Hexagram 55 of 64 · King Wen order
豐Abundance
Fēng · ䷶ · above: Thunder ☳ 震 Zhèn · below: Fire ☲ 離 Lí
A peak of greatness and clarity, accompanied by the knowledge that all abundance is fleeting.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
亨，王假之，勿憂，宜日中。
Făng 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.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. Fang 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.
2. 'The king has reached the condition (denoted by Fang):'—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.
3. 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!
The Image 象
雷電皆至，豐；君子以折獄致刑。
(The trigrams representing) thunder and lightning combine to form Făng. The superior man, in accordance with this, decides cases of litigation, and apportions punishments with exactness.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
遇其配主，雖旬無咎，往有尚。
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.
Small Image: '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.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 62, Preponderance of the Small.
Line 2 六二
The second line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
豐其蔀，日中見斗，往得疑疾，有孚發若，吉。
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.
Small Image: 'Let him cherish his feeling of sincere devotion, that it shall appear being put forth:'—it is by sincerity that the mind is affected.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 34, The Power of the Great.
Line 3 九三
The third line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
豐其沛，日中見沫，折其右肱，無咎。
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.
Small Image: '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.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 51, The Arousing.
Line 4 九四
The fourth line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
豐其蔀，日中見斗，遇其夷主，吉。
The 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.
Small Image: '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.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 36, Darkening of the Light.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
來章，有慶譽，吉。
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.
Small Image: 'The good fortune indicated by the fifth six, (divided),'is the congratulation (that is sure to arise).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 49, Revolution.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
豐其屋，蔀其家，窺其戶，闃其無人，三歲不覿，凶。
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.
Small Image: '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.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 30, The Clinging, Fire.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦59. Dispersion 渙
every line changedInverse 綜卦56. The Wanderer 旅
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.