Tui / The Joyous, Lake

above: Tui The Joyous, Lake
below: Tui The Joyous, Lake

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

Overall Meaning

Joy, lake, the symbol of pleasure

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 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 vapors 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 is 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-heartedness 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 the one weak line surmounting each trigram and supported by the two strong lines. Fancy sees in that mildness and benignity energized b a double portion of strength.