Hexagram 55: Fēng (Abundance)
雷火丰 · 第 55 卦 · Thunder over Fire · 中文版
The Judgment
Feng 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.
丰：亨，王假之，勿忧，宜日中。
Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan)
Feng has the signification of being great. It is made up of the trigrams (representing) intelligence and movement directed by that intelligence. It is thus that it has that signification. 'The king has reached the condition (denoted by Feng):' - he has still to make it greater. 'There is no occasion to be anxious. Let him be as the sun at noon:' - it is for him to cause his light to shine on all under the sky. When the sun has reached the meridian height, it begins to decline. When the moon has become full, it begins to wane. The (interaction of) heaven and earth is now vigorous and abundant, now dull and scanty, growing and diminishing according to the seasons. How much more must it be so with (the operations of) men! How much more also with the spiritual agency!
彖曰：丰，大也。明以动，故丰。王假之，尚大也。勿忧宜日中，宜照天下也。日中则昃，月盈则食，天地盈虚，与时消息，而况于人乎？况于鬼神乎？
The Great Image
(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning combine to form Feng. The superior man, in accordance with this, decides cases of litigation, and apportions punishments with exactness.
象曰：雷电皆至，丰；君子以折狱致刑。
The six lines
Line 1 (first): The first NINE, 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.
'Though they are both of the same character, there will be no error:' - if the subject of this line seek to overpass that similarity, there will be calamity.
In plain words: Meeting one's matching lord: even for ten days there is no fault; going on brings honour. The first line and the fourth are both strong, matched in character. The Small Image says within ten days there is no fault, but beyond ten days there is disaster: abundance must not go too far.
初九：遇其配主，虽旬无咎，往有尚。 象曰：虽旬无咎，过旬灾也。
Line 2 (second): The second SIX, 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.
'Let him cherish his feeling of sincere devotion, that it shall appear being put forth:' - it is by sincerity that the mind is affected.
In plain words: The screen is so thick that the Dipper is seen at noon; going on meets suspicion; stirring the other with sincerity brings good fortune. The second line is central and correct, but it and the fifth are both yin and do not correspond, and it is overshadowed by the dim fifth line. The Small Image says good faith stirs the other's resolve.
六二：丰其蔀，日中见斗，往得疑疾，有孚发若，吉。 象曰：有孚发若，信以发志也。
Line 3 (third): The third NINE, 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 an (additional) screen of a large and thick banner:' - great things should not be attempted (in such circumstances). 'He breaks his right arm:' - in the end he will not be fit to be employed.
In plain words: The curtain is thicker still, so that small stars are seen at noon; one's right arm is broken: no fault. The third line is strong and correct but corresponds to the dim top line and cannot act. The Small Image says it cannot undertake great things, and with a broken right arm it cannot be used in the end.
九三：丰其沛，日中见沬，折其右肱，无咎。 象曰：丰其沛，不可大事也。折其右肱，终不可用也。
Line 4 (fourth): T he fourth NINE, 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.
'He is surrounded by a screen large and thick:' - the position of the line is inappropriate. 'At midday he sees the constellation of the Bushel:' - there is darkness and no light. 'He meets with the subject of the line, undivided like himself. There will be good fortune:' - action may be taken.
In plain words: The screen is so thick that the Dipper is seen at noon; meeting one's equal lord: good fortune. The equal lord is the first line. The fourth line is yang in a yin place and overshadowed by the fifth, but it can join with the first. The Small Image says its position is improper and it is dark, but meeting its equal it is fortunate and can move on.
九四：丰其蔀，日中见斗，遇其夷主，吉。 象曰：丰其蔀，位不当也。日中见斗，幽不明也。遇其夷主，吉；行也。
Line 5 (fifth): The fifth SIX, 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.
'The good fortune indicated by the fifth six, (divided),'is the congratulation (that is sure to arise).
In plain words: Bringing in men of talent: there are blessings and praise: good fortune. The fifth line is yielding in the place of honour and can draw in worthy people like the second line. The Small Image says there is cause for celebration.
六五：来章，有庆誉，吉。 象曰：六五之吉，有庆也。
Line 6 (sixth (top)): The topmost SIX, 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.
'He has made his house large:' - he soars (in his pride) to the heavens. 'He looks at his door, which is still, with no one about it:' - he (only) keeps himself withdrawn from all others.
In plain words: The house is grand but the home is screened in darkness; peering through the door, it is silent and empty; for three years no one is seen: misfortune. The top line is at the height of abundance, proud and hidden away, cut off from people. The Small Image says the grand house seems to soar to the edge of heaven, and the silent emptiness is because it has hidden itself away.
上六：丰其屋，蔀其家，窥其户，阒其无人，三岁不觌，凶。 象曰：丰其屋，天际翔也。窥其户，阒其无人，自藏也。
Line positions
4 of the six lines stand in their proper place (strong lines in odd places, weak lines in even places).
The second and fifth lines hold the central places of the lower and upper trigrams; both are weak, so they do not correspond.
Of the three pairs of corresponding places (first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top), 1 pair is made of one strong and one weak line.
| Line | Proper place | Central | Corresponds with |
|---|---|---|---|
| top (weak) | yes | — | 3rd line: yes |
| 5th (weak) | — | yes | 2nd line: no |
| 4th (strong) | — | — | 1st line: no |
| 3rd (strong) | yes | — | top line: yes |
| 2nd (weak) | yes | yes | 5th line: no |
| 1st (strong) | yes | — | 4th line: no |
Strong lines belong in odd places and weak lines in even places; the second and fifth are the central places; first and fourth, second and fifth, third and top correspond, and they "respond" when one is strong and the other weak.
These are structural conventions, not scores of good or bad fortune. Commentators differ: Wang Bi treats the first and top places as beginning and end without fixed yin or yang positions. Read each line with its Small Image and the whole hexagram.
Place in Jing Fang's eight palaces
Jing Fang grouped the 64 hexagrams into eight "palaces" of eight, each headed by a doubled trigram. Changing the lines of the head hexagram one by one from the bottom gives the next five; the last two are the "wandering soul" and "returning soul" hexagrams. The Kan palace runs: Kǎn (head), Jié (1st change), Zhūn (2nd change), Jì Jì (3rd change), Gé (4th change), Fēng (5th change), Míng Yí (wandering soul), Shī (returning soul).
A recorded case from Takashima
Feng to Ming Yi: held down for years, then a patron at last: The manager of a wealthy household asked about his fortunes and received the fourth line of Feng, "thick screens; stars at noon; he meets his lord of like kind; good fortune". Takashima said he had long been held down by others, but had now found a backer and could get things done; the backer was dull by nature, hence "lord of like kind", but the manager's known honesty would win his trust.
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English text: James Legge, The Yi King (Sacred Books of the East, vol. 16, 1882), public domain, as transcribed by the Chinese Text Project. Chinese: the received text. Offered for study and reflection, not as prediction.