Hexagram 13
Tong Ren - Fellowship with Others
同人
Meaning and Overview
The upper trigram of the Hexagram of Fellowship is Qian, representing Heaven, and the lower trigram is Li, representing Fire. Thus the Great Image says, 'Heaven and Fire form Fellowship.' Li is Fire and the Sun; the Sun naturally resides in Heaven, and they belong to the same category. The Great Image says, 'The noble person classifies groups and distinguishes things,' which is also explained through the trigram images. The Commentary on the Appended Phrases also says, 'Things gather according to their kind, and beings divide according to their groups; thus good and bad fortune arise.' By clarifying the relationships of yin and yang, understanding the categories of beings and things, and discerning contradictions, the causes of good and bad fortune become clear. As Chairman Mao Zedong said, one must first distinguish friends from enemies: 'Who are our enemies? Who are our friends? This is a question of primary importance for the revolution.' True comrades and true friends will be of one heart and one mind, united in virtue; unity is strength. Confucius, in the Commentary on the Appended Phrases, explains the fifth line of the Hexagram of Fellowship: 'When two people are of one heart, their sharpness can cut through metal. Words from a united heart are fragrant like orchids.' The lower trigram Li is a yin trigram, and the upper trigram Qian is a yang trigram. In the combined hexagram, only the second line (six in the second place) is a yin line; thus the entire hexagram is yin in nature, and its character is determined by this line. The Hexagram of Fellowship primarily focuses on the second line. The Commentary says, 'The yielding finds its place and the center, responding to Qian; this is called Fellowship.' The second line, being in its proper place and central, occupies a position of centrality and correctness, and responds to the fifth line (nine in the fifth place) of the upper trigram Qian. Therefore, the Hexagram of Fellowship emphasizes this second line, because it corresponds with the fifth line, meaning 'Civilized and strong, central and correct in response, this is the correctness of the noble person. Only the noble person can penetrate the aspirations of all under Heaven.' The reason the Hexagram of Fellowship can bring people together and unite all under Heaven lies in its ability to penetrate the aspirations of all under Heaven. That is, by connecting with the aspirations of the common people, one can unite them.
Chinese Interpretation
《同人》卦上卦为乾为天，下卦为离为火，因此大象辞说“天与火，同人”，离为火，为日，日当然在天上，日与天属于同类，大象辞说“君子以类族辨物”，也是就卦象来说的。《系辞传》也说“方以类聚，物以群分，吉凶生矣”，搞清楚阴阳关系，搞清楚物种物类，搞清楚矛盾，吉凶因果就会清楚明白了。用毛泽东主席的话说就是要首先分清敌友，“谁是我们的敌人，谁是我们的朋友，这个问题，是革命的首要问题”。真正的同人同志，真正的朋友，就会一心一意、同心同德，团结就是力量。孔子在《系辞传》里面解释《同人》卦九五爻辞说：“二人同心，其利断金。同心之言，其臭如兰。”下卦为离，是阴卦，上卦为乾，是阳卦。复卦合起来只有六二爻这一个阴爻，因此，复卦是阴卦，整个卦的性质由六二爻决定。《同人》卦主要就六二爻而言，《传》说：“柔得位得中而应乎乾，曰同人。”六二爻得位得中，居于中正之位，与上卦乾的九五阳相应，因此说《同人》卦突出的是六二爻这一爻，因为六二爻与九五爻相应，即“文明以健，中正而应，君子正也。唯君子为能通天下之志”。《同人》卦之所以能够相聚，之所以能够团结天下人，关键是能够通天下人之志。也就是说，与天下百姓的志向相通，才能够团结天下人。
Line Interpretations
These passages include the core hexagram statement, the six moving line texts, and traditional commentary where available. Read them as layered guidance: the early lines describe the root of the situation, while later lines reveal development, pressure, and outcome.
同人于野，亨，利涉大川，利君子贞。
与郊野之外的人能够同心同德，亨通，利于渡过大河，有利于君子坚守正道。
Fellowship with others in the open field. Success. It is favorable to cross the great river. It is favorable for the noble person to be steadfast.
Being of one heart and one mind with people beyond the outskirts brings success. It is favorable to cross the great river. It is favorable for the noble person to uphold the correct path.