Hexagram 58 - Dui Wei Ze (Joy of Water)
Dui Wei Ze is the 58th hexagram in the I Ching. As a pure hexagram with Tui (Lake) above and below, it symbolizes joy, harmony, conversation, external pleasure and internal substance. The image is of two lakes connected, waters communicating, creating an atmosphere of delight and pleasure. Its core message is "Adjoining Lakes, Dui (Joy). The superior man is friends with his fellows for discussion and practice." It primarily represents treating others with joyful harmony, sincere communication, mutual pleasure, and shared purpose. As an auspicious hexagram, it reveals the principles of harmonious interaction, honest engagement, and joyful moderation.
Symbolism and Judgement
Hexagram Symbol
Dui Wei Ze
Hexagram 58 · Top: Tui ☱ · Bottom: Tui ☱ · Adjoining Lakes of Joy
Upper Trigram: Tui ☱ (Lake/Joy)Lower Trigram: Tui ☱ (Lake/Joy)Five Phases: Metal-Metal (Tui belongs to Metal)
This symbolizes the way indicated by the Joy of Water.
Judgement Text
Dui (Lake/Joy): Success. Perseverance is favorable.
Interpretation: The Dui hexagram symbolizes harmonious joy. Success is indicated; it is favorable to persevere in the right course. It implies that harmonious interaction brings success, but one must maintain integrity without resorting to flattery.
Line Texts
First Nine (9.1): Harmonious joy, good fortune.
Harmonious joy, good fortune. Interpretation: Peaceful joy, without flattery, brings good fortune. At the outset of joy, maintain equanimity and treat others with integrity — fortune.
Second Nine (9.2): Joy of faith, good fortune. Regret disappears.
Joy of faith, good fortune. Regret disappears. Interpretation: Finding joy with others through sincerity brings good fortune and dispels regret. Firm and central, upholding faith, joy based on trust leaves no regret or loss.
Third Six (6.3): Seeking pleasure through flattery, misfortune.
Seeking pleasure through flattery, misfortune. Interpretation: Actively seeking pleasure by flattery brings danger. A yielding, improper line pursues joy merely for its own sake; depraved flattery deviates from the path, leading to misfortune.
Fourth Nine (9.4): Considering the question of joy, not at peace. In a small dilemma, there is satisfaction.
Considering the question of joy, not at peace. In a small dilemma, there is satisfaction. Interpretation: Deliberating on joyful ways brings disquiet. A small ailment will ultimately heal. Firm yet thoughtful, despite minor disturbances, harmonious satisfaction is attained.
Fifth Nine (9.5): Trusting those who are eroding integrity, danger.
Trusting those who are eroding integrity, danger. Interpretation: Placing faith in petty individuals, or those who undermine integrity, harbors danger. A high position with misplaced trust in the inferior leads to risk by indulgence.
Top Six (6.6): Leading the joy.
Leading the joy. Interpretation: Guiding others toward harmony, awaiting the right moment to act. At the peak of joy, guide the multitude toward harmony through right conduct — no blame.
Core Symbolism
The Dui hexagram is joy and lake both above and below, representing two lakes nourishing each other and finding mutual pleasure. It symbolizes inner delight, harmonious speech, friendly relations, and sincerity in sharing joy. Joy must be grounded in integrity; one should not resort to flattery to please. Harmonious joy with centrality and correctness brings good fortune; depraved, flattering joy brings misfortune. It corresponds to human affairs like social interaction, communication, discussion among friends, and harmonious conduct. It signifies joyful sincerity, propriety in pleasure, and finding goodness in joy, while warning that seeking pleasure through flattery or indulging inferior people brings misfortune.
The six lines of Dui explore the path of joyful harmony. The First Nine's peaceful joy brings fortune; the Second Nine's sincere joy brings fortune. The Third Six's active, flattering pursuit of pleasure brings misfortune; the Fourth Nine's deliberation on joy, though causing disquiet, results in relief. The Fifth Nine's misplaced trust brings danger, and the Top Six's guidance of others' joy depends on timing. Overall, the core essence is connected lakes, joyful sincerity, and discussion among friends.
Correspondence Categories
- Hexagram Nature: Pure hexagram, pleasure above and below; two lakes connected, joyful delight.
- Five Phases: Metal-Metal.
- Direction: West.
- Season/Time: Autumn, the season when lake waters delight and all things are harvested.
- People: Harmonious superior persons, those skilled in speech, individuals who study and discuss with friends, shamans and ritualists.
- Body: Lungs, tongue/mouth, nose & mouth; governs smooth energy flow and pleasurable speech.
- Animals: Goat, wetland birds.
- Objects: Things related to speech, musical instruments, implements of lakes/water.
- Places: Marshes, western regions, places of discussion and learning, places of joyful gathering.
- Human Activities: Harmonious social interaction, discussing and learning with friends, verbal communication, interacting with sincerity.
- Colors: White, gold/champagne.
- Taste: Pungent (acrid).
- Numbers: Two, Seven.
Classical Texts
Judgement and Line Texts
Dui: Success. Perseverance is favorable. First Nine: Harmonious joy, good fortune. Second Nine: Joy of faith, good fortune. Regret disappears. Third Six: Seeking pleasure through flattery, misfortune. Fourth Nine: Considering the question of joy, not at peace. In a small dilemma, there is satisfaction. Fifth Nine: Trusting those who are eroding integrity, danger. Top Six: Leading the joy.
Tuan Zhuan (Commentary on the Judgement)
The Tuan says: Dui means to give pleasure. Strength at the centre and openness without; to give pleasure through correct perseverance is to accord with Heaven and respond to Humanity. Using pleasure to lead the people makes them forget their toils; using pleasure in venturing through difficulties makes them forget the risk of death. Great is the use of giving pleasure — how the people are thereby encouraged!
Interpretation: Dui is harmonious joy. With firm strength centrally located and yielding openness externally, giving joy while persevering correctly accords with Heaven and resonates with Humanity. Leading the people with joy makes them forget their labor; meeting difficulties with joy makes them disregard death. The effect of harmonious joy is profound, causing the common people to encourage one another.
Xiang Zhuan (Commentary on the Images)
The image: Adjoining lakes — this is Dui (Joy). The superior man, by this image, engages in discussion and practice with his friends.
Interpretation: Two lakes joining and nourishing each other — this is the image of Dui. The superior man emulates this by discussing and teaching the right path mutually with friends.
Regarding the images of the lines:
- The good fortune of "harmonious joy" is because the conduct is not doubted.
- The good fortune of "joy of faith" is because the intention is trustworthy.
- The misfortune of "seeking pleasure through flattery" is because the position is unsuitable.
- The satisfaction of "Nine at the Fourth" is because there is cause for celebration.
- "Trusting those who erode integrity," despite being in the correct position, leads to danger (due to oversight).
- "Top Six leading the joy" means the Way of Joy has not yet fully spread its light.
Interpretation: The good fortune of peaceful joy comes from acting without doubt, holding to what is right. The good fortune of sincere joy comes from a faithful heart-mind. The misfortune of flattering to seek pleasure comes from being in an unsuitable position. The satisfaction of Nine in the Fourth is because there is good news/a happy outcome. The danger of trusting inferior people comes from being in the correct position yet failing to see clearly. The Top Six's guidance of joy indicates that the Way of Joy is not yet fully illuminated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Dui hexagram primarily auspicious or inauspicious?
Answer: Dui is a highly auspicious hexagram. When joy is grounded in integrity and interactions are sincere, it brings good fortune. Seeking pleasure through flattery or placing misplaced trust in inferior individuals leads to misfortune.
What does "friends discussing and practicing" in the Dui hexagram mean?
Answer: It refers to gathering with friends to refine knowledge and discuss the principles of the Way—this is the proper path of harmonious, joyful interaction.
What situations is the Dui hexagram well-suited for?
Answer: It is suitable for social interaction, gatherings with friends, verbal communication, and creating joyful harmony within a team. It is not suited for flattery, sycophancy, or insincerity.
What insights does the Dui hexagram offer regarding interpersonal relationships?
Answer: One should act with joyful sincerity, neither servile nor arrogant. The lines at the First and Second positions are auspicious. The Third line warns against flattery. The Fifth line warns against misplaced trust in inferior individuals.
How is the Dui hexagram related to the Sun (Wind) hexagram?
Answer: The Sun (Wind) hexagram primarily symbolizes humility, compliance, and deep penetration. The Dui (Joy) hexagram symbolizes joyful discourse, external pleasure and internal harmony. They are inverted (paired) hexagrams, complementing each other — one for compliance, one for joyful interaction.
FAQ
What is the core meaning of Hexagram 58 (Dui Wei Ze)?
The hexagram's core meaning is Joy, derived from the image of two conjoined lakes (the trigram Tui). It represents harmony, sincere communication, mutual pleasure, and shared purpose. Its central message is about creating an atmosphere of delight through honest engagement and connecting with others for discussion and collective practice, all grounded in integrity and propriety.
Is Hexagram 58 considered auspicious?
Yes, the Judgement states "Success. Perseverance is favorable," indicating it is generally auspicious. However, its auspiciousness is conditional on maintaining right conduct and integrity. The hexagram promises success through harmonious and joyful interaction, but warns against using flattery or indulging in mere pleasure-seeking, which can lead to misfortune.
How should I interpret the line about "Trusting those who are eroding integrity, danger"?
This corresponds to the Fifth Nine (9.5) line text. It warns of the danger inherent in a leadership position when one places trust in petty, inferior, or manipulative individuals who undermine core values. The hexagram's joy must be built on sincerity. Trusting those without integrity for short-term pleasure or flattery erodes one's foundation and invites risk, not harmonious success.
What does the hexagram symbolize in terms of human relationships and activities?
Dui symbolizes harmonious social interaction, particularly through speech and shared purpose. It corresponds to activities like friendly discussion, collaborative learning, and joyful gatherings. It advises building relationships on sincere joy and shared practice, fostering an environment where energy and ideas flow smoothly like water between two lakes.
The hexagram mentions both "joy of faith" and "joy of flattery." What's the difference?
This contrast is central to understanding Dui. The "Joy of Faith" (Second Nine) refers to harmony founded on trust, sincerity, and balanced virtue, which brings good fortune and dispels regret. Conversely, the "Joy of Flattery" (Third Six) describes actively seeking pleasure through ingratiation and dishonest speech, which deviates from the proper path and leads to misfortune. True joy is internal and principled.
What is the significance of Dui being associated with Autumn and the West?
In the system of correspondences, Dui belongs to the Metal element, directs to the West, and aligns with Autumn. This connects the hexagram's theme of joyful harvest and reflective communication. Autumn is a season of gathering and fulfillment, where the "waters delight," metaphorically linking the clarity and satisfaction of autumn with the harmonious, rewarding connections Dui advocates.
How can the principle of Dui be applied in daily life or decision-making?
Apply Dui's principle by prioritizing open, sincere, and harmonious communication in your interactions. Seek collaborative discussions with friends or colleagues to refine ideas ("discussion and practice"). In decisions, choose the path that fosters genuine shared joy and connection, not superficial pleasure. Be mindful that your joy should come from integrity and balanced exchange, avoiding the temptation to flatter or be flattered.
What does the "leading the joy" in the Top Six line mean?
"Leading the joy" (Top Six) suggests guiding others towards harmonious and proper joy from a position of experience. It is not about controlling pleasure but about setting a righteous example and influencing the collective atmosphere toward sincere delight. It implies a responsibility to steward joy wisely, waiting for the right moment to act and ensuring it benefits all.
Why does the hexagram emphasize "discussion and practice"?
The core message states the superior man "is friends with his fellows for discussion and practice." This emphasizes that the joy of Dui is active and productive, not passive. It is the joy found in the mutual refinement of ideas through conversation (like nourishing waters) and the subsequent shared effort to implement them, turning harmonious connection into tangible, positive results.