TL;DR: The Thiên Thủy Tụng hexagram (訟, hexagram number 6) is the sixth hexagram in the 64 hexagrams according to the Zhou Yi order, with the upper trigram Qian (Heaven) and the lower trigram Kan (Water). The hexagram text says: 'Tụng: hữu phu, trất, dịch, trung cát, chung hung. Lợi kiến đại nhân, bất lợi thiệp đại xuyên.' Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: when encountering this hexagram, one may consider resolving disputes early and avoid pushing conflicts to the extreme.
What is the Heaven-Water Song Hexagram?
The Heaven-Water Song hexagram (天水訟) is the 6th of the 64 hexagrams in the Zhou Yi order, with the upper trigram being Qian (Heaven) and the lower trigram being Kan (Water). The hexagram name 訟 (Song) means litigation, argument, dispute.
This hexagram is placed immediately after the Water-Heaven Xu hexagram (hexagram 5) in the 64-hexagram system. Tradition attributes the ordering of the 64 hexagrams to King Wen; modern scholarship does not regard that attribution as proven.
Which two single trigrams make up the Heaven-Water Song Hexagram?
The Heaven-Water Song hexagram consists of two single trigrams: Qian (☰) above, symbolising Heaven, strength, steadfastness, initiative; and Kan (☵) below, symbolising Water, danger, depth, flexibility. Heaven moves upward, water flows downward, the two go in opposite directions, creating a stance of opposition.
The original text of the Heaven-Water Song Hexagram
The Judgement (Gua Ci)
訟：有孚，窒，惕，中吉，終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川[1]。
Sino-Vietnamese reading: Song: huu phu, trat, dich, trung cat, chung hung. Loi kien dai nhan, bat loi thiep dai xuyen.
Meaning: Song: there is trust, but one is obstructed, one must be cautious, holding to the middle brings good fortune, going to the end brings misfortune. It is favourable to see the great person, not favourable to cross the great river.
The Line Texts (Yao Ci)
- Initial six: 不永所事，小有言，終吉。 (Bat vinh so su, tieu huu ngon, chung cat. Do not prolong the matter at hand, there is small talk, in the end good fortune.)
- Nine two: 不克訟，歸而逋，其邑人三百戶无眚。 (Bat khac tung, quy nhi bo, ky ap nhan tam bach ho vo sanh. One cannot win the lawsuit, one returns and flees, the three hundred households of one's town suffer no calamity.)
- Six three: 食舊德，貞厲，終吉。或從王事，无成。 (Thuc cuu duc, trinh le, chung cat. Hoac tong vuong su, vo thanh. Feeding on old virtue, steadfastness brings danger, in the end good fortune. Sometimes one follows the king's affairs, but without success.)
- Nine four: 不克訟，復即命渝，安貞吉。 (Bat khac tung, phuc tuc menh du, an trinh cat. One cannot win the lawsuit, one returns to follow the command and changes, resting in steadfastness brings good fortune.)
- Nine five: 訟，元吉。 (Tung, nguyen cat. Litigation, great good fortune.)
- Top nine: 或錫之鞶帶，終朝三褫之。 (Hoac tich chi ban dai, chung trieu tam si chi. Sometimes one is granted a leather belt, but within a single morning it is stripped away three times.)
The Tuan Commentary
訟，上剛下險，險而健，訟。訟，有孚，窒，惕，中吉，剛來而得中也。終凶，訟不可成也。利見大人，尚中正也。不利涉大川，入于淵也[1]。
Meaning: Song, above hard below dangerous, dangerous yet strong, hence litigation arises. Song, there is trust, one is obstructed, one must be cautious, holding to the middle brings good fortune, because the yang line comes and gains the central place. Going to the end brings misfortune, because litigation cannot succeed. It is favourable to see the great person, because central correctness is esteemed. It is not favourable to cross the great river, because one would fall into the deep abyss.
The Tuan Commentary belongs to the Ten Wings, traditionally attributed to Confucius; modern scholarship places it between the 5th and 2nd centuries BCE.
The Great Image (Xiang Commentary)
天與水違行，訟；君子以作事謀始[1]。
Meaning: Heaven and water move in opposite directions, this is Song; the noble person, on this basis, when undertaking affairs, plans from the beginning.
The Small Images
- 不永所事，訟不可長也。雖小有言，其辯明也。 (Do not prolong the matter at hand, because litigation cannot last long. Though there is small talk, the defence will become clear.)
- 不克訟，歸逋竄也。自下訟上，患至掇也。 (One cannot win the lawsuit, one returns and flees into hiding. Suing upward from below, calamity arrives as if picked up.)
- 食舊德，從上吉也。 (Feeding on old virtue, following those above brings good fortune.)
- 復即命渝，安貞，不失也。 (Returning to follow the command and changing, resting in steadfastness, one does not lose the way.)
- 訟，元吉，以中正也。 (Litigation, great good fortune, because of central correctness.)
- 以訟受服，亦不足敬也。 (Receiving robes and cap through litigation is likewise not worthy of respect.)
Named commentaries
Wang Bi's commentary
Wang Bi's commentary on the Judgement: 窒謂窒塞也。皆惕，然後可以獲中吉。 (Trat means obstruction. One must be cautious in every way, and only then can one obtain good fortune in the middle.)[2]
Wang Bi's commentary on the Initial six line: 處訟之始，訟不可終，故「不永所事」，然後乃吉。凡陽唱而陰和，陰非先唱者也。四召而應，見犯乃訟。處訟之始，不為訟先，雖不能不訟，而了訟必辯明矣。 (At the beginning of litigation, litigation cannot go to the end, hence "do not prolong the matter at hand", and only then is there good fortune. Generally the yang initiates and the yin responds, the yin is not the one who initiates first. The fourth calls and it responds, only when offended does it litigate. At the beginning of litigation, one does not act as the initiator of litigation; though one cannot avoid litigating, when the litigation concludes one must argue the case clearly.)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Nine two line: 以剛處訟，不能下物，自下訟上，宜其不克。若能以懼歸竄其邑，乃可以免災。邑過三百，非為竄也。竄而據強，災未免也。 (With yang hardness placed in litigation, one cannot yield to others, suing upward from below, so it is fitting that one does not win. If one can, out of fear, return and hide in one's town, then one can avoid calamity. If the town exceeds three hundred households, that is no longer hiding. To hide yet rely on strength, calamity cannot be avoided.)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Six three line: 體夫柔弱以順於上，不為九二自下訟上，不見侵奪，保全其有，故得食其舊德而不失也。居爭訟之時，處兩剛之閒，而皆近不相得，故曰「貞厲」。柔體不爭，系應在上，眾莫能傾，故曰「終吉」。上壯爭勝，難可忤也，故或從王事，不敢成也。 (With a soft and weak constitution, complying with those above, one does not, like the Nine two line, sue upward from below, one is not invaded or robbed, one preserves what one has, hence one can feed on one's old virtue without losing it. Placed in a time of contention, situated between two yang lines, and close to both yet not in accord with them, hence it says "steadfastness brings danger". The soft constitution does not contend, its bond and response are above, the multitude cannot overturn it, hence it says "in the end good fortune". Those above are strong and contend for victory, hard to oppose, hence sometimes one follows the king's affairs but dares not claim success.)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Nine four line: 初辯明也。 (The first line has already argued the case clearly.)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Nine four line (continued): 處上訟下，可以改變者也，故其咎不大。若能反從本理，變前之命，安貞不犯，不失其道，「為仁猶已」，故吉從之。 (Placed above and litigating against those below, one is one who can change, hence one's fault is not great. If one can turn back to follow the fundamental principle, change the earlier command, rest in steadfastness without offending, and not lose one's way, "practising benevolence is up to oneself", hence good fortune follows.)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Nine five line: 處得尊位，為訟之主，用其中正以斷枉直，中則不過，正則不邪，剛無所溺，公無所偏，故訟「元吉」。 (Placed in the honoured position, acting as the master of litigation, using one's central correctness to judge crooked and straight, being central one does not exceed, being correct one is not deviant, being hard one is not submerged, being impartial one is not biased, hence litigation brings "great good fortune".)
Wang Bi's commentary on the Top nine line: 處訟之極，以剛居上，訟而得勝者也。以訟受錫，榮何可保？故終朝之閒，褫帶者三也。 (Placed at the extreme of litigation, with hardness occupying the top, one is one who litigates and wins. Receiving grants through litigation, how can the honour be preserved? Hence within a single morning, the belt is stripped away three times.)
The Original Meaning of the Zhou Yi: Zhu Xi's commentary on this hexagram cannot be separated out, so it is not cited.
In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding
In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the Song hexagram describes a situation in which two sides move in opposite directions, unable to reconcile, leading to dispute. The Judgement states clearly: holding to the middle brings good fortune, going to the end brings misfortune; it is favourable to see the great person, not favourable to cross the great river. This is a warning about pushing conflict to its limit.
The lines show various ways of behaving in a dispute: one line says not to prolong it, one line says that if one cannot win one returns, one line says one follows the king's affairs without success, one line says one is granted a reward and then it is stripped away. The Xiang Commentary writes "Heaven and water move in opposite directions, this is Song; the noble person, on this basis, when undertaking affairs, plans from the beginning", suggesting that prevention from the outset is better than resolution once matters have already arisen.
Suggestions for today
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: when encountering the Song hexagram in a specific matter, one should reconsider whether one's aim is to solve the problem or to win. If it is a dispute at work, one might consider direct dialogue or asking someone with authority to adjudicate, rather than letting the conflict escalate. In love and family, one might prioritise listening and finding common ground before deciding to go all the way. Regarding money and health, one should be cautious with major decisions and consult professional advice when needed.
How should one understand encountering the Song hexagram when asking about work?
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in the work environment, the Song hexagram suggests conflicts of interest and disagreements of viewpoint. One might consider resolving them through dialogue, negotiation, or asking a superior to adjudicate, rather than letting the conflict escalate. One should also avoid being too stubborn in pursuing personal interests at any cost.
How should one understand encountering the Song hexagram when asking about love?
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: in love, family and friendship, the Song hexagram suggests disagreements that need to be handled early. One might prioritise listening and putting oneself in the other's position to understand, rather than trying to win. Yielding and reconciliation can help maintain a lasting relationship.
How should one understand encountering the Song hexagram when asking about litigation and legal matters?
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if one is involved in a lawsuit, one might seek out someone with expertise for advice. Prepare thoroughly, with sufficient evidence and arguments, but one should also be ready for mediation and negotiation, avoiding prolonged litigation that brings expense and exhaustion.
What is the modern psychological perspective on the Song hexagram?
According to Carl Gustav Jung, the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching are a tool for identifying the meaning of 64 typical situations in life. The Song hexagram, with its conflict between Heaven and Water, can be seen as a symbol of inner conflicts, of contradictions between the conscious and the unconscious.
Jung held that the coincidence between the hexagram cast and the questioner's situation is not merely random, but an expression of the principle of "synchronicity". When the Song hexagram is cast, it may be a sign that there are inner conflicts that need to be acknowledged.
How does the Song hexagram differ from other hexagrams?
How do the Song hexagram and the Xu hexagram (Water-Heaven Xu) differ?
The Xu hexagram (hexagram 5) speaks of waiting, of nourishing in a natural way. The Song hexagram (hexagram 6) speaks of conflict when the waiting does not succeed. These two hexagrams are two sides of one process: if one knows how to wait and be patient, one can obtain what one wants peacefully; if one is impatient, one may encounter dispute.
How do the Song hexagram and the Shi hexagram (Earth-Water Shi) differ?
The Shi hexagram (hexagram 7) speaks of using troops, of leadership in war. The Song hexagram is conflict through words, through argument, while the Shi hexagram is conflict through force. When a dispute is not resolved, it can escalate into armed conflict. Therefore, resolving conflict early, at the lowest level, can avoid more serious consequences.
Quick reference table: the Heaven-Water Song Hexagram
| Aspect | Content |
|---|---|
| Position among the 64 hexagrams | 6 |
| Chinese character name | 訟 |
| Symbol | ䷅ |
| English name | Conflict |
| Upper trigram (outer trigram) | Qian (Heaven), Metal element, north-west direction |
| Lower trigram (inner trigram) | Kan (Water), Water element, north direction |
| Six lines, the initial line at the bottom | initial yin, second yang, third yin, fourth yang, fifth yang, top yang |
| Image | Heaven moves upward, water flows downward, the two go opposite ways. |
| Interpretation | An image of dispute arising from differing interests and directions. The classic text does not encourage pushing conflict to its limit. Knowing when to stop and seeking an impartial adjudicator is regarded as the reasonable way to handle it. |
The figures in the table match the results of the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.
