Hexagram 30 of 64
The Clinging
離 (Lí)
Clinging (lí) — fire that illuminates by clinging to what it lights
ClarityAs shown in classical I Ching texts
Composition
Upper Trigram
Radiant, clinging, illuminating — clarity that depends on what it lights
Outer situation / environment
Lower Trigram
Radiant, clinging, illuminating — clarity that depends on what it lights
Inner situation / your state
Interaction
Fire above Fire — flame meeting flame. The outer energy of fire shapes the inner disposition of fire.
Meaning
Fire clings to what it burns — radiance depends on what it illuminates. Cling to what is right.
Classical Judgment
“The Clinging. Perseverance furthers. It brings success. Care of the cow brings good fortune.”
The classical judgment is the original oracle text — the answer the I Ching gives when this hexagram appears.
The Image
That which is bright rises twice. The superior one illuminates the four quarters of the world.
The Image is a nature scene associated with this hexagram — a symbolic picture that distils its essence. In classic texts, meditating on the Image was considered the proper way to absorb the hexagram's teaching.
Nuclear Hexagram
Lines 2–5 of this hexagram form an inner hexagram called the nuclear hexagram. It reveals the hidden seed or underlying dynamic within the situation — what lies at the core beneath the surface.
#28 — Hidden within
Preponderance of the Great
大過 (Dà Guò) · Critical Mass
In a Reading
When hexagram 30 appears in your reading, the I Ching is drawing your attention to the quality of clarity. Sit with the Image — “That which is bright rises twice” — and consider how this pattern is playing out in your current situation. The Judgment offers the oracle’s direct guidance on how to move with this energy rather than against it.
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