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

Chapter Six: Line-by-Line Interpretation (Part I): From Nine One to Nine Three

Section 1: Nine One: Gathering at the Door Brings No Blame

The line statement for Nine One reads:

"Gathering in Accord at the door brings no blame (wú jiù)." (同人于门，无咎。)

The Lesser Image Commentary states:

"Going out the door to gather in accord with others, who would blame one$15" (出门同人，又谁咎也。)

Nine One is the first line of Tóng Rén, positioned at the very bottom, representing the initial stage of the Tóng Rén process.

"Gathering in Accord at the door" (tóng rén yú mén)—assembling with others at the doorway. The "door" is the juncture between the home and the outside world. Gathering at the door means having just stepped out of the house and beginning to interact with people outside.

Why does "gathering at the door" result in "no blame" (wú jiù)$16 The Lesser Image Commentary explains: "Who would blame one for going out the door to gather in accord with others$17" This explanation seems simple, yet it contains profound implications.

First Layer of Profundity: Openness is the Beginning of Tóng Rén.

If a person stays at home and never steps out, they naturally cannot achieve Tóng Rén. The first meaning of "gathering at the door" is: you must open the door and go out. This is the first and most fundamental step of Tóng Rén.

Why must one go out$18 Because humans are gregarious animals. Master Xunzi states:

"Man's nature cannot exist without a group." (人之生，不能无群。)

And further:

"Strength is less than that of an ox, speed is less than that of a horse, yet the ox and horse serve man. Why$19 Because man can form groups, while they cannot. How can man form groups$20 Through distinction (fēn). How can distinction be effective$21 Through righteousness (yì). Thus, when division is appropriate, there is harmony; when there is harmony, there is unity; when there is unity, there is great strength; when there is great strength, one overcomes things." (荀子·王制)

The reason man can harness oxen and horses is not superior strength or speed, but the ability to form groups (qún). The foundation of grouping is "distinction" (fēn, division of labor), and the foundation of distinction is "righteousness" (yì, the principle of righteousness). Stepping out the door to accord with others is the starting point of "grouping."

Second Layer of Profundity: The "Accord" at the Door is Natural and Selfless.

The "door" is a public space—your doorway is also a place where neighbors pass by. Gathering with others at the door is not deliberately seeking specific people, but naturally meeting and interacting with those who pass by. This naturalness and lack of selectivity is the reason for "no blame"—because there is no selfish motive or calculation, there can be no fault.

The Analects (Xué Ér) records Confucius's words:

"Is it not a pleasure to have friends coming from afar$22" (有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？)

Having friends come from afar and greeting them at the door—is this not a vivid depiction of "gathering at the door"$23 That natural joy, that welcome devoid of utilitarian calculation, is the source of "no blame."

Third Layer of Profundity: Initial Humility.

Nine One is at the lowest position, the starting point of Tóng Rén. Gathering at the door, rather than rushing to the wilds to gather, shows a cautious, step-by-step approach. Practicing accord with people in a small range first, and then gradually expanding—this is a steady approach.

However, it must be noted that although "gathering at the door" results in "no blame," it does not yield "success" (hēng) or "good fortune" (jí)—it is merely "without fault." This suggests that mere gathering at the door is insufficient—to achieve "success," one must move to a broader space ("gathering in accord in the wilds").

Section 2: Six Two: Gathering in the Ancestral Temple Brings Regret (Lìn)

The line statement for Six Two reads:

"Gathering in Accord in the ancestral temple brings regret (lìn)." (同人于宗，吝。)

The Lesser Image Commentary states:

"Gathering in Accord in the ancestral temple brings regret—this is the path of regret." (同人于宗，吝道也。)

Six Two is the principal line of the Tóng Rén hexagram—we analyzed earlier that the Tuanzhuan's description of "yielding attaining the proper position and centrality, and responding to Qian" refers to Six Two. But why is this most important line judged with "regret" (lìn, predicament or misfortune)$24

"Gathering in Accord in the ancestral temple" (tóng rén yú zōng)—assembling with people within the clan. "Zōng" refers to the lineage or clan—relatives of the same bloodline. Accords within the clan are why this line results in "regret"!

This is one of the most thought-provoking line statements in the Tóng Rén hexagram.

Why is "Gathering in Accord in the ancestral temple" not good$25

The clan was the fundamental unit of Pre-Qin society. A person's primary identification was often with their clan. The Book of Odes (Shi Jing, Lesser Odes of the Kingdom, Cháng Dì) sings:

"The flowers of the bitter orange tree, their branches intertwined and flourishing! Alas for the men of today—none are like brothers... Though brothers quarrel within the walls, they unite against an enemy outside. When good friends come, they greet them with full courtesy." (常棣之华，鄂不韡韡。凡今之人，莫如兄弟。……兄弟阋于墙，外御其务。每有良朋，烝也无戎。)

Although brothers might have internal conflicts ("quarrel within the walls"), they unite externally ("unite against an enemy outside"). The cohesion of the clan comes from kinship; it is natural and strong.

But the intent of the Tóng Rén hexagram is not harmony within the clan, but the Great Accord that transcends the clan, directed toward all under Heaven—the hexagram statement speaks of "Tóng Rén yú Yě" (in the wilds), not "Tóng Rén yú Zōng" (in the ancestral temple).

"Gathering in Accord in the ancestral temple" leads to "regret" for at least three reasons:

First, the scope is too small. The Way of Tóng Rén requires "connecting the will of all under Heaven," whereas "gathering in the ancestral temple" is merely revolving within one's own small circle, far from the vastness of "the wilds."

Second, it easily leads to partiality. Accord within the clan is often based on kinship and private interests, easily evolving into an exclusionary clique. When clan interests conflict with public righteousness, those who "gather in the ancestral temple" often choose clan interests—thereby deviating from the requirement that "the noble man is correct."

Confucius had a subtle discussion on this point. The Analects (Zǐ Lù) records Ye Gong saying:

"In my village there is a man who is upright: when his father stole a sheep, the son testified against him." Confucius said: "The upright men in my party are different from this. A father will screen his son, and a son will screen his father—uprightness is found therein." (吾党有直躬者，其父攘羊，而子证之。孔子曰：吾党之直者异于是。父为子隐，子为父隐，直在其中矣。)

Ye Gong considered the son testifying against his father as "uprightness" (zhí), but Confucius considered father-son mutual concealment as "uprightness." From the perspective of the Tóng Rén hexagram, "gathering in the ancestral temple" embodies this very contradiction—when "Accord" is limited to the clan, it inevitably creates tension with the broader "public righteousness."

Third, it limits the potential of Six Two. Six Two is the principal line of Tóng Rén; her mission is to "respond to Qian"—to correspond with Heaven (Nine Five), thereby realizing the "Accord" between Heaven and Man. But if Six Two is content merely to accord within her clan, she fails to fully realize her potential of "attaining centrality and proper position," much like a person of great talent serving only in a family business instead of contributing wisdom to the world—this is certainly "regret."

The Deeper Meaning of the Lesser Image Commentary: "This is the path of regret."

"Lìn dào yě"—this is a path that leads to predicament. Note, it does not say "disaster" (xiōng, great calamity), but "regret" (lìn, minor difficulty or setback). Because "gathering in the ancestral temple" is still a form of "gathering in accord"—it is just too narrow in scope. While remaining in the clan is not inherently bad, the scope is insufficient. If one can start from the clan and gradually expand to the "wilds," then the "regret" can be resolved.

Section 3: Nine Three: Hiding Armed Men in the Brush, Mounting the High Ridge, Remaining Stalled for Three Years

The line statement for Nine Three reads:

"Hiding armed men in the brush, mounting the high ridge, remaining stalled for three years." (伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三岁不兴。)

The Lesser Image Commentary states:

"Hiding armed men in the brush—this is opposing the rigid. Remaining stalled for three years—how can one advance$26" (伏戎于莽，敌刚也。三岁不兴，安行也。)

This is perhaps the most surprising line statement in the Tóng Rén hexagram. From the initial "gathering at the door" (Nine One) to "gathering in the ancestral temple" (Six Two), while limited, they remained within the scope of Tóng Rén. But Nine Three suddenly introduces "hiding armed men in the brush" (fú róng yú mǎng)—ambushing an army in the thicket—a picture entirely of warfare. Why does a hexagram about "Accord" feature war$27

Why does the image of war appear at Nine Three$28

To answer this, we must analyze Nine Three’s position.

Nine Three, a Yang line occupying a Yang position (Three is an odd number, belonging to Yang), is "in the proper position" (dé wèi) but excessively rigid. Nine Three is at the top of the lower trigram Li, a transitional position about to enter the upper trigram Qian—in human terms, equivalent to an official about to move from a lower to a higher position.

More importantly, Nine Three is adjacent to Six Two—the hexagram's only Yin line. In the Yijing, adjacent Yin and Yang lines often have a relationship of "closeness" (bǐ)—closeness implies intimacy. Nine Three is naturally close to Six Two and naturally wishes to draw near to her. However, unlike Nine Three, Six Two's proper correspondence is with Nine Five—not Nine Three. Nine Three’s attempt to approach Six Two creates competition with Nine Five.

And Nine Five is the central line of the upper trigram Qian—in human terms, equivalent to the position of the sovereign. A minister below (Nine Three) attempting to establish a private relationship with the core figure (Six Two) who should rightly correspond to the sovereign (Nine Five) constitutes a challenge to the sovereign’s authority.

But Nine Three's strength is far less than Nine Five's (Nine Five is central, in the proper position, and within the strong Qian trigram, thus very powerful), so he dares not confront directly, resorting instead to the strategy of "hiding armed men in the brush"—secretly preparing troops in ambush.

"Mounting the high ridge" (shēng qí gāo líng)—climbing to a high place to observe the situation. This is Nine Three's action after his secret preparation: climbing high to see how things stand, assessing whether he has a chance. But the final result is "remaining stalled for three years" (sān suì bù xīng)—unable to act for three years. Why$29 Because the "enemy" he faces (Nine Five, the embodiment of Qian) is too powerful, and he has no chance of victory.

The Explanation of the Lesser Image Commentary:

"Hiding armed men in the brush—this is opposing the rigid" (fú róng yú mǎng, dí gāng yě)—the reason for hiding troops is that the opponent (Nine Five) is too rigid/powerful. This further confirms that Nine Three's action stems from caution toward Nine Five.

"Remaining stalled for three years—how can one advance$30" (sān suì bù xīng, ān xíng yě)—If unable to act for three years, how can one accomplish anything$31 "Ān xíng" means "How can it proceed$32"—a rhetorical question indicating inevitable failure.

The Dark Side of the Way of Tóng Rén:

The line statement of Nine Three reveals the unavoidable dark side in the process of Tóng Rén: jealousy, contention, and conspiracy. When multiple people seek a special relationship with the same core figure, competition and conflict are inevitable. Nine Three attempts to monopolize Six Two (a "Accord" motivated by selfish desire), but dares not confront Nine Five directly, thus resorting to underhanded tactics—this is the complete opposite of the Way of Tóng Rén.

Confucius stated in the Analects (Yan Yuan):

"The noble man helps others achieve what they wish to achieve; he does not help others achieve what they wish to do in evil. The small man does the opposite." (君子成人之美，不成人之恶。小人反是。)

Nine Three's action is precisely that of the "small man"—not openly pursuing Tóng Rén, but engaging in clandestine schemes. The result of such conduct is inevitably failure—"remaining stalled for three years."

But from a deeper level, the existence of Nine Three precisely illustrates why the Way of Tóng Rén cannot rely merely on well-intentioned goodwill, but must be guided by the openly upright jūnzǐ—this is the deep meaning of "advantageous for the noble man to persevere."

A Further Inquiry into the Meaning of "Three Years" in the Nine Three Line Statement:

The "three years" in "remaining stalled for three years" deserves deep reflection. Why "three years" and not "one year" or "ten years"$33

In Yijing line statements, "three" and "three years" are frequently occurring numbers. "Three" held special significance in Pre-Qin culture—it often meant "many" or "a complete cycle." The Laozi states:

"The Dao begets One; One begets Two; Two begets Three; Three begets the myriad things." (Chapter 42)

"Three" is the critical node in the generation of all things—from one to two is differentiation, from two to three is synthesis, and after three comes the profusion of the myriad things. In the Nine Three line, "remaining stalled for three years" implies that even after a complete cycle, success is not achieved—the time is long enough, yet there is still no opportunity, indicating the matter is fundamentally unfeasible.

Furthermore, "three years" might relate to Pre-Qin political cycles. The Rites of Zhou included a system of "trianual great comparisons" (sān nián dà bǐ)—assessing official merit every three years. "Remaining stalled for three years" might suggest: even after a complete assessment cycle, Nine Three failed to prove his worth and thus cannot obtain promotion.

On a deeper level, "remaining stalled for three years" describes a state of "immobility." Nine Three originally intended to act ("hiding troops" implies preparation for action), but ultimately had to remain motionless. This forced inaction contrasts with the initial line's "The dragon hides unseen, do not act" (Qián, Chū Jiǔ)—the initial inaction is a deliberate choice made when the time is not yet right, an expression of wisdom. Nine Three’s "not advancing" is the result of insufficient strength, leading to helplessness.

The Upper Nine: Gathering in the Suburbs Brings No Regret

Upper Nine is the final line of the Tóng Rén hexagram, located at the end of the entire hexagram. After the twists and turns involving the door, the clan, war, attack, and alternating sorrow and joy, Upper Nine arrives at the "suburbs" (jiāo).

The "suburbs" are the transitional zone outside the city walls—farther than the "door," larger than the "clan," but smaller than the "wilds." In Pre-Qin geography, the suburbs were the intermediate area between the city and the wilds—not entirely public space (the wilds), nor entirely private space (the clan or door).

Why "No Regret" (wú huǐ) instead of "Success" (jí) or "Flourishing" (hēng)$34

"No Regret" (wú huǐ) in the Yijing's judgment system ranks below "Success" (jí) and above "Blame" (jiù)—it is slightly worse than auspicious, but better than having fault. It means: although there is nothing to regret, there is also nothing particularly worth celebrating.

Why can Upper Nine only achieve "no regret" and not "success"$35 The Lesser Image Commentary explains: "The aspiration has not yet been achieved" (zhì wèi dé yě). It has not yet been fully realized. After experiencing so much—from door to clan, from war to assault, from sorrow to joy—Upper Nine finally reaches the suburbs, yet his aspiration remains unfulfilled. The pursuit of the Way of Tóng Rén does not conclude with a perfect period here.

Why is "Aspiration Not Yet Achieved"$36

Upper Nine is at the end of the entire hexagram, positioned at the very top. In the Yijing, the uppermost line often carries the problem of excess—going too far, too high, and thus detaching from the core. Upper Nine is farthest from Six Two—the core of the entire hexagram—having almost no direct relationship. Although he also desires "Tóng Rén", because his position is too high, his spirit is willing but his capacity is insufficient.

"Gathering in the suburbs" is better than "Gathering in the ancestral temple"—at least he has moved beyond the narrow confines of the clan. But he is still one step short of "Gathering in the wilds"—the "suburbs" are not broad or just enough. Although Upper Nine has gone far, he has not reached the broadest space.

This reminds us of the Great Peng described by Master Zhuang:

"When the Peng migrates to the Southern Sea, it strikes the water for three thousand li and soars upon the hurricane for ninety thousand lǐ... The Cicada and the little dove laugh at it, saying, 'When we fly up, we dash against a mulberry or elm tree and stop. That’s the limit of our flight, and we come down to the ground again. Why should we fly ninety thousand lǐ to the South$37'" (Zhuangzi, Xiaoyao You)

The Peng flies very far and very high, but it is not yet truly "free and unfettered" (xiāoyáo)—true freedom is "without dependence" (wú dài), absolute freedom not relying on any external condition. Upper Nine's "gathering in the suburbs" is similar—he has gone far enough, but it is not yet true "gathering in the wilds."

The Positive Meaning of "No Regret":

Despite "aspiration not yet achieved," Upper Nine has "no regret"—he will not regret taking this path. This is also an admirable character trait. If one pursues the Way of Tóng Rén, even if the goal is not fully realized in the end, as long as the process did not violate righteousness, there is no need for regret.

The Analects (Xian Jin) records Confucius's words:

"He neither blames Heaven nor curses men; he studies what is below the world and penetrates to what is above. Does not Heaven know him$38 Perhaps Heaven knows him!" (不怨天，不尤人，下学而上达。知我者其天乎！)

Confucius pursued the "Way" his entire life, wandering among the feudal states, suffering hardship, and ultimately failed to fully realize his political ideal. But he did not blame Heaven or curse men—he had nothing to regret. This state resonates with the spirit of Upper Nine: "gathering in the suburbs, without regret"—even though "aspiration has not yet been achieved," there is "no regret."

Section 4: A Complete Journey of the Six Lines—The Full Process of Tóng Rén

Now let us review the complete journey of the six lines of Tóng Rén:

1. Nine One "Gathering at the door, no blame"—The Start: Stepping out the door, beginning to interact with others. The posture is open and natural, but the scope is small.
2. Six Two "Gathering in the ancestral temple, regret"—The Limitation: Remaining within the clan, the scope is too narrow. Although safe and comfortable, it is not conducive to a broader Tóng Rén.
3. Nine Three "Hiding armed men in the brush, remaining stalled for three years"—Conspiracy: Attempting to seize the opportunity for Tóng Rén through selfish motives and scheming tactics, resulting in being trapped in difficulty, unable to act for a long time.
4. Nine Four "Mounting the wall but failing to attack, auspicious"—Correction: First attempting attack with force, then voluntarily giving up because "righteousness forbids it" (yì fú kè), reflecting on the error and returning to the correct path amid difficulty.
5. Nine Five "First crying out and then laughing, a great army is able to meet"—Achievement: After experiencing immense suffering and struggle, finally meeting Six Two, achieving true Tóng Rén.
6. Upper Nine "Gathering in the suburbs, no regret"—The Regret: Reaching the farthest point, but the aspiration is not fully realized. Though there is no regret, there is a sense of wistfulness.

These six stages constitute a complete process of "Tóng Rén”—from the start to limitation, from conspiracy to correction, from achievement to regret. The entire process is not a smooth, straight advance but is full of twists, conflicts, and reversals. This is the true depiction of the Way of Tóng Rén in reality—sincere accord between people is never easy.

From another perspective, these six stages can correspond to different levels of "Tóng Rén" experience in life:

• Nine One: Everyday interaction with neighbors and passersby—meeting by chance, associating naturally.
• Six Two: Kinship accord with clan relatives—intimate but possibly partial.
• Nine Three: Trying to win through scheming in competition—a failed method of Tóng Rén.
• Nine Four: Learning self-reflection amid conflict—growing from error.
• Nine Five: Finally meeting a true confidant after arduous struggle—the deepest Tóng Rén.
• Upper Nine: Looking back on the path in later life—though with regret, yet without remorse.

This sequence moves from simple to complex, from shallow to deep, revealing the gradual and winding nature of the Way of Tóng Rén. No one can achieve "Gathering in Accord in the wilds" in one step; everyone must pass through their own door, clan, brush, wall, crying, and suburbs—before gradually approaching that final state of being "in the wilds."