The water above the earth flows together, as it always can, e.g., in the sea, where all rivers gather. This is a symbol that points to holding together and its laws. The same idea is suggested by the fact that all lines are soft, except for the firm line in the fifth position, on the ruler’s square. The soft lines hold together by being influenced by the firm will in the leading position, which is their center of unification. But this strong, leading personality also holds together with others, through whom it finds a complement to its own being.

It is about joining forces with others in order to complement and promote one another through this solidarity. For such solidarity, there must be a center around which the others rally. Becoming the center for holding people together is a difficult task and carries great responsibility. It requires inner greatness, consistency, and strength. Therefore, anyone who wants to unite others around themselves should examine themselves to see if they are up to the task. For those who want to gather others without the seal of the one called will cause more confusion than if no union had taken place. But where a true gathering point exists, the uncertain, the initially hesitant, will gradually come of their own accord. Those who arrive too late suffer the consequences. For staying together is also about choosing the right time. Relationships form and strengthen according to certain inner laws. Shared experiences strengthen them, and those who arrive too late and can no longer participate in these fundamental shared experiences will suffer if, as a latecomer, they find the door closed. But those who have recognized the necessity of unity and do not feel the strength within themselves to act as the center of solidarity have a duty to join another organic community.

The water on Earth fills all the gaps and clings firmly to it. The social organization of antiquity was founded on this principle of solidarity between dependents and ruler. Water flows together naturally because all its parts are subject to the same laws. Thus, human society must also be held together by a community of interests that allows each individual to feel like a member of a whole. The central authority of a social organism must ensure that each member finds its true interest in solidarity, as was the case in the paternal relationship between the great king and his vassals in ancient China.