What this change means
Envy and greed are the two shadows of wealth, and the fourth and third lines name them both. The fourth leads: don't flaunt your abundance or let envy take hold; look at what you have and feel grateful. The third follows: keeping wealth only for yourself brings difficulty and loss, while generosity opens possibilities. As the lower Heaven becomes Lake and the upper Fire becomes Mountain, the figure turns into 41 Decrease, a time for moderation and saving, for conserving resources and energy. Read together, this is a moment to want less and hold more lightly. Cut back where you've been spending on show or comparison. Avoid excess of every kind. Give where giving makes sense, rather than storing up out of fear. A period of growth can follow, and restraint now prepares you to take it on without losing your center.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 4 of 14 Wealth
It's important not to let envy get the better of you: look at the wealth you have and be grateful for it.
It does not flaunt its abundance. No fault.
- Line 3 of 14 Wealth
Greed, or using wealth only for your own benefit, will bring difficulties and loss. Generosity opens new possibilities.
The prince makes offerings to the Son of Heaven. The petty person cannot.
- The judgment of 14 Wealth
A time of abundance and prosperity, both inner and outer. It's important to keep your character centered and to cultivate good deeds and generosity, so that this wealth lasts and reaches others.
Great success.
- The judgment of 41 Decrease
It's a time for moderation and saving: conserving your resources and energy matters a great deal now. A period of growth will follow, but for now you need to stay aware and avoid excess of every kind while you get ready to take on big projects.
There is sincere trust. Great good fortune. No fault. Constancy is possible. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. What to offer? Two bowls will do for the offering.
The trigrams
The way back
41 Decrease → 14 Wealthlines 3 and 4
Other transformations of Wealth
- 56The Travelerlines 1 and 2
- 64Transitionlines 1 and 3
- 21Bitinglines 2 and 3
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1 and 4
- 22Good Mannerslines 2 and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 1 and 5
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 2 and 5
- 10Treading Carefullylines 3 and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 4 and 5
- 32What Lastslines 1 and 6
- 55Abundancelines 2 and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 3 and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 4 and 6
- 43Overflowinglines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.