Takashima Ekidan · Hexagram 45 Lake over Earth, Gathering: The king approaches the ancestral temple; it is favorable to see the great person. Success; favorable to be steadfast. Using a great sacrificial animal is auspicious; it is favorable to have somewhere to go.

Gathering: The king approaches the ancestral temple; it is favorable to see the great person. Success; favorable to be steadfast. Using a great sacrificial animal is auspicious; it is favorable to have somewhere to go.

45　Lake over Earth, Gathering

The hexagram has the lake above and earth below. A lake can store water, and earth can store a lake. The hexagram connects with Great Accumulation and has an image of storing and gathering. Reversed, it becomes Rising; the Image of Rising says, “Accumulate the small to make the high and great,” which carries the meaning of accumulation. The hexagram comes from Meeting. The Sequence Commentary says: “Meeting means encounter. Things encounter one another and afterward gather, so Gathering follows it. Gathering means assembling.” This is why the hexagram is named Gathering.

Gathering [40]: Success. The king approaches the ancestral temple [41]; it is favorable to see the great person. Success; favorable to be steadfast. Using a great sacrificial animal [42] is auspicious; it is favorable to have somewhere to go.



▲ Seal script for “Gathering”

Gathering and Dispersion have opposite names, but their meanings require each other. The success of Dispersion is drawn from water flowing and wind moving; the success of Gathering is drawn from the joy of Lake and the compliance of Earth. Dispersion too approaches a temple: its approaching a temple shows the outpouring of divine spirit, while Gathering’s approaching a temple shows the concentration of sincere devotion. One disperses and the other gathers; their meanings differ, but the way sincerity is brought about is one. A king unites the joyful hearts of all nations to serve his ancestors; feudal lords assist, guards protect, and fine horses hurry to the temple—this is the flourishing of Gathering. “The great person” refers to the ninth in the fifth place. The fifth “has Gathering and occupies a position,” able to control the multitude and bring order to disorder, hence “favorable to see.” “Success; favorable to be steadfast” comes from Lake’s “success; favorable to be steadfast” and Earth’s “pliant compliance is favorable to steadfastness.” Earth signifies the ox and also use, hence “use a great sacrificial animal.” It means that when the great person holds a splendid assembly, an ox must be slaughtered and an oath made. Once the oath is made, one may proceed; hence “favorable to have somewhere to go.”

The Tuan Commentary says: “Gathering means assembling. Compliance leading to joy, with strength centered and responding; therefore there is gathering. ‘The king approaches the ancestral temple’ means bringing filial reverence and offerings to completion. ‘It is favorable to see the great person; success’ means gathering through correctness. ‘Using a great sacrificial animal is auspicious; it is favorable to have somewhere to go’ means following the mandate of Heaven. By observing what they gather around, the feelings of Heaven, Earth, and all things can be seen.”

Earth signifies gathering, and a lake is where water returns and gathers; combining these gives Gathering. Gathering means assembling. In this hexagram, the upper part is joyful and the lower compliant; above and below share one purpose. The second is centered and the fifth is strong; the second and fifth respond to each other, so they can gather. “The king approaches the ancestral temple”: Lu Ji says, “The king refers to the fifth line, and the temple to the top line. The ruler gathers all things to sacrifice to his ancestors; the feudal lords assist with the sacrifice in the temple. This is called bringing filial reverence to the spirits.” The fifth is strong and centered, and the second responds to it, hence “great person.” The second receives the qi of Radiance, and Radiance signifies the eye, hence “favorable to see.” Gathering and Rising are opposites. Rising says “use seeing the great person,” without saying “favorable,” and therefore does not say “success.” Gathering says “favorable to see”; what is favorable must bring success, and the reason for that success lies in gathering correctly. “The great sacrificial animal” is an ox. In the Chronicle of Zuo, the note to “the ox used in divining the day is called a sacrificial animal” says: Once an auspicious day has been obtained, the ox is renamed a sacrificial animal. Earth signifies slaughter; take the ox of Earth and slaughter it to present as the sacrificial offering, hence “a great sacrificial animal is auspicious.” It is used to honor the spirits and thereby gather their hearts; it is used when going to assist at the sacrifice and thereby gather one’s strength. Such gathering cannot be produced by coercion or force; it can only follow the mandate of Heaven. In ancient times, King Tang of Yin used a black bull to announce to August Heaven and swear before the myriad regions. After eleven campaigns he had no equal under Heaven. This is clear proof of “using a great sacrificial animal is auspicious; it is favorable to have somewhere to go”—following the mandate of Heaven.

Applying this hexagram to human affairs: inwardly gathering one’s spirit and outwardly gathering one’s wealth and strength are both forms of Gathering. Yet without compliance there is dispersal; without joy there is separation; without strength there is no means to awe the multitude; without centrality there is no means to win people’s submission. Though it gathers, it will ultimately disperse. Only compliance joined with joy, and strength centered so as to respond, allow gathering to attain correctness. The temple is the ancestral temple, where sacrifice is performed according to ritual in order to fulfill filial devotion. The great person is the person presiding over the sacrifice, the head of a household. The head of the household leads the children and descendants in matters at the ancestral temple. Anyone entering the temple must first see the presiding head; hence “it is favorable to see the great person,” so that the heart may be open and the principles upright. The great sacrificial animal refers to sacrificial ritual: an ox and sheep for a great rite, a chicken and piglet for a small one—all are called sacrificial animals. If the offering is not abundant, it is insufficient for sacrifice; if it is not complete, there is no point in sacrificing. Hence “using a great sacrificial animal is auspicious.” “It is favorable to have somewhere to go” follows from serving at sacrifice and governing the people: the principle is fundamentally one. One who can enter to conduct the sacrifice can then go out to govern the people; hence going is favorable. In one’s personal affairs, sacrifice is foremost and filial devotion comes first. In the unseen, sincere devotion reaches the ancestors; in the visible world, harmony and joy bring peace to the household. Though this is called human affairs, is it not also Heaven’s mandate? From one family to one state, and from one state to all under Heaven, observe what people gather around and the feelings of Heaven, Earth, and all things can be known. The intent of the Tuan Commentary is to gather the spirits of the ancestral temple above and the goodwill of the people throughout the four seas below. The sage governs the world through filial devotion, people’s virtue returns to simplicity and fullness, and all nations come together. This is the complete image of Gathering. Just as Heaven covers everything and Earth carries everything, all things meet, gather, and develop within Heaven and Earth. That is why it says: “Observe what they gather around, and the feelings of Heaven, Earth, and all things can be seen.”

Applying this hexagram to the state: The essentials of a state lie in extensive territory and a large population. Lake signifies joy; Earth signifies land and the multitude, giving an image of people joyfully returning and gathering. With compliance, the people follow; with joy, they submit; with strength, they do not bend; with centrality, there is no partiality. All this is sufficient to command the multitude, and when correctness is attained, the people gather. A king who inherits the body and succession of the ruler, before approaching the people, first approaches the ancestral temple, thereby undertaking the weight of his ancestors. The Classic of Filial Devotion says that a king unites the joyful hearts of all nations to serve his former kings: above, he fulfills the sincerity of filial offerings; below, he broadens the way of governing through filial devotion, and filial devotion flourishes throughout the world. “The great person” is the king. Favorable seeing and favorable going mean that a splendid host of worthy men rushes to the temple, all coming to behold the illustrious ancestor and perform filial offerings. At that time, when the large male animal is presented and the sacrifice is conducted together, everyone looks toward Heaven’s bright mandate and is reverent and solemn. Gathering is at no point more magnificent than this. The king models himself on Heaven and takes Earth as his rule; by uniting all nations as Heaven and Earth jointly nurture all things, he can participate with Heaven and Earth. All six lines repeatedly speak of Gathering: the first uses Gathering to bring disorder, the third laments because of Gathering, and the top weeps because of Gathering. All fail to attain the proper Gathering, which is frightening. The fifth attains Gathering’s position, the fourth attains Gathering’s auspiciousness, and the second attains Gathering’s trust—this is what the Tuan Commentary means by “compliance leading to joy, with strength centered and responding; therefore there is gathering.” The people return to him as water flows downward, revealing the power of Lake over Earth.

Taken as a whole, this hexagram concerns the saying, “The great affairs of the state lie in ritual and warfare.” Thus the Tuan Commentary says, “Build a temple,” while the Commentary on the Image says, “Be on guard against the unexpected.” Its essential point is first to gain the people; this is why the hexagram is called Gathering. The lower trigram is obedient and the upper trigram joyful: obedience joined with joy causes the myriad people to return. They can then handle the ritual vessels and assist in sacrifices without violating proper ceremony; they can wield spears and halberds in the ruler’s service, leaping forward and knowing their direction. Above, filial piety is promoted; below, benevolence is promoted. Customs become alike, the Way becomes one, and the myriad states harmonize. Nothing gathers more completely than this. When Gathering changes places, it becomes Approach. The Image of Approach says, “Embrace and protect the people without limit”—this is the image of Gathering. Both hexagrams consist of lake and earth: a lake can benefit the people, and earth can contain the multitude. Hence lake below earth is Approach, while earth below lake is Gathering. Among the six lines, the fifth is the ruler of Gathering: a great man who is firm and centered. The second gathers with him, and the first and fourth also gather with him; his position is sufficient to bring about gathering, hence, “Gathering in a position.” The top line, however, has no position, and cannot avoid weeping and unease. The third corresponds with the top, so when the top grieves, the third also sighs. The inner three lines form Earth. Earth receives what returns to it without choosing the soil; although Gathering brings many together, their hearts are not united. Therefore the first line “cries out,” the third “sighs,” and although the second is auspicious, it still awaits guidance. The outer three lines form Lake; what gathers in a lake is naturally joyful. The fifth line’s gathering obtains “perpetual firmness”; the fourth’s gathering is itself “without blame.” The top occupies the extreme of the lake; when the lake is full, water overflows, hence the image of tears and distress. Heaven’s people have desires; without a ruler they fall into disorder. When the myriad states assembled around Yu, he became emperor; when the people gladly submitted, Wu rose to power. What the human heart turns toward reveals where the Mandate of Heaven returns. Therefore gathering cannot be forcibly obtained; it depends solely on moral transformation.

The Great Image says: A lake above the earth: Gathering. The junzi thus repairs weapons and remains on guard against the unexpected.

The Dui trigram represents metal, and the Kun trigram represents vessels; together they form the image of weapons. “Repair” means to maintain and put in order. Maintaining weapons prevents the unexpected—the meaning of “being prepared averts calamity.” The hexagram’s image is a lake above the earth. When water is full, it overflows, bursts its banks, and rushes outward with irresistible force; one must prepare defenses in advance. Water is like an army, so it offers a lesson. The Record of the Son of Heaven Mu states: There were seven groups of Gathering warriors; their name came from the palace guards lodging and assembling together. Thus Gathering refers to defensive warriors who hold back disorder. This is probably the meaning intended by “repair weapons” in the Image of Gathering.

　　[Divination]
○ Inquiry about current fortunes: Fortune is proceeding smoothly, but remain secure without forgetting danger, and you will enjoy happiness free from worry.


○ Inquiry about military campaigns: Weapons are ominous and war is dangerous. If you can approach affairs with apprehension, plan well, and achieve success, you can avoid unexpected trouble.

○ Inquiry about business: Gathering shows wealth accumulating, yet accumulation must be followed by dispersal, and fullness by decline; this is the cycle of things, so constant precautions are necessary.

○ Inquiry about recognition: It is suitable to gain fame through military achievements.

○ Inquiry about marriage: “Not an enemy, but a marriage partner.” In the I Ching, enemies and marriage are often mentioned together, for guarding against the calamity of war is like guarding against the calamity brought by women. With advance precautions, there will naturally be no blame.

○ Inquiry about the home: A lake above water suggests guarding against the possibility of a great flood entering the house.

○ Inquiry about illness: Guard against swelling caused by retained fluid in the chest and abdomen; treatment should begin in advance.

○ Inquiry about a traveler: Blocked by military forces en route, the person will have difficulty returning for a while.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

Initial Six: There is trust, but it does not last; disorder arises, and then gathering. If one cries out, a handshake becomes laughter. Do not grieve; going forward brings no blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: Disorder arises, and then gathering—their purpose is in disorder.

Dui represents trust, hence “there is trust.” Kun represents completion; the first line is out of position, hence “it does not last.” Kun represents both gathering and disorder, hence “disorder arises, and then gathering.” The first line is at the beginning of Gathering, and mutual trust is still shallow, so there is a beginning but little fulfillment. Without fulfillment, one thought gathers here and easily shifts to gathering there; its purpose is already disordered, so gathering merely lengthens disorder. The Commentary on the Image explains it as “the purpose is in disorder.” “Then” is like saying “you”: you gather them yourself and you disorder them yourself. The first line is yielding and weak, at the bottom; even if it gains people, it is not enough to command them. The first corresponds with the fourth, so the authority to manage the gathering should lie with the fourth. “If” means following; “cry out” means issuing an order, referring to following the fourth’s commands. “A handshake becomes laughter” means treating one another with complete sincerity, so everyone rejoices—what the Tuan Commentary calls “obedient and joyful.” The upper nuclear trigram is Xun, which represents calling; the lower nuclear trigram is Gen, which represents holding. Holding hands is like a handshake, as the phrase attributed to Tui says: “They clasped hands and revealed their hearts and lungs to one another.” Dui represents the mouth, hence “laughter.” Once laughter is obtained, “do not grieve.” “Going” means going to the fourth. Since the fourth can combine kindness and authority, the first will not simply become a disorderly mob; hence “no blame.”

　　[Divination]
○ Inquiry about current fortunes: At the beginning of a new phase, fortune alternates between favorable and unfavorable, changing unpredictably. If you obtain help, there will be no blame.


○ Inquiry about recognition: Sudden honor and sudden disgrace arise because there is no settled center within.

○ Inquiry about business: There is a beginning but no ending; gathering and dispersal are unstable. Profit cannot be secured; at most, blame can be avoided.

○ Inquiry about military campaigns: When leading troops to war, guard against the danger of a military mutiny.

○ Inquiry about marriage: There is an image of disorder at the beginning, followed by marriage in the end.

○ Inquiry about illness: The patient alternately cries out and laughs because the mind and spirit are confused. Going to seek medical treatment will surely bring no blame. There is no need to worry.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] In the tenth month of the fifteenth year of the Meiji era, a great flood suddenly broke out. The temporary bridge at the Toda River mouth, between Ueno and Takasaki, under the railway’s jurisdiction, was washed away. I had previously been in charge of the works, so I went to meet Mr. Inoue, the director of the railway bureau. Mr. Inoue said: “The temporary bridge at the river mouth has split apart, blocking the railway, and we must urgently discuss rebuilding it. The river-mouth embankment is more than ten feet above the level ground. If we build a sturdy iron bridge, the project will be large and the cost enormous. If we build another temporary bridge, it will be swept away whenever a flood comes, which is also no sound plan. What can be done? Please devise a plan.” I replied: “Why not ask the spirits through the I Ching?” We cast and obtained Gathering changing to Following.

The judgment said: This hexagram has a lake above the earth, clearly showing the image of floodwaters overflowing. Since the first line was obtained, we know this temporary bridge will not last: built and suddenly toppled, then built again and toppled again. Hence, “There is trust, but it does not last; disorder arises, and then gathering.” The first line’s proper correspondence is the fourth, so it should obey the fourth’s command. “If one cries out” refers to the fourth’s command; “handshake” means holding or grasping. Once the fourth’s command is obtained, everyone rejoices and is willing to take up the work. Dui represents joy; this is the meaning of “make the people joyful through their labor, and the people forget their labor,” hence “a handshake becomes laughter.” Yet the fourth is not in its proper position, so the bridge site must be unsuitable. The fifth says, “Gathering in a position,” so the position should follow the fifth. The fifth changes to Enjoyment. Enjoyment carries the meaning of preparedness. In Enjoyment, Zhen is above and Kun below; in Gathering, Dui is above. Dui is west and Zhen east. Changing Dui to Zhen means the bridge should be moved from the west to the east, thereby occupying the proper position. Kun is earth below; it represents thickness and foundations. Earth should be built up from the level ground as a base, a bridge erected upon it, and iron cables then installed and fastened to both embankments. They will rise with the water and settle with its fall, preventing the danger of being swept away and breaking through. Thus “no blame” is obtained.

After hearing this, Mr. Inoue also considered it sound. The deliberations were settled, and the bridge was built accordingly. The following year, the water rose greatly again, yet the bridge remained unharmed. This deepened our admiration for the miraculous power of the I Ching’s images.

Six in the Second: Guidance brings good fortune and no blame. Sincerity then makes a simple summer offering beneficial.

The Commentary on the Image says: Guidance brings good fortune and no blame—the center has not changed.

The second occupies the center of the lower trigram and corresponds above with the fifth, knowing that Gathering should ultimately return to the fifth. The second shares a body with the first and third; the first’s “disorder” and the third’s “sighing” mean they have gathered in the wrong place. The second can guide them to gather together with the fifth, hence “guidance brings good fortune and no blame.” The upper nuclear trigram is Xun, representing a rope; the lower nuclear trigram is Gen, representing a hand—an image of leading. “A simple summer offering” is the name of a summer sacrifice. The second line belongs to Li; Li is the south and represents summer, hence “a summer offering is beneficial.” When the second moves, its body becomes Oppression. The second line of Oppression says, “It is beneficial to make offerings.” Gathering reversed becomes Rising, whose second line likewise says, “A simple offering is beneficial.” Because the second is centered, its images are the same. The Tuan Commentary speaks of entering a temple and using victims; the second assists at the sacrifice and should present local offerings. Kun represents frugality, so the offering is modest. Yet coming to gather with sincerity, even a modest offering is trustworthy; sincerity does not depend on elaborate ritual.

　　[Divination]
○ Inquiry about current fortunes: Fortune is properly centered. Auspicious.


○ Inquiry about recognition: You may hope to advance through the recommendation and support of others.

○ Inquiry about business: “Guidance” means being drawn along. This appears to concern a joint venture with many people, which should bring good fortune, but you must fulfill your vow and repay the gods with thanks.

○ Inquiry about military campaigns: In ancient times, whenever an army set out, sacrifices were made—within the state called a lei sacrifice, in the field called a feng sacrifice. This was to sacrifice to the gods and swear an oath before the army. Auspicious.

○ Inquiry about marriage: The second corresponds with the fifth, signifying that the two families are betrothed; hence “guidance brings good fortune.”

○ Inquiry about illness: The Daoist method of fasting from grains is called guiding and directing. It guides and circulates the original qi, making it full and unimpaired, thereby dispelling illness.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] A friend came and asked for a divination about his fortunes. We cast and obtained Gathering changing to Oppression.

The judgment said: This hexagram has a lake above the earth, which can store water and therefore can gather wealth; hence it is called Gathering. You obtained the second line, whose text says, “Guidance brings good fortune.” Thus I know that the matter you are planning must await someone’s guidance and extension before it can succeed. The second corresponds with the fifth, so the person able to guide you must belong to the fifth. Unfortunately, the third and fourth lines intervene between them. You should prepare gifts and pray, seeking divine assistance so that the third and fourth cannot obstruct you. Then your plan will succeed, naturally bringing good fortune and no blame.

Six in the Third: Gathering together with sighs; nothing is beneficial. Going forward brings no blame, though there is slight humiliation.

The Commentary on the Image says: Going forward brings no blame; above is Xun.

The third is at the top of Kun. Kun represents the multitude, giving the image of Gathering. Gathering requires the hearts of many to be joyful; only then is the gathering useful. The third is a yielding line in a yang position and cannot lead the multitude of Kun. People gather for profit; when gathering brings no profit, those who gathered sigh, hence “gathering together with sighs.” The fifth line is the patriarch and ruler of Gathering, the great man whom the Tuan Commentary calls “beneficial to see.” Going forward and returning to him brings benefit. “Slight humiliation” means the third lacks the ability to govern the gathering and thus invites public criticism, making it contemptible. The Commentary says “above is Xun”: the upper nuclear trigram of Gathering is Xun, whose fifth line says “nothing is not beneficial,” meaning that going forward can obtain Xun’s benefit.

　　[Divination]
○ Inquiry about current fortunes: Fortune is ordinary, with no profit to be gained.


○ Inquiry about recognition: Recognition is unfavorable, and you may instead be despised by others.

○ Inquiry about business: Although there is plenty of merchandise, it is lamentable if it does not sell; what profit can be gained? Only by transporting it elsewhere can you avoid blame.

○ Inquiry about military campaigns: There are troops, but they cannot be put to effective use; instead, resentment and complaints arise. The fault lies in the commander’s inability to control the people.

○ Inquiry about marriage: It is difficult to avoid a marriage marked by mutual resentment and sighs.

○ Inquiry about the home: People living together are not harmonious, resulting in much arguing. Moving elsewhere can avert blame.

○ Inquiry about illness: Stagnation in the chest and diaphragm causes pain and repeated cries of distress, resulting from difficulty with both eliminations. Once they become free, there will be no blame.

○　Regarding litigation: Unfavorable.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] A friend came and asked for a divination about his fortunes. We cast and obtained Gathering changing to Influence.

The judgment said: The body of the hexagram is joy above and obedience below. With people returning and submitting, obtaining this image is excellent. You have obtained the third line. The third is a yielding line in a yang position, naturally lacking the ability to control the people and unable to benefit them; hence the people resent it. Therefore it says, “Gathering together with sighs; nothing is beneficial.” I know that you serve as deputy bureau chief but have not gained the people’s hearts; the line text seems written precisely for you. You should have them go and attach themselves to the bureau chief. Then the people will gain benefit from him, and there will be no blame. The Image says, “Above is Xun”—Xun means obedience, so your course of fortune is also proceeding smoothly.

Nine in the Fourth: Great good fortune; no blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: Great good fortune and no blame—the position is not appropriate.

The fourth emerges from Kun and enters Dui, standing at the junction of the inner and outer trigrams, a place of many dangers. The first corresponds with it and the third is adjacent to it. If it opens an office, recruits guests, honors the worthy, and humbles itself before the learned—like Wang Mang or Cao Cao of Han—then a minister who gains the people is in the greatest danger. The line says “great good fortune, no blame”; only by fully carrying out the way of great good fortune can one obtain no blame, and only by establishing a place of no blame can one obtain great good fortune. If King Wen, possessing two-thirds of the realm, served Yin, he could have gathered people without considering himself the gatherer, and must lead those gathered and return them to the ruler; only then could it be called great good fortune and no blame. The Commentary on the Image explains “great good fortune, no blame” by adding “the position is not appropriate”—its intent is severe.

　　[Divination]
○ Inquiry about current fortunes: Fortune is extremely favorable, and everything undertaken is auspicious, but your position is inappropriate, so be cautious.


○ Inquiry about recognition: Greatly auspicious, but there is fear that your virtue may not match your position.

○ Inquiry about business: Gaining wealth and profit is greatly auspicious. You should also consider taking a step back; only then can there be both a beginning and an end.

○ Inquiry about military campaigns: Victory in battle and conquest bring great good fortune and great profit. Guard against achievements so high that they threaten the ruler; slander will follow.

○ Inquiry about marriage: The fourth and first are a proper correspondence, signifying a proper match—auspicious. However, the family backgrounds may not be entirely equal.

○ Inquiry about the home: The household is flourishing and peaceful, greatly auspicious; however, the property’s status may be somewhat low.

○ Inquiry about illness: This is an ailment that appears strong externally but is weak within; for now, safety from blame can be maintained.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] A household steward came and asked for a divination about his fortunes. We cast and obtained Gathering changing to Union.

The judgment says: In divination, one should take the line statement and also the line image. Often the line statement is auspicious while the line image is ominous, or the line image is ominous while the line statement is auspicious. Here the line statement says, “Great auspiciousness; no blame,” while the Commentary on the Image says, “The position is inappropriate,” so there is inevitably some ominousness within the auspiciousness. You have received this line in a divination concerning your fortune. You hold a position of authority and control; all powers over the household rest upon you. For a time, those who seek to attach themselves to power need not turn toward the head of the household but will certainly turn toward you. This is only what the circumstances necessarily entail. Thus your name will become greatly renowned and your fortune will reach its height—how could this not be called “great auspiciousness”? In truth, such authority belongs entirely to the head of the household and is not yours to possess independently. The Commentary on the Image warns you with “the position is inappropriate”; you should be extremely vigilant.

Nine in the fifth place: Gathering together while possessing the position; no blame. If trust is absent, great constancy enduringly maintained will dispel regret.

The Commentary on the Image says: Gathering together while possessing the position—the aspiration has not yet shone brightly.

The fifth line occupies the honored position and is the ruler of Gathering Together, hence “gathering together while possessing the position.” Holding that position and governing the multitude, it therefore has “no blame.” Yet the return of the countless people depends on possessing a position, but not on position alone. There must also be something sufficient to win the multitude’s submission; only then will they sincerely obey from the heart. Thus Gathering Together depends on position, but in reality it gathers through virtue. To win people through virtue is what is meant by “trust.” If one merely says “gathering together while possessing the position,” using authority and rank to coerce them, it is not wholehearted submission—how could there be trust? Gathering without trust will later bring regret. “Great, enduring constancy” is the virtue of Qian and Kun. “Great” is Qian’s virtue of being the leader of people; “enduring constancy” is Kun’s capacity to bear and support all things. Once these virtues are present, virtue and position are both complete, and among the common people there will be none who does not respond; regret will naturally disappear. The Commentary on the Image says “the aspiration has not yet shone brightly,” referring only to possessing the position without more. Note: The Tuan Commentary of Inner Relationship also says “great, enduring constancy.” In Inner Relationship, one yang unites the multitude of yin, so “great, enduring constancy” is stated for the hexagram. Gathering Together has two yang lines, but the one who unites the multitude of yin is the fifth line as its ruler; therefore “great, enduring constancy” is stated for the fifth line. Each statement is appropriate in its own context.

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about current fortune: Having position and authority, the fortune is at its height; naturally there is no blame.


○ Asked about business: Wealth will indeed gather, but trust has not yet been established. If you maintain what is right, the business can naturally endure.

○ Asked about achievement and fame: The position is high and expectations are great; you should further cultivate virtue and practice righteousness.

○ Asked about warfare: The three armies have assembled and the great undertaking can be accomplished. You should further treat one another with sincerity, which can ensure a lasting conclusion.

○ Asked about marriage: With high status and abundant wealth, he may be called a noble son-in-law.

○ Asked about the household: This residence occupies a favorable site, with mountains encircling it and water gathering; a clan may live here together. Auspicious.

○ Asked about illness: The mind and spirit are unsettled; quiet recuperation is advisable.

○ Asked about litigation: The litigant has high rank and great influence; although wronged, he will obtain a favorable judgment.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

○ Asked about a lost object: It can be recovered after a long time; no blame.

[Case] One day a friend came and asked me to divine his fortune. The resulting hexagrams were Gathering Together changing to Contentment.

The judgment says: The fifth line is the ruler of Gathering Together. It possesses both position and followers, so the fortune has no blame. You have received this line image in a divination concerning your fortune; it shows that you are not of lowly standing. You have position and wealth: you are either a person of renown in a district or the head of a household. It is only that, for the moment, trust in your righteousness has not been established, and people may harbor doubts. You should follow the Way and maintain what is right; if you persist without losing your course, your words will provoke few complaints, your actions few regrets, and all affairs will proceed smoothly.

Six at the top: Sighing and weeping tears and mucus; no blame.

The Commentary on the Image says: Sighing and weeping tears and mucus—the person has not yet found security in the highest position.

“Sighing” is an expression of lamentation. What comes from the eyes is tears; what comes from the nose is mucus. “Sighing and weeping tears and mucus” describes a state of sorrowful weeping. The top line is yielding, weak, and not central; it occupies the extreme of Gathering Together. The third and top lines are hostile correspondences, and where the correspondence is hostile there can be no gathering. Isolated above, how could it be secure? Knowing itself to be insecure, its worry is deep and its anxiety intense, reaching the extreme of sighing and weeping tears and mucus, with grief knotting the heart a hundred times over. People should therefore understand its sorrow and resentment and come to gather with it; hence it obtains “no blame.” The Chen family of Wanjiang takes “zi” to mean wealth and “ji” to mean to hold, saying that wealth gathers while the people disperse: possessing wealth but being unable to possess followers means that one sits upon abundant resources only to endanger oneself, like the treasuries of Lutai and Jiaqiao, which ultimately supplied rewards for the founder of the rising dynasty. This is indeed something over which one should weep bitterly. That interpretation is also apt.

　　[Divination]
○ Asked about current fortune: The person is likely old and his fortune is declining, reaching extreme poverty and sorrow, which is pitiful. Yet there will surely be someone who pities and rescues him, enabling him to avoid blame.


○ Asked about business: A solitary traveler without companions has reached the end of the road at dusk; it is deeply distressing, but fortunately he will be rescued, with no blame.

○ Asked about achievement and fame: The times are declining and fortune has reached its extreme; it is difficult to hope for fame.

○ Asked about warfare: There is an image of the troops abandoning their allegiance and the commander being isolated.

○ Asked about marriage: There is the sorrow of separation in life and death.

○ Asked about the household: Separation and sobbing; the family is not at peace.

○ Asked about illness: The illness arose from excessive grief and weeping; one should broaden the heart and recuperate.

○ Question about pregnancy: A girl will be born.

[Case] In the sixth month of the twenty-first year of the Meiji era, while I was planning to establish a factory for manufacturing spun cotton, I was staying temporarily in Atsuta, Aichi. I happened to pass by Atsuta Shrine and met a certain Shinto priest, with whom I discussed the I Ching. It was a severe drought. Several hundred farmers from the surrounding villages were holding a communal festival and praying for rain. I said to the priest: “The villagers are sincerely petitioning; surely the deity is earnestly ordering the rain to come?” The priest replied: “What words can a deity speak?” I said: “The deity itself may not speak, but is there not something capable of communicating with the deity—and is that not the I Ching? Why not divine with it?” The resulting hexagrams were Gathering Together changing to Obstruction.

The judgment says: The lake in the upper hexagram is a place that receives water. With a lake above the earth, the image is of a lake filled and water overflowing. The line statement says “sighing”: in human beings this is the emotion of sorrow and resentment; in heaven it is the sound of thunderous anger—that is, a sudden peal of thunder. It says “tears and mucus”: in human beings this is the appearance of weeping; in heaven it is torrents of water—that is, a heavy rain. At the time of such thunder and heavy rain, floods would suddenly arise and the people would suffer disaster, while the deity too would be disturbed. Therefore the Image says, “not yet secure above.” Counting the days, from the first line to the top line is six days; there must surely be a verification.

The date was the sixteenth day of the seventh month, and many who heard this did not believe it. When the appointed time arrived, the sky was clear and bright. The chief priest, Kakuda, said to me: “The divination places the heavy rain today; I fear it will not be fulfilled.” I replied: “I merely discuss divination according to the divination; whether it will be fulfilled is not for me to know. Yet in all the divinations I have made previously, none has failed to be fulfilled.” In the afternoon, clouds surged and the wind rose. By three o’clock, the thunder deity, lightning deity, wind deity, and rain deity all came together in several processions. In an instant, the ditches and channels were full, and water covered the entire plain. The officials were astonished and impressed, and came to thank me. The following year, Chairman Ito and Adviser Sano visited Atsuta Shrine for the communal festival and asked the officials there about the efficacy of my rain divination. The officials submitted the judgment to them. Both gentlemen were deeply impressed by the numinous response of the divine virtue. They inquired in detail into the origin of the first worship at Atsuta Shrine. Later, the Imperial Household Ministry granted shrine offerings amounting to one hundred thousand yen, and the shrine’s rank was placed immediately after the Great Shrine of Ise.