A Study of the Structure, Philosophical Principles, and Philosophy of Hexagram Huo Tian Da You (Fire over Heaven, Great Possession)
This article systematically investigates the fourteenth hexagram of the Yijing, 'Fire over Heaven — Great Possession' (Huo Tian Da You), analyzing its trigram structure of Li above Qian below, elucidating the rich connotations of 'Great Possession,' and drawing upon pre-Qin literature to expound the principle of 'one yielding line in the place of honor, five firm lines responding to it' — the way of grand virtue and great enterprise — revealing its profound significance in ancient political philosophy.
Chapter Ten: Hexagram Da You and Cosmology
Section 1: Celestial Fire and Astronomy
Da You's "fire above heaven" most directly symbolizes the sun above the sky. Pre-Qin understanding linked astronomical patterns (tianwen) with cultural patterns (renwen). Da You's fire above heaven (astronomical) corresponds to the sage-king's virtue spreading far (cultural).
Section 2: Yin-Yang Waxing and Waning
Among the six one-yin-five-yang hexagrams (Da You, Gou, Xiao Xu, Guai, Tong Ren, Lu), Da You with yin in the fifth position is the most honored. Position matters far more than quantity. Yin provides the center to which yang converges — like a riverbed guiding water or a direction leading wind.
Section 3: Heaven-Human Unity
Da You places Qian (Heaven) below and Li (sun) above — humanity models this by taking firmness as inner foundation and brightness as outer expression. "Responding to Heaven" concretely means: modeling Heaven's vigor, the sun's brightness, Heaven's order, and Heaven's impartiality. "Acting with the time" has cosmological significance: modeling the four seasons' ceaseless, timely revolution.