In love
An emotional abundance is taking shape: give generously, without counting, and without making it a means of pressure.
Hexagram 14
I Ching hexagram 14: Possession in Great Measure (Da you)
Da You, Possession in Great Measure, is the hexagram of abundance well carried: you have much, and clarity helps you hold it.
- abundance
- clarity
- moderation
The essentials
Da you at a glance
For you, Da You describes a moment of wealth: keep a sense of measure, share, and stay aware of what has been entrusted to you.
A strength
A position rich in resources, held with candor and generosity, which benefits those who come near.
Something to watch
Thinking you own what has been entrusted to you: abundance poorly carried attracts envy and dissipates.
- What it advises
- Share and hold with measure what you possess, stay lucid, and avoid display.
- Its opposite
- 8. Holding Together (Bi)
The situation
Da You speaks of what you possess in large measure. A single broken line, at the heart of heaven, holds five solid lines around it: abundance gathered around a gentle presence. The text draws great success from it.
The hexagram pairs possession with the clarity of fire and the strength of heaven: having much calls for lucidity about what you own and how to use it. It invites you to hold your riches with modesty, as a deposit more than a trophy.
Its lines run through the stages of such a state, from initial caution to help that comes from above, with moderation as the guiding thread.
The image: Fire above Heaven
- AboveFire: clarity that clings
- BelowHeaven: the force that creates
Fire above Heaven: light dominates, and everything is seen. For the commentaries, it is the image of a clarity that restrains evil, encourages good, and accords with the benevolence of heaven.
Consult the I Ching
Throw three coins six times: your hexagram, the lines that change, and the direction they point to.
Free, no account · nothing is sent · no predictions
The six lines
- 1st line (bottom) · solidNo link with what harms, so no fault. The difficulty stays in mind, and this caution avoids error.
- 2nd line · solidA great cart loaded with goods: you can go forward without fault. The means are equal to the load.
- 3rd line · solidA lord offers his riches to the sovereign: small people would be incapable of it, for they would keep everything for themselves.
- 4th line · solidKeeping your great wealth in hand without displaying it: there is no blame. Restraint protects abundance.
- 5th line · brokenThe sovereign’s sincerity calls forth that of others, and his dignity commands respect: the outcome is judged fortunate.
- 6th line (top) · solidHeaven brings its help: a favorable omen, and nothing is unfavorable. Happiness comes as a gift.
Da you in your life
At work
The period is rich in means or recognition: use them well, share them, and avoid boasting of them.
The I Ching helps you reflect on how to act: it does not say what is coming.
How is it built?
- Character
- 大有 (dà yǒu)
- Number
- 14 in the King Wen sequence
- Trigrams
- Fire (離) above, Heaven (乾) below
- Inner hexagram
- 43. Breakthrough (Guai) (lines 2 to 4 and 3 to 5)
- Read upside down
- 13. Fellowship with Men (Tong ren)
- Symbol
- ䷍ (U+4DCD)
The English names are the usual renderings of the Chinese characters; the texts rely on the Chinese and on early public-domain translations (Legge, 1882; Philastre, 1885–1893).
Sources
- Wikipedia (English), “List of hexagrams of the I Ching,” read on October 15, 2026: numbers, characters, pinyin, lower and upper trigrams.
- Wikipedia (English), “Bagua,” read on October 15, 2026: lines of the eight trigrams, from bottom to top.
- James Legge (1815–1897), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East, vol. XVI, 1882 (Wikisource): public domain.
- Paul-Louis-Félix Philastre (1837–1902), Le Yi King ou Livre des changements de la dynastie des Tsheou, Annales du Musée Guimet, 1885–1893: public domain (the author died more than 70 years ago).
Frequently asked questions about hexagram 14
What does hexagram 14 of the I Ching mean?
Hexagram 14, Da You, means possession in great measure: a time of abundance and clarity, where moderation and sharing help you carry well what you have.
Is hexagram 14 about money?
It speaks of abundance in the broad sense: means, recognition, relationships. Money is part of it, as a way of acting, but the hexagram is not financial advice.