䷶ Abundance fēng
Core Meaning
The Feng hexagram reveals the wisdom that prosperity inevitably declines. Feng signifies abundance and plenitude, the peak state of affairs, but one must be vigilant against decline from prosperity. The Feng hexagram emphasizes: Abundance stems from inner clarity and outer action; 'Brightness coupled with movement leads to abundance' means inner light guiding external action; to maintain this peak state, 'it is appropriate to be at midday' like the sun at its zenith, full of splendor; to be prepared for danger in times of peace, 'do not worry' implies not absence of worry but alertness; to understand the laws of flourishing and decline, 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' means the sun will pass its peak and the moon will wane after being full; and to adapt to circumstances, 'Heaven and Earth wax and wane, with the times' means all things change and fluctuate with time. In modern society, people pursue career peaks. The Feng hexagram tells us: The peak is the most dangerous time; 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline' - prosperity inevitably leads to decline; to 'the king attains it' to achieve greatness requires virtue; to follow Six in the Fifth place 'coming to ornamentation, there are celebrations and praise' means to attract talented people; to prevent Top Six 'abundance in its house, obscures its household' which signifies excessive self-sufficiency and self-isolation. True wisdom lies in maintaining clarity during prosperity, knowing that 'Heaven and Earth wax and wane, with the times'.
The Judgment
Success. The king attains it. Do not worry. It is appropriate to be at midday.
Interpretation:
Success. The ruler can reach a state of great abundance and plenty. There is no need to worry. One should be like the sun at its zenith, full of radiant splendor.
The Image
Thunder and lightning both arrive, Abundance; The superior person, using this, settles lawsuits and administers punishments.
Structure
The Feng (Abundance) hexagram has Li (Fire, Brightness) below and Zhen (Thunder, Movement) above, forming the image of Thunder over Fire. When thunder and lightning both arrive, light and power come together, which is the atmosphere of 'Abundance'. Feng means abundant and grand, representing the peak state of affairs. The lower trigram Li is brightness, and the upper trigram Zhen is movement. With brightness guiding movement, and light within while action is without, there can be abundance. The key to Feng lies in: 'Brightness coupled with movement leads to abundance' – inner clarity and outer action lead to abundance; 'Appropriate at midday' – maintaining the peak like the midday sun; 'When the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' – prosperity declines, be vigilant; 'Heaven and Earth wax and wane, with the times' – all things have periods of flourishing and decline, adapt to the times. The Feng hexagram emphasizes: not only to pursue abundance but also to prevent decline from prosperity; not only should the 'king attain it' to reach greatness but also to 'not worry' and be prepared for danger in times of peace; not only should it be 'appropriate at midday' to maintain the peak but also to know that 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline' and things turn when they reach extremes.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Nine: Meets its destined lord. Although ten days, there is no blame. Going forward, there is honor.
Six in the Second place: Abundance obscured. At midday, the Dipper is seen. Going forward, doubt and illness arise. But with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune.
Nine in the Third place: Abundance in its curtains. At midday, dust is seen. Breaks his right arm. No blame.
Nine in the Fourth place: Abundance obscured. At midday, the Dipper is seen. Meets its equal lord. Good fortune.
Six in the Fifth place: Coming to ornamentation. There are celebrations and praise. Good fortune.
Top Six: Abundance in its house. Obscures its household. Peeps through its door. Secluded, no one is there. For three years, it is not seen. Misfortune.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
In career peak, be vigilant against decline from prosperity in times of peace. 'The king attains it, do not worry, it is appropriate to be at midday,' reaching abundance requires maintaining a state like the midday sun. Initial Nine states 'meets its destined lord, although ten days, there is no blame, going forward, there is honor.' Meeting a suitable partner, even if both are strong, there's a risk of imbalance if 'over-ten', so maintain equilibrium; 'going forward, there is honor' means moving forward with respect. Six in the Second place 'abundance obscured, at midday, the Dipper is seen, going forward, doubt and illness arise, but with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune.' 'Abundance obscured' means obstacles blocking light; 'at midday, the Dipper is seen' means seeing signs of decline during prosperity; 'going forward, doubt and illness arise' means facing suspicion when moving forward, but 'with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune' implies that opening up with sincerity can lead to good fortune. Nine in the Third place 'abundance in its curtains, at midday, dust is seen, breaks his right arm, no blame.' 'Cannot undertake great matters' means unable to shoulder heavy responsibilities; 'breaks his right arm, ultimately useless' is like a broken right arm, unable to act effectively. Exercise caution to avoid blame. Nine in the Fourth place 'abundance obscured, at midday, the Dipper is seen, meets its equal lord, good fortune.' 'Position is not appropriate, obscure and unclear' means the position is not right and the environment is dim, but 'meets its equal lord, good fortune in action' means encountering a balanced leader brings good fortune. Six in the Fifth place is the best: 'coming to ornamentation, there are celebrations and praise, good fortune' means attracting talented people leads to blessings. Top Six is the most dangerous: 'abundance in its house, obscures its household, peeps through its door, secluded, no one is there, for three years, it is not seen, misfortune.' 'Soaring to the edge of heaven, hiding oneself' implies isolation and being aloof will lead to misfortune.
❤️ Relationships
In flourishing relationships, cherish them and prevent decline from prosperity. 'When the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane.' Even the best relationships should be wary of decline from prosperity. Initial Nine, 'meets its destined lord, although ten days, there is no blame, going forward, there is honor.' Meeting a suitable partner, even if personalities are similar, 'over-ten' can lead to disaster, so maintain complementarity; 'going forward, there is honor' means the relationship is respected. Six in the Second place, 'abundance obscured, at midday, the Dipper is seen, going forward, doubt and illness arise, but with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune.' There are obstacles in the relationship, possibly suspicion, but 'with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune' means resolving issues with sincerity leads to good fortune. Nine in the Third place, 'abundance in its curtains, at midday, dust is seen, breaks his right arm, no blame.' 'Cannot undertake great matters' implies inability to bear heavy responsibilities; 'ultimately useless' means limited ability. Accept reality to avoid blame. Nine in the Fourth place, 'abundance obscured, at midday, the Dipper is seen, meets its equal lord, good fortune.' Although 'position is not appropriate, obscure and unclear,' the unfavourable position and environment, if 'meets its equal lord, good fortune in action,' meeting a partner who can balance the relationship will bring good fortune. Six in the Fifth place, 'coming to ornamentation, there are celebrations and praise, good fortune,' allowing the other's good qualities to shine brings blessings. Top Six is the most dangerous: 'abundance in its house, obscures its household, peeps through its door, secluded, no one is there, for three years, it is not seen, misfortune.' 'Hiding oneself' through self-isolation and lack of communication, not seeing anyone for three years, will lead to misfortune. The key is 'to adapt to circumstances,' always adjusting.
🎯 Decision Making
In making decisions during prosperity, be prepared for danger in times of peace. 'Fei is also great,' abundance is greatness, but one must know 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' – prosperity inevitably declines. One must 'brighten up and act,' with inner clarity then take action; one must 'the king attains it, revering greatness,' revering great virtues; one must 'illuminate all under heaven,' letting brilliance shine everywhere; one must 'adapt to circumstances,' changing with the times. Initial Nine 'meets its destined lord' to maintain 'ten days' balance; 'over-ten' imbalance will lead to disaster. Six in the Second place 'abundance obscured, at midday, the Dipper is seen' indicates obstruction, so 'with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune' by opening up with sincerity. Nine in the Third place 'abundance in its curtains' means insufficient ability, 'cannot undertake great matters, breaks his right arm, ultimately useless,' so be cautious. Nine in the Fourth place 'position is not appropriate, obscure and unclear,' but 'meets its equal lord, good fortune in action' means meeting the right person can turn things to good fortune. Six in the Fifth place 'coming to ornamentation, there are celebrations' means attracting talented individuals brings blessings. Top Six is the most dangerous, 'abundance in its house, soaring to the edge of heaven' implies loneliness at the top; 'peeps through its door, secluded, no one is there, hiding oneself' means self-isolation will lead to misfortune. The key is 'heaven and earth wax and wane with the times, how much more so for humans?', humans must also adapt to the laws of flourishing and decline.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest warning of the Feng hexagram is that prosperity inevitably declines. 'When the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' is the core warning, meaning the sun will pass its peak and the moon will wane after being full. 'Heaven and Earth wax and wane with the times, how much more so for humans, and for spirits and gods?' All things in heaven and earth have laws of flourishing and decline, and humans must be even more vigilant. Be wary of: forgetting danger during prosperity, excessive self-expansion, self-isolation leading to loss of support, and inability to adapt to circumstances. Remember: For abundance, one must 'brighten up and act' with inner clarity and outer action; one must 'be appropriate at midday' to maintain prosperity but know that 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline'; one must 'not worry' and be prepared for danger in times of peace; one must 'the king attains it' to achieve great abundance through virtue; and one must 'adapt to circumstances' and change with the times. Top Six 'abundance in its house, obscures its household, peeps through its door, secluded, no one is there, for three years, it is not seen, misfortune' is the most dangerous; 'soaring to the edge of heaven' signifies loneliness at the top; 'hiding oneself' through self-isolation, not seeing people for three years will inevitably lead to danger. Nine in the Third place 'breaks his right arm, ultimately useless' warns of limited ability, so be cautious. Six in the Second place and Nine in the Fourth place 'at midday, the Dipper is seen' warn that seeing the Dipper at midday means seeing signs of decline during prosperity; one must 'with sincerity, there will be an eruption of good fortune' to resolve issues with sincerity. True wisdom lies in being most clear-headed during prosperity, knowing that 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline' and prosperity inevitably declines, maintaining 'brightness coupled with movement' (inner clarity and outer action), and 'adapting to circumstances' in accordance with the laws.
Applicable Scenarios
The Abundance hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Historical Context & Cultural Heritage
The unification of China by Qin Shi Huang embodies the Feng hexagram. Qin Shi Huang 'brightened up and acted,' with Legalist thought internally and military conquest externally, establishing the Great Qin Empire, reaching the 'king attains it' state of abundance, 'appropriate at midday' like the sun at its zenith. However, he did not understand the law that 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' – prosperity inevitably declines. He 'abundantly built his house and obscured his household,' building the opulent Efang Palace beyond measure; he 'peeped through his door, secluded, no one is there,' burning books and burying scholars alive, self-isolating, 'hiding himself' high above, out of touch with the people; unlike Six in the Fifth place who 'came to ornamentation, there were celebrations and praise' by attracting talented people, he executed meritorious officials instead; unlike Initial Nine which 'although ten days, there is no blame' to maintain balance, he 'over-ten' with excessive tyranny. Ultimately, 'for three years, it is not seen, misfortune,' and the Qin Dynasty fell after two generations. This is precisely the warning of the Feng hexagram: 'when the sun is at noon, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane' – prosperity inevitably declines; 'heaven and earth wax and wane with the times, how much more so for humans?' – humans must adapt to the laws even more. One must 'brighten up and act' with inner clarity and outer action, 'not worry' and be prepared for danger in times of peace, 'come to ornamentation, there are celebrations and praise' by attracting talented people, and 'adapt to circumstances' to changes in times, and not 'abundantly build one's house and hide oneself' through self-isolation. Clarity is most needed during prosperity.
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 Abundance 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: