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.