I Ching · Hexagram 13 of 64
13. Tóng Rén 同人 · Fellowship
By Destiny Kua · Updated
Common goals bring people together openly.
- Upper trigram
- Heaven 乾
- Lower trigram
- Fire 離
What hexagram 13 means
Tóng Rén is Heaven above Fire: light rising to meet the sky. It is fellowship with others in the open, based on shared purpose rather than private interest. The advice is to organise people clearly and include widely; cliques and hidden agendas spoil it.
Hexagram 13 in daily life
At work
Team up around a clear, shared goal. Open processes build trust.
In relationships
Friendship and community matter now. Include people rather than forming exclusive circles.
For yourself
Look for your people: groups that share your values, not just your background.
The six changing lines
If your cast included changing lines (a 6 or a 9), read the matching lines below. Line 1 is the bottom line.
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | Fellowship at the gate, openly, with everyone. No blame. |
| Line 2 | Fellowship only within your own clan. Narrow loyalties bring regret. |
| Line 3 | Hiding weapons in the thicket, suspicious of others. For years nothing moves. Put down the mistrust. |
| Line 4 | Climbing the wall but not attacking. Recognising that conflict is wrong brings good fortune. |
| Line 5 | First tears, then laughter. After a struggle, true companions meet. |
| Line 6 | Fellowship in the open fields. Not deep, but no regret. |
The two trigrams
The lower trigram, Fire 離 (Lí), stands for your inner state and the root of the situation. The upper trigram, Heaven 乾 (Qián), stands for the outer circumstances. In element terms this is Metal over Fire. Fire is the trigram of Kua 9 and Heaven is the trigram of Kua 6.
Related hexagrams
- Opposite (every line changed): 7. Shī 師 · The Army
- Inverted (read upside down): 14. Dà Yǒu 大有 · Great Possession
Questions to reflect on
- What shared purpose could unite me with others?
- Where am I being exclusive when I could include?
- What suspicion should I put down?
Our line summaries are written in plain English in our own words, based on the traditional meanings. For reflection and entertainment, not prediction or professional advice.