小過

Hexagram 62: Small Exceeding → Hexagram 51: The Arousing Thunder

小過
Small Exceeding
Mountain / Thunder
The Arousing Thunder
Thunder / Thunder
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

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

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 Thunder

Yilin Verse

門戶之居,可以止舍。進仕不殆,安樂相保。

A dwelling with gate and door, where one may stop and rest; advancing in office without peril; peace and joy, mutually preserved.

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

Commentary

Thunder rumbles above the mountain, and the dwelling has a proper gate — one can stop and rest here. Advancing into official service brings no danger; peace and contentment are mutually sustained. The verse is a domestic affirmation: the house is solid, the gate is functional, the career path is safe, and happiness is self-reinforcing. No crisis, no dramatic tension — just the quiet satisfaction of things working as they should. The gate (門戶) symbolizes both physical shelter and social position: one who has a proper gate has standing in the world. From Small Exceeding to the Arousing, the mountain's thunder doubles into repeated thunder — shock upon shock. Yet the verse promises that even under thunderous conditions, the dwelling holds. Arousal energizes without destroying when the foundation is sound.

The Six Lines app includes all 4,096 Yilin verses, each with original ink brush artwork and full commentary. Download on the App Store

Related Pages