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Chapter 17 of 64
东坡易传
Sui: Great success. Favorable to uphold correctness. No blame.
The Sui hexagram symbolizes the way of following and accord: it brings great success, favors maintaining what is proper and upright, and incurs no harm. 🌊
The Commentary on the Tuan says: In the Sui hexagram, the firm comes and positions itself beneath the yielding, and action brings delight to others—this is "Following." Great success, upholding correctness without blame, and all things under heaven follow what is timely. How profound is the significance of the times embodied in the Sui hexagram!
Dongpo's note: The general momentum and timing are not always aligned, so in the age of Sui, it is permissible for some not to follow. If one demands that everyone under heaven follow oneself and blames those who uphold what is right, that is why the people of the world are displeased. Hence it is said "great success" and "favorable to uphold correctness." Upholding what is correct brings no blame, and all under heaven follow the times. The times are controlled by those in superior positions. Not following one's own private will but following the times—such "following" is truly great.
The Commentary on the Xiang says: Thunder within the great lake symbolizes "Following"; the gentleman therefore returns home and rests at dusk. 🌆
Dongpo's note: Thunder in the lake lies dormant and does not exert itself, so the gentleman enters his dwelling and rests at dusk.
The Xiang says: "The officer changes his stance"—following what is correct brings good fortune. "Going out to associate brings merit"—nothing is lost.
When a matter has its rightful master, it is called "official." The fifth line (九五) is the rightful master of the second line (六二). Because the second line, being far from the fifth, presumptuously follows the first line, and the fifth line suspects the second for following the first—this is the "officer changing his stance." When the officer's stance changes, the first line could originally gain something, but this would not be the proper way. Therefore, although the officer changes, it is auspicious to follow what is correct and not take. If the first line takes the second, he gains the second but loses the fifth. If the first line does not take the second, he loses the second but gains the fifth. Why? Because what could be taken but is not taken returns to its rightful master. The first line truly has merit toward the fifth, and the fifth will surely be grateful. Losing the spouse within the gate but gaining association outside—thus abandoning the nearby partner and going out to connect with one of merit yields even more. Therefore, the gentleman sees this as losing nothing. 🚪
【Modern Interpretation】 The first line stands at the beginning of the Sui hexagram, facing a critical choice: before it lies seemingly easy gain (the second line), but taking it would mean losing a more important relationship of trust (the fifth line). The first line chooses to "follow what is correct," forsaking the immediate temptation and going out to connect with someone truly valuable. This is a strategic self-restraint—giving up short-term profit for long-term trust.
The Xiang says: "Tied to the young one"—one cannot have both.
"Young one" refers to the first line (初九); "strong man" refers to the fifth line (九五). Trying to hold both simultaneously will inevitably result in losing both.
【Modern Interpretation】 The second line faces a dilemma: the first line is near at hand, while the fifth are far away. The second line chooses to attach to the first but loses the fifth, its rightful master. This reveals a profound truth: When choosing whom to follow, one cannot play both sides. Trying to please both parties ultimately ends in losing both. The second line's error lies in valuing the near over the proper, choosing convenience over true belonging.
The Xiang says: "Tied to the strong man"—the will is set on relinquishing what is below.
The fourth line (九四) is the "strong man," and the first line (初九) is the "young one." The third line has no specific proper counterpart, so what it pursues it attains. However, following the fourth line is the proper path; the fourth is directly above the third—following upward is smooth, and bonding with what is near is stable. Therefore it is "tied to the strong man," and it is favorable to abide peacefully in what is upright. ⛰️
【Modern Interpretation】 The third line forms a sharp contrast with the second. The third line wisely chooses to follow the fourth upward (the strong man), abandoning entanglement with the first below (the young one). Since the fourth is directly above and adjacent to the third, following the superior is both smooth and stable. The third line embodies clarity in determining what to pursue and what to relinquish. In practical terms, this is like a professional decisively giving up an opportunity with the wrong team and choosing to follow a genuinely capable leader.
The Xiang says: "Following brings gains"—its principle is danger. "With sincerity on the path"—clarifying the merit.
The third line (六三) is what belongs to the fourth line (九四). One cannot call it "gain," for "gain" refers to acquiring what does not properly belong to one. When the second line (六二) goes to mate with the fifth (九五), she must pass through the fourth to arrive. The fourth has the power to improperly seize the second—seizing her would be dangerous for the fifth, while not seizing her would bring merit to the fifth. The second's following of the fifth is extremely difficult: the first is in close proximity to her, and the fourth blocks her path. But the first, though near, does not forget what is right; the fourth, though blocking the path, does not forget sincerity, allowing the second to reach her proper mate. This is the merit of both the first and the fourth—hence both are spoken of as having "merit." Being in a position of suspicion yet having merit, able to make oneself clearly understood—who would blame one? ⚠️
【Modern Interpretation】 The fourth line occupies the unavoidable passage for the second's journey to the fifth. It has the power to intercept but chooses to let her through. This is an extremely subtle moral test: Only when one has the capacity to do wrong and abstains does one possess true virtue. The fourth uses sincerity and adherence to the path to demonstrate innocence, dissolving the fifth's suspicion. In modern organizations, those who occupy critical nodes with resources at their disposal—if they facilitate others' success rather than obstruct it—establish irreplaceable credibility within systems of trust.
The Xiang says: "Sincere with the gracious one; good fortune"—position is correct and central.
"Gracious" refers to the second line (六二). The Commentary says: "A gracious partner is called a match." Weddings are called gracious rites, so wherever the I Ching speaks of "gracious," it refers to a partner. In the age of the Sui hexagram, the yielding is eager to follow the firm, so the yielding regards not following carelessly as correct, while the firm regards not suspecting betrayal as auspicious. The second, because of its distance from the fifth, harbors divided feelings toward the first. The fifth, without suspicion, extends trust—then the first does not dare possess the second, and the second does not dare betray the fifth. Hence good fortune. 💛
【Modern Interpretation】 The fifth, as the lord of the Sui hexagram, faces the second's wavering (divided loyalties with the first) and adopts a strategy of trust rather than suspicion. Su Dongpo points out that in the age of Sui, "the yielding is eager to follow the firm"—the yielding side naturally tends to seek support. The fifth's wisdom lies in understanding that the second's vacillation is circumstantial (due to distance) rather than a matter of fundamental betrayal. It therefore chooses sincerity toward this "gracious partner," resolving potential centrifugal forces through inclusion. This is a classic lesson in leadership—trust is a form of productivity.
The Xiang says: "Bound and held fast"—the top has reached its limit.
Positioned at the top without a proper counterpart and refusing to follow downward, one must be restrained and bound before compliance follows. Even after compliance, binding continues, showing that coercion preceded submission. When one submits only under force, that submission is not firm, so the teaching is: one should be like King Wen, who connected with the Western Mountain. "King" refers to King Wen; "Western Mountain" refers to the Western Rong people. King Wen's connection with the Western Rong involved waiting for their voluntary submission rather than forcing them to follow. 🏔️
【Modern Interpretation】 The top line stands at the very end of the Sui hexagram—occupying a high position yet with no one following, it attempts to maintain relationships through coercive means. Su Dongpo's annotation is extremely incisive: Forced compliance is inherently unstable. He uses the example of King Wen and the Western Rong—King Wen did not use military might to force submission but rather waited for natural allegiance. This is genuine "following." It reveals a core principle of management: true followership cannot be achieved through forceful binding but only through inspiration and patient waiting.
The fundamental message of the Sui hexagram lies in the unity of "following the times" and "adhering to what is correct." Su Dongpo's interpretation emphasizes a crucial distinction: "Following" is neither blind obedience nor coercion. True following means acting in accordance with the inevitable direction of circumstances rather than in service of any individual or private desire.
Dongpo presents a profoundly insightful point in his commentary on the Tuan: "The times are controlled by those above. Not following oneself but following the times—such following is great indeed." This implies that even those in superior positions should not demand that everyone follow them, but rather should let all under heaven follow the times. Only when those above abandon personal will and align with the times does "following" achieve greatness.
Moreover, the six lines of the Sui hexagram present a clear ethical chain: The first line's refusal of improper gain, the second's erroneous choice of the near over the proper, the third's wise choice of the above over the below, the fourth's refusal to take credit through unscrupulous means (clarifying merit through sincerity), the fifth's trust-based approach to people (trust dissolving suspicion), and the top line's failed coercion (forced following cannot endure). This chain demonstrates the various tests of the Way of Following at different positions.
The essence of Sui is "choice," not "submission." Contemporary people often understand "following" as a passive, conformist behavior—going with the flow, following the crowd. But the Dongpo commentary reveals the opposite: true "following" is a highly active wisdom of choice.
| Application Context | Sui Hexagram Insight | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Career choices | Contrast between lines 2 and 3: following the right person matters more than following the near one | When choosing whom to follow, evaluate character and capability, not convenience or short-term gain |
| Team management | Fifth line's trust strategy: sincerity toward others beats suspicion | Build a culture of trust; give subordinates space; reduce micromanagement |
| Business decisions | First line's "going out to associate brings merit": sacrificing near profit for long-term relationships | Make concessions to key partners to build enduring trust |
| Organizational change | Top line's "binding and holding": forced implementation invites backlash | Change should cultivate internal buy-in rather than being externally imposed |
| Personal cultivation | Fourth line's "sincerity on the path": clarifying oneself through integrity in suspicious positions | Use transparent behavior to build credibility in positions prone to suspicion |
The Sui hexagram embodies a profound relational ontology.
First, "following the times" and "how great is the meaning of the times" reveal a temporal understanding of existence: everything unfolds within a specific moment. "Following" is not mere obedience but an apprehension of and alignment with timing. This resonates cross-culturally with Heidegger's "temporality of Dasein"—existence always unfolds in time, and wisdom lies in grasping the opportune moment.
Second, "the officer changes his stance" and "sincerity on the path" reveal how the ethical subject establishes itself within complex relational networks: the first line's refusal of the improper, and the fourth's refusal to obstruct the path, both exemplify a dialectic of gaining through letting go. This logic of "advancing through retreat" transcends simple utilitarian calculation, pointing toward a higher ethical rationality.
Finally, the top line's "the king offers sacrifice on the Western Mountain" provides profound reflection on power and inspiration: true authority derives not from the strength of constraint but from the depth of appeal. King Wen's refusal to coerce—the very act of patient waiting—is itself the most powerful force. This finds a modern echo in Foucault's argument that "power is not repression but production"—true power does not make people obey but makes them follow willingly.
Related Concepts:
Further Reading:
Modern Scholarship:
The essence of the Sui hexagram, in Su Dongpo's words, is "not following oneself but following the times." In all interpersonal systems requiring cooperation, allegiance, and coordination, the Sui hexagram offers not a set of manipulation techniques but a profound wisdom about how to follow the right object, in the right way, at the right time. 🌿