小過 → 恆
Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding → Hexagram 32: Duration
Changing Lines
This transformation involves 5 changing lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6).
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 3
九三 弗過防之。從或戕之。凶。
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。
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。
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
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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