Hexagram 14, line 5
六五Line 5 of Great Holdings
Six in the fifth place · 大有 dà yǒu
爻辭 The line text
厥孚交如，威如；吉。The fifth line, divided, shows the sincerity of its subject reciprocated by that of all the others (represented in the hexagram). Let him display a proper majesty, and there will be good fortune.
厥孚交如，信以發志也。威如之吉，易而无備也。'His sincerity is reciprocated by all the others:'—his sincerity serves to stir and call out what is in their minds. 'The good fortune springing from a display of proper majesty' shows how they might (otherwise) feel too easy, and make no preparation (to serve him).
In plain words
Line five is the ruler of Da You: the one yin in the honoured place, which the Tuan says is 'greatly central, with above and below responding to it.' Its text is 'sincerity exchanged; with dignity, good fortune.' The soft sovereign holds five strong lines not by force but by trust that runs both ways — the small Image: 'trust stirs their aims' (信以發志也). But it adds a second condition, 威如, a bearing that commands respect, and explains why: without it the others would grow 'easy and unprepared' (易而無備也). Gentleness alone makes a court careless; gentleness with dignity makes it loyal.
If this line is changing
Lead by trust that is genuinely mutual, and pair it with enough dignity that no one takes you lightly; warmth without bearing makes people careless.
Where the line stands
- A broken line, yin — written 六 (six), the number of an old yin line that moves when cast.
- It is not in its correct place (不當位): a yang line in an even position or a yin line in an odd one, which the tradition reads as a line under some strain — often the reason a text sounds a warning.
- It is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
- It belongs to the upper trigram 離 Li (the Clinging) (fire).
- It corresponds (應) with line 2: one yin and one yang, the two lines answer each other across the hexagram.
之卦 When this line moves
大有 Great Holdings becomes ䷀ 1 乾 Heaven
Pure yang, six unbroken lines: heaven in ceaseless motion. Creative force and leadership, pictured as a dragon rising stage by stage — hidden, in the field, flying, and finally overreaching.
What it becomes1 · 乾 HeavenqiánThe six lines of 大有 Great Holdings
- 初九Nine at the beginningno harmful contact · remember the difficulty · beginning of plenty
- 九二Nine in the second placegreat wagon · bearing the load · accumulated strength
- 九三Nine in the third placeoffering to the king · noble service · small man cannot
- 九四Nine in the fourth placenot swelling · restraint near the ruler · clear discernment
- 六五Six in the fifth placesincerity exchanged · dignity · ruler of the hexagram
- 上九Nine at the tophelp from heaven · nothing not favourable · yielding above the ruler
Read 大有 Great Holdings for a question about
Questions about this line
- What does Six in the fifth place of hexagram 14, Great Holdings, mean?
- Line five is the ruler of Da You: the one yin in the honoured place, which the Tuan says is 'greatly central, with above and below responding to it.' Its text is 'sincerity exchanged; with dignity, good fortune.' The soft sovereign holds five strong lines not by force but by trust that runs both ways — the small Image: 'trust stirs their aims' (信以發志也). But it adds a second condition, 威如, a bearing that commands respect, and explains why: without it the others would grow 'easy and unprepared' (易而無備也). Gentleness alone makes a court careless; gentleness with dignity makes it loyal.
- What does hexagram 14 become when line 5 changes?
- Great Holdings becomes hexagram 1, 乾 Heaven: Pure yang, six unbroken lines: heaven in ceaseless motion. Creative force and leadership, pictured as a dragon rising stage by stage — hidden, in the field, flying, and finally overreaching.
- Is line 5 of Great Holdings in its correct place?
- It is not in its correct place (不當位): a yang line in an even position or a yin line in an odd one, which the tradition reads as a line under some strain — often the reason a text sounds a warning. It is central (中): the middle line of its trigram, the position the commentaries read as balanced and most favourable.
Chinese text: the received Zhouyi (Wuyingdian lineage). English: James Legge, The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East XVI, 1882 (public domain).