Tong Ren 天火同人
A time that rewards teamwork
It is a good moment to join forces with people who share your goal. Work together with fairness and an open mind.
What does I Ching hexagram 13 (Fellowship) mean?
Fire burning beneath the sky, gathering people of shared purpose. It calls for fairness and a wide-open heart.
- Fellowship in love
- You meet a companion on your wavelength. An open, honest relationship suits you.
- Fellowship at work and with money
- Teaming up with people who share your aim brings big results.
- Advice
- Drop selfishness and look to the common goal.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · Fellowship
Auspicious“Fellowship with others in the open: success. It is fitting to cross the great river, and fitting for the noble person to persevere.”
The Image: Heaven and fire: fellowship. The noble person sorts people into groups and distinguishes things.
原文 · 同人于野，亨。 利涉大川，利君子貞。 / 天與火，同人；君子以類族辨物。
The six lines of hexagram 13
Lines are read from the bottom up. When you cast a reading and a line is changing, its statement becomes the key message.
Line 1 · 初九
Caution“Fellowship at the gate: no blame.”
Starting out open to everyone is a fair beginning.
原文 · 同人于門，無咎。
Line 2 · 六二
Caution“Fellowship within the clan: humiliation.”
A group that is only for insiders is too narrow. Widen it.
原文 · 同人于宗，吝。
Line 3 · 九三
Neutral“Hiding troops in the thicket, climbing the high hill; for three years there is no rising.”
A hostile, suspicious stance gets you nowhere. Distrust wastes years.
原文 · 伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三歲不興。
Line 4 · 九四
Auspicious“Climbing onto the wall but unable to attack: good fortune.”
You were about to fight but think better of it. Stopping is lucky.
原文 · 乘其庸，弗克攻，吉。
Line 5 · 九五
Neutral“Fellowship: first wailing, then laughter. The great army succeeds in meeting.”
It goes through obstacles and tears, but finally the people come together joyfully.
原文 · 同人，先號啕而後笑。大師克相遇。
Line 6 · 上九
Caution“Fellowship in the outskirts: no regret.”
A looser, wider circle of connection is fine, with no regrets, even if not very close.
原文 · 同人于郊，無悔。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 7. Shi (The Army)
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 14. Da You (Great Possession)
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.