Hexagram 55 · 豐 · fēng
Hexagram 55. Fēng · Abundance
☳☲ Thunder over fire: Zhèn above, Lí below.
Fang intimates progress and development. When a king has reached the point (which the name denotes)
Fang intimates progress and development. When a king has reached the point (which the name denotes)
Noon: the highest point of fullness — of light, strength, renown. Act at the peak without poisoning it with dread of the coming dusk: to grieve over the inevitable is to lose the present. Yet know the hour: noon does not last; finish what matters most while the sun stands at the zenith.
The Image
Thunder and lightning at the zenith: the peak of fullness — of strength, fame, harvest. Peaks do not last: that is no cause for melancholy but an instruction for use. Act at noon: complete the essential, secure what is attained, distribute the abundance — generosity fixes success better than a safe. Worst of all is to poison the summit with dread of dusk, or to wall the wealth off from people.
Interpretation of hexagram 55
LV. The Fang Hexagram. that the special term has a special appropriateness. The Thwan makes the hexagram give a bad auspice concerning its subject; and for this the following reasons are given :—According to Wan’s symbolism of the trigrams, Tui, the lower trigram here, denotes the youngest daughter, and ATa,n, the upper trigram, the oldest son. And as the action of the hexagram begins with that of the lower trigram, we have in the figure two violations of propriety. First, the marriage represented is initiated by the lady and her friends. She goes to her future home instead of the bridegroom coming to fetch her. Second, the parties are unequally matched. There ought not to be such disparity of age between them. Another reason assigned for the bad auspice is that lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 are all in places not suited to them, quite different from the corres¬ ponding lines in the preceding hexagram.
The lines of hexagram 55
First line
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.
Is then such a marriage as the above, or marriage in general, the theme of the hexagram ? I think not. The marriage comes in, as in the preceding essay, by way of illustration. With all the abuses belonging to it as an institution of his country, as will imme¬ diately appear, the writer acknowledged it without saying a word in deprecation or correction of those abuses; but from the case he selected he wanted to set forth some principles which should obtain in the relation between a ruler and his ministers. This view is insisted on in Wan Afing’s ‘ New Collection of Comments on the Yi (a. d. 1686).’
Second line
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.
A feudal prince was said to marry nine ladies at once. The principal of them was the bride who was to be the proper wife, and she was attended by two others, virgins from her father’s harem; a cousin, and a half-sister, a daughter of her father by another mother of inferior rank. Under line 1 the younger sister
Third line
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.
there is no occasion to be anxious (through fear of a change). Let him be as the sun at noon.
Fourth line
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.
of the hexagram appears in the inferior position of this half-sister. But the line is strong, indicative in a female of firm virtue. The mean condition and its duties are to be deplored, and give the auspice of lameness; but notwithstanding, the secondary wife will in a measure discharge her service. There will be good fortune. Notwithstanding apparent disadvantages, an able officer may do his ruler good service.
Fifth line
The fifth line, divided, shows its subject bring¬ ing around him the men of brilliant ability. There will be occasion for congratulation and praise. There will be good fortune.
Line 2 is strong, and in the centre. The proper correlate is 5, which, however, is weak, and in the place of a strong line. With such a correlate, the able lady in 2 cannot do much in the dis¬ charge of her proper work. But if she think only of her husband, like the widow who will die rather than marry again, such devo¬ tion will have its effect and its reward. Though blind of one eye, she yet manages to see. And so devoted loyalty in an officer will compensate for many disadvantages.
Top line
The topmost line, divided, shows its subject
Line 3 is weak, where it should be strong; and the attribute of pleased satisfaction belonging to Tui culminates in its subject. She turns out to be of so mean a character and such a slave of passion that no one will marry her. She returns and accepts the position of a concubine.
Did hexagram 55 come up in your reading? The oracle itself gives the full reading, with changing lines and the second hexagram.
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