天火同人
Hexagram 13 speaks to the power of people coming together around a shared purpose. Fellowship here is not casual socializing — it is the kind of genuine alignment that allows groups to accomplish what individuals cannot. The emphasis is on openness, shared values, and the willingness to move beyond narrow self-interest.
同人于野，亨。利涉大川，利君子贞。
在开阔之处与人同心聚合，亨通；利于渡大河、干大事，利于君子守正。
Interpretive translationFellowship with men in the open. Success. It furthers one to cross the great water. The perseverance of the superior man furthers.
彖曰：同人，柔得位得中，而应乎乾，曰同人。同人曰：同人于野，亨，利涉大川，乾行也。文明以健，中正而应，君子正也。唯君子为能通天下之志。
象曰：天与火，同人；君子以类族辨物。
天与火同向上行，志同之象；君子效法它，聚合族类、辨明事物。
同人于门，无咎。
象曰：出门同人，又谁咎也。
Fellowship with men at the gate. No blame.
同人于宗，吝。
象曰：同人于宗，吝道也。
Fellowship with men in the clan. Humiliation.
伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三岁不兴。
象曰：伏戎于莽，敌刚也。三岁不兴，安行也。
He hides weapons in the thicket; he climbs the high hill. For three years he does not rise up.
乘其墉，弗克攻，吉。
象曰：乘其墉，义弗克也。其吉，则困而反则也。
He climbs up on his wall; he cannot attack. Good fortune.
同人，先号咷而后笑。大师克相遇。
象曰：同人之先，以中直也。大师相遇，言相克也。
Men bound in fellowship first weep and lament, but afterward they laugh. After great struggles they succeed in meeting.
同人于郊，无悔。
象曰：同人于郊，志未得也。
Fellowship with men in the meadow. No remorse.
Structure
Tong Ren is formed by Heaven (Qian ☰) above Fire (Li ☲). Fire rises toward heaven — the image of clarity and warmth reaching upward, illuminating what is shared. Heaven represents the broad, universal principle; fire represents the clarity that allows people to see and recognize each other across differences.
Core meaning
The central theme of Tong Ren is that genuine fellowship requires openness. The traditional text distinguishes between fellowship in the open — broad, inclusive, based on shared principles — and fellowship among cliques, which is narrow and ultimately limiting. The hexagram favors the former.
This hexagram often appears when a situation requires building or strengthening a community, coalition, or team. It asks whether the basis for coming together is genuinely shared or whether it is merely convenient. Alliances built on shared values tend to be durable; those built on shared enemies or temporary interests tend to fracture.
In Liuyao readings, Tong Ren is generally a positive indicator for questions about collaboration, partnerships, and collective endeavors. It suggests that the conditions for genuine cooperation are present.
In divination
When Tong Ren appears, the practical question is about the quality of the fellowship involved. Are the people in this situation genuinely aligned? Is the shared purpose broad enough to sustain the relationship over time? The hexagram rewards those who invest in building real connection rather than surface-level agreement.
It is favorable for questions about teamwork, community building, and long-term partnerships. It is less favorable when the situation is fundamentally competitive or when the interests of the parties are genuinely opposed.
Move from research into a real reading
If this page helped you frame the question, the next step is to run a reading with that same clarity.