58 - Tui (Dui) - Joyous (Joyful)

I Ching explorations - Part 58 of 64

Professor:  #58, Tui is the doubling of the trigram tui (dui):  lake over lake.  It represents joyousness and openness.

Student:  What makes two lakes a symbol of joyousness?

P:  Rather than “lake,” tui can also be translated as “marsh” or “swamp.”  Rice paddies are marshes and a doubling or an abundance of rice paddies means an abundance of rice which is a recipe for abundant happiness.  Through such abundance may come yet another meaning for tui which is giving and receiving – something that clearly makes people happy.

S:  What about “openness"?  How is that related?

P:  For one, a lake or rice paddy is an open space - an open surface.  Also, tui is the root of the Chinese character “speaking.”  An ancient pictograph for tui illustrates an open mouth while two lines below appear to be dancing legs and two lines above suggest swinging arms – all indicative of joyousness.

The character tui can also mean “to explain” or “to persuade.”  In this case the open mouth still illustrates speaking, but in this case perhaps the limbs depict an act of negotiation, cheering, or urging parties in a mutually beneficial exchange that ultimately results in joy.

S:  That seems a bit of a stretch.  I understand the idea of abundant rice paddies bringing joy through giving and receiving of food.  But how does open communication fit?

P:  One rice paddy can eventually evaporate and dry up, but when two are joined, one can replenish the other.  As two water bodies replenish each other, so too does knowledge take on a refreshing and revitalizing aspect when it reflects the dynamic interplay between two or more minds.  But, sometimes a mediator is needed to help two individuals understand differing points of view.  Through mediation, each party acquires a different perspective and there is the opportunity for a happy outcome.  In contrast, lack of discourse can lead to isolation and a narrow worldview.  This hexagram contains the idea of cheerful and stimulating intercourse.

S:  Sounds good to me!  Sorry.  Ok, let me see if I have this right.  Lake over lake, the image of openness.  In the realm of physical space, tui can mean multiple open rice paddies from which abundant food and happiness is produced.  In the realm of human behavior, it can mean the open dialogue that can be enhanced through a mediator such that mutual understanding and joy are achieved.

P:  Yes, but the hexagram goes deeper than that as well.  The structure of the trigram, Lake, with one yielding (yin) line mounting upon two solid (yang) lines “represents one’s gentle and joyful personality” supported by “one’s inner principle and strength” (AH).  Or, as WB states, “True joy, therefore, rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself outwardly as yielding and gentle.”  

             

Let’s look at the individual lines:

1.  Self-contained joy and inner harmony – she desires nothing from the outside world.

2.  Not tempted by base pleasures one is trusting and sincere, regret disappears.

3.  She indulges in idle pleasures and flattery because there is no inner joy – misfortune.

4.  Turning away from the dark and striving for the light, he finds joy and peace.

5.  If he embraces dangerous influences they act slowly but surely.  If recognized, their disintegrating harm can be avoided.  Beware the sycophant.

6.  Seduced by pleasures of the world, she is swept along by chance.

S:  It appears that the top line then represents a situation where the querent has lost touch with an inner strength of purpose and is trusting to fate that things will work out.

P:  Correct.  While the text does not suggest that the outcome will be good or bad, the point is that one floats like a leaf in the breeze completely at the whim of outside forces.

S:  So the message seems to be that if one is happy and joyful – others can be buoyed by that energy and feel happiness too.  Or that a mediator might help two parties to find common ground and mutual happiness.  But that we should not become so enamored of joyful experiences so as to lose touch with our own inner strength and purpose.  I like the idea of doubling happiness.  I calculate that if one person doubled his or her happiness just 33 times, all 7 billion of us would be happy.

P:  A pleasant thought and one to keep working on.   Confucius commented:  “How great is the power of giving people joyfulness.  It stimulates them to do everything possible!” So, share your happiness with others but don’t expect everyone to return it.  Be outwardly gentle and joyful while remaining firm and truthful inside.  Joyfulness is one thing.  Uncontrolled frivolity is another.  “Inducing joyfulness in a disingenuous way invites misfortune.” (AH).