Scryway

Hexagram 55

豐 Fēng · Abundance

Legge: Fang

☳ Thunder (Zhèn) above ☲ Fire (Lí)

Scryway summary

Modern commentary written for Scryway. Not part of the classic text.

Fullness at its height, like the noon sun. Be as bright as you can now; noon does not last.

The judgment

Fang intimates progress and development. When a king has reached the point (which the name denotes) there is no occasion to be anxious (through fear of a change). Let him be as the sun at noon.

The image

(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning combine to form Fang. The superior man, in accordance with this, decides cases of litigation, and apportions punishments with exactness.

The lines, bottom to top

  1. Bottom line, solid

    The first line, undivided, shows its subject meeting with his mate. Though they are both of the same character, there will be no error. Advance will call forth approval.

  2. Second line, broken

    The second line, divided, shows its subject surrounded by screens so large and thick that at midday he can see from them the constellation of the Bushel. If he go (and try to enlighten his ruler who is thus emblemed), he will make himself to be viewed with suspicion and dislike. Let him cherish his feeling of sincere devotion that he may thereby move (his ruler's mind), and there will be good fortune.

  3. Third line, solid

    The third line, undivided, shows its subject with an (additional) screen of a large and thick banner, through which at midday he can see (the small) Mei star. (In the darkness) he breaks his right arm; but there will be no error.

  4. Fourth line, solid

    The fourth line, undivided, shows its subject in a tent so large and thick that at midday he can see from it the constellation of the Bushel. But he meets with the subject of the (first) line, undivided like himself. There will be good fortune.

  5. Fifth line, broken

    The fifth line, divided, shows its subject bringing around him the men of brilliant ability. There will be occasion for congratulation and praise. There will be good fortune.

  6. Top line, broken

    The topmost line, divided, shows its subject with his house made large, but only serving as a screen to his household. When he looks at his door, it is still, and there is nobody about it. For three years no one is to be seen. There will be evil.

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.