小過

Hexagram 17: Following → Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding

Following
Lake / Thunder
小過
Small Exceeding
Thunder / Mountain
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 3, 5).

Line 1

初九 官有渝。貞吉。出門交有功。

guānthe standards
yǒuwill
change
zhēnpersistence
promising
chūleaving
ména outer gate
jiāoto communicate
yǒuhas
gōngmerit

Nine at the beginning means: The standard is changing. Perseverance brings good fortune. To go out of the door in company Produces deeds.

Line 3

六三 係丈夫。失小子。隨有求得。利居貞。

attached
zhàngthe senior elder
gentleman
shīlosing
xiǎoa little
child
suífollow
yǒuassumes
qiúa quest
gain
worthwhile
to abide in
zhēnpersistence

Six in the third place means: If one clings to the strong man, One loses the little boy. Through following one finds what one seeks. It furthers one to remain persevering.

Line 5

九五 孚于嘉。吉。

trust
in
jiāexcellence
promising

Nine in the fifth place means: Sincere in the good. Good fortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake ThunderThe Joyous → The Arousing
Lower TrigramThunder MountainThe Arousing → Keeping Still

Yilin Verse

慈烏鳴鳩,執一無尤;寢門內治,君子悅喜。

Compassionate crow, cooing dove, holding to one thing without fault; at the sleeping-chamber gate, the household is governed -- the gentleman is pleased and glad.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Thunder rests within the lake, and the compassionate crow and cooing dove embody steadfast devotion. The crow — symbol of filial piety in Chinese tradition, as it feeds its aging parents — and the dove, known for even-handed distribution of food among its young, together represent constancy without blame: 'holding to one, no fault.' Within the household, the inner chambers are well governed, and the gentleman finds quiet satisfaction. From Following to Small Exceeding, thunder atop the mountain in Xiao Guo counsels going slightly beyond in humility and frugality. The verse shows how small, consistent virtues — filial feeding, fair nurture, domestic order — accumulate into the 'small excess' of goodness that Xiao Guo celebrates.

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