履 → 小過
Hexagram 10: Treading → Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6).
Line 1
初九 素履往。无咎。
Nine at the beginning means: Simple conduct. Progress without blame.
Line 2
九二 履道坦坦。幽人貞吉。
Nine in the second place means: Treading a smooth, level course. The perseverance of a dark man Brings good fortune.
Line 3
六三 眇能視。跛能履。履虎尾。咥人凶。武人為于大君。
Six in the third place means: A one-eyed man is able to see, A lame man is able to tread. He treads on the tail of the tiger. The tiger bites the man. Misfortune. Thus does a warrior act on behalf of his great prince.
Line 5
九五 夬履。貞厲。
Nine in the fifth place means: Resolute conduct. Perseverance with awareness of danger.
Line 6
上九 視履考祥。其旋元吉。
Nine at the top means: Look to your conduct and weigh the favorable signs. When everything is fulfilled, supreme good fortune comes.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
遠視千里，不見黑子；離婁之明，無益于光。
Gazing a thousand li into the distance; unable to see a single mote. Even Li Lou is keen sight adds nothing to the light.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Heaven above the lake, yet even the keenest vision has its limits. One gazes a thousand li into the distance but cannot discern a speck. Li Lou's legendary eyesight — he who could see the tip of an autumn hair at a hundred paces — adds nothing to the light itself. The allusion comes from Mencius: 'With Li Lou's sight and Gongshu Ban's skill, without compass and square one cannot make circles and squares.' Supreme ability without the right framework is useless. From Treading to Small Exceeding, thunder rumbles above the mountain. The small bird flies too high and loses its way — exceeding one's proper measure. The verse warns that extraordinary perception without proper method illuminates nothing.
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