小過

Hexagram 53: Development → Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding

Development
Wind / Mountain
小過
Small Exceeding
Mountain / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

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

Line 1

初六 鴻漸于干。小子厲有言。無咎。

hóngthe wild geese
jiàngradually advance
to
gānthe shoreline
xiǎothe little
child
having
yǒuthere is
yána talk
but no
jiùblame

Six at the beginning means: The wild goose gradually draws near the shore. The young son is in danger. There is talk. No blame.

Line 3

九三 鴻漸于陸。夫征不復。婦孕不育。凶。利禦寇。

hóngthe wild goose
jiànadvances
to
the plateau
the husband
zhēngon expedition
on but is
to return
the wife
yùnconceives
but does
give birth
xiōngunfortunate
it is worthwhile
oppose
kòupredator

Nine in the third place means: The wild goose gradually draws near the plateau. The man goes forth and does not return. The woman carries a child but does not bring it forth. Misfortune. It furthers one to fight off robbers.

Line 5

九五 鴻漸于陵。婦三歲不孕。終莫之勝。吉。

hóngthe wild geese
jiàngradually advance
to
língthe foothills
the wife
sānis
suìyears
without
yùnconceiving
zhōngbut in the end
nothing
zhī^
shèngcan
promising

Nine in the fifth place means: The wild goose gradually draws near the summit. For three years the woman has no child. In the end nothing can hinder her. Good fortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramWind MountainThe Gentle → Keeping Still
Lower TrigramMountain ThunderKeeping Still → The Arousing

Yilin Verse

日月之塗,所行必到,无有患故。

The path of sun and moon; what they traverse, they surely reach. There is no cause for misfortune.

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

Commentary

Wind over mountain meets thunder above mountain: gradual development modulates into the careful small steps of Small Exceeding. The path of sun and moon: wherever they travel, they inevitably arrive. There is no mishap or cause for worry. The celestial bodies follow their courses with absolute regularity, never failing to reach their appointed stations. From Development to Small Exceeding, the thunder sounds above the mountain, and the gentleman practices excess in reverence, grief, and frugality. Small Exceeding counsels staying low and attending to details. The verse reassures: like the sun and moon on their daily rounds, the one who follows the established path will arrive without fail. Gradual, methodical movement along a proven course eliminates all cause for anxiety.

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