大過

Hexagram 22: Grace → Hexagram 28: Great Exceeding

Grace
Mountain / Fire
大過
Great Exceeding
Lake / Wind
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 6).

Line 1

初九 賁其趾。舍車而徒。

adorn
these
zhǐfeet
shědismiss
chē(the) carriage
érand (so
go on foot

Nine at the beginning means: He lends grace to his toes, leaves the carriage, and walks.

Line 2

六二 賁其須。

adorn
one's (own)
beard

Six in the second place means: Lends grace to the beard on his chin.

Line 4

六四 賁如皤如。白馬翰如。匪寇婚媾。

elegant
so
(to be) (of) pure
so
bái(and
horse(man)
hànwinged
as if
fěi(it
kòu(a
hūn(but) (a) marital
gòusuitor

Six in the fourth place means: Grace or simplicity? A white horse comes as if on wings. He is not a robber, He will woo at the right time.

Line 5

六五 賁于丘園。束帛戔戔。吝。終吉。

adorned
amidst
qiū(the) hill(sides
yuán(and) (in) gardens
shù(a
(of) silk(s)
jiān(is) (a
jiānremnant
lìnembarrass
zhōng(but) in
promising

Six in the fifth place means: Grace in the hills and gardens. The roll of silk is meager and small. Humiliation, but in the end good fortune.

Line 6

上九 白賁。无咎。

bái(plain) white
adornment
(is) no
jiùblame

Nine at the top means: Simple grace. No blame.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramMountain LakeKeeping Still → The Joyous
Lower TrigramFire WindThe Clinging → The Gentle

Yilin Verse

褰衣涉河,水深漬衣。幸賴舟子,濟脫無他。

Lifting one's robes to ford the river, the water is deep and soaks the clothes. Fortunately a boatman comes alongside; one crosses safely without mishap.

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

Commentary

Fire beneath the mountain meets deep water. Someone hitches up their garments to wade across a river, but the water is too deep and soaks through the clothes. Fortunately, a boatman appears and ferries the traveler safely across — no further harm done. The verse captures the moment when self-reliance fails and one must accept help. Lifting one's robes is a gesture of cautious preparation, but the river exceeds all preparation. From Grace to Great Exceeding, fire beneath the mountain yields to the lake submerging the trees. Great Exceeding is the hexagram of extraordinary pressure — the ridgepole sags under impossible weight. The boatman's rescue mirrors the hexagram's counsel: in moments of extreme excess, unconventional aid and extraordinary measures are the only salvation.

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