䷙ Great Accumulation Dà Xù
Core Meaning
The Great Accumulation hexagram reveals the wisdom of nurturing. 'Heaven within the mountain' means the strength of Heaven is halted by the mountain, not suppressed but accumulated. 'Strong and solid, radiant and daily renewing its virtue,' strength combined with solidity, virtue renewed daily. 'Not eating at home' is the core—not letting worthy individuals remain idle at home, but employing them in national affairs. 'Broadly learning from the words and deeds of predecessors to accumulate their virtue' means accumulating virtue by studying the actions and sayings of those who came before. 'Able to stop the strong' means being able to regulate vigorous behavior. From the stop of initial nine, 'There is danger; it is beneficial to stop,' to the smooth success of top nine, 'The path of Heaven,' it embodies the process and outcome of accumulation.
The Judgment
Great Accumulation: It is beneficial to persevere. It is auspicious not to eat at home; it is beneficial to cross a great river.
Interpretation:
The Great Accumulation hexagram symbolizes extensive accumulation, beneficial for upholding the righteous path. It is auspicious to not let worthy individuals remain idle at home but to employ them in government; this is beneficial for overcoming difficulties and obstacles.
The Image
Heaven within the mountain: The image of Great Accumulation. Thus the superior person broadly learns from the words and deeds of predecessors to accumulate their virtue.
Structure
The Great Accumulation hexagram has Qian below and Gen above. Qian represents Heaven and strength, while Gen represents Mountain and stopping. Heaven within the mountain signifies strength being held back, which is the image of accumulation and nurturing. 'Strong and solid,' combining Qian's strength with Gen's solidity. 'Able to stop the strong,' capable of stopping strength and regulating its behavior. 'Strength on top yet valuing the worthy,' the strong yang line at the top respectfully treats worthy individuals. 'Radiant and daily renewing its virtue,' through accumulation, virtue is renewed daily. This hexagram emphasizes nurturing talent, accumulating knowledge, and cultivating virtue.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Nine: There is danger; it is beneficial to stop.
Nine in the second place: The spokes of the chariot become detached.
Nine in the third place: Fine horses are pursuing. It is beneficial to persist through difficulty. If one practices driving and guarding, it will be beneficial to have a destination.
Six in the fourth place: The head-stall of a young ox. Great auspiciousness.
Six in the fifth place: The tusks of a gelded boar. Auspicious.
Top Nine: The path of Heaven. Smooth success.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In career, focus on accumulation and nurturing. 'Not eating at home' means not letting talent lie fallow; it should be put to use. 'Broadly learning from the words and deeds of predecessors' means studying past experiences to accumulate knowledge. Initial nine, 'There is danger; it is beneficial to stop,' means pausing to accumulate when facing danger. Six in the fourth place, 'The head-stall of a young ox,' means early training brings 'great auspiciousness.' Six in the fifth place, 'The tusks of a gelded boar,' means appropriate restraint of wildness. Nine in the third place, 'Fine horses are pursuing; it is beneficial to persist through difficulty,' means having strong abilities but adhering to the right path, and 'practicing driving and guarding' means honing skills. Top nine, 'The path of Heaven,' means after sufficient accumulation, 'the great way will prevail,' unimpeded. 'Beneficial to cross a great river' means having enough accumulation to overcome difficulties.
❤️ Relationships
Relationships require long-term cultivation and accumulation. 'Great Accumulation' is not about momentary impulse but long-term management. 'Strong and solid' implies both passion and steadfastness. 'Able to stop the strong' means sometimes restraining impulses. Six in the fourth place, 'The head-stall of a young ox,' refers to establishing an emotional foundation early on. 'Not eating at home' means not letting a relationship stagnate; it should grow together. 'Broadly learning from the words and deeds of predecessors' means learning the way of interacting from past experiences. 'Radiant and daily renewing its virtue' means improving each other through interaction. Top nine, 'The path of Heaven,' implies a smooth relationship after deep accumulation.
🎯 Decision Making
Currently, focus on accumulation; 'beneficial to persist' means adhering to the right path. 'Strong and solid' implies vigorous action and a steadfast attitude. 'Able to stop the strong' means knowing when to pause and accumulate. 'Not eating at home' means not letting resources be idle. 'Broadly learning from the words and deeds of predecessors to accumulate their virtue' means learning from and drawing upon the experiences of those before. 'Radiant and daily renewing its virtue' means daily renewal of abilities through accumulation. Initial nine, 'There is danger; it is beneficial to stop,' means pausing when encountering danger is not giving up. 'Beneficial to cross a great river' means enough accumulation allows one to overcome great difficulties. 'Responding to Heaven' means aligning with the laws of Heaven.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest danger is rushing to achieve without understanding accumulation. Initial nine, 'There is danger; it is beneficial to stop,' means pausing when encountering danger to 'avoid disaster.' Nine in the second place, 'The spokes of the chariot become detached,' means when stopped, one should 'have no blame in the middle,' not complaining. One cannot merely have the ability of 'fine horses pursuing' as in nine in the third place, but must also have the steadfastness of 'beneficial to persist through difficulty' and the preparation of 'practicing driving and guarding.' Neglecting the early training of 'the head-stall of a young ox,' or resisting the necessary restraint of 'the tusks of a gelded boar,' will prevent reaching the state of 'the path of Heaven' in top nine. 'Not eating at home' means not wasting resources.
Applicable Scenarios
The Great Accumulation hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
After King Tang of Shang 'opened three sides of his net,' he 'greatly accumulated' worthy individuals, embodying the spirit of this hexagram. He 'did not eat at home,' broadly recruiting worthy people like Yi Yin for state affairs. 'Strong and solid,' he had both the courage to overthrow Jie of Xia and solid preparation. 'Broadly learned from the words and deeds of predecessors,' he studied the ways of ancient kings like Yu the Great. 'Able to stop the strong,' he could control himself when discretion was needed. 'The head-stall of a young ox,' he trained talent early. 'Radiant and daily renewing its virtue,' through accumulation, the Shang dynasty grew stronger daily. Finally, 'the path of Heaven,' 'the great way prevailed,' achieving the hegemony of the Shang dynasty. This is the wisdom of Great Accumulation: nurturing talent, accumulating strength, daily renewing virtue, and ultimately achieving great success.
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the Great Accumulation hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: