says "Đồng nhân says.")
• Commentary on "civilised and yet strong, central and upright and responding": 行健不以武，而以文明用之，相應不以邪，而以中正應之，君子正也，故曰「利君子貞」。 (Carrying out strength not by force of arms, but employing it with civility; responding not with what is crooked, but responding with what is central and upright, this is the uprightness of the junzi, and so it says "favourable for the junzi to hold to what is upright.")
• Commentary on "only the junzi can connect with the aspirations of all under heaven": 君子以文明為德。 (The junzi takes civility as his virtue.)
• Commentary on the Đại Tượng: 君子小人，各得所同。 (The junzi and the petty person each attain the kind of sameness that is theirs.)
• Commentary on line Sơ cửu: 居同人之始，為同人之首者也。無應於上，心無系吝，通夫大同，出門皆同。故曰「同人於門」也。出門同人，誰與為咎？ (Dwelling at the beginning of the Đồng nhân time, one is the head of Đồng nhân. With no response above, the heart has no entanglement or stinginess, and one connects to the great harmony, so that going out the gate all are together. Therefore it says "gathering with people at the gate." Going out the gate to gather with people, who would be at fault?)
• Commentary on line Lục nhị: 應在乎五，唯同於主，過主則否。用心扁狹，鄙吝之道。 (Its response lies with the fifth line, and it is together only with the ruler; beyond the ruler it is not. Employing a narrow heart, this is the path of meanness and stinginess.)
• Commentary on line Cửu tam: 居同人之際，履下卦之極，不能包弘上下，通夫大同；物黨相分，欲乖其道，貧於所比，據上之應；其敵剛健，非力所當，故「伏戎於莽」，不敢顯亢也。「升其高陵」，望不敢進，量斯勢也，三歲不能興者也。三歲不能興，則五道亦以成矣，安所行焉？ (Dwelling at the juncture of Đồng nhân, treading the extreme of the lower trigram, one cannot embrace and broaden above and below, nor connect to the great harmony; things form factions and split apart, wishing to deviate from the way, impoverished in what is close at hand, seizing the response above; its enemy is strong and vigorous, not something its strength can match, and so it "hides troops in the thick grass," not daring to show itself openly. It "climbs the high mound," looking but not daring to advance, gauging this situation, and for three years it cannot rise. If for three years it cannot rise, then the way of the fifth line is also accomplished; where then can it go?)
• Commentary on line Cửu tứ: 處上攻下，力能乘墉者也。履非其位，以與人爭，二自五應，三非犯己，攻三求二，尢而效之，違義傷理，無所不與，故雖乘墉而不克也。不克則反，反則得吉也。不克乃反，其所以得吉，「困而反則」者也。 (Dwelling above and attacking below, one whose strength can climb the wall. Treading a position that is not its own, in order to contend with others: the second line responds of itself to the fifth, the third line has not offended it, yet it attacks the third and seeks the second, and the more it does so the more it errs, turning against what is right and injuring principle, and there is nothing it does not join with; therefore, though it climbs the wall, it does not prevail. Not prevailing, it turns back, and turning back it obtains what is auspicious. That it does not prevail and then turns back is the reason it obtains what is auspicious, being the case of "meeting difficulty and returning to the rule.")
• Commentary on line Cửu ngũ: 《彖》曰：「柔得位得中，而應乎乾，曰同人。」然則體柔居中，眾之所與；執剛用直，無所未從，故近隔乎二剛，未獲厥志，是以「先號咷」也。居中處尊，戰必克勝，故「後笑」也。不能使物自歸而用其強直，故必須大師克之，然後相遇也。 (The Thoán says: "The yielding line gains its position and gains the centre, and responds to Càn, hence it is called Đồng nhân." That being so, having a yielding substance and dwelling in the centre, it is what the multitude goes along with; holding to the firm and employing the straight, there is nowhere it is not followed, and so, being closely separated by the two firm lines, it does not attain its aspiration, and therefore it "first wails." Dwelling in the centre and occupying the honoured place, in battle it must prevail, and therefore it "later laughs." It cannot cause things to return of themselves and instead employs its strength and straightness, and so it must be that the great army prevails, and only then do they meet.)
• Commentary on line Thượng cửu: 郊者，外之極也。處「同人」之時，最在於外，不獲同志，而遠於內爭，故雖無悔吝，亦未得其志。 (The outskirts are the extreme of the outside. Dwelling in the time of "Đồng nhân," being outermost, one does not obtain those of like aspiration, but is far from inner contention, and so, though there is no regret or stinginess, one's aspiration is also not attained.)

Chu Hy (Chu Dịch bản nghĩa): no commentary for this hexagram could be separated out, so it is not cited.

How Nhật Nguyệt understands it

In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Đồng Nhân hexagram places its focus on joining forces on the basis of a shared principle. The hexagram statement records "gathering with people in the open fields," meaning that harmony needs to take place in a broad, open setting, not in a concealed, narrow one. The Thoán truyện writes "civilised and yet strong, central and upright and responding," suggesting that lasting like-mindedness rests on clarity and uprightness. The Đại Tượng writes "the junzi accordingly classifies clans and distinguishes things," that is, the junzi accordingly classifies clans and distinguishes things, showing that harmony does not mean erasing every difference.

Suggestions for today

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: when asking about work, consider cooperation that is open and transparent, and avoid forming private factions along lines of acquaintance. When asking about relationships, the Lục nhị line can be read as a caution about narrowness, about circling only within a familiar group. When asking about money, the hexagram statement can be read as a suggestion to dare to undertake great things together, but to be careful with pooled funds that are not clearly accounted for. On health, one should not rely on a hexagram to decide, and should follow medical advice. For a leader, the Cửu ngũ line can be read as a caution that the road to consensus may have difficult moments, and that one needs to persevere along the upright path.

How should encountering the Thiên Hỏa Đồng Nhân hexagram when asking about work be understood?

The hexagram statement records "gathering with people in the open fields, success. Favourable for crossing the great river. Favourable for the junzi to hold to what is upright," suggesting that open cooperation and holding to what is upright may be favourable. However, this is an ancient classic text, not direct advice for today's circumstances. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: assess the work concretely, and avoid relying entirely on the hexagram.

How does one move past narrowness and factionalism?

The Lục nhị line records "gathering with people within one's own clan, regret," and the Tiểu Tượng writes "this is a path that leads to regret." The Vương Bật commentary explains that "employing a narrow heart, this is the path of meanness and stinginess." This is a warning about relying only on familiar relationships and factions, which can lead to narrowness. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in cooperation, open up to those who are different, while still keeping to shared principles.

Persevering in pursuit of a shared goal

The Cửu ngũ line records "first wail and later laugh, the great army prevails and they meet." The Vương Bật commentary explains that at first they are separated, and later, through being central and upright, they meet. This suggests that the road to consensus may not be smooth. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if the goal is upright and the method is right, perseverance may help in getting through trials, but this should not be taken as a guarantee of outcome.

The lesson of a leader's humility

The Cửu tứ line records "climbing onto the wall, unable to attack, auspicious," and the Tiểu Tượng writes "meeting difficulty and returning to the rule." The Vương Bật commentary explains that not prevailing, one turns back, and turning back one obtains what is auspicious. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: knowing when to stop and recognising one's limits may help in avoiding unnecessary conflict.

Quick reference table: the Thiên Hỏa Đồng Nhân hexagram

The data in the table matches the results of the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.