I Ching Reading

Hexagram 14: Great Possession

大有 · Dà Yǒu · Fire over Heaven

abundancesuccessgenerosityclarity

Great Possession (大有, Dà Yǒu) is hexagram 14 of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Fire (☲) above Heaven (☰).

Meaning of hexagram 14

You hold a great deal, whether resources, influence or opportunity. It stays good when it is used modestly and for the common good.

Advice

Be generous, stay humble, and use what you have wisely.

The two trigrams

Great Possession places ☲ Fire (Lí), bright, clinging and clear, above ☰ Heaven (Qián), strong, creative and persistent. The lower trigram is the inner side of the situation and the upper one its outer side.

Hexagram
14. Great Possession
Chinese name
大有 Dà Yǒu
Upper trigram
☲ Fire (Lí)
Lower trigram
☰ Heaven (Qián)
Lines
5 yang (solid) and 1 yin (broken)
Place in the sequence
14 of 64 (King Wen order)

The six lines of Great Possession

A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its position.

  1. First line (yang, solid): the beginning. The root of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet shown itself.
  2. Second line (yang, solid): the inner circle. Your immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close range.
  3. Third line (yang, solid): the threshold. A point of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push forward.
  4. Fourth line (yang, solid): the approach. Stepping into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good relationships matter here.
  5. Fifth line (yin, broken): the center of power. The place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most fully expressed.
  6. Sixth line (yang, solid): the culmination. The far edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.

Related hexagrams