Heaven Fire Tongren: Confucian-Daoist Dialogue and the Investigation of Ancient Spiritual Origins from a Pre-Qin Perspective
This article deeply examines the *Tian Huo Tong Ren* hexagram from the *I Ching*, contextualizing it within Pre-Qin Confucian and Daoist thought and ancient culture to sequentially analyze the implications of its trigrams, hexagram statement, and line statements. By differentiating between 'Sameness' (Tong) and 'Harmony' (He) and integrating the structural logic of the *Xu Gua Zhuan*, it explores the pivotal role of the *Tong Ren* hexagram in the transition from stagnation to prosperity, revealing the primordial wisdom of seeking Great Consensus amidst difference.
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."