Heaven Fire Tongren: Confucian-Daoist Dialogue and the Investigation of Ancient Spiritual Origins from a Pre-Qin Perspective

Chapter Two: General Discussion of the Hexagram Image: How Can Heaven and Fire Achieve Tóng Rén$35

Section 1: Qian Above and Li Below—The Natures of the Two Trigrams

The Tóng Rén hexagram is composed of the upper trigram Qian (☰, Heaven) and the lower trigram Li (☲, Fire). To understand the overall meaning of this six-line hexagram, we must first deeply examine the natures of Qian and Li, the two component trigrams.

The Nature of Qian (Heaven):

The Shuogua Zhuan discusses Qian:

"Qian is vigor (jiàn)." "Qian is Heaven, the round, the ruler, the father, jade, metal, cold, ice, dark red, a fine horse, an old horse, a lean horse, a piebald horse, a tree bearing fruit." (说卦传: 乾，健也。...乾为天，为圜，为君，为父，为玉，为金，为寒，为冰，为大赤，为良马，为老马，为瘠马，为驳马，为木果。)

The core nature of Qian is "vigor" (jiàn)—unceasing strength. The Image Commentary of Qian states: "Heaven's movement is vigorous; the noble man strives unceasingly." The vigor of Qian is the vigor of the movement of Heaven, the vigor of the eternal rotation of the sun, moon, and stars. It represents the universe’s most fundamental creative power—pure Yang energy.

In terms of imagery, Qian represents Heaven, the Ruler, the Father. Heaven covers all things, the Ruler governs the populace, and the Father presides over the family. The common characteristic of these three is: occupying the upper position, leading, vigorous, and vast.

Why does Qian also represent "the round" (yuán)$36 Because the movement of Heaven is a cyclical, returning round. The Xi Ci Zhuan states: "Qian knows the Great Beginning." Qian represents the Great Beginning of all things, and the beginning that constantly begins again, the end that constantly returns, is precisely the circular motion.

The Nature of Li (Fire):

The Shuogua Zhuan discusses Li:

"Lì means to adhere/attach." "Lì means brightness (míng), where all things are seen. It is the trigram of the South. Li is fire, the sun, lightning, the middle daughter, armor and weapons; in relation to man, it is the large abdomen; it is the trigram Qian; it is the soft-shelled turtle, the crab, the conch, the clam, the tortoise. In relation to wood, it is withered wood above the branch." (说卦传: 离，丽也。...离也者，明也，万物皆相见，南方之卦也。...离为火，为日，为电，为中女...其于木也，为科上槁。)

The core nature of Li is "Lì"—adhesion or attachment. Fire must adhere to combustible material to exist; the sun and moon must adhere to the sky to shine. Simultaneously, "Lì" also carries the meaning of civilization or splendor—the term "civilization" (wénmíng) is used in the Tuanzhuan to describe the Li trigram.

Li also represents "Brightness" (Míng)—illumination. The reason fire is Li is because fire can illuminate darkness, allowing all things "to be seen." The Shuogua Zhuan says Li is the "trigram of the South," because the South is where light is most abundant (in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun reaches its zenith in the South).

Why does Li also represent "armor and weapons" (jiǎ zhò, gē bīng)$37 This seems inconsistent with the image of "civilization" and "brightness." However, if we think deeply, armor and weapons are "externally rigid and internally soft": armor is hard on the outside, hollow inside to protect the body; weapons have a metal exterior wrapping a wooden shaft. The image of Li (☲) is two outer Yang lines enclosing an inner Yin line—external solidity and internal emptiness. This structure of "external solidity, internal softness" is the fundamental characteristic of Li.

In the imagery of Li, there is another very important image: the Sun (rì). The Xi Ci Zhuan states:

"The running of the sun and moon brings one cold season and one hot season." (日月运行，一寒一暑。)

The Sun is Li, the Moon is Kan (坎). The Sun is the brightest entity in the sky; it shines upon all things, leaving nothing hidden—this has a profound connection with the meaning of Tóng Rén—Tóng Rén requires "Brightness" (Míng)—the ability to see one another, to be open and sincere, to interact frankly. Without brightness, people can only grope in darkness, mutually suspicious. Confucius said regarding the superior man (Analects, Yan Yuan):

"The noble man is free from anxiety and fear." "If he examines himself and finds nothing to reproach, what anxiety or fear can he have$38" (内省不疚，夫何忧何惧？)

Only when one’s inner self is without reproach can one be truly open. Openness is the fundamental prerequisite for the Way of Tóng Rén.

Furthermore, the Sun is Li, the Moon is Kan. The Sun is the brightest existence in the sky; it universally illuminates all things, making nothing hidden—this has a profound connection with the meaning of Tóng Rén—Tóng Rén requires "Brightness" (Míng)—the ability to see one another, to be open and sincere, to interact frankly. Without brightness, people can only grope in darkness, mutually suspicious.

Why does the combination of Qian and Li constitute Tóng Rén$39

This is a key question. In the sixty-four hexagrams, each is formed by combining two trigrams, but not any two trigrams placed together can generate a meaningful hexagram name. Why is it specifically Qian above and Li below—Heaven above, Fire below—that constitutes Tóng Rén$40

To answer this, we must understand the relationship between "Heaven" and "Fire."

Section 2: The Joint Movement of Heaven and Fire

The Daxiangzhuan describes Tóng Rén as:

"Heaven and Fire gather in accord. The noble man thereby classifies lineages and distinguishes things." (天与火，同人。君子以类族辨物。)

"Heaven and Fire gather in accord"—when Heaven and Fire are together, it is the image of Tóng Rén. Why$41

Heaven is above, and the nature of Fire is to blaze upwards. The Shuogua Zhuan says: "Li is Fire." The nature of Fire is to ascend in flames. When flames rise, their direction is consistent with Heaven's direction—both move upwards. Heaven and Fire, one above and one moving upward, have the same direction of movement. This "same direction" (tóng xiàng) is the basic image of Tóng (Accord).

But we must pursue this further: Why does "same direction" equate to Tóng Rén$42 Does the same direction imply the same heart/mind$43

We believe that the joint movement of "Heaven and Fire" contains at least the following layers of meaning:

First Layer: Accord in Aspiration.

Heaven represents the highest ideal, the ultimate destination. Fire moves upward, proceeding in the direction of this highest ideal. When people share the same aspiration—moving toward Heaven—they naturally come together: this is Tóng Rén. Confucius said in the Analects (Lǐ Rén):

"If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening." (朝闻道，夕死可矣。)

The "Way" (Dào) is the Way of Heaven, the highest ideal. When people aspire to "hear the Way" and "practice the Way," they naturally gather together—this is Tóng Rén.

Second Layer: Accord in Brightness.

Heaven is great brightness, and Fire is also brightness. The Tuanzhuan says Tóng Rén possesses the quality of "Civilization coupled with Vigor" (wénmíng yǐ jiàn)—"Civilization" comes from the lower trigram Li, "Vigor" from the upper trigram Qian. The brightness of Heaven is the brightness of the sun and moon; the brightness of Fire is the brightness of the human realm. When the brightness of Heaven meets the brightness of humanity, the situation is one where brightness pervades all, and people are open and sincere. In this state, there is no concealment, no deceit, no covert scheming among people—this is the foundation of Tóng Rén.

Confucius said when asked about the noble man (Analects, Yan Yuan):

"The noble man is free from anxiety and fear." "If he examines himself and finds nothing to reproach, what anxiety or fear can he have$44" (内省不疚，夫何忧何惧？)

Only by examining oneself without reproach can one be truly open (tàn tǎnɡ dànɡ tànɡ). Openness allows one to accord with others. Being bright and upright is the fundamental premise of the Way of Tóng Rén.

Third Layer: Mutual Communication of Qi.

The qi (vital energy) of Heaven descends, and the qi of Fire ascends; they meet, intermingle, and communicate in the middle. This communication of qi is the basic mechanism for the transformation and birth of all things. The Xi Ci Zhuan states:

"When Heaven and Earth intermingle their qi, all things are transformed into harmony. When male and female combine their essence, all things are born." (天地氤氲，万物化醇。男女构精，万物化生。)

The interchange of Heaven and Earth's qi is the root of all creation. In the Tóng Rén hexagram, the communication between the qi of Qian (Heaven) and the qi of Li (Fire) symbolizes the spiritual intercourse between people. People can "accord" not due to external coercion, but due to the natural resonance of internal spiritual qi.

Fourth Layer: Ancient Imagery—Heaven-Fire Sacrifice.

From the perspective of ancient folklore, the image of "Heaven and Fire" might have an even older source: the sacrificial fire to Heaven. When ancient peoples performed sacrifices to Heaven, they often lit a great fire—allowing the flames to rise toward Heaven, serving as a medium for communication between the human and celestial realms. Although the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li) is a later compilation, the rites of "burning offerings" (liào) preserved within it clearly have very ancient origins. The Book of Odes (Shi Jing, Greater Odes of the Kingdom, Sheng Min) describes the scene of Hou Ji’s sacrifice:

"Taking the xiao grass to offer burnt sacrifice, taking the white ram to smear the earth, they burned and brilliantly flared the offerings, to usher in the subsequent year." (取萧祭脂，取羝以軷，载燔载烈，以兴嗣岁。)

Fán and liè both refer to roasting sacrificial offerings with fire. The flames carried the aroma of the offering upward to communicate with the celestial spirits. In this sense, the combination of "Heaven and Fire" is not only a symbol of natural phenomena but also a symbol of the method of communication between humanity and Heaven. And the deepest meaning of Tóng Rén might well contain the "Accord" between humanity and Heaven—the unity of Heaven and Man (Tiān Rén Hé Yī).

Section 3: Supplementary Perspectives from the Intersecting, Opposing, and Reversing Hexagrams

To fully understand the symbolism of the Tóng Rén hexagram, we must also consider its intersecting (hù), opposing (cuò), and reversing (zōng) hexagrams.

Reversing Hexagram (Zōng Guà):

Reversing the Tóng Rén hexagram (☰☲, Heaven over Fire) yields the Dà Yǒu hexagram (☲☰, Fire over Heaven). Tóng Rén and Dà Yǒu are a pair of reversing hexagrams, surface and reverse. Tóng Rén emphasizes the aggregation of people, while Dà Yǒu emphasizes the resulting abundance obtained from this aggregation. This perfectly aligns with the Xuguazhuan: "Those who accord with others will certainly see things return to them, therefore it is followed by Dà Yǒu."

Why does reversing Tóng Rén become Dà Yǒu$45 This can be understood through the change in image. In Tóng Rén, Heaven (Qian) is above and Fire (Li) is below; when reversed, Fire (Li) is above and Heaven (Qian) is below. In Tóng Rén, the brightness (Li) is covered by Heaven (Qian); the brightness is internal and implicit, and people gather because of this internal brightness. In Dà Yǒu, brightness (Li) hangs high above, like the sun at noon, and all things are clearly visible under its illumination—this is the flourishing scene of "Great Possession."

From Tóng Rén to Dà Yǒu is a process from internal aggregation to external abundance. This tells us that "Tóng Rén" is the cause, and "Dà Yǒu" is the result; the accord of human hearts is the foundation, and material abundance is the outcome.

Opposing Hexagram (Cuò Guà):

The opposing hexagram of Tóng Rén (where each line is inverted) is the Shī hexagram (☷☵, Mountain over Water, Army). Shī discusses military forces, war, and the leadership of the masses. Tóng Rén is aggregation through peaceful means, while Shī is leadership through military means—these two form an interesting contrast.

Why is the opposing hexagram of Tóng Rén the Shī$46 This seems to suggest an intrinsic correspondence between the Way of Tóng Rén and the art of warfare. One who can accord with others can lead an army; one who can gather the masses can command troops. More profoundly, true "Tóng Rén" requires discipline, order, and principle, just like military command—it is not a simple gathering of a disorganized mob, but a cohesion based on organization and purpose.

The frequent martial imagery in the six lines of Tóng Rén—the third line "hiding armed men in the brush," the fourth line "mounting the wall but failing to attack," the fifth line "first crying out and then laughing"—also indirectly confirms the intrinsic link between Tóng Rén and Shī.

Intersecting Hexagram (Hù Guà):

The intersecting hexagram of Tóng Rén (formed by the middle four lines, i.e., lines 2, 3, 4 forming the lower trigram, and lines 3, 4, 5 forming the upper trigram) is the Gòu hexagram (☰☴, Heaven over Wind), meaning "Encounter" or "Accidental Meeting." This intersecting hexagram reveals a hidden dynamic within Tóng Rén: the convergence of Tóng Rén often begins with an accidental encounter. The connection between people sometimes starts with an unexpected meeting. However, whether this encounter can develop into true Tóng Rén depends on whether both parties share an internal spiritual "Accord."

Section 4: The Heaven-Fire Relationship from the Perspective of the Five Phases Generation and Overcoming Cycles

In Pre-Qin Yin-Yang and Five Phases theory, Heaven belongs to Metal (Qian is Metal), and Fire overcomes Metal. From the perspective of the Five Phases cycle of generation and overcoming, there seems to be a relationship of overcoming between Li (Fire) and Qian (Metal)—Fire overcomes Metal. Why then is a combination that includes overcoming named "Tóng Rén"—harmony and gathering$47

This question touches upon a deeper aspect of Pre-Qin Five Phases thought. Although the Five Phases chapter of the Guanzi presents a systematic discussion of the phases, its philosophical roots trace back even earlier. The generation and overcoming relationships between the Five Phases are not merely antagonistic but can also represent a balance under constraint. The "overcoming" of Fire over Metal does not necessarily mean destruction; it can mean "tempering"—only through the fire's refinement can metal become a useful tool. The Guanzi states:

"Metal is born from Earth... The Way of Metal is punishment and execution... The Way of Fire is clear illumination." (管子·五行: 金生于土……金之道刑杀……火之道明照。)

Fire brings clear illumination, and Metal brings execution/order. In the Tóng Rén hexagram, Li (Fire) is below and Qian (Metal) is above. Fire tempers from below, and Metal is refined above—is this not an allegory for the Way of Tóng Rén$48 True Tóng Rén is not a state of amiable consensus devoid of friction and conflict, but a higher harmony achieved through conflict and tempering.

This point deeply resonates with Yan Ying’s distinction between Hé and Tóng in the Zuo Zhuan (20th Year of Duke Zhao). Yan Ying’s "harmony is like a soup" suggests that various different, even opposing, seasonings interact, stimulate, and check each other to ultimately create delicious flavor—this is Hé within "overcoming."

Section 5: The Special Structure of Tóng Rén—One Yin and Five Yangs

Another noteworthy feature of the Tóng Rén hexagram is its Yin-Yang structure: five Yang lines and one Yin line. That solitary Yin line is the second line (Six Two, 六二), located in the central position of the lower trigram Li.

In a hexagram with one Yin and five Yangs (such as Guà (姤) or Guài (夬)), the single Yin line often holds a special significance—it is the key to the entire hexagram, the focal point upon which all the Yangs focus. In Tóng Rén, Six Two plays this role.

The Tuanzhuan states: "Yielding attains the proper position and centrality, and responds to Qian (Heaven), thus it is called Tóng Rén." (柔得位得中，而应乎乾，曰同人。) — Six Two, being a yielding line (Yin), occupies a Yin position (Two is an even number, belonging to Yin), thus it "attains the proper position" (dé wèi); it occupies the central position of the lower trigram, thus it "attains centrality" (dé zhōng); it corresponds to Nine Five in the upper trigram Qian, thus it "responds to Qian" (yìng hū Qián). It is precisely because Six Two possesses these three conditions—proper position, centrality, and correspondence to Qian—that the entire hexagram is named Tóng Rén.

Why can the "proper position and centrality" of a single Yin line cause the entire hexagram to become Tóng Rén$49

This involves a deep consideration of the relationship between "One" and "Many" in Pre-Qin thought. Master Laozi states:

"The Dao begets One; One begets Two; Two begets Three; Three begets the myriad things. The myriad things carry Yin on their backs and embrace Yang in their arms; the vital qi mingles to make harmony." (Laozi, Chapter 42)

"The myriad things carry Yin on their backs and embrace Yang in their arms"—in an environment dominated by Yang, the existence of Yin is precisely the key to harmony. In the Tóng Rén hexagram, five Yangs and one Yin, that solitary Yin line (Six Two) is the crucial factor that allows the five Yangs to "accord" together. Without this Yin line, the hexagram would be all Yang, which is Qian—purely rigid without yielding softness. Although it possesses the virtue of "unceasing striving," it lacks the gentleness necessary for "according with others." It is the presence of Six Two that provides a "center" for the entire hexagram—a focal point around which the Yangs can gather, correspond to, and point toward.

From another angle, Six Two is the central line of the lower trigram Li, which represents Fire and Brightness. Six Two is that brightness that gathers the hearts of people—like a bonfire in the darkness, people gather around it, warmed by it, illuminated by it. This image harmonizes perfectly with the original experience of ancient peoples sitting around a bonfire! We will discuss this in detail in the chapter on ancient mythology and folklore.