Hexagram 30: The Clinging
Fire, clarity, dependence
| Chinese | 離 (Lí) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☲ Fire — The Clinging (Fire) |
| Lower trigram | ☲ Fire — The Clinging (Fire) |
| Keywords | clarity, fire, brightness, attachment |
| Opposite | Hexagram 29: The Abysmal |
| Inverted | Itself — the figure is symmetric |
What does Hexagram 30 (The Clinging) mean?
The Clinging 離 (Lí) is hexagram 30 of the I Ching, formed by Fire (The Clinging) over Fire (The Clinging). Its theme is fire, clarity, dependence, with key ideas of clarity, fire, brightness, attachment. The Judgment reads: “The Clinging. Perseverance furthers. It brings success.”
The Judgment of The Clinging
The Clinging. Perseverance furthers. It brings success.
The Image of The Clinging
That which is bright rises twice.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 30
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Nine at the beginning
“The footprints run crisscross. If one is seriously intent, no blame.”
Confused beginnings require earnest clarity of purpose to avoid missteps. Intent corrects initial disorder.
Six in the second place
“Yellow light. Supreme good fortune.”
The middle line of fire — clear, balanced, and centred — is the ideal. Luminous moderation brings the highest blessing.
Nine in the third place
“In the light of the setting sun, men either beat the pot and sing or loudly bewail the approach of old age. Misfortune.”
At the turning point when brightness fades, one must choose between acceptance and denial. Frantic grasping at the fading light brings misfortune.
Nine in the fourth place
“Its coming is sudden; it flames up, dies down, is thrown away.”
Brilliant but unstable flaring cannot sustain itself. Energy without discipline burns out as quickly as it appeared.
Six in the fifth place
“Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting. Good fortune.”
Genuine, deeply felt emotion — not suppressed, not performed — clears the heart and opens it to what is truly good.
Nine at the top
“The king uses him to march forth and chastise. Then it is best to kill the leaders and take captive the followers. No blame.”
Applied clarity must distinguish principal causes from secondary ones. Address the root, not symptoms; be decisive about what must be removed.
Will The Clinging answer your question?
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