Hexagram 13 of 64
Fellowship with Men 天火同人
☰☲ Heaven over Fire
Shared purpose with others.
Hexagram 13 is about gathering people across their differences around a shared purpose. Heaven above, fire below: clarity and warmth come together in the open. It encourages you to step out of closed circles, speak frankly, and join others without losing yourself. An open gathering serves better than the loyalty of a closed group.
Judgment
同人于野，亨。利涉大川，利君子贞。
Gathering people in the open brings success. It is favorable to cross the great waters and favorable for the noble person to persevere.
Image
天与火，同人；君子以类族辨物。
Heaven and fire: fellowship. The noble person groups things by kind and tells them apart.
The six lines
Read from the bottom line (the beginning) to the top line (the outcome). Each line gives the classical text, our English translation, and a plain-language reading.
初九：同人于门，无咎。
Gathering people at the gate. No blame.
Start by welcoming people with ease and without exclusion. An open first step commits you to nothing and carries no blame.
六二：同人于宗，吝。
Gathering only within one's own clan. Regret.
If you connect only with your own inner circle, you limit what you can achieve with others.
九三：伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三岁不兴。
Hiding weapons in the undergrowth and climbing a high hill, yet for three years nothing comes of it.
Hidden rivalry or suspicion can stall a group for a long time. Be open about your intentions.
九四：乘其庸，弗克攻，吉。
Climbing onto the wall but not attacking. Good fortune.
When you hold the upper hand in a dispute, restraint serves you better than force.
九五：同人，先号啕而后笑。大师克相遇。
Gathering people: first weeping and crying out, then laughing. Great forces meet and prevail.
A reunion or agreement may come only after a hard struggle, and the joy tends to arrive later.
上九：同人于郊，无悔。
Gathering in the outskirts. No regret.
Reaching out beyond your own group, with open intentions, leaves you without regrets.
In practice
Love and relationships
Share your plans and worries in the open, and keep your friendships alive alongside your partner. Shared life outside the home helps a relationship breathe.
Work and decisions
Build alliances beyond your usual team and agree on one clear shared goal before you start. Avoid meetings that include only your inner circle.
Money
Look for partners and joint efforts with written terms and clear roles. Before joining a group that handles money, ask who decides and how it is shared.
How to use this reading
Use this reading when you need people or resources from outside your usual circle. Ask: who could I build something with that neither of us could do alone?
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.