小過 → 泰
Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding → Hexagram 11: Peace
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 4).
Line 1
初六 飛鳥以凶。
Six at the beginning means: The bird meets with misfortune through flying.
Line 2
六二 過其祖。遇其妣。不及其君。遇其臣。无咎。
Six in the second place means: She passes by her ancestor And meets her ancestress. He does not reach his prince And meets the official. No blame.
Line 4
九四 无咎。弗過遇之。往厲必戒。勿用永貞。
Nine in the fourth place means: No blame. He meets him without passing by. Going brings danger. One must be on guard. Do not act. Be constantly persevering.
Trigram Changes
Yilin Verse
三虵共室，同類相得。甘露時降，生我百穀。
Three serpents share a single dwelling, kindred finding kindred; sweet dew descends in season, nurturing all my hundred grains.
— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE
Commentary
Thunder rumbles above the mountain, and three serpents share a single chamber — creatures of the same kind finding natural affinity. Then sweet dew descends at the proper season, nourishing the hundred grains. The verse pairs two auspicious signs: like attracts like in harmonious cohabitation, and heaven responds with timely blessing. The three serpents sharing quarters without conflict suggest a community whose members recognize their kinship rather than competing. Sweet dew (甘露) in Han cosmology was heaven's endorsement of virtuous governance. From Small Exceeding to Peace, thunder above the mountain gives way to heaven and earth in full intercourse. The small excess that once agitated the mountain peak now becomes the generous exchange between high and low that makes all things flourish.
The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store