45. Cui | Gathering
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
萃：亨，王假有庙，利见大人。亨，利贞。用大牲，吉，利有攸往。
English translation
Cui / Gathering: Gathering is fundamentally successful. It is beneficial to consult people of high virtue, hold to what is right, offer significant sacrifices, and proceed where needed.
This is the judgment of Cui (Gathering), setting the overall situation and guiding principle for the whole hexagram. “meeting a great person” points to guidance from someone of virtue and authority; “having somewhere to go” means forward action is fitting; “constancy” means holding to what is correct over time; “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.
Original Chinese text
初六：有孚不终，乃乱乃萃。若号一握为笑，勿恤。往，无咎。
English translation
First Six: There is sincerity but it is not sustained; disorder and clustering result. If one can turn alarm into calm, there is no reason to worry, and moving forward brings no blame.
The first line is the lowest position, where a situation is just beginning and its strength is still forming. “sincerity” points to trustworthiness and inner confidence; “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success.
Original Chinese text
六二：引吉无咎，孚乃利用禴。
English translation
Second Six: Good fortune comes by drawing in what is right with sincerity. Sacrificial offering at the proper time is fitting, and no blame follows.
The second line often suggests a central and emerging position: no longer hidden, but not yet in command. “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.
Original Chinese text
六三：萃如嗟如，无攸利，往无咎，小吝。
English translation
Third Six: The gathering is like lamenting and hesitating; nothing is clearly auspicious. Going forward brings no blame, but there is small regret.
The third line stands at the end of the lower trigram, where effort and pressure increase and caution becomes important. the warning against going forward suggests restraint rather than expansion; “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “regret” or “difficulty” points to trouble caused by an ill-measured action.
Original Chinese text
九四：大吉，无咎。
English translation
Fourth Nine: greatly auspicious, no blame.
The fourth line enters the upper trigram and marks a threshold between holding back and advancing. “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “auspicious” indicates a favorable direction.
Original Chinese text
九五：萃有位，无咎，匪孚。元永贞，悔亡。
English translation
Fifth Nine: Gathering has proper standing and carries no blame, though trust is still not firm. Hold to enduring rectitude, and regret disappears.
The fifth line is near the honored position, where influence can be exercised if power remains aligned with what is right. “constancy” means holding to what is correct over time; “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success; “regret” or “difficulty” points to trouble caused by an ill-measured action.
Original Chinese text
上六：赍咨涕洟，无咎。
English translation
Top Six: Tears and anxious sobbing are carried with you, yet no blame is incurred.
The top line is the end of the hexagram's movement, often warning about excess, culmination, or the need to change course. “no blame” means avoiding fault, not necessarily winning great success.