I Ching Hexagram 14: Great Harvest (大有)
Overview
The fire in heaven above shines far, and all things stand out in the light and become manifest. The weak fifth line occupies the place of honor and all the strong lines are in accord with it.All things come to the man who is modest and kind in a high position.
The Judgment — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE. Supreme success.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (Princeton University Press, 1950)
The Image — Wilhelm/Baynes Translation
Fire in heaven above: The image of POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE. Thus the superior man curbs evil and furthers good, And thereby obeys the benevolent will of heaven.
— Richard Wilhelm & Cary F. Baynes, The I Ching or Book of Changes (1950)
Commentary
The sun in heaven above, shedding light over everything one earth, is the image of possession on a grand scale. But a possession of this sort must be administered properly. The sun brings both evil and good into the light of day. Man must combat and curb the evil, and must favor and promote the good. Only in this way does he fulfill the benevolent will of God, who desires only good and not evil.
The Six Lines — Complete Commentary
Each line represents a stage in the unfolding situation. A line becomes "changing" when it transforms during divination.
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Line 1
No relationship with what is harmful; There is no blame in this. If one remains conscious of difficulty, One remains without blame.
Great possession that is still in its beginnings and that has not yet been challenged brings no blame, since there has been no opportunity to make mistakes. Yet there are many difficulties to be overcome. It is only by remaining conscious of theses difficulties that one can keep inwardly free of possible arrogance and wastefulness, and thus in principle overcome all cause for blame. -
Line 2
A big wagon for loading. One may undertake something. No blame.
Great possession consists not only in the quantity of goods at one's disposal, but first and foremost, in their mobility and utility, for then they can be used in undertakings, and we remain free of embarrassment and mistakes. The big wagon, which will carry a heavy load and in which one can journey farm means that there are at hand able helpers who give their support t and are equal to their task. One can load great responsibility upon such persons, and this is necessary in important undertakings. -
Line 3
A prince offers it to the Son of Heaven. A petty man cannot do this.
A magnanimous, liberal-minded man should not regard what he possesses as his exclusive personal property , but should place it at the disposal of the ruler or of the people at large. In so doing, he takes the right attitude toward his possession, which as private property can never endure. A petty man is incapable of this. He is harmed by great possessions, because instead of sacrificing them, he would keep them for himself. -
Line 4
He makes a difference Between himself and his neighbor. No blame.
This characterizes the position of a man placed among rich and powerful neighbors. It is a dangerous position. He must look neither to the right nor to the left, and must shun envy and the temptation to vie with others. In this way he remains free of mistakes. -
Line 5
He whose truth is accessible, yet dignified, Has good fortune.
The situation is very favorable. People are being won not by coercion but by unaffected sincerity, so that they are attached to us in sincerity and truth. However, benevolence alone is not sufficient at the time of POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE. For insolence might begin to spread. Insolence must be kept in bounds by dignity; then good fortune is assured. -
Line 6
He is blessed by heaven. Good fortune. Nothing that does not further.
In the fullness of possession and at the height of power, one remains modest and gives honor to the sage who stands outside the affairs of the world. By this means one puts oneself under the beneficent influence descending form heaven, and all goes well. Confucius says of this line:
To bless means to help. Heaven helps the man who is devoted; men help the man who is true. He who walks in truth and is devoted in his thinking, and furthermore reveres the worthy, is blessed by heaven. He has good fortune, and there is nothing that would not further.
♥ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Love & Relationships
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, enters love readings with the energy of true abundance — a heart so full that it naturally gives generously, a love so genuine that it illuminates rather than possesses, a relationship so rich that both people are more themselves within it than outside it.
Fire over Heaven in love creates a beautiful dynamic: the warmth and light of genuine feeling (Fire) aligned with the highest principles of what love can be (Heaven). This is love that is both alive with genuine feeling and anchored in authentic values — a rare and precious combination.
★ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Career & Work
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest (Ta Yu), is among the most auspicious hexagrams in the I Ching for professional matters. It represents a period of genuine abundance — a time when your skills, reputation, and opportunities are all aligned for exceptional achievement.
Fire over Heaven creates a striking image for career: the brilliant clarity of Fire (your personal intelligence, passion, and visibility) positioned above Heaven (the highest principles and cosmic alignment). When your professional work illuminates the world from a position of genuine virtue, the result is the Great Harvest.
◆ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Money & Finances
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, is among the most auspicious hexagrams in the I Ching for financial matters. It represents genuine financial abundance — a period when your assets, opportunities, income, and market position are all converging to produce exceptional financial results.
Fire over Heaven in finance creates the image of brilliant financial visibility from a position of genuine strength. Your financial situation has the quality of Fire: it illuminates opportunity, attracts resources, and generates warmth and vitality in everything it touches — all from the principled height of Heaven's strategic clarity.
☤ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Health & Wellbeing
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, in health readings speaks of genuine vitality — not the frenetic energy of excess or stimulation, but the deep, self-sustaining aliveness that comes from a body, mind, and spirit in true alignment. This is a peak period of health potential.
Fire over Heaven creates a health image of brilliant, sustainable energy: the warmth of genuine vitality (Fire) aligned with the highest principles of wellbeing (Heaven). This is not exhausting intensity but illuminating aliveness — the kind of health that radiates outward and nourishes everyone in contact with it.
☯ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Spiritual Growth
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, stands as one of the I Ching's most luminous hexagrams for spiritual understanding. It represents a state of genuine inner richness — not claimed or imagined, but actually achieved through honest spiritual work. This is a peak period of spiritual clarity and the abundance that flows from it.
Fire above Heaven creates a profound spiritual image: consciousness (Fire) that has risen above all worldly limitation (Heaven) and now illuminates everything beneath it with brilliant, generous light. This is the image of genuine spiritual realization — not as withdrawal from the world, but as a luminous presence that benefits everything it touches.
△ Hexagram 14 Great Harvest — Business & Strategy
Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, is one of the most auspicious hexagrams in the I Ching for business. It represents a peak period of genuine commercial abundance — when your market position, capabilities, relationships, and timing all align to produce exceptional results.
Fire over Heaven in business creates an image of brilliant visibility from a position of principled authority. Your business has achieved the kind of reputation and capability that puts it in a position of genuine leadership in its domain — and that position is now producing the harvest of years of authentic value creation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 14 Great Harvest mean?
The two trigrams indicate that strength and clarity unite. Possessions great measure is determined by fate and accords with the time. How is it possible that the weak line has power to hold the strong lines fast and to possess them? It is done by virtue of unselfish modesty. The time is favorable--a time of strength within, clarity and culture without. Power is expressing itself in graceful and controlled way. This brings supreme success and wealth.
Is Hexagram 14 a yes or no?
The I Ching does not provide simple yes or no answers. Hexagram 14, Great Harvest, offers guidance about the quality and direction of the current moment. Consult the judgment and image texts above for specific direction relevant to your question.
What are the changing lines in Hexagram 14?
Changing lines indicate points of transformation within your reading. Each of the six lines in Hexagram 14 carries its own meaning — see the complete line commentary above for detailed guidance on each position.
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Sources
- Wilhelm, Richard & Baynes, Cary F. The I Ching or Book of Changes. Princeton University Press, 1950.
- Legge, James. The I Ching: Book of Changes. Dover Publications, 1963.
- Huang, Alfred. The Complete I Ching. Inner Traditions, 1998.
Commentary
The two trigrams indicate that strength and clarity unite. Possessions great measure is determined by fate and accords with the time. How is it possible that the weak line has power to hold the strong lines fast and to possess them? It is done by virtue of unselfish modesty. The time is favorable--a time of strength within, clarity and culture without. Power is expressing itself in graceful and controlled way. This brings supreme success and wealth.