小過

Hexagram 39: Obstruction → Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding

Obstruction
Water / Mountain
小過
Small Exceeding
Thunder / Mountain
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

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

Line 4

六四 往蹇來連。

wǎng(if
jiǎn(is) impassable
lái(then) coming (back)
liánalliance(s)

Six in the fourth place means: Going leads to obstructions, Coming leads to union.

Line 5

九五 大蹇朋來。

(at) (a) major
jiǎnimpasse
péngcompanions
láicome

Nine in the fifth place means: In the midst of the greatest obstructions, Friends come.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramWater ThunderThe Deep → The Arousing
Lower TrigramMountain Mountain

Yilin Verse

六月睽睽,各欲有望。後來未壯,俟時旦明。

In the sixth month, eyes gaze wide; each has their own hopes. What comes later is not yet strong; they must wait for the moment of dawn.

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

Commentary

Water on the mountain holds everyone in anxious suspense. In the sixth month, all eyes strain watchfully — each person harbors hopes and expectations. Yet the time is not ripe: what comes next is still unformed, and one must wait for the dawn to brighten before acting. The verse counsels restraint during a period of collective anticipation: desires are present but premature, and forcing the issue will fail. From Obstruction to Small Exceeding, thunder rumbles above the mountain. Small Exceeding permits small matters to succeed while great ambitions must be deferred — 'the flying bird leaves its call: it is not fitting to ascend, only to descend.' The verse matches this exactly: the watchful sixth-month crowd must not overreach but content themselves with small, timely actions until the light fully arrives.

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