Hexagram 14, Dà Yǒu (Great Possession): Line 3

大有卦九三 · 火天大有 · 中文版

九三:公用亨于天子,小人弗克。

The line (Legge)

The third NINE, undivided, shows us a feudal prince presenting his offerings to the Son of Heaven. A small man would be unequal (to such a duty).

Small Image commentary

'A feudal prince presents his offerings to the son of Heaven:' - a small man (in such a position) does (himself) harm.

象曰:公用亨于天子,小人害也。

In plain words

A duke presents offerings to the Son of Heaven; a petty person cannot. The third line, at the top of the lower trigram, is like a duke with his own lands, who offers everything to the ruler; a petty person would keep the wealth for himself. The Small Image says such wealth harms the petty person.

Applying it to your situation

If you control resources, this line suggests asking what they should be used for, not only keeping them. Could what you have serve something larger than yourself?

Position

A solid (yang) line in the third place, which is a yang (odd) place, so it is in its proper place. Its partner is line 6; both are yang, so they do not respond.

If this line moves

With this line moving alone, Dà Yǒu changes into Hexagram 38 Kuí (Opposition). The Jiaoshi Yilin verse for this change (Chinese): 焦氏易林·大有之睽.

The hexagram

Hexagram 14 Dà Yǒu (Great Possession). The Judgment: Da You indicates that, (under the circumstances which it implies), there will be great progress and success.

Previous: Line 2 · Next: Line 4

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. Plain-English readings and position notes by this site.

Cast a hexagram · All 64 hexagrams · Worked examples