Holding Together (比, Bǐ) is hexagram 8 of the 64 hexagrams of the I
Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Water (☵) above
Earth (☷).
Meaning of hexagram 8
People draw together and support one another. Lasting bonds are built on
openness and shared commitment, not on convenience.
Advice
Choose your allies carefully, join in sincerely, and do not wait too
long to commit.
The two trigrams
Holding Together places ☵ Water (Kǎn), deep, flowing and dangerous,
above ☷ Earth (Kūn), yielding, receptive and nourishing. The lower
trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer
side.
Hexagram
8. Holding Together
Chinese name
比 Bǐ
Upper trigram
☵ Water (Kǎn)
Lower trigram
☷ Earth (Kūn)
Lines
1 yang (solid) and 5 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
8 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of Holding Together
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing
line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its
position.
First line(yin, broken): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
Second line(yin, broken): the inner circle. Your
immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close
range.
Third line(yin, broken): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
Fourth line(yin, broken): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
Fifth line(yang, solid): the center of power. The
place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most
fully expressed.
Sixth line(yin, broken): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.