Hexagram 58: Lake (Joy)
兌 Duì · Lake over Lake
This is a hexagram of joy, openness and good company. Things go well when you approach people with real warmth and say what you mean. It also cautions that joy needs to rest on sincerity, not flattery or chasing pleasure. Shared joy, honest talk and learning together with friends are the strongest forms of it right now.
| Number (King Wen order) | 58 |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 兌 (Duì) |
| Upper trigram | ☱ Lake (Duì): joyful, open |
| Lower trigram | ☱ Lake (Duì): joyful, open |
| Unicode symbol | ䷹ |
On this page (9)
Hexagram 58 in plain words
Lake over lake: two bodies of water joined, refreshing each other so neither dries out. The image is of friends who talk and learn together, each keeping the other lively. Tradition says joy brings success and that perseverance furthers. Its strong lines inside and yielding lines outside suggest firm character expressed with gentleness.
The commentary says the wise person joins with friends for discussion and practice. Joy, in this sense, is not empty fun. It comes from being inwardly steady and outwardly kind, and from honest connection. That kind of joy makes hard work feel lighter and makes others willing to cooperate. The lines draw a careful line between true and false joy: contentment and sincere gladness are good, but chasing pleasure, being won over by flattery or drifting along with whatever feels nice leads somewhere worse. Ask what kind of joy you are seeking right now. Let it be the kind that shares, rather than the kind that grabs, and that comes from what you value, not from what tempts you.
The judgment
Tui intimates that (under its conditions) there will be progress and attainment. (But) it will be advantageous to be firm and correct.
Translation: James Legge, 1882 (public domain).
The image
(Two symbols representing) the waters of a marsh, one over the other, form Tui. The superior man, in accordance with this, (encourages) the conversation of friends and (the stimulus of) their (common) practice.
From Legge's Appendix II (the Great Symbolism), The Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882 (public domain).
In plain words: Two lakes lie side by side and keep each other fresh. Joy grows when friends talk together and practise together, learning from each other.
The six lines
Read only the lines that changed in your reading. Lines are counted from the bottom.
Line 1 (bottom)
The first NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure of (inward) harmony. There will be good fortune.
Your joy is quiet and content, needing nothing from outside. Good fortune.
Line 2
The second NINE, undivided, shows the pleasure arising from (inward) sincerity. There will be good fortune. Occasion for repentance will disappear.
Your joy is sincere and comes from honest feeling. Good fortune, and regret disappears.
Line 3
The third SIX, divided, shows its subject bringing round himself whatever can give pleasure. There will be evil.
Joy comes to you from outside, through pleasures that pull you along. Seeking happiness this way brings trouble.
Line 4
The fourth NINE, undivided, shows its subject deliberating about what to seek his pleasure in, and not at rest. He borders on what would be injurious, but there will be cause for joy.
You weigh which pleasures to choose and are not at peace. Once you set aside what is clearly wrong for you, real joy follows.
Line 5
The fifth NINE, undivided, shows its subject trusting in one who would injure him. The situation is perilous.
You trust influences that are wearing you down. That trust is risky; be careful who you open yourself to.
Line 6 (top)
The topmost SIX, divided, shows the pleasure of its subject in leading and attracting others.
You are drawn along by seductive pleasure. Notice where it is leading you before you follow.
Related hexagrams
| Opposite (every line changed) | 52. Mountain (Keeping Still) |
|---|---|
| Inverse (turned upside down) | 57. Wind (Gentle Penetration) |
| Nuclear (lines 2 to 5) | 37. The Family |
All three relations have traditional Chinese names (cuo gua for the opposite, zong gua for the inverse, hu gua for the nuclear). Many modern readers use the opposite as the shadow side of a situation, the inverse as the same moment seen from the other side, and the nuclear hexagram as its inner core.
If one line changes
With a single changing line, hexagram 58 turns into:
| Line 1 changes | Hexagram 47, Exhaustion |
|---|---|
| Line 2 changes | Hexagram 17, Following |
| Line 3 changes | Hexagram 43, Breakthrough |
| Line 4 changes | Hexagram 60, Limitation |
| Line 5 changes | Hexagram 54, The Marrying Maiden |
| Line 6 changes | Hexagram 10, Treading |
Learn more: what the I Ching is, how to read changing lines, the eight trigrams, how to cast with coins or yarrow.
Hexagram 58 in love and relationships
In love, this favors warmth, laughter and open, honest talk. Enjoy each other's company, and make sure the joy rests on sincerity rather than flattery.
Hexagram 58 for work and decisions
At work, a friendly, open approach wins cooperation. Share ideas, learn with colleagues, and keep your enthusiasm grounded in real commitment.
Questions
What does hexagram 58 mean?
This is a hexagram of joy, openness and good company. Things go well when you approach people with real warmth and say what you mean. It also cautions that joy needs to rest on sincerity, not flattery or chasing pleasure. Shared joy, honest talk and learning together with friends are the strongest forms of it right now.
What does hexagram 58 mean in love?
In love, this favors warmth, laughter and open, honest talk. Enjoy each other's company, and make sure the joy rests on sincerity rather than flattery.
What does hexagram 58 mean for work?
At work, a friendly, open approach wins cooperation. Share ideas, learn with colleagues, and keep your enthusiasm grounded in real commitment.
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