A source-first reading note for Hexagram 45, Cui (Gathering Together), with a reference translation, trigram frame, and one reversible observation practice.
Reference translation
Cui signifies Gathering. The king approaches his ancestral temple to offer sacrifice to forebears, to heaven and earth. It is advantageous to see the great man; there will be progress and success through perseverance. The use of great victims brings good fortune; it is advantageous to undertake whither one would go. The Tuan says: Cui denotes gathering together. Docile and joyous, the strong line holds the central place and finds response — thus all things gather. "The king approaches his temple" — he renders the utmost filial offering. "Advantageous to see the great man; success" — the gathering is by right means. "Great victims bring good fortune; advantageous to have somewhere to go" — herein is compliance with the decree of Heaven. Contemplate that which draws them together, and the inner nature of heaven, earth, and all things may be seen.
See the original-text and authority layers in the complete catalog entry.
Context from the authority layer
Where there is a marsh there is water, where there is earth there are things; water moistens the earth and the myriad things are born, and once born they gather together—this is the fundamental image of the Cui hexagram. The Xiang Zhuan, however, draws from this image the principles of "compliance leading to joy" and "gathering through rectitude," elevating the original natural condition into the radiance of reason, and thereby endowing Cui with the essential content of social relations. In truth, "gathering through rectitude" is only the sage's ideal for assembly; social reality often runs counter to it.
Read the structure before the slogan
The lower trigram is 坤 (地), associated in the bundled corpus with 顺; the upper trigram is 兑 (泽), associated with 悦. Read the lower trigram as the inner or starting field and the upper trigram as the outward field before turning the pattern into advice.
One accountable observation practice
Copy one concrete verb, condition, or image from the reference translation for Hexagram 45. Name one place where it is observable in the situation you are examining. Then choose one small step you can reverse and write the condition that would make you review it.
Common misread to avoid
Do not turn Gathering Together into a personality label, a guaranteed event, or a verdict about another person. The translation and trigram frame are source layers to examine, not an instruction to surrender judgment.
Source boundary
The reference translation and context are drawn from Yarrow's bundled structured Zhouyi authority layer. Yarrow keeps that layer separate from optional modern reflection. This page does not claim that Hexagram 45 was cast for your question.