小過

Hexagram 44: Coming to Meet → Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding

Coming to Meet
Heaven / Wind
小過
Small Exceeding
Mountain / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

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

Line 1

初六 繫于金柅。貞吉。有攸往。見凶。羸豕孚蹢躅。

secured
by
jīnmetal
brake
zhēnpersistence
is promising
yǒuhave
yōusomewhere
wǎngto go
jiànlook at
xiōngthe unfortunate
léitethered
shǐhog
is sure
zhíto kick
zhúand falter

Six at the beginning means: It must be checked with a brake of bronze. Perseverance brings good fortune. If one lets it take its course, one experiences misfortune. Even a lean pig has it in him to rage around.

Line 2

九二 包有魚。无咎。不利賓。

bāocreel
yǒuholds
fish
no
jiùblame
but no
advantage
bīnone's guests

Nine in the second place means: There is a fish in the tank. No blame. Does not further guests.

Line 3

九三 臀无膚。其行次且。厲。无大咎。

túnrump
without
skin
one's
xíngwalking
is second-rate
qiěfor now
harsh
but no
great
jiùblame

Nine in the third place means: There is no skin on his thighs, And walking comes hard. If one is mindful of the danger, No great mistake is made.

Line 4

九四 包无魚。起凶。

bāocreel
without
fish
dawning
xiōngunhappiness

Nine in the fourth place means: No fish in the tank. This leads to misfortune.

Line 5

九五 以杞包瓜。含章。有隕自天。

using
willows
bāoto wrap
guāmelons
hánrestrained
zhāngis a
yǒuthese
yǔndropped
from
tiānheaven

Nine in the fifth place means: A melon covered with willow leaves. Hidden lines. Then it drops down to one from heave.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramHeaven MountainThe Creative → Keeping Still
Lower TrigramWind ThunderThe Gentle → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

三虎上山,更相噬囓。心志不親,如仇與怨。

Three tigers ascend the mountain, biting and tearing at one another. Hearts and wills know no kinship; like enemies and foes.

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

Commentary

Wind beneath heaven drives three tigers up a single mountain. Confined to the same territory, they tear at one another: hearts are not close, and their bond is that of enemies and grudge-holders. The image is stark — apex predators forced into proximity, competing for the same resources, their mutual hostility escalating to violence. There is no prey to hunt; they hunt each other. From Coming to Meet to Small Exceeding, thunder perches atop the mountain in precarious excess — the small overstepping the great. Gou's encounter packs too much power into too small a space. Three tigers on one mountain is a political metaphor for rival strongmen sharing a domain that can sustain only one.

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