Hexagram 58 - Tui / The Joyous, Lake - James Legge Translation

• Above Tui the Joyous, Lake
•  
• Below Tui the Joyous, Lake

Meaning

Tui intimates that under its conditions there will be progress and attainment. But it will be advantageous to be firm and correct.

Meaning Commentary

The trigram Tui symbolizes water as collected in a marsh or lake; and its attribute or virtue is pleasure or complacent satisfaction. It is a matter of some difficulty to determine in one's mind how this attribute came to be connected with the trigram. The Khang-hsi editors say: When the airs of spring begin to blow, from the collections of water on the earth the moistening vapours rise up and descend again; so, when the breath of health is vigorous in a man's person, the hue of it is displayed in his complexion. Akin to this is the significance of the hexagram Tui representing a marsh, as denoting pleasure. Although the yin lines give it its special character they owe their power and effect to the yang; so when the qualities of mildness and harmony prevail in a man, without true heatedness and integrity to control and direct them, they will fail to be correct, and may degenerate into what is evil. Hence it is said that it will be advantageous to be firm and correct!

The feeling then of pleasure is the subject of this hexagram. The above quotation sufficiently explains the concluding characters of the Thwan, but where is the intimation in Tui of progress and attainments? It is supposed to be in the one weak line surmounting each trigram and supported by the two strong lines. Fancy sees in that mildness and benignity energized by a double portion of strength.

The Image

Lakes resting one on the other: The image of The Joyous. Thus the superior man joins with his friends for discussion and practice.

Image Commentary

A lake evaporates upward and thus gradually dries up; but when two lakes are joined they do not dry up so readily, for one replenishes the other. It is the same in the field of knowledge. Knowledge should be a refreshing and vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life. In this way learning becomes many-sided and takes on a cheerful lightness, whereas there is always something ponderous and one-sided about the learning of the self-taught.

King Wans explanation

1. Tui has the Meaning of pleased satisfaction.
2. We have the strong Lines in the centre, and the weak Lines on the outer edge of the two trigrams, indicating that in pleasure what is most advantageous is the maintenance of firm correctness. Through this there will be found an accordance with the will of heaven, and a correspondence with the feelings of men. When such pleasure goes before the people, and leads them on, they forget their toils; when it animates them in encountering difficulties, they forget the risk of death. How great is the power of this pleased satisfaction, stimulating in such a way the people!

Legge Footnotes on King Wans explanation

The feeling of pleasure going before the people and leading them on to endure toil and encounter death must be supposed to be produced in them by the example and lessons of their ruler. La Fad-hsien paraphrases this portion of the text thus, when the sage with this precedes them, he can make them endure toil without any wish to decline it, and go with him into difficulty and danger without their having any fear. I think this was intended to be the teaching of the hexagram, but the positive expression of it is hardly discernible.

The Lines

The first NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure of inward harmony. There will be good fortune.

Line 1, strong in the place of strength, with no proper correlate above, is thus confined to itself. But its subject is sufficient for himself. There will be good fortune. Line 1, strong in the place of strength, with no proper correlate above, is thus confined to itself. But its subject is sufficient for himself. There will be good fortune.

The second NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure arising from inward sincerity. There will be good fortune. Occasion for repentance will disappear.

Line 2, by the rule of place, should be weak, but it is strong. Without any proper correlate, and contiguous to the weak 3, the subject of it might be injuriously affected, and there would be cause for repentance. But the sincerity natural in his central position counteracts all this. Line 2, by the rule of place, should be weak, but it is strong. Without any proper correlate, and contiguous to the weak 3, the subject of it might be injuriously affected, and there would be cause for repentance. But the sincerity natural in his central position counteracts all this.

The third SIX, divided, shows its subject bringing round himself whatever can give pleasure. There will be evil.

The view of the third paragraph that appears in the translation is derived from the Khang-hsi editors. The evil threatened in it would be a consequence of the excessive devotion of its subject to pleasure. The view of the third paragraph that appears in the translation is derived from the Khang-hsi editors. The evil threatened in it would be a consequence of the excessive devotion of its subject to pleasure.

The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject deliberating about what to seek his pleasure in, and not at rest. He borders on what would be injurious, but there will be cause for joy.

The bordering on what is injurious in paragraph 4 has reference to the contiguity of line 4 to the weak 3. That might have an injurious effect but the subject of 4 reflects and deliberates before he will yield to the seduction of pleasure, and there is cause for joy. The bordering on what is injurious in paragraph 4 has reference to the contiguity of line 4 to the weak 3. That might have an injurious effect; but the subject of 4 reflects and deliberates before he will yield to the seduction of pleasure, and there is cause for joy.

The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject trusting in one who would injure him. The situation is perilous.

The danger to the subject of line 5 is from the weak 6 above, in whom he is represented as trusting. Possibly his own strength and sincerity of mind may be perverted into instruments of evil; but possibly, they may operate beneficially. The danger to the subject of line 5 is from the weak 6 above, in whom he is represented as trusting. Possibly his own strength and sincerity of mind may be perverted into instruments of evil; but possibly, they may operate beneficially.

The topmost SIX, divided, shows the pleasure of its subject in leading and attracting others.

The symbolism of paragraph 6 is akin to that of 3, though no positive auspice is expressed. The subject of line 3 attracts others round itself for the sake of pleasure; the subject of this leads them to follow himself in quest of it. The symbolism of paragraph 6 is akin to that of 3, though no positive auspice is expressed. The subject of line 3 attracts others round itself for the sake of pleasure; the subject of this leads them to follow himself in quest of it.