Hexagram 55 · Abundance
丰 · Fēng
The Judgment
Abundance has success. The king attains abundance; be not sad, be like the sun at midday. Clarity and movement together produce a period of great fullness. Yet the sun at noon must begin to decline, and the moon at the full begins to wane. Enjoy this peak generously and without anxiety, but do not imagine it is permanent.
The Image
Both thunder and lightning come together: the image of Abundance. Thus the superior man decides lawsuits and carries out punishments. He sees clearly and acts decisively, matching full illumination with equally firm resolve.
Interpretation
You are at or near a high point: resources, recognition, and energy are all unusually plentiful. The hexagram tells you two things at once. First, do not spoil it with worry. The image of the midday sun is a direct instruction to shine fully and share the warmth rather than fretting about the decline that must eventually come. Use the abundance actively, since resources hoarded at the peak lose their value. Second, know exactly what you have. The lines are full of eclipses and curtains, of stars visible at noon because something is blocking the light, and they warn about the peculiar blindness that comes with success: mistrusting good advisers, surrounding yourself with people who agree, letting the house grow so grand that nobody visits it any more. Keep clear-sighted allies close, act on problems while you have the means to solve them easily, and stay accessible. Abundance handled generously and clearly leaves something behind when it passes.
Love
A rich and happy period in your shared life. Enjoy it fully rather than anxiously guarding it. Be generous with attention and warmth, keep talking honestly, and do not let comfort turn into complacency. What you invest at the peak sustains you afterwards.
Career
A season of visible success and real resources. Spend them on things that outlast the moment: people, capability, groundwork. Keep honest advisers close and do not let your position insulate you from bad news. Decide the pending matters now while it is easy.
Advice
Shine fully and share generously now, without pretending the noon will last.
Line by line
When a man meets his destined ruler, they may be together ten days without blame. Going meets with recognition. A meeting of equals at the outset. Work together as long as it is fruitful, then move on.
The curtain is so full that the polestars are seen at noon. Going brings mistrust and hate. If one rouses him through truth, good fortune. Blocked and misunderstood, win through sincerity rather than argument.
The underbrush is so abundant that small stars are seen at noon. He breaks his right arm; no blame. Obscured entirely and deprived of your best instrument, you can do nothing now, but no fault attaches.
The curtain is so full that the polestars are seen at noon. He meets his ruler, who is of like kind. Good fortune. In the darkness you find the one person who understands, and things begin moving again.
Lines are coming; blessing and fame draw near. Good fortune. You are open to advice and capable people are drawn to you. Because you accept help willingly, this abundance benefits everyone and brings genuine honour.
His house is in abundance but he screens off his family. He peers through the gate and sees no one; for three years he sees nothing. Misfortune. Pride and isolation empty out what was full.