Hexagram 30
The Clinging Fire
離 (Lí)
Fire over Fire
Hexagram 30 represents the principle of clarity, illumination, and dependence on what is right and true. This hexagram symbolizes fire clinging to its fuel, embodying the nature of light that must attach itself to something substantial in order to shine. It teaches the importance of cultivating inner clarity while remaining connected to enduring values and relationships. The doubled fire trigram emphasizes brilliance, awareness, and the transformative power of consciousness when properly grounded. Success comes through maintaining clarity of vision while recognizing our fundamental interdependence with others and with timeless principles that sustain our light.
Key Concepts
The Judgment (卦辞)
Translation: "The Clinging. Perseverance furthers. It brings success. Care of the cow brings good fortune."
Hexagram 30 reveals the profound truth that clarity and brilliance cannot exist in isolation but must cling to what is correct and enduring. Like fire that depends upon fuel to burn, our consciousness and achievements require a foundation of proper values and relationships. The hexagram teaches that success comes not from independence but from wise dependence on what is true, good, and sustainable. Perseverance in maintaining this connection to rightness brings lasting achievement and illumination. The image of fire doubled emphasizes both the power of clarity and its inherent need for something substantial to which it can attach itself, reminding us that even our brightest insights must be grounded in reality and sustained by consistent practice.
The reference to caring for the cow symbolizes the gentle, nurturing attitude required to maintain what sustains us. Just as a farmer tends livestock with patience and dedication, we must cultivate and protect the foundations that support our clarity and success. This hexagram counsels against arrogance or the illusion of self-sufficiency. True brilliance recognizes its dependence on others, on tradition, on nature, and on timeless principles. By acknowledging and honoring these dependencies with the same care a farmer shows cattle, we ensure that our light continues to shine brightly and our achievements endure through changing circumstances and challenges.
The Image (大象传)
大人以繼明照于四方。
Translation: "That which is bright rises twice: the image of Fire. Thus the great man, by perpetuating this brightness, illumines the four quarters of the world."
The image of doubled fire rising represents the continuous renewal of clarity and consciousness. Just as the sun rises each day to illuminate the world, the superior person maintains constant awareness and understanding through disciplined practice and renewal. This hexagram teaches that brilliance is not a static achievement but requires ongoing cultivation and refreshment. The great person understands that clarity must be perpetuated through daily effort, study, reflection, and moral cultivation. By consistently renewing their understanding and maintaining their connection to truth, they become a source of illumination for others, spreading light and wisdom in all directions like the sun that shines impartially on the entire world.
The four quarters represent completeness and universality, suggesting that true clarity benefits everyone without discrimination. The superior person does not hoard their insights but shares them generously, understanding that light naturally spreads and that wisdom grows through teaching and application. This image also reminds us that maintaining clarity requires the same regularity as the sun's rising—it cannot be sporadic or occasional but must be a consistent daily practice. Through this perpetual renewal of brightness, we not only sustain our own understanding but contribute to the collective enlightenment of our communities and the world.
The Six Lines (六爻)
Nine at the Beginning (初九)
Bottom line - Yang
"The footprints run crisscross. If one is seriously intent, no blame."
At the beginning of any endeavor, confusion and disorder are natural as you find your direction. The crisscrossing footprints represent the initial chaos of starting something new. However, if you approach this confusion with seriousness, respect, and genuine intent to find clarity, you will avoid mistakes. Take time to observe carefully, move thoughtfully, and maintain a reverent attitude toward the task ahead. Your sincerity and careful attention will guide you through initial uncertainty toward true understanding and proper direction.
Six in the Second Place (六二)
Second line - Yin
"Yellow light. Supreme good fortune."
Yellow represents the balanced middle way, combining clarity with moderation and wisdom with humility. This line indicates you have achieved an ideal state of illumination—bright enough to see clearly but not so intense as to blind or burn. Your understanding is tempered with balance and your insights are grounded in practical wisdom. This harmonious clarity brings supreme good fortune because it can be sustained and shared without causing harm. Maintain this balanced approach, avoiding extremes of either excessive brilliance or dimness, and success will naturally follow.
Nine in the Third Place (九三)
Third line - Yang
"In the light of the setting sun, men either beat the pot and sing or loudly bewail the approach of old age. Misfortune."
This line warns against the despair that comes from focusing on decline and endings. Like the setting sun, all things have their time of waning, but how we respond determines our fortune. Those who lament the passage of time and approaching limitations create their own misfortune through negativity. Instead, find joy in the present moment, celebrate what remains, and maintain a cheerful spirit even as circumstances change. Accept the natural cycles of life with grace and gratitude rather than bitterness and regret, transforming potential misfortune into continued meaning.
Nine in the Fourth Place (九四)
Fourth line - Yang
"Its coming is sudden; it flames up, dies down, is thrown away."
This line describes the danger of intensity without substance—a flash of brilliance that quickly burns out because it lacks proper foundation. Sudden success, passionate enthusiasm, or intense clarity that is not grounded in enduring values will flame brightly but briefly before collapsing into nothing. Guard against impulsive actions, superficial understanding, or relationships based solely on intensity. Instead, ensure that your fire has adequate fuel, that your insights are deeply rooted, and that your achievements rest on solid foundations that can sustain them through time and challenge.
Six in the Fifth Place (六五)
Fifth line - Yin
"Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting. Good fortune."
In a position of responsibility and clarity, genuine emotion and deep concern for others brings good fortune. The tears represent authentic compassion and the recognition of life's sorrows and challenges. A leader who can feel deeply, who mourns what is lost and worries about those in their care, maintains their humanity and earns trust and loyalty. This emotional authenticity, combined with the clarity of this hexagram, creates wise and compassionate leadership. Do not suppress your feelings in pursuit of detached clarity; instead, let your understanding deepen your empathy and your emotions inform your wisdom.
Nine at the Top (上九)
Top line - Yang
"The king uses him to march forth and chastise. Then it is best to kill the leaders and take captive the followers. No blame."
At the height of clarity and understanding, decisive action against what is truly harmful becomes necessary and appropriate. This line counsels discrimination in applying force—eliminate the source of problems while showing mercy to those who were merely misled. Use your clarity to identify root causes rather than symptoms, leaders rather than followers, principles rather than people. When you must take strong action, do so with precision and justice, removing what is genuinely destructive while offering redemption to those who can be reformed. Such discriminating clarity in action brings no blame.
Love & Relationships (爱情)
In matters of the heart, hexagram 30 reveals that lasting love requires both passion and proper foundation. Like fire that must cling to fuel, romantic relationships need substance beyond initial attraction to endure. This hexagram counsels cultivating relationships built on shared values, mutual respect, and genuine compatibility rather than intensity alone. The brilliance of new love must be sustained by the steady fuel of friendship, common purpose, and deep understanding. For those in established relationships, this is a time to renew your commitment to what sustains your connection, tending to the foundations of your partnership with the same care a farmer shows prized livestock.
The doubled fire suggests that both partners must maintain their own clarity and sense of self while creating shared illumination together. Codependency dims both lights, while healthy interdependence allows each person to shine more brightly through their connection. Communicate openly and honestly, bringing clarity to your interactions and dispelling shadows of misunderstanding. If conflicts arise, address them directly with the illuminating power of truth rather than allowing resentment to smolder. The yellow light of the second line reminds couples to seek balance—neither too cold nor too hot, but a warm, sustainable glow of affection and commitment.
For those seeking love, this hexagram advises looking for relationships that offer both excitement and stability, passion and peace. Be clear about your values and what you need in a partner, allowing this clarity to guide you toward compatible connections. Avoid relationships that burn too hot too fast, as they often lack the substance to endure. Instead, seek someone who shares your fundamental principles and with whom you can build something lasting. The care of the cow suggests patience in courtship, nurturing potential relationships gently and allowing them to develop naturally rather than forcing premature intensity or commitment.
Career & Business (事业)
Professionally, hexagram 30 emphasizes the importance of clarity, expertise, and proper positioning within your field. Like fire that illuminates, your career success depends on developing genuine competence and insight that others recognize and value. This is an excellent time to deepen your knowledge, refine your skills, and become a source of clarity and guidance in your profession. However, remember that even the brightest talent needs the right environment and support to flourish. Ensure you are in a position where your abilities are properly utilized and appreciated, where you have the resources and relationships necessary to sustain your professional fire.
For entrepreneurs and business leaders, this hexagram counsels building your enterprise on solid foundations of value, ethics, and genuine service rather than hype or superficial appeal. The doubled fire suggests the need for both vision and practical implementation, inspiration and systematic execution. Illuminate your market with clarity about what you offer and why it matters, but ensure your business model has the substance to support sustained growth. Cultivate key relationships with customers, partners, and employees with the same careful attention the farmer gives cattle, recognizing that these connections are what truly sustain your success over time.
The warning against sudden flaming up and dying down applies particularly to career decisions and business ventures. Avoid chasing trends or opportunities that promise quick success without solid foundations. Instead, build your professional reputation steadily through consistent excellence and genuine contribution. If you are in a leadership position, use your clarity to illuminate the path for others, sharing your insights generously and helping your team develop their own understanding. The perpetual brightness that illumines the four quarters suggests that true professional success comes from becoming a lasting source of value and wisdom in your field.
Health & Wellness (健康)
Regarding health, hexagram 30 points to the importance of balance, awareness, and sustainable practices. Fire represents metabolism, energy, and the transformative processes of the body. This hexagram counsels maintaining clarity about your body's needs and signals while ensuring you have proper fuel—nutrition, rest, and care—to sustain your vitality. Avoid extremes of either excessive intensity that burns you out or insufficient energy that leaves you dim and depleted. The yellow light of moderation suggests finding the middle way in diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices that you can maintain long-term rather than extreme approaches that flame brightly but briefly.
Mental and emotional health particularly benefit from the clarity this hexagram represents. Practice mindfulness and self-awareness, bringing the illuminating power of consciousness to your thoughts, feelings, and patterns. Like the sun that rises daily, establish regular practices of meditation, reflection, or therapy that perpetually renew your mental clarity and emotional balance. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or stress, seek to understand the root causes with the discriminating wisdom of the top line rather than merely treating symptoms. Address what truly needs to change while being gentle with yourself in the process.
The clinging nature of fire reminds us that health depends on proper relationships and support systems. Cultivate connections with healthcare providers, wellness communities, and supportive friends and family who help sustain your wellbeing. Do not try to maintain health in isolation; instead, recognize your interdependence with others and with nature. Spend time in sunlight, connect with the natural cycles of day and night, and honor your body's need for both activity and rest. The care of the cow suggests gentle, consistent attention to your health rather than dramatic interventions, building vitality through daily choices and sustainable habits.
Financial Matters (财运)
Financially, hexagram 30 teaches that wealth, like fire, requires proper fuel and careful tending to sustain itself. This is not a time for get-rich-quick schemes or speculative ventures that promise sudden brilliance but lack substance. Instead, focus on building financial security through genuine value creation, steady income, and wise stewardship of resources. Your financial clarity—understanding where money comes from, where it goes, and what truly creates value—is your greatest asset. Develop this understanding through education, careful record-keeping, and honest assessment of your financial situation. Illuminate your finances by bringing everything into the light of awareness rather than avoiding or ignoring money matters.
The principle of clinging suggests that your financial success depends on attaching yourself to sound principles and proven strategies rather than chasing trends or fads. Invest in assets with real underlying value, develop skills that create genuine worth in the marketplace, and build relationships with financially wise mentors and advisors. Like the farmer caring for cattle, tend your investments and income sources with patient, consistent attention. Diversify your financial fuel sources so that if one diminishes, others can sustain your security. Avoid putting all your resources into a single intense opportunity that might flame out suddenly.
The doubled fire suggests both earning and managing money require ongoing attention and renewal. Regularly review your financial situation, update your knowledge of investment options and tax strategies, and refresh your commitment to sound financial practices. If you experience financial setbacks, respond with the balanced yellow light rather than either despair or reckless attempts to recover quickly. Use clarity to understand what went wrong, make necessary adjustments, and rebuild on firmer foundations. Share your financial wisdom generously with others when appropriate, as teaching and discussing money matters can deepen your own understanding and create valuable connections.
Personal Growth (个人成长)
For personal development, hexagram 30 offers profound guidance about cultivating consciousness and wisdom. The doubled fire represents the continuous practice of self-awareness and the perpetual renewal of understanding. Personal growth is not a destination but an ongoing process of bringing light to the shadows within yourself, examining your beliefs and behaviors with clarity, and refining your character through consistent effort. Like the sun that rises daily, establish regular practices of self-reflection, study, meditation, or journaling that keep your awareness fresh and your understanding growing. This hexagram teaches that enlightenment is not a single dramatic breakthrough but the accumulation of countless moments of clarity and insight.
The clinging nature of fire reminds us that personal growth requires proper support and guidance. Attach yourself to wisdom traditions, teachers, books, and communities that provide fuel for your development. Do not attempt to grow in isolation; instead, recognize that we develop through relationships and that even the most independent thinker depends on the accumulated wisdom of humanity. Seek mentors who embody the qualities you wish to develop, study teachings that resonate with your deepest values, and participate in communities that support your growth. At the same time, maintain your own clarity and discernment, using the illuminating power of your own consciousness to evaluate what you learn and integrate it authentically.
The warning against sudden flaming and dying applies to personal development as well. Avoid the trap of intense but brief enthusiasms for new practices, philosophies, or self-improvement programs that promise rapid transformation. True growth comes through sustained practice and gradual deepening of understanding. The yellow light counsels moderation and balance in your development—neither pushing yourself to exhaustion nor becoming complacent, but finding a sustainable middle way. As you grow in clarity and wisdom, share your light with others as the great person illumines the four quarters. Teaching what you have learned, serving your community, and contributing your unique gifts are essential parts of personal development, ensuring your growth benefits not only yourself but the wider world.
Timing & Advice (时机与建议)
The timing indicated by hexagram 30 is one of illumination and clarity, a period when understanding is possible and truth can be perceived. This is an excellent time for study, analysis, planning, and any activity that requires clear vision and discernment. Use this period of brightness to examine your life honestly, identify what needs attention, and make decisions based on genuine understanding rather than confusion or wishful thinking. However, remember that clarity alone is not enough; you must also ensure you have the proper foundations and support to act on your insights. This is a time to both see clearly and to strengthen what sustains you.
The advice of hexagram 30 centers on the principle of wise dependence and sustainable brilliance. Recognize that you cannot succeed alone or through your own efforts exclusively. Cultivate and honor the relationships, principles, traditions, and resources that fuel your success and sustain your clarity. Practice humility about your dependence on others and on what is greater than yourself, while simultaneously developing your own capacity for insight and understanding. Maintain balance between independence and interdependence, between confidence in your own clarity and openness to learning from others. Avoid both arrogant self-sufficiency and passive dependence, finding instead the middle way of mature interdependence.
Most importantly, commit to the perpetual renewal of your clarity and the consistent care of what sustains you. Like the sun that rises daily or the farmer who tends cattle every day, make your practices of awareness, learning, relationship-building, and self-care regular and reliable rather than sporadic or occasional. Build your life on foundations that can support sustained success rather than seeking dramatic but brief achievements. When you must take action, do so with the discriminating wisdom that distinguishes root causes from symptoms and addresses what truly matters. Let your light shine steadily and generously, illuminating not only your own path but contributing to the collective enlightenment and wellbeing of your community and world.