Hexagram 14: Great Abundance
Outer trigram (upper)
Ly
Fire · Fire
Inner trigram (lower)
Càn
Heaven · Metal
Judgment
大有：元亨.
Đại hữu: Nguyên hanh.
Translation
Great abundance brings supreme success.
Commentary
Li, fire, is above; Qian, heaven, is below — fire shining above heaven illuminates all things, and this is the image of 'great possession.' Li also carries the meaning of brightness and civilization, while Qian means strength and vigor; combining both brightness and strength brings supreme success. According to the Tuan commentary, this hexagram has only one yin line, which commands all five yang lines beneath it — everyone comes to align with it, and so it comes to possess greatness. It is able to command them because it occupies the position of honor and holds the center. It corresponds with line 2, a yang line at the center of the Qian trigram, so it is both cultured and strong, answering to heaven (Qian) and acting always in accord with the time.
Line Readings
Line 1 (yang)
初九：无交害，匪咎；艱則无咎.
Translation
No harm has yet been done, so there is no fault yet — but only by carrying oneself with the same care as in hard times can this fault truly be avoided.
Commentary
Great Possession means having great abundance. Line 1 is like the child of a wealthy, high-standing family — still young, and since no harm has yet been done, there is as yet no fault. But being born into wealth invites little goodwill from others, and if such a person also grows arrogant and extravagant, resentment will follow. So the line statement advises living with the same discipline as one would in hardship, so as to stay free of fault.
Line 2 (yang)
九二：大車以載，有攸往，无咎.
Translation
A great cart loaded heavily — it can go anywhere, undertake anything, without fault.
Commentary
This is the best line in the hexagram: hard yang yet centered, both capable and modest, and it corresponds with yin line 5 above. It is like being fully trusted and employed by a ruler, so that success follows — hence the image of a great cart carrying a heavy load over a long journey, able to reach anywhere.
Line 3 (yang)
九三：公用亨于天子，小人弗克.
Translation
Like a duke holding a banquet to host the Son of Heaven — a petty person could never carry off such an honor.
Commentary
In ancient usage, the character for 'offer' could be read either as 'success' or as 'to present, to host a great feast.' Line 3 is hard yang and correctly placed, standing at the top of the inner trigram, so it is compared to a duke. In the time of Great Possession such a person would command much land and many people, enough that even the Son of Heaven would respect him and attend the feast he offers. But only a noble person of real virtue, free of arrogance, could carry this off; a petty person, faced with the honor of the Son of Heaven visiting his house, would only grow more arrogant and extravagant, proving unequal to the honor and bringing harm on himself instead.
Line 4 (yang)
九四：匪其彭，无咎.
Translation
Not flaunting one's prosperity — not showing off wealth or living in excess — brings no fault.
Commentary
This line occupies a high position, close to line 5, yet it is off-center and not correctly placed, so misfortune could easily arrive. The line statement therefore counsels humility and restraint. The Xiang commentary likewise advises clearly telling right from wrong, and fortune from misfortune, in order to stay free of fault.
Line 5 (yin)
六五：厥孚交如，威如，吉.
Translation
Dealing with others through sincerity and true-hearted trust, while also carrying real authority, brings good fortune.
Commentary
This line occupies the position of highest honor, followed by all five yang lines below it, so it must treat those below with sincerity and true-hearted trust. But being yin, there is a risk of being too yielding, so the line statement advises that a measure of authority is also needed.
Line 6 (yang)
上九：自天祐之，吉，无不利.
Translation
Heaven itself lends its help — fortunate, and nothing is unfavorable.
Commentary
In the flourishing time of Great Possession, this hard yang line, though at the very top, willingly humbles itself before line 5 — simply because line 5 possesses sincerity and true trust. In doing so it avoids arrogance; though abundance is at its height, it does not overflow into excess, and so it receives heaven's help and turns out well. Ordinarily, a line at the very end of Great Possession, with abundance already peaking, would find it hard to remain fortunate — yet here it does.