Hexagram 14
大有 Dà Yǒu · Great possession
Legge: Ta Yu
☲ Fire (Lí) above ☰ Heaven (Qián)
Scryway summary
Modern commentary written for Scryway. Not part of the classic text.
Abundance held with clarity. Use what you have well and share it.
The judgment
Ta Yu indicates that, (under the circumstances which it implies), there will be great progress and success.
The image
(The trigram for) heaven and (that of) fire above it form Ta Yu. The superior man, in accordance with this, represses what is evil and gives distinction to what is good, in sympathy with the excellent Heaven-conferred (nature).
The lines, bottom to top
- Bottom line, solid
In the first line, undivided, there is no approach to what is injurious, and there is no error. Let there be a realisation of the difficulty (and danger of the position), and there will be no error (to the end).
- Second line, solid
In the second line, undivided, we have a large waggon with its load. In whatever direction advance is made, there will be no error.
- Third line, solid
The third line, undivided, shows us a feudal prince presenting his offerings to the Son of Heaven. A small man would be unequal (to such a duty).
- Fourth line, solid
The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject keeping his great resources under restraint. There will be no error.
- Fifth line, broken
The fifth line, divided, shows the sincerity of its subject reciprocated by that of all the others (represented in the hexagram). Let him display a proper majesty, and there will be good fortune.
- Top line, solid
The topmost line, undivided, shows its subject with help accorded to him from Heaven. There will be good fortune, advantage in every respect.
Quoted from James Legge (trans.), The Yi King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1882. Public domain. The image is from Legge’s Appendix II. Words in parentheses are Legge’s additions.