小過

Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding → Hexagram 32: Duration

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

Changing Lines

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

Line 1

初六 飛鳥以凶。

fēiflies
niǎobird
is on the way to
xiōngadversity

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。

guòbypassing
one's own
ancestor
to meet with
one's own
grandmother
not
to reach
one's own
jūnleader
but meeting with
that
chénminister
no
jiùblame

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 3

九三 弗過防之。從或戕之。凶。

it
guògo beyond
fángto defend
zhīoneself
cóngfrom behind
huòsomebody
qiāngassault
zhīthis one
xiōngunfortunate

Nine in the third place means: If one is not extremely careful, Somebody may come up from behind and strike him. Misfortune.

Line 4

九四 无咎。弗過遇之。往厲必戒。勿用永貞。

avoid
jiùharm
it
guògo beyond
to greet
zhīanother
wǎnggoing
difficult
and require
jièprecaution
do not
yòngpractice
yǒnglasting
zhēnpersistence

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.

Line 6

上六 弗遇過之。飛鳥離之。凶。是謂災眚。

without
greeting
guòin
zhīthem
fēiflying
niǎobirds
abandon
zhīthis
xiōngill-omened
shìtrue
wèisignalling
zāiof calamity
shěngand harm

Six at the top means: He passes him by, not meeting him. The flying bird leaves him. Misfortune. This means bad luck and injury.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramMountain ThunderKeeping Still → The Arousing
Lower TrigramThunder WindThe Arousing → The Gentle

Yilin Verse

窗牖戶房,通利光明。賢智輔聖,仁德大行。家給人足,海內殷昌。

Windows and doors open wide, letting in light and ease; wise counselors assist the sage; benevolence and virtue spread far; every household prospers; all within the seas flourishes.

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

Commentary

Thunder rumbles above the mountain, but the scene within is all light: windows and doors stand open, admitting brilliance from every direction. The wise assist the sage, benevolent virtue spreads widely, every household has sufficiency, and the realm flourishes. The verse paints an idealized governance where transparency (open windows) enables wisdom's circulation and virtue's diffusion. No corner remains dark; no family goes without. From Small Exceeding to Duration, the mountain's thunder becomes thunder and wind moving together in perpetual, steady motion. The openness described is not a burst of reform but an enduring condition — doors that stay open, light that does not fade, virtue that does not waver. Duration's power lies in constancy: what is good here remains good indefinitely.

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