大過

Hexagram 28: Great Exceeding → Hexagram 27: Nourishment

大過
Great Exceeding
Lake / Wind
Nourishment
Mountain / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 6 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Line 1

初六 藉用白茅。无咎。

jièfor
yòngusing
báiwhite
máothatch
no
jiùblame

Six at the beginning means: To spread white rushes underneath. No blame.

Line 2

九二 枯楊生稊。老夫得其女妻。无不利。

the withered
yángpoplar
shēngsends out
a new
lǎothe old
gentleman
finds
his own
a maiden
companion
without
doubt
worthwhile

Nine in the second place means: A dry poplar sprouts at the root. An older man takes a young wife. Everything furthers.

Line 3

九三 棟橈。凶。

dòngthe ridgepole
náois deformed
xiōngominous

Nine in the third place means: The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. Misfortune.

Line 4

九四 棟隆。吉。有它吝。

dòngthe ridgepole
lóngholds
promising
yǒuif it
tuōany
lìnthen inadequacy

Nine in the fourth place means: The ridgepole is braced. Good fortune. If there are ulterior motives, it is humiliating.

Line 5

九五 枯楊生華。老婦得其士夫。无咎无譽。

the withered
yángpoplar
shēngsends out
huáflowers
lǎothe old
woman
finds
her own
shìa young gentleman
as husband
no
jiùto blame
no
to praise

Nine in the fifth place means: A withered poplar puts forth flowers. An older woman takes a husband. No blame. No praise.

Line 6

上六 過涉滅頂。凶。无咎。

guòtoo much of
shèto crossing
miècovering
dǐngone's head
xiōngunfortunate
but no
jiùblame

Six at the top means: One must go through the water. It goes over one's head. Misfortune. No blame.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramLake MountainThe Joyous → Keeping Still
Lower TrigramWind ThunderThe Gentle → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

三奇六耦,各有所主。周南召南,聖人所在。德義流行,民悅以喜。

Three odd, six even; each has its proper lord. Zhounan, Shaonan; where the sage resides. Virtue and righteousness flow forth; the people delight and rejoice.

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

Commentary

Lake over wind settles into mountain above thunder — Nourishment, where one is careful about what sustains. Three odd and six even, each with its proper ruler. The odes of Zhou Nan and Shao Nan mark where the sage dwells. Virtue and righteousness flow freely; the people rejoice. The 'three odd and six even' refer to the trigram structure — three yang lines and six yin lines of the hexagram system, each in its ordained place. Zhou Nan and Shao Nan are the first two sections of the Shijing, traditionally associated with the civilizing influence of Kings Wen and Wu and the Duke of Zhou. From Great Exceeding to Nourishment, the overburdened beam finds its proper support in ordered hierarchy. True nourishment comes from each element occupying its rightful position, as the sages' virtue flows outward through poetry and moral example.

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